Fewer mystery numbers. Better material decisions.
SawNest is an independently published browser-based toolkit for planning rectangular parts across sheet goods and boards.
Chase Ward
Chase builds and maintains SawNest's calculators, test fixtures, worked examples, and reference pages. The site publishes its assumptions and limits so readers can reproduce the arithmetic instead of relying on an unexplained result.
The problem
Material planning often happens in a spreadsheet, on graph paper, or in a general calculator that hides the assumptions. A single missed kerf, rotated face grain, or damaged factory edge can turn a tidy estimate into another store run.
The approach
Each tool answers one defined job, shows its editable inputs, explains its formula or heuristic, and states what the result cannot know. Saved flagship projects remain in the browser unless you export them.
The publishing standard
Every published calculation is checked against documented formulas, reproducible examples, or public benchmark cases. Material facts and safety context use primary sources where possible. Read the editorial and corrections policy.
The business model
The core tools are intended to remain free. SawNest may be supported by clearly labeled advertising; advertisers cannot change calculations, benchmark results, rankings, or editorial conclusions.
Corrections and feedback
If a formula, table, source, or link appears wrong, open a public correction request. Include the page URL, the value in question, and the dimensions or source needed to reproduce it.