What to cut first?

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So you've ordered that material and you have just enough to make it out of the lengths you have. You have 2-4 long(ish) pieces and many short ones. What do you cut first. Why? I know my answer from many years of working with material that equaled several years salary, on each project.
Reply:In general I tend to cut the longest parts for the job 1st, that way should there be an issue with a cut for whatever reason, there's a chance you can still get a usable part/s out of it and chances are you'll need to buy less material as a replacement or possibly manage to still make do if your scrap works out right..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Cut the long ones first. Pretty much like doug said, if you screw it up you can make it a short. Plus I usually have drops around the shop if I screw up real bad.You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. Albert Einstein
Reply:If you have just enough, it doesn't really matter, all your cuts have to be good.If you have a little extra, cut the mid length pieces first, if their wrong you may be able to use them for smaller stuff and still come out ok.I think as a general rule it would be cut the longest first, take that cutoff and see if you can get another good part from the first rem. Then work your way through, next longest, use that cut off to get the longest part you can with the scrap etc, etc.Basically cut the shortest last.I am curious to see what everyone else has to say.Last edited by MarkNotMarc; 05-03-2012 at 11:17 PM.
Reply:I typically cut longest first unless there are more critical pieces than I cut them if I make a mistake I can maybe weld two pieces together.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:I cut the short one first. And then, Dangit! Not right! So I cut it again. Dangit again! )(*&%$##$%^&*It's still too short!Forget it I am ordering one from fleabay and sticking to my day job.edit: btw I voted for a beer and a smoke.  Last edited by that'll_buff_out; 05-04-2012 at 12:23 AM.How do you know the blacksmith's dog? When you hollar at him he makes a bolt for the door!
Reply:I have a feeling that there is a story behind this..Out with it!Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:You could do then maths, to determine if a combination of lengths will fit best into the original length of the source material.Having said that, if i was going off a bill of materials, I'd probably start at the longest.however, if i'm making something at home, i'll usually just cut the next piece i need.
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineI have a feeling that there is a story behind this..
Reply:It shouldn't matter what you cut first, what matters is you have taken the time to plan what you cut out of what overall length in order to minimze waste. And you do have to take into account the cut widths when making multiple cuts if you are ordering the material amounts just close enough to barely yield all your pieces. Always better to have some extra unless the material is very expensive and won't be needed again.  Again, take the time to plan the cuts, don't just start hacking out pieces randomly."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Originally Posted by KelvinYou can always cut more OFF, but you can't cut MORON!
Reply:Longest cut first, or whatever can fit in the lengths with little or zero drop offs. And if a screwup occurrs it can be used for shorter parts.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Most cutting algorithms use longest first.  I do not know if there still are freeware programs around any longer.  A cutting optimization program is a great thing to have when you are cutting hundreds of tons.  There are some really sharp saw operators that can fudge better than the computer because often a 40 or 60 footer will have an extra couple of inches.  One local company that supplies structural does not charge for cutting.  By integrating everyone's orders they have almost zero waste and the fab shops get exactly what they need.
Reply:Grandpa tought me to measure twice cut once. There shouldn't be screwups. That being said, Longest cut first, just in case.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:I tend to agree longest part first and if its a good saw operator it should be correct, I don't usually plan around mistakes. On the other hand if I have very short hard to clamp sections I will do them first so I can grip the material without having to make up a special fixture. We have a few parts that are mitered 45 and 22.5 on the ends and overall only about 1.5 long. I either cut them off a longer piece or (method I prefer to save time) I scribe them with a template leaving about .060 between the scribe lines for the width of the saw kerf  so each piece is a "double cut" then I only have to pivot the saw twice. "Anybody can talk $h!t behind a monitor, I let the quality of my work speak for itself"Lincoln Square Wave 255 and 355 Tig Lincoln 255 Power-Mig w/ spool gun Koike 5 x 10 CNC plasma Hyd-Mech DM-10 bandsaw Ineco QB-76 NC tube bender
Reply:Normally, cut the longest piece first out of the shortest piece of stock you have.So if you have a 12ft and a 20 ft piece and you need an 11, cut the 11 out of the 12ft.I said normally.If things are really tight, that 1ft piece left over from the 12 may end up being scrap, so cutting it out of the longer piece might be smarter.I know there are software packages that actually optimize cuts in say plywood.  Might even be a webpages somewhere.  Would be nice to have a program that takes the lengths you need, your kerf width, and the lengths you have.  Maybe a 4th parameter that says, leave no piece smaller than x (try to leave no piece)Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:http://weldingweb.com/showpost.php?p=928021&postcount=4Above is link to post I made on creating cut lists-used for estimatingand the shop.This tabling helps one create an effective solution to multiple cuts,lets one 'see' where the resulting rem cut is going, how it will be used.Blackbird
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardSo you've ordered that material and you have just enough to make it out of the lengths you have. You have 2-4 long(ish) pieces and many short ones. What do you cut first. Why? I know my answer from many years of working with material that equaled several years salary, on each project.
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat Bastard. . .What do you cut first. Why? I know my answer from many years of working with material that equaled several years salary, on each project.
