Sterling Silver, Can you machine it?

[tmuir]

It got a few ounces of scraps of Sterling silver left over from all the Silver jewellery I've made my wife and her friends over the last few years and was contemplating using it to make some bling for some of my engines.

I was looking at casting it into some rods and then machining this to make whistles or simple safety valves for an engine of mine just for a bit of fun.

Does anyone know how tough sterling silver is compared to copper or brass?

I know its a bit over the top but I've got it and its doing nothing now so might as well have some fun with it and I can collect the swarf and remelt it down again to make something else.

Just don't want to spend a lot of time making something to then find the silver is too soft to hold a decent thread.

Thanks

 

[greenie]

If you been making jewellery with it, then you should already know, what you got your hands on.

It will hold a thread, but if you over tighten it, well, re-melt it and start again.

 

[tmuir]

It will hold a thread, but if you over tighten it, well, re-melt it and start again.

LOL

Very ture.
Unlike brass I'm very protective of all silver scraps and you should see me on the rare times I work on gold, even the W&D is saved and bagged to be recycled one day.