Hi everyone was wondering if anyone could help me. Im trying to find some sterling silver plate that is at least 10mm thick. If anyone knows somewhere to get it can u please let me know
10 mm thick is going to be in the 40-50 oz range in a size for a buckle!!!! If he drops that on the family jewels, he gonna be a soprano!
If he wants thick you will be better off by using thicker gauge material like 12-16 gauge sheet and using silversmithing skills to dome or fabricate a look that's thicker. Think building a box
Or better yet doing some deep drawing techniques with a hydraulic press. Check out bonny doon and rio grande.
4" x 6" x 10mm? How big is the customer this is gonna be for?
95% of my production has been in 16ga. sterling. (I am NOT fond of Argentium)
I've made a few 14 ga buckles and maybe one 12 ga buckle in a lifetime... and all of these lost a lot of the weight in filigree work or drilling for stones.
We once did a California gold miner buckle that was 10 ga, but probably half or two thirds of the metal was removed in the carving of it. Good luck with 10mm!
I'd sure like to see a final image and the finished specs on it. (Wt. & dimensions?)
My advice would be to do a casting. Built a wax model of the buckle and have it professionally casted to avoid air traps and have controlled cooling. After the casting you can work the cast to whatever finish. To buy just a plate and have it worked to a buckle will leave you with a lot "scrap" metal. Wax to form a model should be available with any jeweler’s tools shop. For companies to cast silver in your area you should check the yellow pages or internet. The price for casting is variable but always cheaper than a solid plate of sterling silver of 10mm. Hope this will help.
well your question has been answered. i once did one .250" thick. the buckle was i think about 5 x 7". it nearly gave my magns block a hernia. was of solid brass. it was for a mountain man reenactor. as i recall, the belt was 3" wide.