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Materials and dimensions
Thickness, kerf, clearances, scale and minimum detail sizes.
- Choosing the right materialWhich sheet materials each process can handle, what each is good for, and which combinations the studio refuses for safety or physics.
- Understanding material thicknessWhy nominal "3 mm" sheets are rarely 3.00 mm, how to measure your sheet with calipers, and where to enter the measured value so joints fit.
- What is kerf, and should I compensate for it?Kerf is the width of material removed by the cut. Learn how to measure it with a test cut and when to switch on kerf compensation.
- Setting clearancesAdvancedHow joint, slot and lid clearances work, which defaults the templates use, and how to adjust them when parts fit too tight or too loose.
- Understanding scale and measurementHow DIYCutLab keeps true size from design to file to machine, and how to verify the scale at each step.
- Checking minimum feature sizesThe smallest detail each process and material can cut reliably, how the check measures it, and how to fix details that are too small.