Calculating material

[exchalkie]

G'day
My wife has just purchased a Quilters Fabric calculator with which she can calculate how much material she needs for a project. This little machine can also upsize a pattern or downsize it. It can also do other things that she hasn't worked out yet.:D
My question is - is there a comparable machine for calculating timber needed for a woodworking project. I always seem to either over-estimate or drastically under-estimate. I would like to have some way of making accurate calculations before I go to the timber yard, which in my case is over 80km away.
Hope you can help.
Cheers
Exchalkie

[ss_11000]

G'day
My wife has just purchased a Quilters Fabric calculator with which she can calculate how much material she needs for a project. This little machine can also upsize a pattern or downsize it. It can also do other things that she hasn't worked out yet.:D
My question is - is there a comparable machine for calculating timber needed for a woodworking project. I always seem to either over-estimate or drastically under-estimate. I would like to have some way of making accurate calculations before I go to the timber yard, which in my case is over 80km away.
Hope you can help.
Cheers
Exchalkie


always over estimate- this allows for mistakes in roughing

[Auld Bassoon]

There are various woodworking software estimating tools around, ranging from the very basic to the extremely sophisticated. Do a Google - some of the lower end ones can be obtained as shareware.

I'd suggest that if you take this route, that you acquire a package that can at least generate cutting lists - saves a few of the old grey cells from stressing :)

BTW, I've just acquired and installed a package from eCabinet Systems; I'll maybe post a review when I've become a little more proficient with it :rolleyes:

[Greg Q]

And can you please elaborate on the quilting thing? It's always left to me to find that last meter of long-discontinued fabric by doing a world-wide search of websites. I'd like to give her something reliable for these projects.

Thanks

Greg

[exchalkie]

G'day GregoryQ
The Quilter's FabriCalc was purchased from The Craft Mailbox (www.craftmailbox.com.au (http://www.craftmailbox.com.au)) for $54.95.
My wife is rapt - hope yours will be too.:)
Cheers
Exchalkie

[graemet]

G'day Exchalkie,
It seeems that quilters are attracted (?) to woodies, or vice versa. There are many on this BB whose SWMBO cuts up good bits of cloth and sews the bits back together again. There is never a shortage of things on the woodshop order sheet to be made.
Cheers
Graeme

[Greg Q]

Hi gents...

Thanks for the reply on the new toy for the sewing room-I'm going to get that for her.

Speaking of the never-ending list:

Yesterday I was informed that a new sewing table is in order. Then she asked "Oh-can you whip me up one of those quilting frames? And a long-arm sewing machine to go on it?"***

***Good excuse to get a cutting torch, welder, milling machine, lathe ;) :eek:

Greg

[exchalkie]

G'day gregoryq and others
Glad to hear that you're going to buy all those goodies. Last year, while I was on long service leave pending retirement, my wife was working full time, so she bought her own long-arm, computer operated sewing machine along with a few other bits and pieces. Fair's fair, so I bought a lathe, a mitre saw, and a drum sander. Now we're both happy!:D
Cheers
David

[Jim Carroll]

You are very right about the woody - quilting combination, I would say the largest majority of woodies wives do quilting or some type of sewing. We notice it in the shop if you have a chat with the customers the wives hobbies get a mention and as soon as quilting comes up out comes the blond and joins in the conversation.
Who would have thought wood and bedsheets would go together.:D

I have ordered one of the calculators for the blond, should get me a few more brownie points.

[rsser]

Snap. My partner does cross stitch and garment making.