MDF shaker doors

[Forrest Chapman]

Sure would be nice to have the ability to save part edited doors to a library so they can be changed out at a global level. I've only been asking for at least 10 years and seeing how quite a few others on here do that kind of door I would think it would be a higher priority.

Forrest

[Joe Soto]

I agree. i'm cutting 8 sheets of shaker doors right now. The way I handle them is, I created a library of "backs" with all the different options, single, double panel, finish end panels, drawer fronts ect. I get export the cutlist from the job to excel, rework the doordrawerfront listing. Change the headers, move the info to the correct columns. Save as a new .xls file and import it back into ecabs as a batch. Its a lot of steps since all the info is already there but gets it done.

[Mark McCallum]

The way we handle them was to make a library of cabinets with MDF doors, add pockets and constrain them in the part and node editor.
So there are 10 or so basic cabinet variations.
The cabinets are resizable.
For panels we use an end, so if you place it in a room it aligns to the back, but often we use assemblies.
If we need doors only but with hinge holes, we phantom part what we don't need, but yeah, you need to remember hinge, open side and top reveals.
You can adjust hinge hole positioning, change handle holes, and drawer runner drilling patterns without loosing the constraints.
Drawer boxes need different units for each style because you loose constraints when the drawer fronts are re-applied.

We also have done country V groove, and constrain the cabinets to say 600mm to 850mm 2 door so the grooves remain even.
You dont need as many cabinets as you might first imagine.
I found it easier to start with the widest cabinets, set the formulas, then take off pockets and constraints as you work down.

But yes, its not the same as being able to flip out one MDF door design for another one when a customer wants to see what their kitchen looks like with another type of door on it.

[Forrest Chapman]

Just revisiting this topic.

Really need the ability to create a flat recess mdf door and change it at a job level. We cut a few thousand a year and have several different styles of inside profiles with a flat panel. We also bore hinge marker holes and assorted drawer front bracket holes in the backs as a flip opp and I cannot design that many libraries or spend the time to make those changes on a per cabinet basis. Its crazy this hasn't been addressed!

At the moment I'm doing what everyone else is doing for standard door orders but all my cabinet jobs that have holes drilled in the back are being designed in another software. My parts customers designing in ecabinets however are stuck.

Can Thermwood please take the time to make this option available?

Forrest

[Kerry Fullington]

Shaker doors are an option on the Cut Center so they must be possible.

Cut Center Shaker Doors

[Forrest Chapman]

Hey Kerry, and I think that's where the problem lies. What many of us ecabinet users have been asking for over the last 15 plus years Thermwood has decided to include in the cut center. The ability to make tool sets and apply to a door or panel is also possible in the cut center or at least its preprogrammed.
I'm doing a ton of metal sided drawer sides "6 different types and patterns" with mdf doors or in some cases flat panel. We bore the holes on the machine as a flip first to avoid any mistakes or secondary operations and because it's way faster. I can change the patterns and drawer boxes globally no problem but if I need a shaker type door or a raised panel door done with our diamond profile tools then I have to design the entire job in another software. A few of my clients have expressed interest in leasing the other software to avoid these issues. They also know they can output to other brand machines if they do use another software. One of my cut clients ended up buying a cnc recently (not Thermwood) because of this very thing and I have another client looking at doing the same thing. It's hard to argue with them when I can't tell them with any certainty that Thermwood is even interested in adding this fundamental feature to ecabinets.

Very Frustrating!!

[Kerry Fullington]

I won't be any help. We don't do many MDF Doors, so I use eCabinets for sizes and paste them into another software for the doors. I can't do any cuts on the flip side though, just face cuts.

[Larry Epplin]

Thanks for keeping this thread alive Forrest! Sorry for the frustration. We do plan to offer this additional functionality in eCabinet Systems. We understand that it can be frustrating to not be able to swap part edited slab doors at the job level. We will do our best to honor a request that is long overdue.

Larry

[Forrest Chapman]

Thank you for the response Larry. I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with. I'm sure a few of us beta testers would love to get our hands on it first and hopefully have some input on improvements or tweaks.

Forrest

[Forrest Chapman]

Any news on this yet? I'm overwhelmed with orders where I'm having to redraw my customers jobs in another software adding significant time and cost. It's getting old trying to explain to them why I can't just swap the doors out and why the labels won't match their ecab drawings.

Forrest

[Mark McCallum]

Hi Forrest.
I was just looking at this very topic about a week ago and wondering if there were any new betas coming out.

[Clint Buechlein]

We are working on it, many irons in the fire currently. Unfortunately like everything else, it isn't a simple turn it on change. Integrating the Door/Drawer Designer into Cabinet Editor is a big change.

-Clint-

[Forrest Chapman]

Thanks Clint! The views keep going up so lots of interest for sure.

One other thing that would be nice to work in is the ability to choose different drawer fronts depending on location. In a stack of drawers we do full width rails on lower fronts and reduced width for the top ones. This is also needed for doing slab top drawer fronts and panel lowers.

Forrest

[Forrest Chapman]

You know what would be really cool Clint......Unveil this new feature at the IWF in 1 month!!

Forrest