I’m a complete beginner to the art of jewelry smithing and my only
sources of knowledge are sites like Ganoksin, without which I would
never have dreamed of pursuing this ambition, so firstly a thanks to
the creators of Ganoksin.com and those who share their experiences
and expertise through it. My question is this and forgive me if its
ridiculously amateurish or simple. What methods are there of cutting
strips of 0.5mm Sterling Silver sheet in widths of about 3mm other
than using a handsaw? Are there any? When cutting this size of
material the tiniest of slips stand out like a sore thumb!
0.5mm silver is easily cut with standard tin-snips, or even sharp
scissors. A slightly easier way is to use a guillotine - if you have
one. If you have a rolling mill then 1.87mm diam round wire or
1.65mm square wire will roll out to 3mm wide when it’s 0.5mm thick. I
use the rolling mill method myself, but if you already have the 0.5mm
sheet, then you’re left with scissors of guillotine
What methods are there of cutting strips of 0.5mm Sterling Silver
sheet in widths of about 3mm other than using a handsaw? Are there
any? When cutting this size of material the tiniest of slips stand
out like a sore thumb!
Metal that thin is easily cut with shears. Just make sure to get
professional quality one. As far as irregularities of cutting, - a
lot would depend on experience. With practice, it can be cut quite
accurate. Besides, one should not try to achieve final dimensions
right away. One usually cuts with some safety margin, which later
should be filed away.
I have used a paper cutter like when you were in grade school. If you
should buy one (many other uses, like cutting whet/dry strips for
sanding) please check to see if the board that the material lies on
is sturdy IE: that when you put pressure on the board it does not
bend or dip.
I have used a paper cutter like when you were in grade school. If
you should buy one (many other uses, like cutting whet/dry strips
for sanding) please check to see if the board that the material
lies on is sturdy IE: that when you put pressure on the board it
does not bend or dip.
Jack, you’re right on the sturdiness of the board. Whatever you do,
don’t get a paper cutter with a plastic board. They flex & you won’t
get a good cut (even of paper).
Call me crazy but I’ve been using a pair of good old kitchen shears
to cut my silver sheet. They’ve worked for thicknesses up to 1mm.
I’ve been using the same pair for about 2 years now and only had to
sharpen them once. They are more “heavy duty” then standard scissors
and they work great!
What methods are there of cutting strips of 0.5mm Sterling Silver
sheet in widths of about 3mm other than using a handsaw? Are there
any? When cutting this size of material the tiniest of slips stand
out like a sore thumb!
the most effective tool i found for cutting up to 16 g silver sheet
is my solder scissors. the cutting requires an accurately marked
line, decent solder scissors, and a good light with a magnifying
glass insert - don’t make cuts the full length of the cutting edge -
that causes ripples - go with about half a length. with care you can
get even a narrow strip with more control than with a saw. have you
tried the sterling strips offered by rio grande?
If you haven’t already laid in a large stock of 0.5mm sheet, Ross
Metals keeps 3mm x 0.50mm flat wire in stock. Or so their website
says. http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1dr
I have been using a pr of sheet metal shears sold at the A/C and
plumbing supply stores, not hardware stores where the professional
guys go for their supplies. they have blades about 6" long, alum.
handles and stainless steel blades. works great… do not cut wire
with them as it can dent the cutting edge.
I mentioned this already but maybe it is worth repeating. A Heavy
duty Paper Cutter with a flat plate and a side bar cutter is
inexpensive and remarkably proficient. Just make sure that the plate
doesn’t bend ;or bow if you put a lot of pressure on it
to hold the material while you cut off a strip.