Source for machining silver

Need some help in locating a source for matching silver discs. I need precision cuts into 3/4” and 5/8” sterling discs. Size of cuts is 1 x 3mm. Alignment is critical.
Alternatively, if you have suggestion as to how I can do this by hand i’m All ears.
Thanks

I can’t tell from your description what sizes you are looking for. I use Pepe disc cutters in a hydraulic press and get good results up to 18 gauge sterling, could probably go thicker, but I don’t need to. The trick is to find a cutter that is the right size for your project. Good luck and keep us posted…Rob

I use a disc cutter I bought at A.C.Moore. It is as basic as it gets. Stick in the sheet, stick in the cutter, and hit it with a hammer. It will cut up to 18 ga. sterling. The discs are cut as precisely as I require. Your precision may be more strict than is mine. But for $ 50.00 ( $25.00 with a 50% sale coupon) this is a workable, cheap expense until you find a better solution.

Don

1 Like

My apologies. Cutting metal into the discs isn’t the problem.
I need each disc to have 6 1x3 slits put into specific locations along the rim. Trying to do this by hand has resulted in products which are “close but no cigar”.
I thought of two alternatives, either machining the slits into the discs or having the discs cast to spec. The thickness of the discs would be 16-18g.

This is a job for Pancake Die Man! Who disguised as Dar Shelton, mild mannered machinist for an ever grateful industry…
Depending on how many you need, of course.

Cast a rod a little bit larger than the finished diameter. Machine the diameter and then machine the grooves over the length of the rod. Once the rod has the correct diameter and the grooves are cut, have the discs cut out by a slitting process or a water jet. I am a but unsure of what I am talking about. The machining is pretty straight forward, but I have only ever seen a water jet work and they a pretty impressive…Rob

I could see that process working, but the top surfaces would be pretty rough. It would be more straightforward to mount a sheet of silver to the bed of a mill (like the small Taig CNC mills we sell) and cut the circles out with a small-diameter endmill, putting the cuts in the edges where necessary as part of the same tool path. It would be good to keep the disks attached to the sheet with little tabs that can be snipped off later, so they don’t go flying off when cut loose. Of course, a water-jet cutter could do the same thing, but those tools are a lot more expensive and bulky.

Consider water jet cutting, or precision acid etching from an industrial job shop. Lazer cutting can work or silver that has been darkened with die or patina or a piece of black vinal to resolve the refelection

Personally I would consider making a small punch and die set. Additionally you may try machining the slot with a …039 or 1 mm end mill. If you mill consider extra hard material ordered or rolled at your shop