Technique - Fusing Silver

To start fusing there are some very important tools that you need before you start.

1. Pure, fine silver or gold wire. Only fine metals can fuse, Sterling silver has to much copper in it to fuse. 
2. A butane torch, you can find them at hardware stores or online. 
3. A pair of "hot" pliers, these can be normal pliers but you will be handling hot rings with them which will soften the metal the pliers are made. Over time your hot pliers will start to warp making them useless with hard wire, its best to just to designate a cheap pair for this task. 
4. A fire brick or charcoal brick. You need to fuse on one of these because it focuses the heat to the surface of the brick making fusing easier.
5. A quench bowl, preferably a small metal bowl with water in it. 
6. A rock tumbler with jewelry steel shot or/and a jewelry hammer and flat steel block. They also make cute little anvils that come in handy if your hammering. 

I would also recommend a ring mandrel or the round gauges I talked about in the tools post, If you don't have mandrels you can always use something like a pen or Sharpe to get the same affect. 

To make jump rings wrap the silver wire around the mandrel in the desired size.

Slide the spring off the mandrel and gently pull the rings apart.

Using your flush cutters with the flush side toward the soon to be jump ring cut off the tail leaving a flush cut on the coiled metal.

Then flip around the flush cutters and cut the next coil, doing your best to line up the flush cuts making a ring. After your ring comes off the coil you will have to flip the flush cutters again to re-flush the end of the coiled metal.

With your chain nose pliers grab one side of the ring, leaving the opening exposed.

Wile holding the ring with your pliers take another pair and over shoot the ends of the ring. You do this because then tension this creates will keep the ring closed. Slide the ends of the ring together with pliers and wiggle them slightly so the ends meet up perfectly.

Light your torch. The key to fusing is finding the hot spot on your flame, its just past the inner bright blue cone. This is the only part of the flame that can adequately heat the metal to the point of fusion.

Going in steady circles just outside of the ring, heating the ring until it looks slippery or wet. Make sure the molten metal fuses the ring shut, you may need to focus the flame on the joint to get the ring to fuse but its important to heat the whole ring.

Once the ring is fused use your hot pliers to dip the ring in your quench bowl, this will instantly cool the ring and you can now handle it with bare hands. Your ring may be inconsistent in color. That's OK once you tumble or hammer the rings they will be shiny again. Its important that you hammer or tumble your silver. Heating the metal makes it soft and very flexible, making for weak jewelry. When you tumble or hammer the silver it hardens the metal and makes the jewelry more durable.

And that's the basics of fusing, I would recommend looking at other fusing demos before starting. Its a good way to pick up on other tips and tricks.