How to use the optimizer
List the stock you can buy — a 4×8 sheet of plywood is 96 × 48 — then list every
part your project needs. The layout below updates as you type: each sheet is drawn
to scale with numbered parts, the dimensions on the drawing, and the waste
percentage in the caption. When it looks right, print it and take it to the saw.
The diagrams use straight guillotine cuts — every line runs edge to edge of
the piece it divides, which is how a table saw, track saw, or panel saw works. Cut
the long lines first, then work down to the small parts, and remember every pencil
line you follow eats one kerf of wood.
Getting less waste
- Unlock grain where honesty allows. Rotating even a couple of parts often saves a strip; keep the lock for show surfaces.
- Offer more than one stock size. Add a half sheet or a 2×4 project panel with prices, and the optimizer will tell you when the small panel is the cheaper buy.
- Mind the offcuts list. Pieces worth keeping are called out under the diagrams — label them and they become next project’s free stock.
- Use a realistic kerf. An optimistic kerf produces a layout the saw can’t deliver; measure your blade’s plate-plus-set or check the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
How does the optimizer decide where to cut?
It runs a guillotine layout — every cut goes straight across the remaining piece, the way a table saw or track saw actually cuts. Several part orderings are tried (biggest area first, longest side first, and so on) and the layout that uses the least stock wins. The result is near-optimal in practice, and honest about being an estimate: the waste percentage is shown on every sheet.
What does the grain lock do?
Grain is assumed to run along the length of each sheet or board. A part with Lock grain checked keeps its length along that direction — it will never be rotated 90° to squeeze into a gap. Leave it unchecked for parts where grain direction doesn’t matter (paint-grade work, MDF, hidden parts) and the optimizer gains room to reduce waste.
How is the saw kerf handled?
The kerf — the wood your blade turns into dust — is added alongside every cut, so two 48″ parts never pretend to fit a 96″ board. The default is ⅛″ (0.125″), typical for table and circular saw blades; thin-kerf blades run about 3/32″ and track saws about 1/16″–1/12″. You can change it any time.
Can I share or save a cut list?
Yes — both, with no account. Copy share link packs the entire cut list into the page address itself; anyone who opens the link sees your exact project. Save keeps projects in your own browser’s storage. Nothing is uploaded either way: the whole optimizer runs on your device.
What about parts of different thicknesses?
Run one layout per thickness — a layout mixes parts that come from the same stock, and ¾″ parts can’t share a sheet with ¼″ parts anyway. Save each thickness as its own project (for example “Bookcase ¾ ply” and “Bookcase ¼ back”).
Does it work in millimeters?
The math doesn’t care about units — enter every dimension in millimeters (stock, parts, and kerf; a typical blade kerf is 3 mm) and read the results as millimeters. The fraction shortcuts like 30 1/4 are inch conveniences, but plain decimal numbers work for any unit.
Is it really free? What’s the catch?
Free, no sign-up, no limits on parts or sheets. There is no catch: your cut list never leaves your browser, so hosting the calculator costs almost nothing.