Machining sterling silver & cutting speeds

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi all,

I’m trying to figure out what kind of cutting speeds (drilling in
particular, but also interested in figures for milling) for silver
and various gold alloys, if it’s available. Does anyone have a source
for these figures?

I hit up Machinery’s handbook and I figure that the tables for
copper alloys

are a good starting point, but there is a pretty good range, e.g.
from 60 fpm for phosphor and commercial bronze, all the way up to 175
fpm for free cutting brass and bronze… Thanks for any help!

cheers,
Kevin

2

Kevin,

No hard numbers but for sterling I would start at copper numbers and
work up, both nasty sticky metals although silver not quite as bad.
Most of my silver machining has been on a manual lathe, really easy
to adjust on the fly and usually done by gut feeling.

Gold has been so long I don’t remember. Save the chips :slight_smile: I’d start
with low brass numbers, and I believe you need top rake unlike brass.
Don’t re-grind your drills as for for brass.

Jeff