Cut Length From Stock Calculator
Find how many pieces you can cut from a stock length, and how many bars a job needs, once saw kerf and end trim are counted.
How it works
Pieces per bar = floor((stock − trim + kerf) ÷ (piece + kerf)) · Offcut = usable − pieces×piece − (pieces−1)×kerf · Bars = ceil(qty ÷ pieces per bar)
Every saw cut throws away a slice of metal equal to the blade’s kerf, so the real question is not stock ÷ piece but how many pieces plus the kerfs between them fit in a bar. This tool packs pieces with one kerf between each cut, credits the final cut with no trailing kerf, and optionally trims a squared end off every bar. It then tells you the drop (leftover) per bar, how efficiently the stock is used, and how many bars the whole job needs.
Worked example
Cutting 500 mm pieces from a 6000 mm bar with a 3 mm kerf: pieces per bar = floor((6000 + 3) ÷ 503) = 11. Those 11 pieces use 11 × 500 + 10 × 3 = 5530 mm, leaving a 470 mm drop and 92.2% utilization. For 40 pieces you need ceil(40 ÷ 11) = 4 bars.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the kerf matter so much?
On short pieces cut from long stock, kerf can add up to a whole extra piece’s worth of waste. Ignoring it makes you plan too few bars and come up short mid-job.
What is the “drop”?
The drop is the leftover offcut at the end of a bar that is too short for another full piece. Minimizing it — by choosing stock lengths that divide cleanly into your piece length plus kerf — is how fabricators cut material cost.
Does end trim change the count?
Yes. Any length you trim to square the bar end is removed before pieces are packed, so a large trim allowance can occasionally cost you a piece per bar. Set it to zero if you cut straight from a clean end.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.