Checks and troubleshooting

SawWise is good at turning model dimensions into rectangular cutting plans. It cannot see your workshop or the slightly bowed board you just pulled from the rack, so give its results the same common-sense check you would give a handwritten cut list.

Four useful checks

1. Check the model

• Import the latest .skp file.
• Compare part names, quantities, and dimensions with SketchUp.
• Look at unclassified, excluded, zero-quantity, and loose geometry items.

2. Check the material

• Match timber cross-sections, sheet sizes, and materials to what you have or can buy.
• Measure offcuts and note damaged edges, defects, embedded metal, or contamination.
• Add any extra you like for trimming, milling, test cuts, or the occasional mishap.

3. Check the setup

• Use the kerf for the blade and setup you are actually using.
• Mark useful datum faces, edges, and grain direction on the material.
• Turn plan coordinates into measurements that make sense for your saw or track.

4. Check the first cut

• Match the real workpiece to the plan.
• Choose the blade side and support both pieces.
• Follow the instructions for your tool, guards, workholding, and protective equipment.
• Measure the result before carrying on with dependent cuts.

A good rule of thumb: If the real material and the plan disagree, pause and update the plan. There is no prize for making the timber fit the spreadsheet.

What stays in your workshop process

SawWise plans rectangular timber and sheet pieces, shopping quantities, kerf, and reusable panel offcuts. The rest of the build stays with your normal design and workshop process, including:

• Structure, joinery, hardware, holes, grooves, and edge banding.
• Grain matching, defect removal, rough milling, and final trimming.
• Supplier prices, availability, and spare-material allowances.
• Curved shapes, CNC toolpaths, and non-guillotine layouts.

Bounding boxes

Part sizes come from rectangular bounding boxes. This works well for ordinary boards and panels. Angled, curved, skewed, notched, or irregular pieces may need a manual rectangular blank size instead.

SawWise follows nested assemblies down to their leaf groups and components. Loose drawing geometry is left out, while decorative or reference components can be excluded in Parts.

After editing a part

Manual stock, quantity, and dimension choices tell SawWise what to use in the next calculation. If you change a manufacturing dimension, check any connected pieces, joinery, clearances, and hardware in SketchUp too. Bulk actions are worth a quick scan because they can update several rows at once.

Browser storage

Models are processed in your browser. SawWise stores settings, project choices, and offcut inventory there too, when browser storage is available.

The open model is not saved as a SawWise project, so import the .skp again after a refresh. Clearing site data also clears locally stored choices and inventory.

When something looks wrong

Try the check that best matches what you see:

• A part is missing: Group loose faces and edges, then check nested components, excluded parts, and zero quantities.
• The quantity is wrong: Look for duplicate, nested, scaled, or mirrored component instances.
• The dimensions look odd: Compare the bounding box with the intended blank and check for skewed geometry or component axes.
• The stock suggestion is weak: Add the exact physical stock in Settings or simplify conflicting names and materials.
• A panel will not place: Check its dimensions, orientation lock, selected sheet size, and available offcuts.
• An offcut is unavailable: Look at its quantity and whether it is reserved or already marked as used.
• An old choice has returned: SawWise may recognise the project; clear or update the override in Parts.

If you are still stuck, use Feedback and tell us what you were making, what happened, and what you expected. The SketchUp version and a small example model are especially helpful if you are happy to share them.