Hello everyone,

I'm currently shopping around for software for the shop. I'm looking for something that has a design program for clients, and a program to produce cutlists / door and drawer sizes, etc for the shop. I do not need estimating software as I'm using a spreadsheet I created. We are a faceframe shop for what it's worth. We do not have a cnc, and probably won't in the near future. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm not looking to go the "free" route here. I'm looking for something that I can use for years, and something that can grow with the shop. I have a budget of 4k. Thoughts?

Thanks,
-Kris

Kris look into KCD it gives great renderings for customers, good working drawings and you can rent it also pretty easy to use there also right down the road from you in Massachusetts

Hey John,

Where in Mass? I'm heading that way in a few weeks for an install... care to give a tour?

Or could be a smart Alec say Google it but here is the address
1252 Route 28
South Yarmouth
Great bunch of people

I use kcd also and really like it. I gave 2k for mine several years ago at the Atlanta show. My version is just design, no cnc or door list, pricing.

John,

Thanks for the info. I mis-read your post, thought you were saying YOU were down the road in Mass... hence the tour quote

Come to Kansas and I'll be more than happy to give you a tour and I would love to see your shop in Maine if I ever get there would also love to go to Lee Nielson tool works

Try Looking at Cabinet pro. I've used it for years, nice renderings, exact cutlists, door lists, ect. Excellent Face-Frame drawings with dimensions for the shop. Very Reasonable in cost and EASY to learn. I had the program for 5 years and then upgraded to the cnc edition when I got my cnc.

You are thinking correctly. I'm not sure the "free" software is something you want to invest your time in. All those listed in this thread can provide you with the data that you are trying to generate. Just keep in mind that you can never overestimate the amount of training you will need. The more proficient you can become with the software, the more efficient your processes will become. Don't short change yourself by dropping the support. Most legitimate software companies actually utilize these funds to provide updates to software and support the needed personnel for providing help and troubleshooting. Computers, operating systems and programs require regular updating/upgrading. This is just a fact of life.

KDC tech support is free as long as you own the software

I've been using Cabnetware since 08' and I recently purchased three months of Mozaik. I've only got a few hours of playing with Mozaik, but so far I don't think it's the program for me. There's some cool features, the renderings are outstanding, but it's really bizarre to run. Mostly I think that's just because I'm so used to Cabnetware. Cabnetware is really easy to use, but it's expensive. The version I have, I think I paid almost $4k for it, and it's just design. What made me look for another program was wanting to upgrade to a version that produced door and drawer cut lists, but they wanted like $7k to bring me to a current version, (which is now Cabinet Vision), with cut lists. I like how I can place multiple rooms on a single page for shop drawings, parameters are easy to set up, modifying cabinets is easy as well. I don't remember really struggling with Cabnetware the way I have been with Mozaik.

I think if I would've started with Mozaik and I was looking at Cabinet Vision, I'd probably feel a similar way. I'm not trying to knock it, or talk down about it, I just feel it's not for me. It seems like Mozaik wants to pull everything from a catalog of cabinets, and I almost never have two layouts of any cabinet, short of a fridge box, that are remotely similar. I'm sure I could build a catalog, and get it to do what I want, but I'm so used to Cabnetware that I'm likely just going to bite the bullet and upgrade to Cabinet Vision.

Hey Karl,
Cabinet Pro is only around 3K for design, cut-list, bidding and optimization I believe. The CNC edition is around 6K I think. Before you " Bite the Bullet" check them out. The prices are posted on their webpage. Great software, free support, easy to use.

I started out and still use KCD and also Mozaik.

If you only do standard,basic cabinets you can load KCD and be drawing basic kitchens etc in a few hours. It is very intuitive and does what it does well.

Mozaik will take longer to set up but it gives you the ability to customize to a much greater degree while still being fairly efficient to use.

My biggest complaint about kcd is that I consistently run into cabinets that you just cant draw in kcd and get a good,usable cutlist while with Mozaik it is rare that you can't draw what you are asked to build. That to me is huge as is the low start up cost.

I sometimes have the same problem as Denny. Sometimes kcd will not let me modify to do what I want but I think the newer versions are better. I think the newer versions actually have turnings from Adams, corbels from Osborne, etc. that would be a nice feature.

I work for KCD Software. Re difficulties going from design to cut list... Current version 10 is excellent with this. KCD's free tech support works with you to make it work.

I think KCD is way to much money for what you get, what good is a program that can't draw all the cabinets you need. It seems the designers are always coming up with new ideas and you need to be able to draw and customize these pieces.
I was looking at Mozaik, but haven't checked with them lately, the problem they were having was to get the program to work with a SCM Cnc, any one have some new news on that? Thanks