RAW #16 - Cherry Blossom Time

Cherry Blossom Time. Donation for Japan. In my shop later this afternoon.
Copper, sterling silver, stick pearl bead, lab grown ruby crystal (bought mannnny years ago). Fabricated.

Doesn't seem like this should have taken me all day does it? There were soldering/flow problems, I wanted to attach each element separately to make sure that the placement was correct, there was time in the pickle, and oh yes. There were desperation moments when it seemed like the only relief was time spent with the Pregnant and In Jail ladies on cable.

Chris' Soldering Tool (nail tripod used to hold the platform down)

Lessons Learned:
• If you insist on saving money by using copper as a base, then you MUST spend more money in fuel by using propane/oxy. Not sure it's worth it. :\
• It's really easy to get perfect placement of prongs by sinking them into the solderite board while attaching and drilling holes in the copper to stand them up straight.
• I really DO like flowing the solder on a part before joining. No where near as difficult or fiddly as I've always thought.

• I appreciate all my friends who reminded me that there is a device known as a ring clamp. Makes so many operations so much easier.
• Don't clip and polish the prongs until the stone is in place. These are a tad short and hard to bend over fully.
• Again - "jewelers cement" never hurt anyone. And besides there's only a microscopic amount on the square wire platform that supports the ruby.

I apologize for the massively ugly wad of earthquake putty holding the ring upright.