Hi there
I'm the operations manager for a timber import and machining outfit in Auckland New Zealand. I've been using Excel to make apps for production planning and inventory control for over 10 years now, and I'm sure that I can develop an easy-to-use and easy-to-maintain Excel-based application that will do the job.
What I propose is a User Interface where you have drop-down menus for selecting the machine, blade size and material type, all of which are stored on separate worksheets. The there can be another drop-down/edit box where you can choose any multiple (in inches) or a fixed size of the cut. You no doubt have a formula for determining run speed, which I'll use in the background to come up with the final answer.
I'll include easy interfaces for adding or updating machines, blades and materials, so that you can use this app for a long time.
I hope that this proposal meets your requirements.
Regards
John