Norfolk Saw Services (NSS) launched in 1960 to service wide bandsaw blades for local sawmills, but changed direction in the 70s to concentrate exclusively on burgeoning markets for TCT circular sawblades and tooling.

In 1988 long-term employee Mike Hindle purchased the company – determined to build up the business through regular investment in bringing “the latest grinding technology to Norfolk”. Today it is owned by sons Mark, who as service manager works with foreman Simon Pitchers to run the sawshop, and Paul who heads the machinery sales outlet selling classical and hobbyist woodworking machinery, hand tools, tooling and accessories.

The company has already built a significant business in its field, but it is not complacent and is now expanding again by returning to its roots with investment in Vollmer‘s CA200 CNC grinder and Euro-Map automatic levelling machine.

A gap in the market

“There are not many companies offering bandsaw sharpening in Norfolk – in fact there has probably been no major investment in the area for 20 years,” said Mark Hindle. “We felt the time was right for us to to provide a local service on bandsaw blades to fill this gap.”

NSS was already a Vollmer customer and since 1997 has purchased an NC1000 for HSS blades, and a CX100 and Unimat for TCT blades. A new CHC model TCT grinder will also be delivered soon.

“Once we decided to return to bandsaw servicing we knew there was only one way to go – and that was to go in big, with the best machinery,”said Mark. “We also had excellent advice from Peter Allen, Vollmer’s regional sales engineer.”

Experienced team

Two of the saw doctors at NSS had previous experience with wide bandsaw blades – 10 years in the case of Simon Pitchers, 18 years for Darren Riches. It was not, therefore, any lack of skills in this area that led to the decision to invest in automated solutions such as the CA200 and Euro-Map.

“We wanted technology that would put our service above the level of our competitors,” said Mark. “The Vollmer package also included a manual bench with pneumatic rollers for tensioning and straightening, and a pneumatic swager since most local mills still use swage-set blades rather than Stellite-tipped.”

As a wet grinding machine, NSS says the CA200 produces an excellent finish to the teeth. The CNC machine does not use cams, but can produce all shapes and sizes of tooth using the flexible computer system. Although it can easily be programmed to grind unique tooth shapes, Mark and his team selected one from the in-built library. This has proved highly successful with customers, most of whom cut softwood.

Automatic operation

Since the machine operates automatically and shuts down when a blade is finished it frees the saw doctors for other work. This benefit is also provided by the Euro-Map, which automatically levels blades by measuring deviations with a non-contact sensor and then flattening lumps and dents using pairs of rollers as the blade is fed through the machine.

“The Euro-Map is a great asset to our business,” said Mark. “It automates levelling so we don’t have to tie people up for long periods hammering the blades at a manual bench, and it gives customers top quality results repeatedly and reliably.”

NSS’s stated aim is to sell on quality, not cheap prices, and to offer a cost-effective, rather than cost-cutting service, by providing consistent quality blades that run longer.

“It’s a matter of convincing customers that it’s worth paying more for the perfect levelling of the Euro-Map and the quality of the CA200 wet grinding which reduces the risk of cracking,” said Mark.

Integrated operations

Norfolk Saw Services is now integrating bandsaw blade servicing with its other activities.

“Because the CA200 and Euro-Map run unattended we have been able to introduce this service without needing more staff – and since skilled saw doctors are not easy to find this is a real benefit,” said Mark.

“We will gradually increase our marketing to new and existing customers. We know we have the cap-acity to handle a lot more bandsaw work – and we know there is still plenty of business to get.”