Computer Aided Design

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

Autocabinets

6/3/17       
Brian

Hi All
is anyone here using this software? Its part of routercad and I am interested in your experience with it as I'm looking at purchasing. Thanks in advance.
thanks
Brian

6/6/17       #2: Autocabinets ...
Dennis Member

Website: http://www.letendrewoodworks.com

Been there done that! If I could go back in time there is no way I would have bought this software! In life you make mistakes, this was one of mine!

6/7/17       #3: Autocabinets ...
Brian

thank you for your response Dennis. I appreciate your letting me know your experience

6/9/17       #4: Autocabinets ...
ddmfgllc Member

Dennis,

Will you explain a little as to what you didn't like about Auto Cabinets? The software appears to be easy enough to navigate. I have used some of Shaw's older software (control center) and it was able to get the job done when used with companion software such as Cabinet Solutions and Cad Code.

9/29/17       #5: Autocabinets ...
DJ

I agree with Dennis. We bought the software some years ago and it was incredibly time consuming to set up and to run. We ditched it and went to Mozaik and it is a much better program in pretty much every respect.

10/17/18       #6: Autocabinets ...
Ken

Are there any 2018 user reviews on Autocabinets. I'm not even sure how to find a year date on this message board? I see what looks like a month and day.

I too have been looking at all the major CNC cad software out there and like the look of the AutoCabinets and the companies response times. I have tried Mozaik and definitely think the price point is great, we were just not all that impressed with their customer service response times and believe the software is okay but far from great. I know it's hard when you have played around with high dollar software like Cabinet Vision. It's like CV has the most up to date UI.

I believe Dennis is the gentlemen that I spoke with who had a problem with Autocabinets and had switched to KCD. I have to believe that Autocabinets has worked most of the bugs out since their original software version.

Thanks in advance for any honest dialog...

10/17/18       #7: Autocabinets ...
Dennis  Member

Website: http://www.letendrewoodworks.com

Ken,
Let me just say this.
When I upgraded to the KCD CNC Commander it took just a few phone calls, and by the way someone answered the phone every time to get me up and running. Then I cut out my first base cabinet with holes for shelves, dado construction, etc. and it was perfect the first time and every time after that. Any time I had a more difficult configuration to accomplish that I could not do in KCD I would draw the parts in AutoCad and run them through MasterCam and it was done in no time. I wish I would have done that much earlier I would have saved thousands and allot of grief! Hope that helps!

10/17/18       #8: Autocabinets ...
Ken

Thanks Dennis! I like a lot of about KCD and had it narrowed down between them and Cabinet Vision. What machine are you using it with? I picked up a Multicam that had been majorly updated to include Vital Systems controls and an 11hp PDS spindle. The machine is currently running Mach4 and I need something that will not be a major issue getting things going. The current running software is a non-cabinet based system and we are working with similar projects as you. So I had started talking again with the Shaw's at Autocabinets and they assure me that they have a ton of experience with both Multicam and their Boss routers run Mach4.

10/17/18       #9: Autocabinets ...
DJ

Between KCD and Mozaik, I think the difference comes down to how you build your Cabinets.

I have had kcd for design for nearly 20 years and it is by far the easiest program I have used for basic designs. I still use it for jobs I sell from the lines we are a dealer for. If you have a limited library that fits what they supply in their library, if you do euro or individual cabinets it's a great option.

For me, I gang build cabinets and need the option to configure openings in more ways than kcd allows. Mozaik does exactly what I need and does it easily and accurately. If I was a frameless shop or built individual cabinets then kcd would certainly be sufficient.

10/17/18       #10: Autocabinets ...
Dennis Member

Website: http://www.letendrewoodworks.com

Ken,
My advise to you is to make Autocabinets prove to you and show you everything that you are expecting them to do with your machine including a post for your machine. Just be prepared for allot of support to be up and running. They could not get my drill bank to work and refused to do anything to change their post. Heck, Mozaik and KCD got it to work first shot.
Anyway I wish you luck with them if that is going to be your choice!

10/17/18       #11: Autocabinets ...
Ken

Thanks, DJ and Dennis! I have not made my mind up as of yet. Like I've said the top choices are between Cabinet Vision and KCD. The rest are okay from what my people have been checking out. The only one with the most up to date UI is Cabinet Vision, now that is without digging further into the new KCD v10 which I should probably hear back from KCD tomorrow. After thinking about what you guys are saying I will look harder again at KCD. If I was okay with biting off $35k I'd easily go with CV. We will be doing customs, commercial, multi-runs and outdoor related pieces.

Now if Autocabinets or maybe I should say RouterCad since it is a marriage of the two or three etc., can't guarantee what I want, including the post, then they can take a hike. I know Monica stated a new much lower pricing point (since they make money on their Boss routers, they decided to lower software pricing), that is if I pay and in 30 days don't like the software they would refund me minus a restocking fee. I also like the idea of being able to do MDF doors with vacuum forming options.

I also prefer a software that you at least eventually own outright including your libraries and such. I don't like the idea of permanent lifetime renting.

