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Shot Plate Instructions & Tips 


Safety First! Please use hand and eye protection at all times when using your shot plate.

Steel items (plates, punches etc) are coated in oil to prevent corrosion. Keep steel items oiled to prevent rust, particularly in the die cavities. We recommend Ballistol Universal Oil.

Always use a punch and do not hammer directly onto the plate.

The most important factor in gaining a good impression when using a hammer/punch is to work on a solid surface. Table tops, workbenches etc are rarely rigid enough to deflect the energy back into the metal. Try using a stump, anvil or thin sheet of wood over on a concrete floor. Use a decent sized hammer – a 4lb lump hammer is ideal.

To prepare your metal, you can either: - Use a torch to melt your metal into a ball, clean/pickle and then place into the die. - Saw a blank (from sheet) slightly smaller than the die. It’ll need to be around twice the thickness (depth) of the die.

It’s advisable to use slightly more metal than you think you need to fill the dies. The excess will create a flange around the die that will aid in removing the metal from the plate after hammering/pressing. Carefully use a narrow bladed knife under the excess metal to lever the impression out of the die. Wipe a very small amount of oil into the die before forming as this will also help removal. Ensure the dies are free from dust and debris before use.

Once the piece has been removed from the plate, it can be trimmed, put back in and the backside filed flat and level whilst being held in the die. Anneal your metal regularly. Silver will work harden when you hammer it into the die or use the crimper or press. Annealing will soften it and make it easier to achieve an impression.

Hammering - If using copper, gold or sterling silver, you will most likely need to anneal the metal at least once and hammer again to fill the die. This should not be required if using fine silver or pewter. Take care to direct the punch onto your metal and avoid denting the plate.

Hydraulic Press – Limit the tonnage to 15-20 tons on larger dies and 4-7 on minis. This should produce good results with most metals. Too much tonnage and your silver/copper will deform steel! Hand punches should never be used in a press.

Pushers

The flat pushers and tapered pushers we make attach to the magnetic base - you can swap from flat to tapered and only need a single base. The tapered is for small designs and allows you to see what's going on better than the flat pusher. The flat is for larger designs but can be used on small as well. The magnetic base is just for holding the pusher, not for forcing silver into a die.

A magnetic base and pusher attaches to the underside of the top platen and forces the metal into the die. Always make sure it's centred on the press both back to front and side to side.

Urethane

You only really need urethane if you want to use sheet silver with dies to create thin impressions. If you want to make solid impressions you won't need urethane. The urethane forces the sheet into to die. You can also use leather or rolled up kitchen foil. It's a case of experimenting with different materials. Urethane will break up with use but you can still use the bits. Small bits work better than a huge chunk.

Removing your impression from the die

Occasionally, some dies can 'hold on' to your metal. This is more common when using a press compared to hammering. Ensure the dies are clean before use. If you wish, you can apply a very small amount of oil into the die before forming as this can help removal. Excess metal will create a flange around the design that will aid in removal after hammering or pressing. Carefully use a thin bladed knife under the excess metal to lift the impression out of the die.

YQK-70 Crimper

In order to use Gemina shot plates in the crimping tool, you need one hardened anvil. You can use the mini shot plates and duo shot plates in the crimper. You can use urethane with the crimper to create a thinner impression. We have videos on how to use the crimper here.