How to Build an Illusionist Heart Locket
Many who saw the Illusionist ( 2006 ) were captivated by the shape-shifting heart locket. How to build an Illusionist heart locket pattern is available on line or can be purchased. Making an Illusionist heart locket would be a fun and challenging project and a beautiful gift for someone special.
Materials needed:
- 3 thin wooden heart shaped pieces of wood 1 3/4-inch or 2-inch width by 3/16 or 1/4 thickness. These can be purchased at a craft store.
- Dowel pieces or wood pegs 1 3/4-inch.
- Super or Wood glue
- Scissors
- Utility knife
- Pencil
- Sandpaper or 0000 steel wool
- Wood finish
Procedure:
- Take the dowel peg and level off the rounded top making a concave depression to interface with the locket convex pivot. This will lock the pin in place when rotating the locket from the heart shape to the oval shape. Make the impression on the heart the same size as the dowel head.
- Divide the heart shaped pieces into exact halves. There should be six half-heart mirror pieces. The bottom and middle wafers will sandwich the rotating head.
- Notch the top heart halves near the bottom to hold the convex articulating pin.
- Cut trapazoidal notches in the dowl stem. Cut the stem into two equal portions. Do not discard any of the pieces.
- The bottom heart holds the concave (bubble) recess at the lower 1/3 above the heart point. Cut a bubble-shape the same size as the convex articulating pin head. This will articulate with the concave depression on the bottom heart.
- The middle heart is the axis which holds the center pin changing the heart to an oval. One side should be square hole and the other should have an rounded recess.
- Use an exacto knife or very small drill to make the notches. Use the excess from the dowel to make the center convex articulating pin shape to the square side and the oval recess. Glue the square side in place. Only one side need be movable, the other stationary. The middle heart also has a notch matching the bottom heart to articulate the convex pin.
- Glue the half pins to the heart lid. Glue the square pin into the center middle heart. Do not get glue into the other recesses or the pins will snap when you move them. Clamp and allow to dry for a few days.
- Carve a recess in the middle heart for pictures.
- There should be little play when the locket is moved. It should be smooth, and tight in transition between shapes.
- Sand and finish.