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Cutting Board Design software (CBdesigner)

Project by jayman7 posted 223 days ago 3314 views 27 times favorited 39 comments Add to Favorites Watch

Hi guys. After I completed my first cutting board, I wanted to make more using a different design. I wanted an easy way to design one on the computer, so I made a simple program in Visual Basic the other day. I hereby proclaim it as CBdesigner. Not so clever, huh? :) It helps me visualize what small changes in the first glue-up will turn out in the end-grain version, so maybe it will be of use to some of you woodworkers out there as well. I made it pretty self explanatory to use.

It creates a materials list so you know how much you need ahead of time so you can decide if you have enough scraps. It even takes into account the amount of wood lost from the saw blade itself so you can minimize waste. I made it as accurate as could be, but of course there is the possibility of errors so any comments/corrections are more than welcome! The colors I picked may not be the best representation of the woods listed either. This program works on the assumption of ideal conditions, so please be sure to account for extra wood as you should be doing anyway. :) Feel free to distribute it if you like it. Lemme know if there’s a better way to host the file too. Thanks!!!

Update: I fully integrated an Open and Save feature in 1.1 per everyone’s suggestions. Feel free to share your designs now. :) Future updates will include a Print feature and the ability to export to a .jpg file.

Update: If you don’t have it already on your computer, you will need the comdlg32.ocx file in your Windows\System32 folder. I used its scripts for the standard Open and Save commands in the program. In short, just follow the instructions at this link to register the ocx file and it should work. You can tell I don’t do computer programming for a living. :P
Download and register comdlg32.ocx file

Update: New version 1.2! Added a simplified print command and the ability to export your design as a .jpg file

Update: Made some minor rework on the picturebox code, fixed a bug in the print and redraw commands

v1.3 Major Update: I got around to making much needed upgrades! I finally figured out how to add scrollbars to the window if the boards got too big. Maximum layers is 200 (though the program breaks long before you get there). You can now insert and delete layers in the middle. You can also now drag the layers around by dragging the double-headed arrow. The CBs also now update automatically if you change the wood type, and you can now hit the “enter” key if you change any dimensions. ENJOY, this update took a while!! :)

CBdesigner v1.0

CBdesigner v1.1

CBdesigner v1.2

CBdesigner v1.2.1

CBdesigner v1.2.2 , Mirror

CBdesigner v1.3 , Mirror


39 comments so far

View lew's profile (online now)

lew

3705 posts in 507 days


posted 223 days ago

NEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks!

Lew

View toyguy's profile

toyguy

612 posts in 589 days


posted 223 days ago

Thats kind a cool… Don’t know if I’ll ever use it but thanks.

-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/

View Ampeater's profile

Ampeater

176 posts in 499 days


posted 223 days ago

Thanks for posting. I will use it on my next cutting board.

-- "A goal without a plan is a wish."

View Devin's profile

Devin

69 posts in 280 days


posted 223 days ago

Very cool! Thanks for posting.

-- If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? - John Wooden

View Bob42's profile

Bob42

271 posts in 542 days


posted 223 days ago

That looks great!!

I will try it tomorrow. I have some boards to do.
Thanks for sharing.

-- Bob K. East Northport, NY

View Bureaucrat's profile (online now)

Bureaucrat

4494 posts in 403 days


posted 223 days ago

Thanks for posting, this will be a big help.

-- Gary, South Central Wisconsin. So much to learn, so little time!

View bayouman's profile

bayouman

85 posts in 417 days


posted 222 days ago

Jayman:

That is a fantastic help to all of us not smart enought to figure it out otherwise. Thanks for posting. I know I will get a lot of use from this.

View Garyb6's profile

Garyb6

259 posts in 382 days


posted 222 days ago

Getting ready to build my first cutting boards as Christmas presents. This will sure come in handy. Thanks for the timely post!!

-- Garyb6, “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler” - Albert Einstein

View Garyb6's profile

Garyb6

259 posts in 382 days


posted 222 days ago

Jayman, Is there anyway to save? I would like to save different configurations so I can compare and choose the one I loke best.

Thanks!!

-- Garyb6, “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler” - Albert Einstein

View Wally_nd's profile

Wally_nd

35 posts in 361 days


posted 222 days ago

Thank You… Very good of you to share

-- Jeremy, North Dakota

View jayman7's profile

jayman7

12 posts in 257 days


posted 222 days ago

Thanks for all the compliments! I’m surprised and glad to see many of you are finding it useful. If there is enough interest and suggestions, I might incorporate them into a later version of the program (such as saving; that’s a good idea!).

View RobH's profile

RobH

434 posts in 801 days


posted 222 days ago

Thanks for the effort. I am sure that will help out in the future.

-- -- Rob Hix, King George, VA

View jm82435's profile

jm82435

426 posts in 493 days


posted 222 days ago

very cool, thanks!

-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11345 posts in 626 days


posted 222 days ago

It’s blocked here at work, but I plan to try it at home tonight. TIA

View Bob42's profile

Bob42

271 posts in 542 days


posted 222 days ago

First.. I tried the program this morning and it very easy to use and does a wonderful job. For me simple is better. With in only a few minutes it gives you a chance to see before hand what the board will look like. I really like this program.
Thanks for taking the time to not only make this but share it with us. Keep more programs like this coming.

