Etched Copper Bracelet with Enameled Cups

I finished my etched bracelet this morning and am very pleased with it.

I ran into one problem ... not really a problem when you realized what was happening. I reminded myself I had experienced this many times before in my jewelry class at Glendale College. It is called "heat sink".

The center post that connects the enameled cups to the bracelet piece is sterling silver. The end of the wire is formed into a ball by holding it vertically in the flame. Then the cups are added to this wire with the ball on top. The wire under the bracelet piece is cut to about 1/8". The next step is to hold the flame near the tip of the wire so that it melts and becomes a rivet that holds the pieces together. Sound easy? Yes. Try it yourself some time.

I was holding the bracelet with locking pliers, so that I could hold it up and see underneath. It took forever to melt that teeny little 1/8" piece of silver wire. In the process (it seemed like hours later!) I remembered what had to be done. The entire piece had to get red hot before that teeny little piece of wire would melt. The finished piece was all black and gross, but all that outer crust came off in the pickle and by scrubbing with the brass brush.