Casting large silver cuff

Thanks for all the replies to my post “Appropriate thickness for
cast silver cuffs”

The reason I want to do cast cuffs is because I am currently playing
aroundwith digitally sculpted wide cuffs. So I was just wondering
about how a casting a wide and thin cuff 60mm by 1-2mm thick would
function. There would undoubtedly be some bending by the wearer, so
the metal chosen would have to hold up. I would consider any metal if
appropriate, could any castingbe perhaps annealed to help it hold up?

Using cast pieces that will need to bend is never a really good
idea.

Annealing won’t help.

To prove this just look at any mass produced cast tongue clasps or
safety fold overs. They never work and don’t have any spring to them.
You can’t even tighten them. Also look closely at cast prongs. The
metal is just too porous and kind of crunchy and may break when bent
over the stone. that’s why die struck crowns are superior.

Forged metal is far superior for any flexing situations.

This is not about cast vs forged. Both have their places and uses.

However that said…

If you really really want to cast this bracelet… you might want to
experiment with Stuller’s Continuum silver. I Continuum has a very
nice spring and hardness when heat hardened at 800f for 45 minutes
and then quenched while hot. If possible I’d also have the casting
HIPed. Techform does that to platinum castings. A high pressure and
high heat treatment, it collapses the voids and makes for a much
denser casting. I have no idea if they do this with silver.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com