I'd like to do this. . .

This is gonna sound a little weird, but ever since I first watched my dad do it, and got the opportunity to do it in some sort of "lets get kids interested in science" thing at the UofS, I have been interested in soldering. Yes indeed. . .melting a filler metal to join together two (or more) solid bits of metal. I even like the way it smells (which is probably a bad thing).

The question is, what can a girl like me do with this interest in soldering, with no practical reason to do it? I'm too intimidated by the notion of stained glass to apply my interest in soldering there. I'll leave that hobby to braver librarians (the kind who once served in the army and who enjoy tormenting students with generalized incompetence, and harrowing tales of personal history, eight hour commutes). So what to do?

The answer: frivolity!

A few examples of some soldered miscellania culled from the internet. Inspiration! Wouldn't this be fun?

purdy tree!

love the rough texture of the solder
for slightly creepy pieces like this

simple . .. would be a good thing to try for starts.

create interesting settings for colored stones

this is just badass

So . ..do you think I should ask Dad if I can borrow his soldering iron? And if so, what are the chances that I will horribly maim myself in use?