How do you layout your project?

I draw it up like yours. Then I know right where to rough cut the sheets with a circular saw. I like to break the sheets down right off my pickup’s tailgate and with a sawhorse or two. Getting too old to tote 4×8x3/4 sheets into the shop.

-- Have a hobby? You should have a business.

Same as Russell but no pickup truck and the top of the Explorer is to high. Into the shop, very short distance.
Drawing up on graph paper so I can experiment on orientation to achieve the best use of the sheet of wood and also see how the cutting will evolve.

-- Ron

Same here. Graph paper, 4B pencil lead, and a good eraser.

-- Dave, Tippecanoe County, IN --- Is there a corollary to Beranek.s Law that applies to dust collection?

Years ago I used a program called Cutlist, and it was very good. It was limited, but for a hobbyist it was just the ticket. However, somewhere along the line we became a Mac household, and Cutlist isn’t written for a Mac so I had to give it up. I understand that Sketchup users can get a Cutlist plug-in for that but that is my total knowledge on it. So any more I just hand scratch something out on whatever I have laying around….that’s usually a form of graph paper.

-- Our village hasn't lost it's idiot, he was elected to congress.

I am fortunate to have autocad software. I can design, layout to scale, make cut lists, etc. Fot accuracy, I can work to thousands of an inch or any fractional accuracy I want. ± .001”; ± 1/16”; ± 1/32” for example.

I use https://www.cutlistoptimizer.com/ for ideas then go to graph paper or just visualization. I use a circular saw free hand on a chalk line to buck the 4×8 panels down. I dress, then use the factory edge against the table saw fence to cut off my freehand cut, then flip and trim it again to have parallels. Rip those pieces again if needed. I sequence so that all cuts to the same dimension are done with one fence set because I know I cannot exactly return to a prior fence setting with my equipment. Next all squaring cuts are then made on a large panel sled with the fence on the leading edge and a stop block. If the square cut length exceeds my 48” fence then I think a visual alignment to a scribe mark is sufficiently accurate…

the panel sled hanging on the wall:

-- MrLaughingbrook

More thoughts on the topic:

I’m willing to give 1/4” waste to avoid making an edge cut that flings sawdust everywhere [even with my Shark Guard on top and my Laguna drawing from beneath].

I rarely make anything more than a tick mark on the part to be cut.

-- MrLaughingbrook

For breaking down sheet goods I either have a drawing on graph paper if its a complex cut list or I have a list of my measurements and how many of those pieces I need. If I’m doing a bunch of drawer boxes I might not draw them all out. I might just draw the larger cuts so I know where to break down my sheet at.

I always start with my track saw and insta rail square to square off one corner of a sheet. I don’t like relying on the factory edges as I have found many that aren’t square. With the track saw I cut both a long and short side to get a square corner. I then mark that corner as square and work off of it. I also use a drywallers t-square just because I prefer to see full lines on my sheet. My table saw only has a 30” rip capacity so I rely on the track saw quite a bit. In the example drawing you have I’d make the 43-1/2” cut, then the 42” cut with the track saw. Take those over to my table saw and do all the 17-1/4 cuts then move down to the next size and so on.

Being rather new to this hobby I’m glad you brought this topic up. I’m interested to see what others do and learn a few things about maximizing both time and materials.

+1 for cutlistoptimizer.

I use it when designing, so I can see if 1/2” here or there means less wood to buy.

Smaller projects, I’ll just measure and do the math on a piece of paper.

http://workshop-buddy.com/cut-optimization-calculator.html :<))

-- Tony---- Reinholds,Pa.------ REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE FUN :<))

I use a cad program to draw it up on my Mac computer. Usually included the cut diagram in the same file I used to draw up the project.

I first create the 4×8 scaled rectangle to represent the plywood sheet (two clicks of the mouse). Then I create line drawn images of the pieces I need to cut from the that sheet to the same scale and if a wood grain is direction is important I indicate that on each piece.. At that point I can drag the pieces onto the 4×8 image and find the best position and orientation that leave the least amount of waste. Sometimes this involves allowing a little space between pieces to roughly cutting sections out with a jig or skill saw because it can’t be done directly on the table saw.

If I’m working with a particular sheet veneered plywood and I want to locate the grain patterns to be included in a particular piece I can drag a digital picture of that sheet into the cad program and adjust the size to match the drawing scale. Then I can locate the individual pieces on the pattern to overlay the section of the wood grain I want on that section. Being particular about the wood grain pattern does not always lead to the most efficient use of the wood but asthetics are important in craftsman project.

The program is use is specific for Mac computer called MacDraft Pro. It is an English company called Microspot. I have used it to draw some very complex and detailes projects.

-- Les B, Oregon

It’s called Single Brain Cell Sketch Up for a reason…as I rarely commit anything to paper….maybe a few measurements here and there…

-- A Planer? I'M the planer, this is what I use

I draw it on graph paper similar to your pic and then draw arrows for grain direction on each piece while double checking. In the past, in an effort to fit as much onto on sheet, i have crammed things in disregarding grain direction, only to realize the mistake upon assembly/glue up. Sucks having to buy another sheet or project panel to make another piece.

One place where I ensure it is cut extra large is on panels, for example using a piece of ply for a door panel thats going to go in a groove in stiles/rails. Weird things can happen when cutting grooves in stile and rails and assembling, and its better to have a little more to trim off after remeasuring the dry fit door, than to have a loose panel that needs to be remade.

I draw it on graph paper and arrange for grain and least waste.

I typically breakdown with a Festool track saw. With hardwood veneer plywood, I may trim on my saw with a high quality plywood blade.

I use Cutlist but always print it out look it over closely. There are time that I can do a better job buy hand.

-- Bruce, Boise, ID