Limiting Material Buy List Sizing??

[ColePOC]

 

 

I've looked everywhere and can't seem to find a way to limit board sizes to common lengths.     When I report my material list and go to "buy list"    CA has me apparently "buying" 2 - 73' 2x6 boards   and a few 2x4 x 63'  boards.      This obviously is not a buy list since I can't buy those.

 

Is there a way I can tell CA to only purchase lengths of no greater than 16'?       I can do the math to break those longer lengths but wanted to know if limiting the board buy list to no greater than 16'

[DBCooper]

See if this helps:

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00095/creating-a-cut-or-buy-list-of-framing-materials.html

 

[ValleyGuy]

10 hours ago, ColePOC said:

 

 

I've looked everywhere and can't seem to find a way to limit board sizes to common lengths.     When I report my material list and go to "buy list"    CA has me apparently "buying" 2 - 73' 2x6 boards   and a few 2x4 x 63'  boards.      This obviously is not a buy list since I can't buy those.

 

You may also be getting long linear lengths if you haven't checked the box for the max plate length found in the wall layers specification.

 

Here is an idea that I use for the 'other' common board purchasing lengths. 

Contractors around here usually only order pre-cut studs (by the lift) for all the wall vertical framing, and 10', 12', 16' for plate material. I utilized the 'comment' part of the material list to add the trimmer studs to the pre-cut stud count (as you can't buy this exact length either) so the contractor doesn't need to optimize the oddball length pieces out of 10', 12', 16' lumber. 

I created a new Buy List, removed the lumber that I did not want to purchase, added in the common lengths (pre-cut studs) and those that will be created from openings (ie Trimmer studs), then arranged the selection order hierarchy. You will need to edit each line of lumber that you can't purchase at the lumber yard (ie trimmer stud lengths) to add in your comment (ie  92 5/8" pre-cut  ). When you print off the material list, Chief will give a qty count of the different lengths of studs (trimmers and cripples) and select according to your hierarchy lines of the created buy list. Thus you get a nice neat list of oddball lumber sizes that have a comment to include them with lumber that can actually be purchased - the lift of pre-cuts. I believe that it gives a better real life count as most of the trimmer stud waste gets used for stuff that we don't usually take the time to draw (endless blocking, temp jigs, firewood...). If you just let Chief divide the linear add ups, I'm sure that someone will give you an earful when he has 5 pcs @10' plus 5 pcs @12'  and needs 15 pieces at 92 5/8" = more wasted dollars cutting the long stuff and he'll need to scrounge some bad culled lumber to finish up.

There may be an easier way, but this works pretty well for me...

 

[ColePOC]

ValleyGuy

thats kinda of what i was thinking as my route.   Appreciate it!    

[onthespothome]

Anyone know how to limit certain boards to specific buy lengths?

 

I am trying to get all of my plates to be 16'

chief frames them that way correctly, but when reporting, it still selects from my whole list of 2x6 boards, not just 2x6x16'

The plate length maximum is set to 192" for the wall type.

 

in the buy list the girts and plates are set to use longest buy list board. But it will still choose 16', 12', 8' based on the cut list actual lengths.

It appears that this option means to buy the longest board that is longer than the cut length. I want it to only use 16' boards.

 

Is that possible?

 

[Alaskan_Son]

Go into Structural Member Reporting and Increase Priority for the longer material lengths and/or Delete the lengths you don't want reported.

[onthespothome]

I put the longer lengths up, but it would still choose smaller lengths. I can delete the smaller lengths, but then i loose lengths I need for other parts, like 2x6x8' for studs, etc.

 

I think I may still be limited to exporting the actual cut lengths into a spreadsheet and having the spreadsheet create the buy list.

 

Although chief is effectiv at picking lumber, it lacks a few key rules. I cant have framers reading a cut list to make sure they pull plates from the right board, they just grab 16' boards for plates.

[basketballman]

My Chief to Excel template makes this a quick and easy process and let's the framer know exactly where every piece of lumber is intended to go.

  Waste is greatly minimized.

Word of caution:  Never let your lumber company or framer compile the framing list;

they both have a vested interest in having more lumber than is actually needed !

 

[Alaskan_Son]

3 hours ago, onthespothome said:

I put the longer lengths up, but it would still choose smaller lengths. I can delete the smaller lengths, but then i loose lengths I need for other parts, like 2x6x8' for studs, etc.

 

I think I may still be limited to exporting the actual cut lengths into a spreadsheet and having the spreadsheet create the buy list.

 

Although chief is effectiv at picking lumber, it lacks a few key rules. I cant have framers reading a cut list to make sure they pull plates from the right board, they just grab 16' boards for plates.

 

 

I just read your previous post again and this line caught my eye this time:

 

On 2/4/2025 at 8:01 AM, onthespothome said:

It appears that this option means to buy the longest board that is longer than the cut length. I want it to only use 16' boards.

 

I think perhaps what you need to do is go into your wall definition and make sure Max Plate Length for your framing layers is unchecked.