Stainless advise

[thughes]

I ride motorcycles with a fairly large organization, and I have engraved a few parts, and a few sterling things for some of the guys wives. A couple of the guys have asked me to engrave the groups logo with some scroll work on cuff bracelets for them. They want stainless instead of sterling, which makes sense as these guys aren't exactly office types. I'm not sure what gauge sheet should I use. I've found a place on line that will give me 10 pieces of 430 stainless, mirror polished, 18 gauge for $1.09 each. That's cheap enough for experimental pieces. They sell it in 26, 24, 22, 18, 16, and 14. I've got a GRS bender and a bender I made for flat stuff, but I'm not sure what it will take to bend the stainless. Also, I've cut lots of 416, but the only 400 series they had is 430, would it cut similar.

Thanks
Todd

 

[monk]

not sure of the specie of ss. i owned the metal former. was great on copper and sterling. i don't think it would do well on ss, unless the strip was very thin.

 

[griff silver]

i would'nt rule out nickle silver in 18 ga.

 

[Riflesmith]

Just from experience I would recommend 14ga 304 it's fairly easy to cut and stiff enough to hold its shape when bent. JMO

 

[Brian Marshall]

Simply buy (beg, borrow, trade for or steal) a piece of the 304 and a piece of 416. Put the same small practice pattern on each of them.

Set a stopwatch. Cut it. Choose which was/is easier when done...


Either way, you may have to settle for forming the bends in it "flat".

You will not easily put a dome in it... especially not 14 gauge stainless, without a BIG press. Dinky won't do it. Even annealed.

And with a big press, it's likely to take a lot of care - to do it without damaging the engraving.


Brian


Having to resharpen counts.

 

[thughes]

Thanks guys for your thoughts. I've got a bender I made to bend them flat (no dome), but having never bent stainless, I've just got no idea what thickness I can bend. Oh well, it's cheap enough I guess I'll just get a few and try it.

Thanks
Todd

 

[cropduster]

Hello - About a month ago, On Line Metals started carrying Annealed T-304 Stainless sheet with a grade #8 surface finish, which is a mirror finish. They also list its hardness at a Rockwell B70 which is pretty soft. The smallest size they advertise selling in is 12" x 12" - I've been thinking about trying it for the future just haven't gotten to it. If you feel it to be OK, would you please PM me with the supplier you received your quote from. I would like to add them to my list of possible suppliers. In closing, I have no affiliation with On Line Metals and Merry Christmas to all.