woodworking

name

woodworking

description

Complete design of custom woodworking and cabinetmaking projects from a description, photos, sketches, or dimensions. Produces a needs analysis, dimensioned 2D plans (front, side, and top views), an INTERACTIVE 3D MODEL you can inspect (rotate, zoom, exploded view, dimensions shown on click), a cut list of parts, an optimized cutting diagram, the hardware list, the tool list, the build and assembly steps, quality checks, a cost estimate, and safety precautions. Use this WHENEVER the user mentions custom furniture, a cabinet, a carcass, a bookshelf, a bookcase, a wardrobe, a closet, a shelf or shelving, a countertop, a desk, a table, a built-in, a workbench, woodworking, joinery, cabinetmaking, a cutting diagram, a cut list, wood joints, or asks for "furniture plans" or a "3D model" of furniture — even without using the word "woodworking".

Woodworking — design, plans, and 3D model

This skill turns a furniture description into a complete, shop-ready build package and an interactive 3D model. It targets a woodworker or serious DIYer who has to buy the material, cut accurately, and assemble without surprises.

Non-negotiable rules

Three rules anchor the whole skill. They exist because one wrong dimension or one ambiguous unit costs a full sheet and a day of work.

1. Everything is in millimeters (mm). Never cm, never inches. A dimension with no unit is in mm.
2. Never invent an important dimension. If an overall dimension (available width, height, depth), a panel thickness, or a load to support is missing, ask for it. If the user still wants a draft, make an assumption that is explicitly flagged and listed in the "Dimensions to verify before cutting" section.
3. Always separate available space from part dimension. The available space is the room you have; the part dimension accounts for functional clearances, thicknesses, and joinery (see references/joinery-calculations.md).

Step 0 — Gather the information

Start by filling in this brief. Fields marked 🔴 are critical: without them, do not start cutting. If any are missing, ask for them (a tappable-options picker works well for material, finish, or joint type; an open question for dimensions).

Project type          :
Use                   :
Location              :
🔴 Available width    :            mm
🔴 Available height   :            mm
🔴 Available depth    :            mm
🔴 Desired material   :
🔴 Panel thickness    :            mm
Color / finish        :
Number of doors       :
Number of drawers     :
Number of shelves     :
🔴 Load to support    :            kg (per shelf / per drawer)
Budget                :            (currency)
Tools available       :
Specific constraints  :   (toe kick, pipe, outlet, out-of-square wall, uneven floor…)
Photos / sketches     :

If photos or sketches are provided, analyze them: check wall plumb, obstacles (outlets, pipes, toe kicks, radiators), the expected style, and any readable dimension. Never derive a precise dimension from a photo without confirming it.

Steps 1 → 14 — The deliverables

Produce the following sections in this order. This is the skeleton of the package; each project fills it in. For the technical sections, rely on the reference files indicated.

1. Needs analysis

Restate the use, constraints, and priorities (looks / cost / strength / lead time). If several solutions are possible (e.g. wall-hung vs. plinth-mounted carcass, overlay vs. inset fronts, ball- bearing vs. full-extension drawer slides), present 2–3 options with their trade-offs before settling on one.

2. Overall dimensions

The chosen exterior envelope and the structural principle. State the subtraction logic here: "inside carcass width = outside width − 2 × side thickness", etc. Refer to references/joinery-calculations.md for drawer/door clearances and back-panel setback.

3. Concept sketch

A simple schematic (3D or line perspective) showing the general layout: number of carcasses, position of dividers, doors, and drawers. Use the 3D model (deliverable 14) for the detailed render; keep this schematic.

4. Dimensioned drawing of each part

For every part in the cut list, give its finished dimensions (length × width × thickness in mm), the grain or face direction if relevant, and the machining (grooves, rabbets, hinge borings, shelf-pin positions). See references/plans-2d.md for dimensioning conventions and the SVG template.

5. Front, side, and top views

Three dimensioned orthographic views (front, side, top), to scale, with overall and key functional dimensions. Generate them in SVG from the template in references/plans-2d.md. Always show the scale and carry a dual dimension chain: overall dimensions in the outer chain, detail dimensions in the inner chain.

