I love dragonflies , who doesn't ? This is a more advanced project and you will need a bit more experience to make this one.
Again I used 18 gauge ( 1mm thick ) sterling silver for that one .
I cut a 1 inch wide and 6 inch long strip from sterling silver . The wings were drawn onto label paper for a printer and then stuck to 18 gauge sterling sheet . I used a 6 inch jewelry saw frame with 1/0 saw blades . The 6 inch saw frame is the one I use almost always to cut things out . Its the one I feel most comfortable with . There are other sizes as well , like 3 inch or 8 inch . The sizing refers to the distance from the saw blade to the back of the frame . I will make a post later with the basic tools you need first for silver smithing.
Cut out your wings and file all edges . Use sandpaper for the surfaces to prepare for soldering.
I have an odd set up for soldering . My husband and I we are a bit nomadic and we move a lot within a year . So I improvise most of the time with my soldering station . I use an acetylene / air system ( 1 tan of gas) but a lot of metal smiths use an acetylene / oxygen system ( 2 tanks one acetylene and one oxygen tank) the one with the pure oxygen gets hotter but for my purpose the one tan system is more than enough.
Flux your wings and add solder. Heat with torch until solder flows ( when the metal gets red hot) . Quench in water . Now most would pickle their wings to clean them but I usually just go to the ext step and flux my base ( strip ) . Put the wings solder side down onto your base and start heating again. I use a charcoal block which retains heat and makes soldering easier and it also helps with oxidation during heating .Mae sure you have no gaps . Quench in water and put in a pickel bath to clean.
Make sure all animals and children are safe when you play with fire !!!! :)
take your bracelet out of the pickel bath and start adding texture
Start forming your bracelets around a mandrel first with your hands and then with a nylon hammer or rawhide mallet.
pre polish and add patina . Polish again so that the high points are silver and the textures remain black. Wear your bracelet with pride or give it as a gift.
you can always ask me questions or you can visit my shop at
www.nicilaskin.etsy.com
thanks for reading----nici