I bought the R.T. Blanking system many years ago when all it was was
an instruction book and license to use the patent. I do not know
about the tool that is now sold to cut the dies, but I like the
system for some applications. To me it does not seem all that hard
to do without any special saw, just an angled bench pin. I use a 20
ton arbor press to make the cuts. That works much faster than the
hydraulic press that so many small shop jewelers seem to love.
You can get regular 2 piece punch and dies made for not much more
than $200 each if you have a lot of the same blanks to cut. You will
need a foot press to use them. Foot presses can be bought used very
cheaply, but they are heavy, take up a lot of space.
The RT blanking system is effective for cutting out hundreds of
items, but be aware that you will most likely want to do some
finishing on the cut edges of the blanked pieces. I never have made
a perfect blanking die, with no unintended little wiggles to the
line. The steel is just very much more difficult to cut than are gold
and silver. I clean up the edges of the blanked piece or part with a
1" sanding disc and a 1"rubber wheel. The die itself cannot be
altered in any way. Do not make your parts thinner across in any area
than your metal stock is thick. And, of course, your stock must be as
thick or thicker than the gauge that you wish to cut!
If you are patient at sawing, go ahead and get the system, especially
if you can pick up one of these used ones! I used it for a series of
2.5" or 3" wide animal brooches, 24 gauge sterling, slightly chased
and planished. At this scale, cleaning up the edges was easy. Another
useful application was a die of a pointed teardrop shape, about an
inch long, to hang from earrings in groups of 5 or more, as fringe.
Since the edge was a simple outside curve, it was very easy to sand.
One less successful idea was a small star post earring. Sawing was
too inaccurate for that scale, and the piece was hard to hold while
sanding, and the hard geometry of the star pattern demanded
perfection that I did not meet. I also made something, I can’t recall
what exactly, that had a narrow stem section which twisted and ruined
the die after just a few uses. It was too narrow, compared to the
steel’s thickness. I recently made a die for a fold- over leaf-spring
chain clasp which, though it does have wiggles in the edge, is useful
and good looking after clean-up.
Buy a gross of the very best quality saw blades to cut dies. Figure
on breaking many; that is part of the process. Saw only in the same
direction, from right side to left side of your design line. Have a
blast when you punch out your first run of multiple pieces! It is a
kick! Really, if you can get an RT system for half price or so, snap
it up!