6. Cut list (bill of materials)

Summary table. Columns: Ref · Description · Qty · Length (mm) · Width (mm) · Thickness (mm) · Material · Edge banding · Notes. This is the keystone of the package: the cutting diagram, the budget, and the shopping list all derive from it. Detailed template in references/plans-2d.md.

7. Cutting diagram

Optimize how parts nest on standard sheets (formats in references/materials-hardware.md). Give: the number of sheets needed, a nesting layout per sheet (ideally an SVG of each sheet with parts placed), the kerf accounted for (3–4 mm by default), and the waste ratio. Respect decor/grain direction on melamine/laminate. Method and SVG in references/plans-2d.md.

8. Hardware list

Hinges, slides, shelf pins, screws, dowels, biscuits, handles, feet, wall-fixing systems, soft-close dampers. Exact quantities and size references (e.g. "Ø35 cup concealed hinge, 0 crank; full-extension slide 450 mm"). See references/materials-hardware.md for sizing (number of hinges per door, slide length per depth, etc.).

9. Tool list

List only what the project requires, noting alternatives based on the tools declared in Step 0. Separate cutting, assembly, drilling, measuring, and finishing tools. If a machining step needs a tool the user lacks (e.g. a router for a groove), offer a workaround (e.g. a surface-mounted screwed back panel instead of a grooved one).

10. Build and assembly steps

A logical, numbered order: breaking down stock → machining → edge banding → pre-drilling → dry-fit → glue/screw → install hardware → adjustments → on-site fixing. Call out the watch points at each step (squareness, part orientation, clamping). A dry-fit before gluing is always recommended.

11. Quality checks

A verification checklist: carcass squareness (measure both diagonals, difference ≤ 2 mm), flatness, front alignment, even gaps between doors/drawers, slide and hinge operation, stability and fixing. State the target tolerances.

12. Cost estimate

A table of Material (sheets + edge banding) + Hardware + Finish + Consumables, with subtotals and a total. Compute the material from the number of sheets in the cutting diagram (not theoretical square meters), waste included. Give a range if prices are missing, and note the figures are indicative, excluding delivery, to be confirmed with the supplier.

13. Safety precautions

Project-specific risks and PPE: eye protection, hearing protection, dust mask (especially MDF and sanding), dust extraction. Power-tool rules (push stick on the saw, feed direction, workpiece clamped). Ventilation for finishing products. Adapt to the tools actually used.

14. Interactive 3D model ⭐

This is the skill's signature. Build a standalone HTML artifact showing the piece in 3D, manipulable by mouse and touch, with dimensions and details. Follow references/viewer-3d.md in full: it contains the complete template and how to parametrize it from the cut list. The model must allow:

• free rotation, zoom, recenter;
• an exploded view (slider) to understand the assembly;
• show/hide dimensions for the overall envelope;
• click a part → highlight + show its reference and exact dimensions (W × H × D);
• a legend listing every part.

Place this deliverable right after the concept sketch if the user wants to "see" the piece first, or at the end as a synthesis — your call based on the request.

When to ask before producing

Before generating the full package, confirm you have the 6 🔴 fields. If any are missing, ask first — a package built on invented dimensions is useless and dangerous at the saw. For a deliberately drafted project, open the package with an "Assumptions to confirm" box listing each assumed dimension.

Reference files

Load the file you need when you need it; don't read them all at once.

• references/viewer-3d.md — complete HTML/Three.js template for the interactive 3D model and how to parametrize it (read this for deliverable 14, every time).
• references/plans-2d.md — dimensioning conventions, SVG template for orthographic views, cut-list template, and the cutting-diagram method (deliverables 4 to 7).
• references/materials-hardware.md — standard panel thicknesses and sheet formats, choosing species and panels, and hardware sizing (hinges, slides, screws, dowels, biscuits).
• references/joinery-calculations.md — choosing joints by use, functional clearances, shelf deflection, wood movement, squareness, and cutting-optimization rules.