I don’t have a direct answer for you, but a little advice. If you are going to all of the trouble to make your own, which I think is a wonderful idea, I wouldn’t go for silver plate. I have old plate that was passed down through the family and even some that I got as wedding presents. It is high maintenance and if stored improperly, can decay, and the only way to save it is to have it re-plated, which is costly. If you are putting all of that work into it, make it quality and something that you can pass down. I would rather have steel or sterling. Both are beautiful if done well.
Someone experienced in working with metals should be able to give you some ideas along that line and how to go about it.