16 Mini Flower Designs Steel Shot Plate
SPECIFICATION
These designs work well with 0.5 grams of round silver shot for solid impressions. The mini flowers measure approx 10mm in diameter. The impression depth is approximately 1.2mm.
These shot plates are manufactured from mild steel and measure approximately 18mm thick and 75mm in diameter. Supplied oiled and wrapped.

INSTRUCTIONS
You can use either a hammer and punch or a hydraulic press to create impressions with this shot plate.

For hammering, melt your shot into a ball and use a punch to drive the metal into the die. Do not use a hammer directly on the shot plate. When using any shot plate with a hammer, it's essential to work over a solid and rigid surface such as a stump, anvil or a concrete floor. Without a solid surface, no amount of hammering will produce good results! Also, use a decent sized hammer. A 4lb lump hammer is ideal. As always, ensure your metal is properly annealed before you start. As they are so small, these ammonites are simple to strike and no intermediate annealing should be required.

You can use the mini shot plate in a hydraulic press but ensure your metal is properly annealed before pressing. As these shell designs are so small, it's unlikely that you'll need any more than 3-4 tons to achieve a full impression. As you hammer or press your work, excess metal will create an overspill around the design. This 'flange' is used to lever the impression from the die with a thin bladed knife.