Ecabinets and Cutlists?!?!?!

gordonjackson · Post by **gordonjackson** » Fri, Jan 19 2007, 7:29PM

I made a post below about hiring a designer to use ecabs to design for me. I am not currently using ecabs but plan to switch from Cabinet Solutions. I got an email from a regular member here and he expressed his frustrations with ecabs cutlisting.

Are the ecabs cutlists that bad? If I can't get good cutlists from this program I am wasting my time here. Here are the comments that were forwarded to me by the other ecabs member:

\"It doesn't create master cutlists like the ones you would be familiar with from using cabinet solutions--quantity, lengths and widths in descending order, etc. Instead, it lists every cabinet seperately and every part seperately. For example, if you have 22 stiles that are 3/4 X 2 1/4 x 35 1/4, the ecabinets cutlist lists it 22 times, in eleven different boxes. It's completely impractical. I really don't understand why this hasn't been addressed with such a powerful software. So, basically you have to take the cutlist information from ecabinets and export it to a spreadsheet and edit it into a practical cutlist. I haven't yet learned how to do this, because the projects I have used it for have been entertainment centers. The parts were few enough that I sat down with a pencil and paper and wrote my own cutlist by sorting thru the ecabinets data. I'm hoping the next major build will have the ability to sort and customize the cutlists from within the software itself.\"[/b]

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Fri, Jan 19 2007, 8:22PM

Information in the cut list has been the subject of many threads in the forum. Recently Jason Susnjara posted a request seeking member's input for what they wanted in cut list reports. That post received very few replies other than requesting board feet for board stock.

I suggest that the member who sent you that information post his (or her) needs in reply to Jason's request instead of just complaining. If member's needs aren't known by Thermwood they cannot be addresed.

I personally have very few complaints with the cut list. I would like to see parts grouped differently but that is about all. Although it could use a little improvement it meets my needs as is.

You should look at the cut list yourself and see what it offers and whether it meets YOUR needs rather than relying on someone else's complaints.

Kerry Fullington · Post by **Kerry Fullington** » Fri, Jan 19 2007, 8:34PM

Gordon,
By exporting the cutlist to Excel you can arrange a cut list any way you want. You can adjust the way it is sorted and how the columns are arranged.
The first pdf below is a board stock cut list as it comes from eCabinets.
The second pdf is that cut list sorted in Excel.
The third pdf is the cut list with a different format .

Geo Noeth · Post by **Geo Noeth** » Sat, Jan 20 2007, 6:15AM

I have no problems with cutlists now that they can be exported to Excel. Far from being a drawback the Excel feature provides all the funcionallity of the most powerful spreadsheet software, much more than could be packed internally into the software.

Cutlists is the last thing in e-cabs that I would want messed with.

Rick Palechuk · Post by **Rick Palechuk** » Sat, Jan 20 2007, 8:52AM

Maybe you could share your Excel layout with the rest of us

Kerry Fullington · Post by **Kerry Fullington** » Sat, Jan 20 2007, 10:10AM

Rick,
I don't know how Geo does it but I export the cut list and save it to a file then I open that file in Excel and click on the tab that I want to sort such as \"Sheet Component Listing\". I then click on \"Data\" on the Excel menu bar and choose \"Sort\". This opens the Sort dialogue box that is seen below. I click the \"Header Row\" radio button which lets me sort by the header row names and I usually click all the \"Descending\" radio buttons because I want to cut the large pieces first. I can then use the drop down menus to sort by material first then the width of the piece second and then the height. Click OK and it sorts. You can sort the sheet any way you want. I then click on a column and choose \"Cut\" then I click on another column and choose \"Insert cut cells\". This will insert the cut column in front of the selected column which lets me arrange the printout the way I want it. You can click on \"Format\" then choose \"Auto Format\" and this will open a dialogue box that lets you choose how the printout will look, lines, no lines or shade every other line so that it is easier to read.

Hope this helps.
Kerry

Geo Noeth · Post by **Geo Noeth** » Sat, Jan 20 2007, 10:34AM

Rick here is an example. This is a list of face frame components for a small kitchen I just finished.

Mod 2 shows the data sorted by cabinet number for assembly.
Mod 3 shows the same data sorted by size for cutting.

Geo Noeth · Post by **Geo Noeth** » Sat, Jan 20 2007, 11:50AM

This is the same as the mod 3 with some extra formatting and an added column for the qty of each part

Michael Yeargain · Post by **Michael Yeargain** » Sat, Jan 20 2007, 12:19PM

Gordon,

Dan mentioned in the foreward post in this thread, that this topic has been brought to the attention of the programmers. And, from what I understand, is being addressed now.

This cut list being exported is a much better solution presently than the other software you mentioned. ( I wont repeat the name) I am familiar with that software and had no problem converting with a tolerable learning curve.

The PM or e_mail sent to you by another member, is hogwash in my oppinion. I use Excel and LOVE it...

in addition to this... I gave the cutlist to my cut man and he cut this job out in about 11 hours total. about 160 lnft of cabinets in all. And a custom island. All this is custom work and he likes this system. And of course when I get my router He may not like it.

Rick Palechuk · Post by **Rick Palechuk** » Sun, Jan 21 2007, 2:35PM

Hey guys, I think what I'm trying to say is has anyone formulated a template in Excel that groups your common sized parts into one row.

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Sun, Jan 21 2007, 2:47PM

A while back Mark Rheader posted a macro for Excel to sort the cutlist. You can search for posts by him and find it.

Kerry Fullington · Post by **Kerry Fullington** » Sun, Jan 21 2007, 2:48PM

Your wanting the cut list to take all of the, say, 2\" X 31\" stiles and tell you that you need 10 of these instead of listing ten separate ones. I am not smart enough to do that but then I want to be able to look at the cut list and see which cabinets these parts go to so I want them listed separately in a group.
I'll bet some of the guys that play with Macros could do what you are wanting.
Kerry

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Sun, Jan 21 2007, 3:01PM

Here is a link to one of Mark Rheeder's (not Rheader) threads on this subject. If you search for all posts by Mark Rheeder you will find others also.

Excel Cutlist Macro

Rick Palechuk · Post by **Rick Palechuk** » Sun, Jan 21 2007, 3:44PM

Yes, I remember these posts now. Thanks for the redirect Dan.

Post by **Jason Susnjara** » Mon, Jan 22 2007, 10:06AM

Hi Guys,

We do plan on changing the cutlists in the future and I am always looking for suggestions. We are also going to go through a simplification route with the software and would like suggestions on this. We have a pretty good sized list for items to simplify but more the merrier.

thanks,