Timber iQ August - September 2020 // Issue: 50 August - September 2020 | Page 9

COVER STORY
Local blade manufacturer cuts
into the online-store space
By Benjamin Brits | All photos by Harris Sawing Equipment
HSE is launching an online platform for their standard blade-range, and a portal
to supply detailed information on any cutting needs.
Harris Sawing Equipment (HSE), a local manufacturer of
various circular saw blades, has developed their online
store that will be launched at the beginning of August,
2020, and will provide the digital platform where customers can
order their high quality blades for standard applications. This
will include blade diameters of 250mm up to a 500mm diameter.
Look out for www.circularsaws.co.za at the launch!
This will be a first for a South African manufacturer, and the online
store will provide detailed insight into each product, with better
technical advice, directly from the manufacturer where other retail
sites don’t have such information available.
The primary brand in the online store will be the TruCut range,
which are the more common blades that would be used by
companies or individuals such as furniture manufacturers,
contractors, DIY’ers, and so on.
The available range of blades caters to wood cutting, non-ferrous
metal cutting, plastic cutting and steel cutting blades, each with
particular tooth geometries and different grades of carbide on the
teeth per application.
All of the steel used at Harris Sawing Equipment (HSE) is imported
from Europe because the high-quality grade of steel needed is not
available locally. The blades are cut out of the sheets of steel through
a laser-cutting process, and they then go through various stages of
production before the end product is complete.
“All the blades produced by HSE are made according to European
standards with very high tolerances, the correct grades of steel, and
the correct carbide being used. We produce quality products with
guarantees on run out and tension, unlike other cheaper producers.
Why pay for ten cheaper blades that may be ruined in a day when a
quality blade just lasts so much longer?” says Michael Harris, owner
of Harris Sawing Equipment.
All standard blades ordered in the online store are ex-stock. Should
an item be sold out, the delivery time is five days from order. Custom
blades are also available for manufacture and details can be
discussed with the HSE team.
Part of the manufacturing process includes grinding, straightening
and tensioning.
ANSWERS FOR THE INDUSTRY
The online platform will further open the door between the customers
or end users who are looking for advice for their particular
applications, and the manufacturer directly. This offers a place to find
the detailed technical information about blades and cutting. This
section was primarily devised to cater to anyone involved in cutting,
because the actual knowledge about cutting and how to use various
saw blades is very poor in the industry.
“Users generally don’t understand the differences between tooth
geometry and the grades of carbide used on the blades, and often will
use a blade that is meant for cutting wood and then use it on copper
or aluminium and then not understand why it’s not working correctly.
So, the information will be made available to educate people and also
to answer any particular questions they might have,” adds Harris.
Initially the section will host answers to frequently asked questions
that will be built on as time passes, and more detailed information
through email correspondence would also be available. At a later
stage, depending on the frequency of queries, the platform may
convert to real-time responses.
Each blade is heated and quenched in oil as part of the hardening
process.
QUALITY MATTERS
The process of blade manufacture entails a number of technical steps
which cannot be short on quality, as cutting safety is essential. Typically,
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