Cabinet and Door Programs

[jkaras2000]

Hi All: I would like the benefit of more advanced Shopbotters. I will soon be looking to make a purchase of some software that will allow me to cut cabinets and also doors. I don't mind looking at two separate softwares or one single one as well. I know there is E Cabinet, Cabinet Parts Pro, and I have seen the Free Doors Program out there as well. I will be doing cabinets upon occasion, and am not a cabinet shop. I have an apartment that needs some new cabinets and vanity. I also have a country home I am planning on building, and it would be great to be able to cut the kitchen and bath cabinets with the bot. I have a PRS Standard 48x96. Please let me know what you all think.
Thanks Joe :cool:

[bleeth]

What design software do you have already that outputs SB code?

It's not that hard for basic butt built cabs to draw a cab side and cut it in PW, etc. How and where to place things like the holes for drawer slides, hinges, and shelf holes is common knowledge and the guides for all of the hardware is on each hardware companies site (Blum, Accuride, etc).
For doing the hinge cups in the backs of doors any drill press does it easier than a CNC.
For MDF doors similar to thermofoil Freedoors is excellant.
For cope and stick (stile and rail) doors with flat or raised panel unless you are a glutton for punishment or have a lot of time to spend to learn buying them out is today's norm (unless you want to do some doors like Gene Crane's fabulous carved doors). Doing your own is best accomplished on at least a decent router table (not a cnc) or a shaper.

E-cab is much more sophisticated than CP Pro and could be overkill.
Since basic Pro and e-cabs is free I would download them and play for a while to make up my mind.

I have been using Artcam Pro(mainly because I own it already) to do cab sides commercially for years. PW will do all that I do as far as simple box sides. A few basic template designs will allow you to do any cab you want.

[jkaras2000]

Hey Dave: Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your words of wisdom. I have the newest version of Aspire. Hope that helps to answer your question. Joe. :cool:

[russ]

Joe, If you can do enough to get a return on your investment you can't go wrong with either choice of software. On the other hand if you can't just take some time and learn Sketchup and draw a base and upper cabinet with each piece in it's own component the way you like to build your cabinets. From that you can resize,copy and manipulate them the way you want. Then you can lay your components flat from a 3d view and export to a *.dxf then place into Partworks to mill out. Or import drawing from companys like KitchenMaid. This way is slow but it's Free!!!!!

[Gary Campbell]

Joe...
The guys are giving you good advice. Let me add this:

The learning curve for eCabinets is too steep for the occasional user.

Like Dave says, all rectangular parts can designed and nested using Aspire. That said, if you do this more than occasionally you will appreciate the simplicity of CPPro. CPPro will allow you to add hardware and joinery easier than hand placing them in Aspire. You can download a free version and see how you like it. Some versions have a limit on how many cabinets you can cut, you may never need the pro version.

[jkaras2000]

Hey Guys: Thanks for all your good advice. I most likely will end up purchasing CPP. I too feel the e cabinets software would take longer to learn than the amount of work I would be doing with the bot. I mainly am looking to do wood carving, hence my Aspire purchase. But it would be great to have a program like CPP to cut my own cabinets, as well as for family, friends and the occasional paying job. Thanks Again. Joe :cool:

[gene]

For the money my opinion is that ccp is the way to go. You set it up to the way that you want to build the cabinets and get started . i use it when the need requires . its a very good program

[jkaras2000]

Thanks Gene: I am pretty sure I will be getting the Cabinets Parts Pro Software. For the amount of cabinetry I do, it should do the job and then some. Can you tell me if it will do anything with doors? I am thinking I may have to use Free Doors in conjunction with CCP. The cabinets I will be making can have 3/4 Oak Ply as doors, so I can just cut out the rectangles with Aspire, carve a little design in them if needed, and edge band with 3/4 Oak veneer. :cool:

[srwtlc]

Joe,

If you can get 3/4 oak veneer MDF where you are, you wouldn't even need to edge band the doors. Give them a little edge rout and even some kind of v-carve accents and stain them. The raw mdf will stain a bit darker than the veneer and give some contrast to the accents. Just don't try to put screws in the edge!

[cabnet636]

free doors is an mdf profile door program, you can cut slab doors with CPP and opne the dxf of a door and design the v work

[jkaras2000]

Thanks Scott & James: Those are both great ideas. I did not think of MDF Veneered Oak. I am sure I can find it around my area. The MDF edge would cut out a ton of work with edge veneer. Importing the CCP file into Aspire is great. I can design any design and center on each door. Thanks Fella's. Joe:cool:

[wberminio]

Hey Joe

Just noticed your post!
Call me -I can give you suppliers or get material for you

Erminio

[jkaras2000]

Hey Erminio: Will do. Thanks again for your help. Let me know when you want to stop over to check out machine. Should have fence installed some time tomorrow. Joe. :cool:

[Ryan Patterson]

In the newest version of CabinetPartsPro there are options to add doors to the nest. This can be done by checking the setting “add doors and drawers fronts”. You can also create a raised panel MDF door using the scripting feature “user options”. This will only work in version 8.5.16 . If you do not have this version and have bought CabinetPartsPro within a year it is a free update. You can send me an email and I will get you a download link.
Ryan Patterson
www.cabinetpartspro.com (http://www.cabinetpartspro.com)