Melted Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelet Tutorial 

Thank you Ronda

My pleasure 😊

Good luck have fun and I am sure it will turn out very nice.

I finally made a copy of your cuff bracelet and I love it. Did you coat the inside copper with anything to prevent it and me from turning green? I’d send you a photo but I don’t know how. I am a beginner and It’s my first project in well over a year so it’s a bit rough but I still love it, so thanks again for your video.

Thank you

thank you Susan

You are so welcome!

Thank you!

Copper does react with a lot of peoples skin leaving a greenish brown residue that should be able to be removed with soap and water. One can use things like renaissance wax, but that needs to be reapplied every so often as it wears away. Clear nail polish also works, and there are other methods and products that will form a barrier to prevent oxidization of the copper.

Yes but tricky because the surface is not flat

Hello Masson, If I understand your question correctly, the silver will stay on the top surface, surface tension will keep it from flowing to the other side of the copper.

I have two oval mandrels, one is stepped. I would like to have a round mandrel but I don't really need it.

I would love to have a good rolling mill so many uses for it. I couldn't really use it for this cuff, the silver is melted onto the copper and the heights and patterns of the melted silver are unique to each cuff. But yes if I had one I would use it for many application, one of which would be adding textures to the surface of metal.

Thank you There are links to my website you can check it out.

I have never worked with German Silver but to determine if it would substitute check the melting point of german silver, and in this case the melting temp of sterling silver, sterling silver would need to have a lower melting temp which it does ( I just checked ), so I believe it would work. PS I don't think you need flux.

@@patcahillmetalworks322 Thank you very much, really. Melting point of german silver is really high, higher than silver, brass or copper. German silver is very common for us in Southamerica. I only wonder if oxidation of german silver (by heating) could make that silver does not stick apropiately to the base. I could see, in copper, it doesn´t happen. :) Otherwise, I will do it on copper. Hope I can reach such a beautiful piece as de one you showed us in this video (or close). Thank you very much . Your pieces are really beautiful.

@@olavosterling6731 Hello! I did make the cuff bracelet with melted silver on copper, it turned out great, yes 9 ct gold would be really nice. I will try to make another. Silver shavings worked best, any thick pieces of silver is too hard to melt on the copper. I did not use flux. Gold melted on top of a silver cuff would be gorgeous. I’m trying to figure out how to add a photo here! Sorry.

@@olavosterling6731 did you mean add silver to the underside? No, I really like the copper showing. I wish I could figure out how to add a photo!

@@olavosterling6731 I responded but it’s gone. I love your idea of gold on silver! I’m going to try it! I understand what you are saying though. I found very thin shavings melt faster & better. I did not use flux. When I tried to use flux the silver melted too smooth not giving me the texture I was after. My cuff, the silver over copper turned out really nice I love it. Can’t figure out how to post a photo. Sorry.

No you need copper which has a much higher melting point than silver.

I use a Smith® Little Torch™ hooked up to Oxygen and Propane. The torch is available from many sources one example is Rio Grande.

@@patcahillmetalworks322 thank you very much mister but i asked about your torch lighter you do not use any fire for that, you put your torch on the something there and it gets fire. sorry i could not tell you about that.

@@mehmetkaraqus Oh I am sorry I misunderstood what you were asking. To light my torch I use Torchmate Electronic Torch Lighter you can google and see the best place to acquire one.

@@patcahillmetalworks322 thank you so much mister it was answer that i was looking for that. :)

Hell Melissa, I do not use either solder or flux with this technique the flux would just burn away before the silver melts and solder is not needed the melted silver fuses to the copper surface.

With most Brass yes but check the melting point of the Bass you intend to use and make sure it's melting temp is at least 100 degrees Celsius above that of silver. Sterling silver melting point is ~893°C.

I don't know it might work I have never used a butane torch, but I think it is going to be a bit tough to get a hot enough flame to melt the silver. Hey it is always worth a try.

thank you so much!

i wouldnt think so. Youre not gonna get the heat required.

It is 1.5 inches or 3.8 cm wide. The length is made to fit the size of the wrist with a gap for putting it on and removing it.

17-18 cm?

@@mitsospapas3306 sorry I don't understand your question.

@@patcahillmetalworks322 sorry i mean the length of the bracelet. Thanks for the reply. Keep up the good work

@@mitsospapas3306 ah ok well that depends on the needs of the one wearing it but say a typical wrist is 7 inches (~18cm) then the cuff length should be 6 inches (~15.25cm) with a gap of 1 inch (2.5cm).

I used 20 gauge, with the added layer of silver it is a nice thickness.

Thank you very much for the quick response