This blog entry could easily be about the current Texas weather which is unseasonably hot for early June. It could be about my temper that continues to fire when provoked. The entry might even talk about a sports team that’s currently in their best scoring zone, but it’s not about any of those things. The pictures are a hint.

 

              

I’ve been out in the HOT garage using the HOT torch to put the heat on some silver and copper. Learning to make sterling silver bezels for stone cabochons has proven to be a good challenge. While neither example here is perfect, I’m rather pleased with what some good old fashioned sweat can produce. I’m mostly pleased with what I am learning. My friend showed me how to make these several months ago, but it wasn’t until this past weekend that I actually was able to try a bezel. My generous husband, with advise from my son-in-law, got me a new torch for our anniversary. Currently, I much prefer tools over diamonds and I think my guy finds tools easier to pick out.

I won’t comment on the number of bezels that I ruined as the heat goes on, but thus far, I haven’t broken the bank on too much washed silver. Luckily, scrap silver can be returned to the supplier for credit.

I’m also trying to learn to sweat solder. The connotation for this strikes me as funny if I consider how “sweaty” I’m getting in the HOT garage. Tomorrow I’m moving this little operation down into the basement mechanical room where it is much cooler. That room is made completely of concrete and brick so I shouldn’t be torching anything too detrimental. As my husband says, the first rule of using the torch is NOT to set the house on fire. I’m doing the best I can.