Sawing Silver Sheet Metal

Hold the saw frame between 90 and 45 degrees to your metal and start sawing.

Sawing silver sheet metal.

Choosing jeweler s saw blades. Less wobbling easier sawing. Metal shears may resemble scissors or they may look more like small gardening shears. Japanese pattern earrings from the revere on goldsmithing dvd series.

There are a variey of ways to cut silver. Start out with 2 0 jeweller s saw blades. The finer teeth of the 4 0 blade make cutting thin metal much easier. 24 gauge and thinner sheet is very useful for metal stamping and embossing.

The cutting motion comes from the elbow not the wrist. Ingots are cut using metal cutting band saws while large pieces are cut using metal cutting reciprocating saws. 8am 5 30pm mst 800 545 7968. Hold your metal in place on the bench pin with your non dominant hand.

Use coarser blades for the best outcome when cutting straight lines. I default to size 2 0 saw blades for 22 gauge metal sheet and higher. While both of these methods work for cutting larger bulk pieces of silver cutting smaller pieces requires a different type of saw. Brace the piece that you are sawing on a bench pin that clamps to your worktable so you have a stable surface to work on.

These blades are suitable for use with sheet metal ranging from a 0 6mm to a 0 8mm thickness. Supporting the metal on both sides of the blade keeps it from wobbling. Smaller pieces are mainly used for making jewelry and the best way to cut silver in this instance is with a jewelry saw. For 24 gauge sheet and thinner i jump down to 4 0.

Lean over a master s shoulder and watch as alan revere demonstrates dozens. From elizabeth bone s book silversmithing for jewelry makers. For less precise cuts metal shears cut sterling silver quickly. Sterling silver sheet metal is excellent for making special handcrafted jewelry pieces.

If you saw with too much force or try too hard you ll probably break a blade. Choose from 16 gauge thick to 28 gauge thin silver sheet for piercing and sawing into custom shapes dapping doming soldering forming into bracelet cuffs and other fine craft applications. Learn how to saw metal sheet. Part 4 of volume 1.

Always check the tension of your blade as a loose blade is more likely to break.