Now, If I could be so bold as to ask for in a future update a way to save, print, and more choices of wood.

-- Bob K. East Northport, NY

View LeoZ's profile

LeoZ

22 posts in 221 days


posted 221 days ago

wow this is very nice!! ive been browsing here for a while, and finally joined.. ill have to share my CB creations now!

i agree, save and print would be great, thanks!

-- just another woodworking newb

View newTim's profile

newTim

169 posts in 358 days


posted 221 days ago

Amazingly cool… many thanks… is there a way to save a project to a file?

-- tim hill www.newcalshop.com

View jayman7's profile

jayman7

12 posts in 257 days


posted 219 days ago

Updated to version 1.1 to add the ability to save designs. Enjoy! :)

View HossMan's profile

HossMan

21 posts in 469 days


posted 215 days ago

Can’t wait to give it a test drive when I get home.
Thanks for posting it up!

View Bob42's profile

Bob42

271 posts in 542 days


posted 215 days ago

Thanks for the update.

-- Bob K. East Northport, NY

View Brad_Nailor's profile

Brad_Nailor

1081 posts in 709 days


posted 214 days ago

I downloaded 1.1 and tried to run it and i get an error message!

message

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

View Karson's profile

Karson

21155 posts in 1152 days


posted 214 days ago

Thanks for the program. I had the OCX file. No problems

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View JerryS's profile

JerryS

64 posts in 362 days


posted 213 days ago

Can you Download this using FireFox ? Which link do you click on ?

View LeoZ's profile

LeoZ

22 posts in 221 days


posted 213 days ago

wow.. great updates!

On v1.2, the boarders you added around the previews cause the image to get truncated unless the preview size is less than 25% (obviously dependent on the cb size..)

-- just another woodworking newb

View Tim Dorcas's profile

Tim Dorcas

117 posts in 610 days


posted 193 days ago

What a great program! I wish I had found this three days ago though…..:)

-- www.responsetolight.com - A Woodworking & Renovation Blog & www.craftedbytim.com - I make. You buy.

View etivancic's profile

etivancic

14 posts in 525 days


posted 193 days ago

This is why I LOVE THIS SITE!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I just made my first cutting board and was getting excitted about my next few…
I just designed my next one with your program. It is a GREAT program!

I feel like a little kid at Xmas :)

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

753 posts in 653 days


posted 192 days ago

That’s just amazing jayman7. Thanks for sharing it.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

View LeoZ's profile

LeoZ

22 posts in 221 days


posted 149 days ago

v1.3 is a GREAT update!!! Thank you :)

-- just another woodworking newb

View John Kasparian's profile

John Kasparian

21 posts in 404 days


posted 135 days ago

Nice

-- john

View sbailey's profile

sbailey

1 post in 116 days


posted 116 days ago

This is great. Thank you

View WillyWally's profile

WillyWally

8 posts in 85 days


posted 71 days ago

What a dope I am. I don’t get this File Dropper page I get. Where to go from there?

-- Willy Wally's Wood Stuff

View codaman33's profile

codaman33

4 posts in 451 days


posted 67 days ago

I can’t figure out how to download this thing either. Anyone can help please?

View jayman7's profile

jayman7

12 posts in 257 days


posted 67 days ago

Click the “CBdesigner v1.3” link and then click “download file” link to save the program. I also fixed the mirror site at filedropper. The file at filedropper expires after a certain amount of time.

View codaman33's profile

codaman33

4 posts in 451 days


posted 67 days ago

I have it now. Thanks. I look forward to playing around with it.

View SheriDi's profile

SheriDi

13 posts in 55 days


posted 52 days ago

Excellent program. I know how much effort goes into a program like this and appreciate your willingness to share it with others!

-- Goodbye said the fox and now here is my secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

5826 posts in 328 days


posted 52 days ago

cool Thanks alot

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

View MWF's profile

MWF

6 posts in 285 days


posted 47 days ago

Wow this program looks great. I have made one cutting board and would like to make a few more when I came accross this posting.

I have downloaded the v1.3 and the comdlg32 but getting an error that says “component comdlg32 or one of its dependancies not correctly registered or is missing or is invalid” Any thoughts on what I can do?

View maluco's profile

maluco

5 posts in 247 days


posted 43 days ago

nice program!

if you wanna, please share the source
planet source code is one nice place to do it http://www.planet-source-code.com/vb/default.asp
maybe you also get some ideas to improve it there

btw, the problem of registering the cmdialog can be fixed easily
vb have dependencies and are not supposed to be only the exe
it work fine if the computer have all files needed but this don’t happen always

just make the setup for the program and it can create all for you
(in vb6, menu add-ins / package and deployment wizard )

found 2 small bugs
interface: taborder are not correct – just click with the mouse in any control to get the focus and press tab to check .. the cursor don’t go to the next control in the correct order ( goes to the next in the order you included in the form )
no error procedure: create 68 layers and get overflow

I hope it can help you to improve it – tanks for posting it

View ChuckNorris's profile

ChuckNorris

10 posts in 94 days


posted 18 days ago

Sweet program!! What’s the chance of adding more wood types? Maybe even some pictures of the endgrain rather than the standard colors? Anyway, this program is great!

-- Brent (Table saws worry about kickback from Chuck Norris)

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