Cutting repetitive shapes from sterling sheet

**emroyjewels** · 03-09-2010, 10:57 AM

Hi guys, sorry I need to pick your brains! I know what I want to do, but am not sure the best way to go about it - so apologies in advance for rambling.

I'd like to be able to cut repetitive shapes in silver (up to 0.8mm probably) and am trying to work out the best way to go about it, i.e. what tool would I get the most efficiency out of.

Having done lots of reading, I think I've decided pancake / shearing dies are the best method i.e. easiest and a relatively cheap investment. But to be honest I'm completely confused about what I need - some recommendations for an arbor press, others a hydraulic press. If I use an arbor press would something like this 1 ton version do it? The hydraulic presses seem to be much more powerful, but I'm not sure I need that much pressure for this purpose!

What I don't want to do though is buy a press that will be great for this job, and not versatile enough for other uses. Learning as I go with no proper training means I've never used a press before, so I don't know exactly what I would want to do with it yet. So I guess my question is two fold

- would the press indicated above be man enough for the job I currently have planned for it

and second - if you have a press, what do you use it for and do I need something more powerful to allow me to grow or will this be plenty powerful enough for a variey of uses?

During my research I also saw the RT blanking system, but am hopeless at sawing, so am not sure this would be of any use to me - hence getting someone to create custom pancake dies for me instead. I don't think you can bash the shapes out of these with a hammer, which is why I'm looking for a press, but please tell me if I'm wrong!

in advance xx.

**Joe** · 03-09-2010, 01:01 PM

Hydraulic presses are slow to use - perhaps a minute per pressing - but are very controllable for forming metal. With the right press tool you may be able to cut several pieces at once in a stack.

The little arbour press you pointed at is very quick and easy to use but it's not that easy to get a lot of pressure through it - I would guess that small shapes (perhaps 10mm in diameter) might press easily enough out of 0.8mm silver but you'd have a job getting 30mm shapes to cut. There are larger versions of this type of press that might do.

The standard in small workshop presses is the fly-press (No. 4 Fly Press / Hand Press on eBay (end time 11-Sep-10 19:48:04 BST)).

This is quick and has considerable strength but there is a knack to using them and they can be a bit dangerous without training; they rely on building a bit of momentum in the heavy steel balls that fly round and impart their energy into the cutting action.

I don't think I'm helping here.... my best guess is that "none of the above" are quite right...

**caroleallen** · 03-09-2010, 01:11 PM

When I bought my RT blanking system from Walsh's I also bought a flatting press Flatting Press
It worked very well. I now have an hydraulic press as well, but the flatting press is good enough. I use the flatting press for flattening lots of things and it's one of my most used pieces of equipment.

You do have to be good at sawing though, so maybe you need to pay someone to do your blanks for you.

**Goldsmith** · 03-09-2010, 02:06 PM

I bought the equipment for blanking out shapes when I used to make badges and medals by the hundred. I used a fly press quite successfully when blanking out 1mm thick silver, but you will need to buy Die Sets. These are tools that keep the blanking tool and cutting die inline when using a fly press. You will get much more pressure from a fly press than an arbor press

**Joe** · 03-09-2010, 02:56 PM

Have a look at this: JEWELLWERY FLY PRESS WITH 100'S OF PRESS TOOLS on eBay (end time 12-Sep-10 21:02:45 BST)

Might be just what you're after with a bit of luck!

**emroyjewels** · 03-09-2010, 07:16 PM

Thank you all for the advice! I'm now definitely more confused than ever, but in a good way

That listing on ebay looks like it includes way more stuff than I could have ever imagined needing or using, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing hehe.

Carole - your suggestion for a flatting press I assume requires that I have the RT blanking system as well, rather than that I use the pancake dies with it, am I right?

Joes suggestion of "flying steel balls" sounds rather scary to me, but its not worth me buying an arbor press that will only do the current task and not be of any use for anything else.

I guess I need to do some more research - and save some more money!

**Joe** · 03-09-2010, 07:46 PM

The flatting press is a general purpose tool - in fact it's a small arbour press with a flat anvil end for, well, flattening things. A few months ago our most excellent Dennis recommended that one could use a ring stretcher for the same purpose: http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/tut...stretcher.html.

The fly-press is the "standard" tool for this sort of thing. I strongly recommend that you don't try to teach yourself how to use it - lost fingers and fly-presses go hand in maimed hand!

Where ever you live there will be a small engineering works nearby, tucked into some tin-roofed garage like building in a small corner of almost every big residential or industrial estate... I find the people who work in these are almost all incredibly friendly and willing to give you ten minutes of their time as a distraction from their work. Seek one out and ask them to show you their fly-press. Wear something that will look good with black grease on it!

**Dennis** · 03-09-2010, 09:06 PM

I think the fly press must be the clear winner, but health and safety must be strictly adhered to. Being absent minded, they have always scared the wits out of me.
Is there any chance of your farming this job out to said engineering workshop, or willing jeweller? Kind regards, Dennis.

**caroleallen** · 03-09-2010, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by emroyjewels

Thank you all for the advice! I'm now definitely more confused than ever, but in a good way

That listing on ebay looks like it includes way more stuff than I could have ever imagined needing or using, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing hehe.

Carole - your suggestion for a flatting press I assume requires that I have the RT blanking system as well, rather than that I use the pancake dies with it, am I right?

Joes suggestion of "flying steel balls" sounds rather scary to me, but its not worth me buying an arbor press that will only do the current task and not be of any use for anything else.

I guess I need to do some more research - and save some more money!

If you've got some other way to make pancake dies, then you don't need the RT blanking system but other than the very expensive version that Rio Grande sell, I don't know of another way.

**Shaun750** · 03-09-2010, 09:54 PM

These guys make simple stamping dies.I have never used them ,but have been recommended by someone I trust.
Sheltech - Custom Dies and Cutting
I went on a little journey trying to make stamping dies and gave up.I get the feeling it's a bit of a waste of time,because no one is actually using them.If it was worth while,then there would be a few on here,showing us the latest die they had made,rather than saying they used to use them.
Before i gave up though I bought a 20 ton car jack to make a press.I need a cheap length of RSJ before i can proceed with that. I've also got one of those 1 ton presses as well,and have never really used it.I suppose if i actually bolted it down to something that would move,it might be of some use?
I'd be tempted with that fly press and tooling,but it's way to far,they must weigh a ton as well.