Reply:Depending upon time and material, I mark out my cuts on the metal or a layout sheet so I don't cut myself into the proverbial corner.  I then cut and stage it as needed.  On more than one occassion this has saved my neck on a job.  If there isn't time, then WAIT stop...There is always time.If you have a man walk that is 16 foot long, 3 foot wide, and you are using the 1 foot drop as standoffs you would be up the creek if you cut all the 1 foot drops out of one joint of channel.  By marking all your cuts and numbering them you will make sure your cutlist is accurate and your material is best utilized.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauHave a beer and a smoke first then start assembly, no cuts needed as everything was ordered cut to proper length to start with. That's how come you have the longish pieces and many short ones to begin with.The answer is in the very first sentence of the post, "So you've orderedthat material and you have just enough toM
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepFB -  With the very limited specs furnished here there are way too many possible variables for there to be any one "right" answer. Even with a 1000 years' salary of cutting under one's belt, it just wouldn't be possible to answer the riddle correctly, except possibly with answers #2 and #3, and unfortunately #3 doesn't get any cutting done.Why?Because...If the parts are being cut "as needed," then:What do you cut first? - You might start with a major piece of the project, which once placed makes the greatest number of other pieces  to then have known dimensions; while hopefully also leaving the smallest unusable drops.Why? - So that if there are any on--the-fly  changes  material use can still be maximized.---------If several pieces are being cut to some angle other than 90 degrees:What do you cut first? - Then one could start with an "angle" cut at the center of the stock‘s  length, which would possibly leave just one more "square cut" needed  to produce two finished pieces.Why? - So that maximum yield is achieved with minimum number of cuts. Also, the "tails" of the beveled cuts will "dovetail" thus minimizing waste in the material's length. Thirdly, of course depending again on the variables, the resulting angle cut pieces, with one flipped, can possibly result in two usable exact twins, with the cutting for a third piece also half done - all with just two cuts total.-----------If the pieces are being cut to exact specs, and all ends must be finish cuts:What do you cut first? - Possibly one could try to layout so as to take  "drop cuts" from the "tails" of the length first; hopefully leaving still useable drops.Why? - So that hopefully it's not necessary to make unnecessary extra finish cuts, or very thin end slices.---------If various sized shapes are being cut to length with an abrasive saw:What do you cut first? - Probably the  largest "envelope" size first.Why? - So that the blade is first utilized where its maximum unworn diameter is needed, then as the blade wears its smaller diameter is utilized to cut pieces that don't require maximum blade diameter.Of course there also could be sound arguments against each of the above MOs, and the unknowns and variables could go on and on forever, so with the very limited specifications that were furnished I found no more appropriate choice than to vote for #2, "Whatever is listed on the page first."  Good Luck
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardBingo first right answer. lolSo the back story. 75% of the time I order material to size, this allows me to pass the liability off to another company. Further the local steel warehouse can consolidate cutting with other orders to minimize waste, as was pointed out in another post.  This also allows my shop to spend time putting things together not cutting. The big down side is now my guys don't get the daily practice of cutting. The post was created out of frustration of my guy cutting material for the third time. Not cutting the longest parts first. Not paying attention to detail. I know you all make mistakes ( I never do LOL ) I can accept errors it happens, BUT when I handed the drawings out to the team I said in no uncertain terms and several times "CUT THE LONGEST PARTS FIRST" Came back minutes later and the longest stock was in the saw and it was being cut into the smallest part needed. I exploded! to put it in PG terms. I'm 48, I have been working in shops for 38 years. I have made 90% of all errors possible, the other 10% I let someone else make and learned. I am the boss DO AS I FING SAY! I have a clue! End of rant. I hope some of the young guys will read this post and LEARN. Some great thinking in the reply's here. Thanks for the thread.
Reply:Depending on the size of the original material, I like to cut the longest or largest cuts first. That way it is easier to manhandle the rest."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerWhat the H3ll just happened? did you take your meds today or something FB? did you just thank some of us?  lol.Guess because I cut all my own material and never get material cut to length and delivered, that option really didn't occur to me.. I do spend plenty of time maximizing material and determining what needs to be cut from what stock, usually in wood however. I need so many 14' 2x's, 10' 2x's 8' 2x's and so on... need  so many 6'-9 1/2" pieces... get 2 out of each 14' 2x and then get the last 3 out of the 10' ones because I can use the 3' drop to cut 2'-10 1/4" ones and cut the rest of those from a 2 12' 2x's...I will admit if I have a ton of repetitive cuts, I'll often set the labrador up to chop away. I've got a shed coming up where I'll need 50 2x trusses. I'll set him up to cut all 50 14' 2x's for the top chords, 2 6'-9 1/2"  pieces from each one both with 30 deg angles. set a stop up on the table and let him go at it. Then we'll set up for the 50 bottom chords, probably out of 10' lengths. Meanwhile I can cut something that requires a bit more skill than simply cut an angle, flip, hit the stop, and cut again, flip, hit the stop and make the final cut, stack the good parts in piles "A" and "B" verifying they match the existing ones and dump the scrap in the can and grab the next one....No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Great thread FB!
Reply:Where i work we are 4 fitters, 3 old guy 60 years old and me 23, when the boss give us a project and a drawing, the first thing that he asked us is ''go with this dwgs to see if we have the materials''so we have to make a list of everything needed without ordering extra not needed, and no one except the fitter is responsable if not enough material is ordering or if you waste you materials. if you have material missing you have to go in the office and asked for more material, he will ordering with no problems, but he will give you **** at the same time!you learn really fast after 1 project, i like it and learn to take responsabilities instead working like a robot without need to think about efficiencyLast edited by LayoutMan; 05-05-2012 at 12:10 AM.Calculator > Bevel Square