Fusing silver with
@jen_surine - “Fusing! Somehow I feel like I experience magic and danger all at the same time while I’m fusing. Jump rings are the perfect place to start if anyone wants to give it a go. And Argentium silver loves fusing. I begin with a great, flush join. Fusing isn’t adding any material, like with soldering, so if there are any gaps in the join they don’t disappear once fused. I still add my flux to keep the metal clean, and heat up the ring, once it’s getting warm I focus on the join. Essentially, I’m just barely melting the surface of the metal, and it flows a little, like stubborn solder. It gets a flash of shiny, liquid metal, and I know that’s when it is fused closed. Argentium can be temperamental. So once it gets to this temperature to fuse, it may also slump and become brittle. Holding it with tweezers, or resting it on a rough soldering block can damage the surface or even cause it to break. There is definitely a learning curve with Argentium silver. This is why I try to go quick, dance my flame around almost like a paint brush, directing the metal where to flow. I don’t want to heat too much because I don’t want to damage or even melt the piece. Like I said, it is dangerously close to melting and is a great way to practice torch control. After fusing one side I like to gently flip the ring over and make sure it is fused from the back too. Well? Isn’t it magical watching that seam disappear right in front of your eyes?!” Jen if I haven’t said it recently I appreciate you so much! Jen has graciously allowed me to share many of her videos and I know they take her time!! So we can’t say it enough! This community would never be what it is without folks like you who share! 😘
#fusingsilver #torchfusing #fusingsilver #fusingtips
