Metal Clay

[finch]

I've had a devil of a time finding a specific pendant design I want and so I'm thinking about doing it myself with metal clay, most likely silver. I've done a little sculpting before and I've read a couple of articles on it online, but I'm a not sure about the firing process as Some Guy Doing This At Home.

Has anyone here worked with this stuff casually? Is there a brand that's easier to use at home than others? Do I want to suck it up and buy a hot pot? Any and all advice from experience is welcome.