starting all over - struggles
A picture I took yesterday of applying solder to the back of the tiny knot work pieces. The next thing I did was sweat solder the pieces onto the back plate - that all went well. It was in adding the center copper disc that I ran into problems.
When I added the disc I heated it too high and the copper melted down into the sterling. There is a thing called an eutectic reaction. The definition of eutectic is: a mixture of two or more elements which has a lower melting point than any of its constituents. When copper sits on sterling and is heated it has an eutectic reaction and gets so hot that it can sink down into the sterling. I have had it happen many times (causing many failures) and I still haven't mastered the amount of heat I need. My heart sunk yesterday after I examined the right hand piece in the photo above. I did it again! So I started all over with cutting out pieces last night. This time though I decided to only cut out one basic shape so I don't have to cut out and keep them all in order - any piece will work in any place, in any order. I'm glad I smartened up in that way. Also I'm not cutting out that really tiny little piece that links the 2 major design elements anymore - I am keeping it as a part of one and just filing a dividing line into it so it looks like a separate piece. Smartening up there too. And this time I am going to make the center copper disc as a separate cabochon with a bezel that I will use to set it after I'm done - no danger of eutectic reaction this time. Dave said I should try to save the first one - put something around it and disguise where the copper sunk in. I was tempted but I think I will feel better in the end if I just redo it - learn from mistakes.
In one of my morning meditation books this morning it said to imagine you have one week to live - what would you do with that week? #1 for me is to get this bracelet done and mailed off! #2 is just spend the week being kind and loving to my family. Let them know how much I love them. A big part of helping to raise the grandboys is needing to have authority over them - in order to help them be better people. Parents (grandparents too) should help their kids find ways of coping in life that will let them be people that others will like to be around, that will help them be trusted and respected individuals. It is so hard sometimes! So much to learn and redo and improve (in me!) so I can be more effective.
~ We finished watching the last episode of Downton Abbey last night - I did not see that coming! I was so shocked and mad even. But I'm getting more used to it today.
*edit* I see we were only watching the last episode of season 3 last night - there will be more.