10 Time-Saving Tips to Master CutList Plus fxCutList Plus fx is a powerful tool for woodworkers and cabinetmakers who want to optimize material usage, reduce waste, and speed up the layout process. Below are ten practical, time-saving tips to help you get the most out of CutList Plus fx — from initial setup to final cutting diagrams.
1. Start with a clean, organized parts list
A clear parts list prevents mistakes downstream. Group similar parts (same dimensions/material/finish) and use consistent naming. This makes it easier to apply bulk edits, filter parts, and generate accurate cutlists quickly.
2. Set up and use templates
Create templates for common projects (cabinet carcasses, shelves, drawers). Templates store your preferred defaults for material types, grain orientation, and part naming conventions. Reusing templates saves setup time and ensures consistency across projects.
3. Define materials and thicknesses up front
Enter your stock materials and available sheet sizes into the Materials Manager before nesting. Knowing exactly what sheet sizes and thicknesses you have avoids rework and allows the nesting engine to produce optimal layouts.
4. Use grain orientation and part rotation rules
CutList Plus fx lets you define grain direction and rotation constraints. Apply these rules early to prevent needing to redo layouts to respect grain or veneer patterns. This is especially useful for tabletops, face frames, and visible surfaces.
5. Leverage auto-nesting but review manually
The auto-nester is fast and usually efficient. Run it to get a quick baseline layout, then manually adjust only when necessary — for minor tweaks to reduce waste or prioritize certain parts on nicer sheets.
6. Group identical-sized parts to reduce complexity
Combine duplicate or identical-sized parts into single entries with quantities. This reduces clutter in your parts list and lets the nester handle batching efficiently, producing cleaner cut diagrams and fewer repeated operations.
7. Use labels and notes for shop-floor clarity
Add clear labels and concise notes to parts (e.g., “edge-banded”, “grain-match pair”, “keep for repair”). These annotations appear on cut diagrams and help the person at the saw understand special instructions without hunting through drawings.
8. Export optimized reports for cutters and suppliers
Take advantage of CutList Plus fx’s export options: PDF cut diagrams for the shop, CSV for inventory, and supplier-ready lists for ordering sheets. Customize report templates so each export contains only the information needed by the recipient.
9. Regularly update your material inventory
Keep your material database current with real sheet counts and remnants. When your inventory reflects reality, the nester can allocate parts to existing remnants first, saving both time and material costs.
10. Learn keyboard shortcuts and workflow patterns
Invest a little time learning common shortcuts and the typical workflow sequence (parts → materials → nesting → reports). The cumulative time saved from faster navigation and repeated tasks adds up significantly on every project.
If you want, I can:
- Expand any tip into a step-by-step tutorial with screenshots (describe your CutList Plus fx version and OS).
- Provide a sample template or parts list formatted for import.
Leave a Reply