Kerf
Guidelines · Getting started

Your first KERF order, end to end

No login required to get a quote. No phone calls. Pay when you're ready. Here's exactly what happens between you uploading a file and a courier handing you the parts.

The whole flow

Five steps. The first three are on you, the last two are on us.

  1. You design a part in your favourite CAD or vector tool.
  2. You upload the file at kerfcuts.com/app.
  3. You see an instant price, pick a material and quantity, and pay.
  4. We route it to the partner shop that fits, they cut and finish.
  5. Courier delivers to your door, typically in 2–4 working days.

Step 1 — design your part

Anything you can draw as a 2D outline (or a 3D sheet-metal part) can be cut. The trick is sending us a file in the right format. See the laser guidelines for the full design rules, or grab one of our templates if you'd rather start from a known-good base.

Before uploading, confirm
  • Drawing is at 1:1 scale, in millimetres.
  • All text has been converted to outlines.
  • Only the cut paths are in the file — no borders or notes.
  • Holes are at least 50% of the material thickness.
  • Every shape closes back on itself (no open contours).

Step 2 — upload

Drag your file onto the upload zone at /app. We accept DXF, DWG, SVG, STEP, STP, AI, EPS. Each part shows up as a card with a live preview — if the size looks wrong, you can override the unit on the spot.

Step 3 — quote and pay

Choose the material, thickness, finish and quantity. The price updates live. The all-in price you see includes material, cutting, finishing, delivery, and VAT — no surprises at checkout. Pay by card (Paystack), no account required for the first order.

Step 4 — we make it

We route your order to whichever partner shop is the right fit for that material, thickness, and your delivery suburb. Your parts get nested onto a sheet alongside other small jobs (so you don't pay the full setup cost solo) and cut as soon as the sheet fills.

You'll get email updates at each step: paid → routed to partner → in production → ready for collection → out for delivery.

Step 5 — delivery

For metro Cape Town (under 30 km from CBD), we use Uber Direct — same-day or next-day, you get a tracking link.

For Helderberg, Boland and beyond, we use a scheduled courier — 1–2 working days from when the parts are ready.

Bigger jobs (over 25 kg or longer than 1.5 m) go on a flatbed — we'll call you to confirm a delivery window.

Tips for your first order

  • Start small. One part, one material — get a feel for the flow before you commit a big project.
  • Order one spare. Steel is cheap; couriers are not. If the part is critical and a mistake would mean a re-order, add quantity 2 for the same setup cost.
  • Use mild steel for prototypes. It's the cheapest sheet and the most forgiving — perfect for "does this even fit?" testing before you commit to stainless or aluminium.
  • Email us if you're stuck. We'd much rather help you fix a file than have you abandon the order. vernon.vanwyk@invictusraceworks.com
Start your first KERF order

Upload your design. Get a real price in under a minute.

Drop your DXF, SVG or STEP file — we'll size, nest and quote it on the spot. No login. No phone calls. Pay when you're ready.

More guidelines

Every cutting and secondary-ops service we offer, with the design rules that matter.