📐 Project

Design Explorer

A small, zero-dependency local web app that scans a folder of purchased laser-cut design packs and turns it into a filterable gallery. It detects each design's material thicknesses, kerf variants, file formats, and build instructions — then auto-classifies it, works out how many boards it takes to cut, and tells you exactly what you can make from the wood you already own.

defaults to 6mm + has build instructions your stated focus — fully adjustable
Design Explorer gallery — filterable cards with material-thickness badges, board-needed math, and the 6mm thickness filter active

What it does

Indexes every pack

Scans your purchases directory and detects each design's preview image, material thicknesses (3/4/4.5/5/6mm…), kerf variants, file formats (SVG, PDF, DXF, AI, CDR, EPS), build instructions, readme dimensions, and YouTube build-video links.

Auto-classification

Sorts each design into Wood, Leather, or Inscription by combining name signals with file structure — kerf folders and several thicknesses are a decisive wood signal; thin-only or art SVG/PNG bundles fall to leather / inscription.

Thickness filter bar

A chip per thickness found in your collection. Select one or several — designs that support any selected width show. 6mm is pre-selected and has build instructions is on by default, both fully adjustable.

Boards needed

Every measurable design shows how many 12×12″ and 12×16″ boards it takes to cut — read from the SVG cut-layout size and judged by the largest individual piece, not the whole layout.

🪵 My wood inventory

Enter the sheets you own (thickness × size × qty, saved in your browser). Each design is then tagged ✅ can cut now, 🟧 need more sheets, ⛔ too big, or "needs Xmm" — and an "I can make this" filter narrows the gallery to exactly what your stock covers.

Detail drawer

Per design: an image carousel (arrow keys, click to open full size), a copy-path location block, build-instruction images/PDF, the readme (dimensions), the build-video link, and a file browser grouped by thickness with the selected width starred.

Open / Reveal on disk

Every file and folder has buttons to open it with its default macOS app or reveal it in Finder — so you can send a 6mm SVG straight to your laser software.

Live search & sort

Instant search across names, plus Category and Format filters and sort by name, date (newest/oldest), most files, or thickest. No build step, no spinner — it's all in one page.

Three categories, detected automatically

🪵 Wood

Boxes, chests, drawers, organizers — multiple material thicknesses and kerf folders are the tell.

👜 Leather

Wallets, holsters, sheaths — thin-material-only bundles with leatherworking name signals.

✒️ Inscription

Engraving & print art — mandalas, tumbler wraps, line-art SVG / PNG with no cut layout.

Screenshots

Detail drawer for a 9mm box — image carousel, boards-needed breakdown per thickness, location with copy/reveal, and cut files grouped by thickness
Detail drawer — carousel, boards-needed per thickness, copy-path location, and cut files grouped by width.
My wood inventory modal — add sheets by thickness, size, and quantity
🪵 My wood — log the sheets you own; the app then flags which designs you can cut now.
Full collection with filters cleared — 353 designs across Wood, Leather, and Inscription categories
Full collection — clear the filters to see all 353 packs, auto-sorted into Wood / Leather / Inscription.

Stack

Backend
Node.js ≥18 (ESM)
Dependencies
Zero — stdlib only
Frontend
Vanilla JS, no framework
Indexing
Filesystem scan + filename parsing
Board math
SVG cut-layout dimensions
Wood inventory
Browser localStorage
Disk actions
macOS open / reveal in Finder
Runs at
localhost:8787

Run it locally

# point it at your design packs (optional — has a sensible default)
export DESIGNS_DIR=/path/to/your/laser-cut-designs

# start the server — no install step, zero dependencies
npm start          # or: node server.js

# then open
http://localhost:8787
laser cuttingNode.jszero-dependencyvanilla JS local-firstSVGwoodworkingglowforge / xTool