Cleveland, Ohio—Saw Service & Supply Inc. has a long history of delivering high quality cutting tools to the sawing industry. This paved the way for Saw Service to do just what its name implies – service the sawing needs of the pallet industry. In particular, Saw Service & Supply has focused on the pallet recycling portion of our industry. Recyclers face the challenges of cutting wood which contain nails and nail stubble.
The Cleveland-based company has long been an innovator in cutting steel in the Ohio area. In the mid 1990’s, it applied steel cutting technology to the pallet recycling industry. The two major cutting challenges in pallet recycling are dismantling pallets, typically with pallet band saw machines, and trimming both decking and stringers that contain nails and nail stubble.
Saw Service turned its focus on the double challenge of developing needed machines for recycling tasks and blades to efficiently accomplish these tasks. It developed a nail-cutting circular saw blade with a tip that does not come off. Gary Snyder, of Saw Service and Supply, said, “You can chip the carbide but the tip will not come off the plate. If you are buying from another vendor, their tips are probably busting out because they are not building the blade for pallet recycling.”
Saw Service now occupies three buildings in Cleveland. One 15,000 sq.ft. building and a 16,000 sq. ft. building that was added in 1999 provide the space to manufacture pallet band saw dismantling blades. In addition it has a 1500 sq.ft. showroom. Saw Service & Supply buys band saw blade stock in 500-foot coils. This stock moves through several stations, starting with the automatic cutting operation. Cut blades are coded according to length and hung over a rack that takes them through a welding, annealing, and grinding operation. After being ground, a blade goes to the coiling station to be shipped or put in inventory. Saw Service has five welding lines using the high end Ideal welders.
The second building is used for manufacturing, servicing and sharpening circular saw blades. Blade plate moves through several stations for tipping, grinding and polishing. The blades can be built to any hook angle, side grind or custom specification. The tips of finished blades are dipped in a protective wax coating for added protection during shipping and storing.
In addition to blades and machinery, Saw Service & Supply sells safety equipment and miscellaneous supplies, things such as ear plugs, dust masks, safety glasses, and work gloves. Gary said, “Customers save money on these needed products by buying from us instead of going through a local distributor.” It is more convenient for recyclers to rely upon one total service supplier instead of making multiple calls to place orders or driving several places to buy them. Saving both time and money on a wide variety of supplies is a valuable service Saw Service provides.
At the recent EXPO Richmond show, Saw Service & Supply introduced a new blade cleaner called Sap Sucker. Sap Sucker is an affordable, simple way to increase the lifespan of a saw blade. It is a concentrated all-purpose cleaner that comes in a spray bottle and removes dirt, grease, grime and build-up from saw blades. Your blades will prematurely fail if they are not cleaned on a regular basis. Resin and build-up will reduce the cutting kerf (kerf is the width of the cut which allows the blade to rotate). Reduced kerf due to build-up means increased resistance and heat which will cause a blade to crack.
Saw Service has more than 50 total employees. The pallet division is headed by three people who have long standing experience in pallet recycling – Gary Snyder, Nathan Belock, and Dale Belock. Dale Belock, pallet division international manager, handles overseas business and works with many U.S. pallet companies. Nathan Belock, pallet division regional manager, works with customers in the eastern and midwestern states. All three pallet management leaders help customers by solving technical problems and supplying blades to the pallet recycling and lumber markets, particularly metal cutting saw blades and blades that can handle both wood and metal. Saw Service & Supply serves as a go-to company for pallet recyclers; its people are happy to answer questions and provide customers with the service they need.
The company was an innovator of disposable saw blades for recycling. It introduced the 10" x 40T $10.00 in 1997 along with a full line of disposables from 7-1/4" to 18", all priced very low! Saw Service was a source back then where you could place your order and it would be in your office from one to four days. Its blades are made by BOSCH, SKIL and AMANDA similar to the ones you find in the big box stores for three times as much. Simply use it and just throw it away. Saw Service continues to be that source with customers throughout the United States and other parts of the world!
Saw Service has developed a private label disposable blade specifically designed for pallet recycling. They are built with nail cutting carbide teeth and the hook and grind is specifically for reclaimed lumber. It is an excellent blade for pallet reclaim. Now comes a new 10" blade, “The Beast”. Priced slightly higher, it is a heavy duty,
rugged cutting instrument; Saw Service indicates it will run three times as long as any other blade.
For customers who want custom built circular blade saw nail cutters, Saw Service can build it to their specifications. It uses nail cutting tips, grinds to your specifications and its tips are guaranteed not to come off. Saw Service also provides high quality sharpening and repair for any nail cutting saw blade. Nail cutters are available up to 26" in diameter, but the most popular sizes, 12", 14", and 18", are available to ship the same day!
Saw Service & Supply is the #1 distributor of M.K. MORSE bandsaw blades for pallet recyclers. It buys in 500 foot coils, cuts to desired lengths and welds on one of the five welding lines in its facility. Saw Service also provides complete blade sharpening, custom manufacturing of blades, and saw equipment repair and service in-house and on-site. The company is committed to responding quickly to customers, filling and shipping orders. It offers same-day shipping service for orders received. Gary said, “Our goal is to ship all orders the same day and due to the number of our welding lines, we do in fact achieve that goal.”
Reaching customers with information about its blades, machinery and services depends upon using the best marketing options available. Saw Service & Supply advertises regularly in the Pallet Enterprise, the most widely read publication designed for and circulated to the pallet industry.
Gary said, “The Enterprise gives us good visibility across the nation, and shows give us opportunities to meet our customers.” The company is a member of all three North American pallet associations, the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, the Western Pallet Association, and the Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association. Saw Service has been a participant since 1998 of the EXPO Richmond which is held every two years in Richmond, Va. Gary said that the Richmond Show this May was a good show; it is generally accepted as the best forest products show that focuses on the pallet industry.
In addition to saw blades and supplies, Saw Service & Supply began manufacturing pallet recycling equipment as an expansion of its pallet products. It started with its 10-inch trim saw for re-sizing reclaimed deck boards and stringers. This machine features a 5 hp drive motor and a ½ hp chain drive motor. Available in either three-phase or single-phase electric, it can make up to 1,620 cuts per hours. An adapter allows cutting two lengths at one time. This trim saw is designed to run Saw Service’s 10-inch disposable blades.
Through the years, Saw Service added two new pieces of recycling equipment to its line, the Hawk bandsaw dismantler and the HD Chop Saw. Saw Service designed its Hawk bandsaw dismantler with two objectives, dismantle pallets and increase saw blade life. According to the company, it can dismantle up to 80 pallets an hour. The ruggedly built Hawk features 30-inch diameter tires with pneumatic tensioning for long blade life. The HD Chop Saw uses a big 5 HP motor and uses a 12" disposable saw blade. The12" blade will save you money when cutting reclaimed lumber.
For more information, contact Saw Service & Supply at (800) 735-5604 or visit the web site, www.sawservicesupply.com. Email garysnyder@sawserviceandsupply.com.
