Free homemade cabinet software

[logical@gmi.net]

I have been working all morning on making an excel spreadsheet to do cabinet door programming for me. Eureka! It's done! I can now make perfectly done 90 degree v-carved corners and a beautiful inside cove for the raised panel. There is also a flat between the cove and the v-carve to make the cove appear to be an actual raised panel.

All you have to do is plug in your door size, rail and stile widths, bit sizes and cut depth and all of the programming is done for you. All you have to do is cut and paste the results in wordpad or notepad, add the commas and take out the spaces. This is beta but if anybody wants it, email me and I'll send you a copy.

Thanks,
Wes

[logical@gmi.net]

One more thing. If you do want this, please put shopbot in the subject line of your e-mail so that I don't throw it away by mistake. I get a couple hundred spams a day and just glance over them for good mail.

Thanks again,
Wes

[Kevin reid]

Wes
I just e-mailed you really would like to try this out. Sounds great
Kevin Reid

[logical@gmi.net]

OK everybody, response is very high for this little spreadsheet. I am still knocking some of the kinks out of the sheet so please give me a little time.

I have been informed that this might be a good thing for the online Part Wizard project, but since I said "free" and I am a man of my word, all will get it who ask. I only ask that you remember me when I need some help with something in the future.

Best regards all,
Wes

[gbatten]

Wes, This is a great project. It never occured to me to use Excel to generate CNC code. Without going into a long explaination, could you briefly describe your Excel strategy. I am also interested in getting a copy of your file. The idea of being able to just input new dimensions and cut different shape doors is appealing to me.

Thanks, ... Gene

[davidbeede]

Count me in too Wes!
I'm not a cabinet maker, but I'd love to make some for myself with your "gizmo"...;-)
Thanks again...
David Beede

[logical@gmi.net]

Now that a lot of people have the spreadsheet, here are some notes:

The spaces to enter height and width are correct, the associated text is wrong. It says to enter the door height on the width line and the width on the height line. FIX Change the text or ignore it.

Add a row of commas between each row of results to make it easier on your typing fingers if you'd like.

One other thing you can do without using the commas is to export it as a comma delimited file then remove the spaces. I used this method.

Thanks to everybody for their kind comments.

Wes

[logical@gmi.net]

Cells d2 and d3 are reversed, not the actual cells for entering the h and w. Cells a2,a3 and b2,b3 are correct.

Wes

btw, you save as a comma delimited file, not export to.

[srwtlc]

Wes, does it do any type of arched tops, or just a square frame appearence? I'd like to check it out though. E-mail on its way. Thanks

[logical@gmi.net]

I am working on the arched top version as we speak. It's really easy to do it yourself though once you see the spreadsheet.

BTW. I have upgraded the cabcalc.xls to version 2. Cabcalc2.xls is now out!

New feature: Fine tuning variable. You are now able to tell your bot to cut farther into the rails and stiles to eliminate the teeny, tiny hiccup that the bit makes when it hits the corner. What it does is allow you to set a parameter to .01 to the vcarving.

Basically, your tool plunges into the material until it reaches the depth of cut then moves toward the rail or stile by .01 or what ever you choose. At the next corner it goes back to the original corner position then pulls out and plunges back into the corner then moves toward the rail or stile by the amount you set. It works well if you have a little problem with the corner having blemishes.

Wes

[logical@gmi.net]

Do air cuts first. I have made some changes and I don't know if you got a bad batch or not. Check and make sure your cove cutter is correct. If it's not, email me again. I'll get you the corrected version.

Arched top and cathederal doors may end up on the Project wizard site. Who knows.

Wes

[logical@gmi.net]

Toolpaths can be seen using excel by using a scatter graph with lines.

on the sheet select the range b19:c19 through b38:c38 click on the graph button then select scatter chart with lines. You get a good idea if you are going in the right direction this way.

Around 30 of you guys have gotten the file so far with about 6 being the newest version. It is just that little bit better too.

Wes

[Williamim@aol.com]

Wes I would like to try your cabinet door program. This sounds like the best thing since sliced bread for making doors.

[logical@gmi.net]

About 50 of you have received the sheet so far. Anybody try it yet? I'm not fishing for compliments or anything, just want to know if y'all are satisfied with the results.

BTW, don't try to run code generated by this sheet with anything other than a vbit for the inside profile. Can you imagine an ogee bit pulling out of the corner at 22.5 degrees up and out? Might get messy.

I've taken my doors out to a couple of builders and have gotten very good response. I will be bidding some houses very soon. How many others are thinking of the new door market? Hopefully none near me.

Best to all,
Wes

[bjwat@comcast.net]

Looks pretty good, Wes. I haven't had the time to output it to the Bot yet. I ran the code through the chart tool and could see the basic outline of it.

As I was playing with the file, I couldn't help but think that it would be a great program if it was written in Visual Basic. This would not only allow you to customize the interface, but also keep the formulas secret if you ever wanted to make a few bucks off of it.

Just a thought...

-Brady

[davidbeede]

Hey Wes,
I posted a message of interest and emailed you but haven't heard anything yet? Do I need a secret decoder ring for this club?...;-)
Thanks...
David Beede

[jthelen]

I tried Emailing Wes from this post about getting his spreadsheet. The mail failed. Does anyone know how to contact him or does anyone have a copy of the spreadsheet, looks like he sent it to allot of people.
Thanks
Jim

[paul_n]

The last email address I had from Wes, back in August was: logical@i-55.com (mailto:logical@i-55.com)

Paul

[weslambe]

That's it, or wes@doorbot.net (mailto:wes@doorbot.net)

[mikejohn]

Wes
Your spam protection is working well!
It threw back my message, even though I used ShopBot in the title.

If it is possible for a copy of the Excel file, I would be most grateful.
Regards
Mike

[weslambe]

To Mike and all others.

As you can tell, it's been over a year since the first posting of this offer. I'm not giving the spreadsheet away anymore sorry to say. It was a useful tool to get to where we are today and that is DoorBot software. Check www.doorbot.net (http://www.doorbot.net) to find out more about what the software is capable of doing and what it is not. I am still improving the program and am working on the next version. Those who would like to purchase DoorBot before the next version comes out will get almost the same offer as the first 25 purchasers received; free upgrades for as long as I own the company. The difference is that the first 25 users didn't have to pay for shipping, all others from now on will.

The next version will have cathedral,double cathedral, arched, double arched, and square door styles. You will also be able to make 90 degree versions of all doors.

Rail and stile widths can be made independent of each other.

G-code will be included.

A panel optimizer will be included (God willing!)

I am taking suggestions from current users as well, but we are going to keep this a cabinet door software program. No trying to get this software to make toy train parts will be allowed! LOL

Merry Christmas,
Wes

[stevem]

Wes,

Let me know if you need a tester for the G code version.

Steve