Hands on people behind the blade counter
Our team works with bandsaw blades and hacksaw blades for metalwork every day, so the advice stays practical. The job is usually about tooth pitch, blade width, blade thickness, set, run-in and the feed and speed that suit the material, with plain language.
- Blade selection for mild steel, stainless steel and mixed bundles
- Starter kit planning for new saws and smaller workshops
- Weld-to-length service for bandsaw blades that need a clean fit
- Checks for machine fit, length and tooth form before a blade leaves the shop
People phone in with tube, bar, solid rounds or cut off sections on the bench, and the team works through the pattern of the cut. A blade that is too coarse can snatch, while one that is too fine can pack chips and run hot.
Sibusiso Dawood on the overall job
Sibusiso Dawood keeps the team’s work tied to the metal being cut. He looks at whether the job needs a bi-metal blade for longer life, a carbon steel blade for lighter work, or a different tooth pitch for mixed sections and awkward material bundles.
His focus is the overall fit between blade and job, including width, thickness and the amount of set needed for a steady cut. He also keeps an eye on how workshops use blades day to day, especially where one saw handles different profiles across the week.
Blade welding and fit checks that stay practical
Pieter Moonsamy handles the weld-to-length work and the fit checks that follow it. A welded blade needs to track properly, hold its line and suit the saw table or guides, so the join and the blade length both need care.
- Weld-to-length for bandsaw blades in common workshop sizes
- Length verification against the machine and wheel diameter
- Machine fit checks where guides, tension and tracking need a look
- Blade failure review when a blade has snapped, cracked or worn badly
He also checks whether the tooth pitch and blade width match the way the saw is being run. On some machines, feed pressure is too heavy or coolant is not reaching the cut well.
Advice on pitch, feed and coolant
Lerato Zungu works through the technical side with customers who need technical guidance on tooth pitch selection, blade width selection, run-in guidance and feed speed advice for jobs that need it.
Her checks often include coolant use, chip clearing and whether the blade is being asked to do too much on hard stock or thin sections. In Durban and Cape Town, for example, humidity and storage conditions can affect how blades are kept, so the storage side is important too.
- Tooth pitch choices for solid, tube and bundle cutting
- Run-in guidance for a new blade before full feed is used
- Coolant checks where heat and chip build up are a problem
- Manual saw support for shops that still cut by hand
She is also involved in stock standardisation where a workshop wants fewer blade types on the shelf and less confusion at changeover.
Sales and service across the branch areas
Anika Nortje handles sales support and helps customers decide what to stock for routine work. She spends time on starter kits, blade width options and the mix of bi-metal and carbon steel blades that suits each branch area, whether the work is light fabrication or heavier metal cutting.
Her role is close to the day-to-day questions that come from Alberton Supply, Johannesburg Supply, Pretoria Supply, Vereeniging Supply, Durban Supply, Cape Town Supply, Germiston Supply and Boksburg Supply. This keeps the paperwork sensible and avoids a shelf full of blades that do not suit the saws in use.
Operations that keep orders moving neatly
The operations side is led by Themba Chetty, who keeps welded lengths, blade stock and workshop movement lined up. He handles the practical flow between the base in Alrode and the branch areas, so the team can stay organised when several jobs are moving at once.
Chanel Jacobs handles customer service and keeps each workshop enquiry tidy. She helps make sure the right blade type, length and support notes are attached to the order before it is handed over for the next step.
Both roles support repeatable cutting setups for customers who need ongoing work, and they keep paperwork and notes tidy for the next job. Less confusion at the saw and fewer mismatches between machine and blade.
What this team handles every week
Across the shop and office, the team handles the daily questions on blade life and cut quality. They work with tooth pitch, blade width, blade thickness and the cut material, then match that to the saw and the way the operator actually feeds the job.
- Bi-metal M42 style blades for longer running on tougher material
- Carbon steel blades for lighter duty and simpler hand saw work
- Starter kits for new workshops setting up stock and blade sizes
- Support on failure review, machine fit and stock standardisation
Each team member handles a different part of the job, so questions about the blade, the machine and the material each go to the right person.