10/18/18       #12: Autocabinets ...
Paolo Kokkinos  Member

Website: http://www.kokkinosdesignanddrafting.com

Hi there,

Just wanted to weigh in and offer an alternative that I've been using for the past 3 years. It's called CabMaster. It's essentially the Australian version of Cabinet Vision. Multiple software guys have told me that it operates much better and has more features than cabinet vision which in its self is great.

My experience with the program has only been positive. There is a small learning curve but it is very quick and easy to operate once you've played around with the program a few times. It's definitely worth looking into if you haven't already.

Also, if you're looking for a contact in order to learn more about the software, contact Richard at richard.terry@qstsystems.com

All the best!

10/18/18       #13: Autocabinets ...
DJ

What is it about Mozaik that isn't working for you?

I have done some fairly intricate Cabinets with it and they come off without a hitch. Once you get your parameters set it is a very rock solid platform in my experience.

10/18/18       #14: Autocabinets ...
Ken

Hi Paolo, I had checked out CabMaster and another company both out of Australia. They both looked like solid programs, but it's hard to judge watching their videos when everything is in metric and then the worry about customer support being 13 hours ahead.

DJ, I asked my son who played around with MOZAIK about a year or so ago and he thought it would be too much work to create detailed furniture-type vanities and such. He was already familiar with Google Sketchup. I know that their training and customer service was very weak and not worth $75 an hour. We paid on it a few months but didn't have a machine at the time. So we never got to take it to cut mode.

I did hear back from KCD, and they have one of the best customer service responses out of everyone we have dealt with thus far. As the saying usually goes, you get what you pay for.

I haven't cut Mozaik out of the picture yet. If I were to go on price alone, then it would be between Mozaik and RouterCad Autocabinets. But again, either one has to be able to post.

With Mozaik, I'll have a lifetime monthly payment, and RouterCad would be paid off with monthly payments of $250 in ten months. But of course, if neither lives up to expectations, it's a loss of investment and time.

Glad to see this thread getting some real dialog. It helps myself and others a ton. Thanks to everyone helping out around here on Woodweb.

10/18/18       #15: Autocabinets ...
DJ

Hi Ken.

I would say that if you are going to be making furniture style, detailed vanities and things like that that you would not want to be looking for KCD.

The beauty of KCD is in it's simplicity. It's easy to learn, easy to set up and easy to run.

But the price you pay for that is that you can't really wander too far from their stock library.

You can stretch and shrink things but there is no ability to custom shape a cabinet or build anything from the ground up.

If you can't make Mozaik work then Cabinet Vision may be your best bet or a program like AutoCAD

10/19/18       #16: Autocabinets ...
Paolo Kokkinos  Member

Website: http://www.kokkinosdesignanddrafting.com

Hi again,

They actually do have customer support within Canada. Also, you can change units of measurement to imperial very easily within the program.

All the best!

Paolo Kokkinos

10/19/18       #17: Autocabinets ...
Brian

Hi All
I ended up going with Mozaik software for my cabinets and am very happy with the results. I can opt out anytime if necessary but it gets everything done I need to building commercial cabinets and residential. The online forum is very helpful.

10/19/18       #18: Autocabinets ...
JoeW Member

Just a quick mention about "detailed furniture-like". I build only detailed custom cabinets, where most required furniture like details.

I tried KCD, Cabinet Pro, and Mozaik. Just couldn't get it done. Never tried Autocabinets. Switched to Cabinet Vision about 7-8 years ago. Haven't run into anything I could build in CV yet.

CV is a great program, but CV knows it and you're definitely gonna pay for the privilege to use it. Shame, but that appears to be their market theory.

Customer Support is pretty good. Forum is fantastic. Cost for the support is the Pitts.

Maybe Autocabinets can give them a run for their money.

10/19/18       #19: Autocabinets ...
Ken

Thanks again to everyone who has shared a lot of great info here. This is the kind of dialog that needs to be going on for a better understanding of what may or may not work for one another.

Since it could make a huge difference when comparing, something else that would help a lot is; what version of any given software are you running? The second question might be, is price a significant factor or not. We know CV is about as high as it gets and CabinetPlanner.com is probably the lowest price.

I know a lot has to do with whether or not someone is pumping out a volume of work or doing things more on the hobby basis. And whether or not time is a major factor. I wonder how much time is used up, popping in and out of Mozaik to Sketch-Up, everytime you want to see a 3D elevation view?

10/19/18       #20: Autocabinets ...
Brian

Ken
mozaik gives you its own 2D/3D viewer where you have pretty much all the same options as sketchup for viewing , measuring, printing, etc......it is extremely fast. I recommend you try it for 3 months. Its a low investment with zero risk. I recommend you get a few hours of phone training to get your systems/constrcuion methods set up.

10/19/18       #21: Autocabinets ...
Ken

Thanks again, Brian! I'm talking with the gang about doing another trial run with Mozaik. I know we had done a 90 day trial over a year ago but didn't have our 3 phase put in and just ended up canceling Mozaik after like four months or so. We had tried the $75 program, and I know you can't get a feel for some of the other features without going the $125 per month package. We did pay for like 2 or 3 hours of training that didn't amount for much in the way of learning as we had already figured out most of the info prior to their scheduled training.

In saying all this, Mozaik probably deserves another shot. They must be getting their act back together after the previous loss they went through.


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
  • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!

    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)