Working with Silver


What to do with silver when you first get it


Ideally metal sheet should be stored on its side to prevent surface marks and warping. Most pieces will be supplied with a protective plastic coating attached which is usually blue or green. Try to keep this on for as long as possible to maintain the surface and ensure your metal is stored away from any tools with sharp points.


6 Planning & Designing...


It is essential to plan your design before cutting into your precious piece of silver. There are a number of steps which can be taken during the planning stages to minimise cost and waste:


n Make a detailed, scale plan on paper.


n Have a practise run in a cheaper metal such as copper or gilding metal to highlight any potential problems.


n When choosing your metal gauge (thickness), consider the possibility of reducing the gauge by a mm or two to save money. For example you might have planned to use 1mm silver sheet for your design but may find that 0.9mm works just as well.


n Be careful with scale. Every gram of silver will cost you money so try to be cautious with the size of your designs until you are more confident with the whole process. Metal prices are notoriously volatile and change on a daily basis and you may well be surprised at the cost of a relatively small piece of silver.


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