Piece Count Calculator
Determine how many smaller pieces can be cut from a larger piece of stock.
A fundamental task in any cutting trade is figuring out how many finished parts you can get from a standard length of stock material. This calculator provides a quick and accurate answer, accounting for the material lost with each cut (the kerf).
This tool is perfect for quick estimations at the saw, planning material needs for a project, or verifying if you have enough stock on hand to produce the number of parts you need. It helps you maximize your yield and understand the true capacity of your raw materials.
The calculation determines how many 'effective part lengths' fit into the stock length.
- Define Effective Part Length: The true length needed for each part is its finished length plus the width of one saw cut (kerf). This accounts for the material lost during the cut.
- Calculate Piece Count: The calculator divides the total stock length by this effective part length and takes the whole number (rounding down) to find how many full pieces can be cut.
Piece Count = Floor( Stock Length / (Part Length + Kerf) ) - Calculate Waste: It then calculates the total length used and subtracts it from the stock length to find the remaining waste or offcut.
- Stock: The raw material board or piece that you will be cutting from.
- Part: The smaller, finished-size piece you intend to cut.
- Kerf: The width of material removed by the saw blade.
- Offcut: The piece of stock material that is left over after all full parts have been cut.
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Always double-check your measurements before cutting.
Account for the kerf (the width of the saw blade) in your calculations.
Consider wood movement (expansion and contraction) in your final dimensions.
Buy 10-15% extra material to account for mistakes and waste.