Woodgrain & Sawdust Designer

What's new

The latest changes to the Designer. Have an idea or found something that doesn't work right? Email hello@woodgrainandsawdust.com. A lot of what's here came from people who did.

  1. Angled braces

    • Brace a shelf: select it and click “Brace”. An angled brace drops into the corner under it, cut to fit against the shelf and the upright. Click again to brace the next corner. Grouped your posts? Select the group and click “Add a brace”. A shallow shelf gets a narrower brace (a 2x2 instead of a 2x4) so it still fits.
    • Pick 30°, 45° or 60°, or tap Custom and type any angle. The brace refits itself, and its length (long point to long point) sets how far it reaches.
    • The cut list gives the saw setting for each end, and warns you when a cut is steeper than most miter saws go.
    • Clicking a size box now selects the whole number, so you can just type the new size.
    • Easier to say no to a joint: the Join bubble has its own ✕, and the joint list has a close button and a bigger “Not now”.

  2. Snapping that joins, and turning boards

    • Turn a board right where you're working: Lay flat, On edge, Stand up and Rotate now float just above the board you've selected.
    • Boards snap together from farther away, so you don't have to land a drag perfectly.
    • Dropped a board just short of another? A “Snap together” button now appears on the small space between them. Tap it to close the gap, then pick a joint.

  3. Lining things up

    • Boards line up with boards farther away too (edges, ends and centers), with a dashed guide while you drag or trim.
    • Click the dashed space label next to a selected board and type an exact space (say, 2 3/4") to move it there.
    • Change a board to a different kind of lumber and it keeps its spot, length and joints.
    • Plane a board thinner. The cut list notes the planing.

  4. Build steps and real prices

    • Starter plans come with step-by-step build instructions you can print or save as a PDF.
    • Pro: write your own build instructions for any project.
    • The shopping list uses real Home Depot prices, refreshed every week.
    • New pricing page, with a 7-day free trial of Pro.

  5. The Designer opens its doors

    • Drag boards from the lumber list, trim them, and see your project in 3D and in front, side and top drawings.
    • Every joint from butt joints and pocket screws to half-laps, mortise & tenon and dovetails, with the cut list worked out for you.
    • Cutting diagrams, a shopping list and PDF export.
    • Starter templates, Quick build for frames and bookshelves, and a short tour for your first visit.