Deploy Tech Support

We build many crates in the 180" to 630" length range for extruded tubes.  The options for getting the panel splices calculated are great.  Is it possible to tell Crate Pro the length of lumber that we will be starting with and have it calculate our splices for panel cleating, base lumber and rub strips?

It would be great if it could use the same kind of logic that the panels do, such as minimum length and so on.

Also, it would be important that the base lumber and rub strip calculations take into account the spacing chosen for distance between skids so that splices would fall at an intersection and not in thin air.

Please let me know if this is already something that can be done, or if it could be added.

Sean

Just speaking from a long time Crate Pro users point of view...

I do know you can control maximum distances (spans) between skids (runners) in preferences under Construction/Bases & then Light Duty/Rules & Other

As for splices in base lumber it would be very complicated I think, to have the base lumber cuts

pre-calculated as those calculations would need to depend on where you place the skids(runners), it would depend what size lumber you have in stock, how many splices you would have. Also when you do  splice at times you may not want more than 2 splices in the same place. I think there would be too many scenarios for it to auto calculate but it might be good to have an area where it would first calculate the distance between the skids (runners) then you could select which skid(runner) you want the splice on and how many splices on each skid(runner) then I think it could auto calculate from there. 

As for Panel cleats one of the issues I could see is that when you buy a 14' or a 8' or a 10' depending on the mill they could be anywhere from 1/8" to 3/8" even a 1/2" over length which then if you put in 8ft would then screw up the next piece.

If there was a way to enter the exact length of the first piece then it could likely calculate the next. 

One other thing is if splice happens to be on the height rather than the length it's a whole new set of calculations. Hmmmm...points to ponder!

Crate Pro is an very helpful program and is getting better all the time especially getting suggestions like these to find ways to get it even better!.