The “Guillotine” Update: Turning Optimization Into Actionable Steps

CutEase now supports Guillotine Cutting logic and generates a Step-by-Step Cuts List. This means the layouts are actually cuttable on a table saw, and the app tells you exactly which cut to make first, second, and third.

In my last post, I talked about bringing CutEase to mobile so you could use it in the shop. But as I stood there with my phone in one hand and a sheet of plywood on the table saw, I realized there was still a gap between “seeing the layout” and “actually making the cuts.”

Optimized diagrams are great, but if the software gives you a layout with impossible L-shaped cuts or nested corners, it’s useless for a standard table saw or panel saw. You need cuts that go straight from one edge to the other.

That brings us to the latest update: The Guillotine Logic & Cuts List.

Feature 1: The Guillotine Algorithm

Standard nesting algorithms often try to squeeze parts together like a Tetris game. That saves material, but it creates “dead-end” cuts that are impossible to execute with a circular saw or table saw without stopping midway and risking kickback (or ruining the piece).

I’ve updated the core algorithm to strictly enforce Guillotine Cuts.

• What is it? Every cut goes from one edge of the panel all the way to the other.
• Why it matters: This mirrors exactly how you work. You rip a strip off the main sheet, then you cross-cut that strip into smaller parts. No impossible geometry.

Feature 2: The Step-by-Step Cuts List

Looking at a complex diagram can still be overwhelming. (“Do I cut this strip first? Or that one?”)

I’ve added a new Cuts Sidebar (visible on desktop or below the canvas on mobile). Think of this as the GPS for your saw. Instead of guessing the order, CutEase now calculates the exact sequence of operations.

As seen in the update:

• Sequence (#): Ordered steps (1, 2, 3…) so you never lose your place.
• Panel: Tells you which piece you are currently handling (e.g., the full 2800x2070 sheet or a smaller offcut).
• Cut: The exact coordinate to set your fence to.
• Result: What you end up with after the saw blade passes.

Why This is a Game Changer

Before this update, CutEase was a “Calculator”—it gave you the answer. Now, it’s an “Instructor”—it shows you the work.

You don’t have to mentally reverse-engineer the diagram. You just look at Step 1, set your fence, make the cut, and move to Step 2. It reduces the mental load significantly, which is exactly what you want when you are working near spinning blades.

How I Built It: Vibe Coding with Google Antigravity

You might wonder how I implemented a complex recursive guillotine algorithm without spending weeks debugging math. The answer is Google Antigravity.

I used Google’s new agentic IDE to “vibe code” this update. Instead of writing the recursive split functions manually, I simply described the woodworking constraint to the agent: “Refactor the packing logic to strictly follow guillotine cuts—meaning every cut must sever the material from edge to edge.”

Antigravity analyzed my existing codebase, planned the refactor, and implemented the new constraint logic autonomously. It even realized that if we are doing guillotine cuts, we can mathematically derive the cut order, so it scaffolded the “Cuts List” feature for me. It allowed me to focus on the result (cleaner cuts for you) rather than the implementation (complex recursion).

Try the New Algorithm

The new Guillotine logic is active by default on all new calculations.

Generate Your Cut List on CutEase