Metal saw cutting calculator

Estimate saw time, optimise bar cuts and create usable workshop cutting sheets.

CutSimply helps bandsaw and circular saw users estimate rough cutting time, optimise bar cuts, reduce waste and create cleaner workshop cutting sheets for metal bar, tube and section work.

Start quick calculation Read quick guide

Built for quoting, planning and repeat work. Actual saw times vary by machine, blade, coolant, clamping, operator, feed settings, material condition and handling.

Example output

Stock bars4

Total pieces42

Estimated time1h 35m – 2h 07m

Usable offcuts3

Rough job cost£186.40

Rough material groupsGrade dropdowns stay grouped so the estimate remains simple.

Real saw settingsManual, semi-auto, auto-feed, clamping, stamping and handling time.

Optimised cut plansReduce waste and create printable cutting sheets.

No login neededUse the quick tools instantly. Profiles and jobs can be saved locally in your browser.

Simple firstAdvanced settings stay optional, so quick jobs do not feel overloaded.

Free workshop tools

Quick calculator, quick optimiser, or full planner

Start with the quick tools for a fast answer. Open the full planner only when you need job details, offcuts, exports or calibration.

Quick calculate

For fast rough saw-time estimates on one or more cut sizes. Keeps the extra planning fields out of the way.

Fast estimate

Material group Shape Saw type Feed mode ? Section units ? Length units ? Report units ?

Stock length ? Kerf ?

Extra allowance ? Added per piece.

Cut sizes ? Use one row for simple repeat cuts, or add more rows for mixed cut sizes.

Length	Qty	Label / job

Optional quick extras

Setup time (min) Handling per cut (sec) Stamp/mark delay (sec) Estimate range

Quick optimise

For when you only care about fitting lengths into stock bars and reducing waste. Time uses safe default material settings unless you move into the full planner.

Waste focused

Main stock length ?

Kerf ?

Trim allowance ? Extra allowance / piece ? Keep offcuts over ? Length units ? Stock availability ? Stock quantity available Only used in fixed stock quantity mode. Report units ?

Optional material/section settings for weight and time

Leave these at the defaults if you only need the cutting layout. Fill them in if you want a more useful quick time and weight estimate.

Material group Shape / section Saw type Feed mode Section units ? Advanced: density override ? g/cm³. Example: steel ≈ 7.85. Advanced: cut rate override ? Overrides the rough material timing rate.

Other stock lengths available Leave blank for one stock length. Use commas if you keep several bar lengths. Optimisation aim

Existing offcuts / remnants to use first ? Optional. Add offcuts one row at a time instead of using CSV text.

Length	Qty	Label

Cut list ? Add each required length as its own row. Much clearer than comma-separated text.

Length	Qty	Label / job

Full planner

Use this when you need more than the quick tools. Optional blocks start hidden or muted so the planner stays clean until you need more detail.

Job details Timing extras Costing Notes

Job details

Optional, but useful for printed sheets, saved jobs and CSV exports.

Job name / ref Customer / project Operator / saw Job date

Material and section

Use rough material groups for timing. Exact grade can be recorded for the job sheet, but the estimate stays deliberately broad.

Material group Examples: S275, S355, EN3B, EN8 Grade / note Grouped estimate. Advanced: density override ? Used for weight only. Shape Saw type Length units ? Section units ? Report units ?

Saw setup

These are the settings that make the estimate useful. Start rough, save a profile, then tune it against real jobs later.

Feed mode Main stock length ?

Kerf per cut ?

Extra allowance per piece ? Leave at 0 for normal cut-to-size jobs. Trim allowance per bar ?

Other stock lengths available Optional. The optimiser can choose between these and the main stock length. Stock availability ? Stock quantity available Only used in fixed stock quantity mode. Existing offcuts are counted separately. Optimisation aim Useful offcuts mode avoids creating tiny remnants where possible.

Existing offcuts / remnants ? Used first before new stock bars. Add each remnant length and quantity on its own row.

Length	Qty	Label

Timing extras

Use these when you want a more realistic estimate. Toggle this block off above for a cleaner form.

Setup time per job (min) First-off/check time (min) Load/handling per stock bar (sec) Handling per piece/cut (sec)

Stamping/marking delay per piece (sec) Deburr/inspect per piece (sec) Blade condition Coolant / cutting condition

Clamping / cut difficulty Adjusts both cutting confidence and handling allowance. Machine speed multiplier (%) 100 = baseline. Raise/lower after real jobs. Advanced: cut rate override ? Overrides material/grade/saw rate. Estimate range Usable offcut threshold (mm) Round up estimate to

Optional quote/cost settings

Shop/saw rate (£/hour) Material cost per stock bar (£) Scrap value per kg (£) Currency symbol

Cut list

Add each required length and quantity. The optimiser packs them into stock bars using kerf and trim allowance.

Length	Quantity	Label / job ref

CSV paste accepts: length,quantity,label. Example: 1250,4,Job A

Job notes

Machine profilesOptional: save saw defaults in this browser.

Local machine profiles

Save saw profiles

Save machine defaults in this browser. Start with a preset, adjust it to match your saw, then save your own profile.

Saved jobs and local backupOptional: save/export jobs locally without an account.

Local saved jobs

Save, load and export jobs

Save jobs in this browser, export them as JSON and import them again later. Useful for repeat work without needing an account yet.

Calibration helperOptional: compare an estimate against real cutting time.

Calibration helper

Tune the estimate after a real job

After cutting, enter the actual job time. CutSimply will suggest a new machine speed multiplier. This is how the tool can become more accurate without pretending every saw is identical.

Timing transparency

Rough estimates, not fake precision

The calculator shows a range and a breakdown so users can see what is included. Detailed assumptions and accuracy notes are kept on their own page to keep the tool screen clean.

Read the accuracy notes How material groups, section area, saw settings, handling time and calibration affect the estimate.

Browse workshop guides Separate pages for bandsaw timing, metal bar optimisation, steel, aluminium, tube and kerf planning.

Built for practical planning

Fast enough for daily use, honest enough for real workshops

CutSimply is designed for rough quoting, saw planning, material usage checks and repeat cutting jobs. It gives a clear estimate range and breakdown rather than pretending every saw, blade and operator will cut the same.

Quick tools first Simple calculate and optimise tabs keep the first screen clean for users who only need a fast answer.

Full planner when needed Machine profiles, offcuts, multiple stock lengths, job notes, exports, costing and calibration stay available without cluttering the quick tools.

Designed to improve with real data After a job is cut, the calibration helper can tune the machine multiplier so estimates fit the user’s own saw more closely.