This is my first post on byggahus after being a loyal reader for a long time.
My friends and I have developed an incredibly simple tool that makes your next visit to the lumberyard a bit smoother!
I'm usually good at measuring and calculating how much lumber to buy and often come up with a list of different lengths for each type of lumber I need to buy:
4 pcs 560 mm
4 pcs 340 mm
3 pcs 600 mm
But when I get to the lumberyard, I see there are 2 or 3 different lengths of lumber, or maybe just one length. But how many should I actually buy? That type of math is hard for me to do in my head, which is why I've long dreamed of a simpler way.
There are some different tools online to help, but none really fit perfectly, so we took matters into our own hands and threw together our own version. Right now, it's more of a prototype or beta version. It works but doesn't have any extra features to boast about.
On the site, you fill in the board requirements and then what's available to purchase, and you'll get a suggestion on how much you need to buy, and you'll also see how the algorithm has laid out the different lengths on the board. The algorithm also accounts for the width of a standard saw blade (3 mm).
Such a service can be expanded endlessly, but before we do anything more, we want to share what we have created with more people.
All feedback is greatly appreciated, and it'd be fantastic to get suggestions for improvements, bugs, or what the next step could be. And of course, the most fun of all, if you use it and find it useful!
Below is a picture of what it might look like when using it!
PS. We are a group of guys who have done this in our spare time primarily for ourselves, so there is no organization behind it and no profit interest of any kind. We thought the result turned out well, so we want to share it. The service is used at your own risk, and even though we are confident in the calculation, there are bound to be bugs and situations we haven't thought of, so use at your own risk!
Nice idea, I've found myself cursing with the calculator out at the lumber yard!
Unfortunately, it worked so-so on the first test on iPhone with Chrome installed, it calculated completely wrong.
On Safari, nothing happens at all. Overloaded? Or not mobile-adapted?
Nice idea, I've been standing there swearing with my calculator at the lumberyard myself!
Unfortunately, it didn't work that well on the first test on iPhone with Chrome installed, it calculated completely wrong.
On Safari, nothing happens at all. Overloaded? Or not mobile-optimized?
Hi!
Sorry to hear it's not working for you! We've tested both on mobile and on a few different computers. But web development is... exciting, so we've obviously missed something.
It seems like it doesn't update when you make changes. Works when I start a new incognito window, but when I open the page again my previous measurements remain. Maybe the cookie is locked in some way?
Great idea! It could be really useful! I tested a bit and came up with some suggestions for improvement:
* Button to choose to enter measurements in cm instead of mm (to avoid entering the extra zero on each line)
* Button to clear the entire form (when you are done with one dimension and moving to the next)
Advanced:
* Ability to save dimensions and prices on the lumberyard section and choose between them (for those of us who shop often at the same place)
Then I sometimes know the total length I need, like 54m. It would be nice to somehow just enter the total length needed and the lengths available at the lumberyard to get the number I need to buy.
Have you changed something recently? Because now it works!
We haven't changed anything yet.
But I realize that we might need to come up with a slightly clearer instruction for how it works. Right now, we've probably been a bit blind to the obvious, thinking that since we know how it works, it's obvious to everyone else too. A slightly clearer instruction is coming!
It seems like it doesn't update when changes are made. It works when I start a new incognito window, but when I open the page again, my previous measurements remain. Maybe the cookie is locked in some way?
Each time you fill in measurements, they are saved on the page so that you don't have to fill in the same information again if you start filling it in at home before going to the timber yard. But perhaps it should be optional to save or not?
Great idea! It could be really useful! I tested it a bit and came up with some suggestions for improvement:
* Button to choose to enter measurements in cm instead of mm (to avoid having to enter the extra zero on each line)
* Button to clear the entire form (when you are done with one dimension and want to move on to the next)
Extra credit:
* Ability to save dimensions and prices on the lumberyard section and choose between them (for those of us who shop at the same place often)
Then I sometimes feel like I have a handle on the total length I need, like 54m. It would be good to be able to just enter the total length I need and the lengths available at the lumberyard to find out how many I need to buy.
Glad you like it!
* Specifying the unit of measurement is quite obvious now that you mention it.
* We definitely need some form of handling for multiple dimensions. Clearing the form and starting over is a good start!
The extra credit suggestion sounds excellent as well. We'll take it into the planning!
The last suggestion I'm not entirely on board with. Or rather, it's a different type of calculation essentially. That you state you need 54m and then which lengths are available at the lumberyard and that you then find out how many boards are required to get 54m. Not a bad idea at all, but what do we call that type of calculation?
I'm not completely on board with the last suggestion. Or rather, it's actually a different type of calculation. When you specify that you need 54m and then the available lengths at the lumberyard, and it calculates how many planks are required to get 54m. Not a bad idea at all, but what do we call that type of calculation?
Well, that part might be redundant when the app exists. I don't usually bring all the measurements to the lumberyard but rather have it in my head that I need about 50m in total, then I try to calculate in my head, add at least 2 boards just in case I've miscalculated, and then I end up coming home with too much lumber . So that function might not be necessary when the app exists
I just see some potential on the waste calculation.
The best here is to buy 3 of 3600mm and 3 of 4200, but the calculator uses the same dimensions for everything.
* Specifying the unit of measurement is completely obvious now that you mention it.
* We absolutely need some form of handling for multiple dimensions. Clearing the form and starting over is a good start!
The suggestion for overcus sounds excellent as well. We'll include it in the planning!
I'm not completely on board with the last suggestion. Or, it's actually a different type of calculation. Specifying that you need 54m and then the lengths available at the timber yard, and then seeing how many planks are needed to achieve 54m. Not bad at all, but what do we call this type of calculation?
Nice! Experiencing some web issues. It doesn't seem to want to update if I delete old fields.
It would be really great if it could mix sizes.
For example, in this case, it would be better to take 8pcs 3000mm and 2pcs 3400mm?
There should be some form of optimization algorithm, my math is a bit rusty but one could set up a problem like
Y1 = a*x1 +b*x2 = 3000*x1+3400*x2 # Length of available board * quantity
Y2= A*y1+B*y2 = 3000*10 +3300*2 # Number of boards needed * length
and then calculate the minimum of the function Y1-Y2
With the condition that Y1 >=Y2
and a few more conditions saying something like A<a to only approve full lengths of the wood.
Note this is really not thought through or hardly usable, etc. Someone who knows optimization could probably solve this quite easily.
Yes, that part might be redundant when the app exists. I usually don't bring all the measurements to the lumberyard, but rather keep in mind that I need roughly 50m in total, then try to calculate in my head, add at least 2 boards in case I've miscalculated and end up coming home with too much lumber . So that function might not be necessary when the app exists
That sounds about like how I calculated before we started working on the app
There's still some way to go before it can completely replace manual calculations, but with all the great input here, we're well on our way!
I see some potential in the waste calculation.
The best here is to buy 3 pieces of 3600mm and 3 pieces of 4200, but the calculator uses the same measurement for everything.
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The waste calculation definitely has potential and optimization as well. We chose to make the app more practical than accurate, which is why it doesn't mix different lengths. It became technically very complicated, even if it is feasible, and the lumberyard I often visit rarely has more than one length in the same dimension.
But it's on the list of things to work on!
Vi vill skicka notiser för ämnen du bevakar och händelser som berör dig.
StoffeGbg said:
samlarpådetmesta said:
Have you changed something recently? Because now it works!Mikael Wallin said:
