Metal Cutting Calculator
Nest your cut list onto steel or aluminum stock — bar, angle, flat, channel, or box section. Enter mill lengths, set the kerf your saw actually takes, and see the reusable drops and scrap before anything gets cut.
Reading the bars: parts are outlined boxes · kerf is a solid black band · blocked zones are grey · drop has a dashed border · scrap is hatched.
Actions
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Save this plan and more
- ✓Save projects and revisit them later
- ✓Stock presets — one-click fill
- ✓Cutter and kerf presets — always ready
Metal Cutting Calculator — common questions
What kerf should I enter for a bandsaw or cold saw?+
A typical bandsaw blade removes about 1/16 in (1.6 mm) per cut; abrasive and cold saws often take 1/8 in (3 mm) or more. Measure a test cut on your machine and enter that — the optimizer subtracts it between every cut.
Can it handle mixed stock lengths?+
Yes. Add one stock row per length you have on hand — say 240 in mill lengths plus a few 120 in drops — with a quantity for each, and the optimizer picks the best bar for every cut.
How do I keep usable drops instead of scrap?+
Set a minimum drop on each stock row. Leftovers longer than that count as drops you can return to the rack; anything shorter is treated as scrap, so the waste numbers reflect what you'd really keep.
Can I skip a bent or damaged section of bar?+
Yes. Mark the damaged span as a blocked zone on that stock row and the optimizer places cuts around it, so the rest of the bar can still be used.
Does it work in metric?+
Yes — switch between inches, millimeters, centimeters, and meters. Values are computed exactly, so 6 m stock and metric cut lists work as well as imperial.
New to cutting optimization? Read the cutting guides, or try the general linear cutting calculator.