Computers in Woodworking – It’s More Than CAD

There is a movement towards modeling furniture and cabinets before actually going into the shop and building them.  The move is slow – kept back by high pricing for the necessary software and overly complex technology. 

The software is difficult to use.

In an article in Fine Woodworking (October 2004) the times required to learn software and render a design using three different CAD packages were 30, 9, and 22 hours.  

Someone on an online group boasted that he they learned to use Goggle’s new SketchUp package “in a couple of days – not a week, with some help from Web based user groups!”

 I not sure this is very objective, but last summer I spent several weeks trying to learn two different CAD programs.  And I consider myself computer savvy.

The software is expensive.  The high-end cabinet and furniture packages can set you back several hundreds to several thousands of dollars.  Don’t forget the cost of the learning curve! 

There are a host of lower cost software packages available to woodworkers.  The functions cover door and drawer design and construction, spacing shelving, creating cabinets, material lists, cutting lists, parts lists, and even optimized sheet layout programs.  I own two such packages – having tested and rejected several others.  I used to use the layout optimizer quite a bit. 

Problems in using computers for woodworking abound. 

·        The user interfaces are challenging. 

·        It takes a significant investment in time to learn the software.

·        The different software products don’t talk to each other.  Which means you need to type in parts lists, sizes, materials, etc. over and over again.  Or export files to Excel and import them into the next software package you need.

·        The cost of individual packages run from $50.00 to $300 – each!  If you buy the 2 or 3 you need, you’re spending $200 to $500.

·        Software is sold in different packaging – “Lite,  Pro, Gold, Silver, Platinum…”  a ploy that usually is geared towards getting customers to upgrade to a more complete (read expensive) version.

·        The packages do not address the overall needs of the woodworker.

What woodworkers really want?

 {Note - Found a promising package click to link to it.}

Woodworkers want software to know about a tenon so they never cut a piece 3/8” short again. How about rails and stiles? Edge treatments? 

They would like the software to understand the overall flow of work through the shop – or at least in their minds.  Design is iterative – as it is for most creative processes. 

Woodworks sketch, they address construction issues, they talk to customers, show him or her something, get feedback, answer questions, provide a cost estimate, sketch again, make changes, develop a parts list, make up a cutting list and diagrams – and on and on and back and forth. 

The computer should help woodworkers through all of this.  But is doesn’t because the right software isn’t there. 

What would the right software look like?

Ø      It would be a package that allows one to conceptualize on the computer the same way as one does on paper, or with a model, or even at the workbench.  

Ø      It would present a computer model that would allow woodworkers to think about and conceptualize with boards and/or  sheet goods, not lines, shapes, and x, y, z values.

Ø      It would show creations as both 2D and 3D images, without requiring someone learning programming language or depending on some user group for help.

Ø      It would provide an estimate of material costs and time.

Ø      It would save time by having the computer provide diagrams laying out the optimized cutting diagrams for both sheet goods and dimensioned lumber.

Ø      It would provide a purchase list – PO generator -- maybe, which can go to the wood supply house to help select the materials needed. 

All of these thing should be integrated – one set of common functions, one interface, no re-keying, no exporting and importing using spreadsheet.

The software should know woodworking – the difference between a butt joint and a dovetail.  Automatic design of rails and stiles are mandatory in this same way.

And it should cost less than $150.  For the whole package – no upgrade, no versions, no added cost.

Does any of this strike your ear?  What can we do?  I’m interested in hearing your opinion. 

What’s your experience with looking for or using computer software in your shop?

Send comments to info@woodworkingdesignsoftware.com