From cutting plan to the store's panel saw. The sheet library with real store sizes and prices from Home Depot, Lowe's and Menards, optimizing for lowest cost, through cuts, the shopping list, print or PDF, labels, and sharing to your phone. Free, no signup.
Chapters
Transcript
The spoken text of the video, per chapter.
Intro0:00
The cutting plan for the cabinet is done. In this video we pick the sheet at the hardware store, see what the project costs, and prepare the plan for the cutting service, so you know exactly what to buy.
The library, filtering and sorting0:12
We open the library. It holds the sheets the hardware stores actually sell, with the size, the thickness and an indicative price. At the top you choose the country. Besides the US there are also Dutch, German, Austrian and Swiss stores.
We filter on plywood, three quarter inch. Sort by price: you immediately see the difference between a large and a small sheet, and between the stores.
Adding a sheet and choosing sizes automatically0:39
We add the cheapest sheet to the project. It now sits under Sheet material. Rather let the tool choose? Then turn on Choose sizes automatically. It picks the most economical size per material, from every store or only from the stores you tick, and under Sheets needed you see exactly what to buy.
What the project costs and what you need1:00
Under Sheets needed you see what the project costs you in sheet material, per sheet and per store. Set Optimize for Lowest cost and the tool picks on price. Sometimes a larger sheet is more expensive per piece, but cheaper for the whole project.
Under Export is What do I need: the shopping list with the number of sheets per type and what else to bring.
Cutting service and through cuts1:25
Good to know before you go: the cutting service only makes straight cuts through the whole sheet, and does not cut small pieces. Fees differ per store; the current rules are in our guide, the link is in the description.
Check in the plan that the cuts run edge to edge; that is what the store can make. The fine work, the small pieces, you do at home.
Print or PDF1:48
Print or PDF gives the plan per sheet with numbered parts, and the cut list with it. That is exactly what the person at the saw needs.
Print labels and share1:58
Print labels gives a sticker sheet with the number, name and size per part. Stick them on the parts as soon as they are cut; then you do not have to measure anything at home.
Share this project copies a link. Send it to your phone, then you have the plan at the saw without paper, and you can still adjust something on the spot.
Wrap-up2:20
That was the hardware store: pick a sheet, compare costs, through cuts, print or share. Print your cutting plan today and take it to the store. Next video: keeping and reusing offcuts.