Making a Heart Locket :)

[Niko]

Hey everyone, thanks for giving the time to check this out and hopefully help out.

Now, I'm 16 years old and hoping to make a locket for this girl I really like. I wanted it to be made by me entirely, right into all the fine detail work etc etc. I don't want to buy a ready-made thing if you know what I mean. It's also something I would like to achieve, making a decent piece of jewellry almost entirely out of wood by my own hands. I have little wood carving experience, if any, but I am willing to try and I would really like to give this a shot. The little "experience" I have is just turning simple little blocks of wood into...Shapes pretty much lol :S. This is a pretty masive project for me

I don't have access to the best equipment and I may not have the money to obtain it, but I'm hopeful that I may be able to use basic equipment for this. Sorry if this isn't the right place to post such a project (me being a total noob in the fact that I figure I can use anything on hand?), but I figured you guys would be the experts and the best people to ask!

Below is my whole intended project, sorry if it is too much and I hope to add pictures soon, but this is the plan:

My project is a wooden locket in the shape of a love heart. I want it to open (obviously) and it shall be of a rounded shape e.g I want it to feel like a rounded stone in my hand, not a flat piece of wood that looks like a heart. I am planning for it being 4cm in width (widest point anyway) and 4cm in height (highest point) but the depth hasn't been established yet, any typical (suitable) measurements that have been assumed from the ones I have mentioned would be greatly appreciated.

After doing some brief research over the internet I found nothing, or minimal information that I could understand. I have gathered that I would need a very small hinge system with very small screws. More importantly I need the wood in question. Forgive my beginner questions but:

I am looking for a dark coloured wood, as light coloured wood looks to much like construction timber to me. Can this colour/shade that I am looking for be achieved with appropriate varnish/finish? Keep in mind I do not want to paint the wood with colour, I would like it to stay "woodey". Also, I think the dark wood would contrast the gold colour that I am hoping to get with the hinge.

Another question is to do with the depth, how deep would the edge of the heart have to be if I plan to screw the hinge plate in? This could also be a question of how 'quickly' would I need the curve of the heart to be (the curve being the 3-d side of it, the side that 'sticks out', not the rounded shape/curve of the heart) I obviously don't want to spend a great deal of time making the perfect heart shape to screw a hole right through to the other side!

Being a locket, I typically want to add a picture to it. My ideas are that I put the picture into a small indent the shape of the heart itself and cover it with glass or a similar plastic covering (keeping in mind I am a beginner). What do I use (glass/plastic) to get a nice effect? How would I keep this glass/plastic in place? How would I cut it into the shape of the heart (eg what materials?).

As the heart is rounded (sorry if I'm not explaining this properly. Picture it to be a rounded pebble, that is the locket itself, just in the shape of a heart) how thick would it have to be? Bearing in mind the 'back' of the locket, the side holding the picture, will not be an issue (only a small indent will be used for the picture and covering), it is more of the front that is a problem. The front is planned to be completely 'hollow', like a bowl with words etched/burnt into it. How thick would the wood have to be to maintain strength/toughness and prevent it from just breaking (or me punching a hole through with the words :S)?

Probably not an issue now, but from my basic woodwork in high school (I no longer do it unfortunately, TEE >.<) we just used a device that was super-heated that etched the words into the wood. The words I am hoping to etch will be red after I am finished (do I add ink or paint the engraved parts?). So, how would I go about etching this words in with the most basic of tools?

Also, any ideas at all on how I will attach the cord/chain to the locket will be appreciated. I am hoping the cord to be attached to the heart itself, in other words, I don't want to leave a small "wing" sticking out of the heart with a hole in it if you know what I mean.

I apologise for not addding pictures, I will do soon, I was just hoping for some initial help on what materials I may need, what wood etc to simply prepare. Even any input such as "you're not ready for this" etc will be considered, but this project is pretty important for me, and I have about 7 weeks to make the locket (plus I have exams in this time too >.<), so any help at all will be greatly appreciated as I would really want this to work out great

Thnx for tolerating my beginner questions!

Niko,

[Ashbys]

Niko ,
There are many on the forum who will be able to suggest the best way to start your project.
But I am will to help as well.
Two pieces of the chosen wood. in square blocks. Since your suggesting it to be a little weighted only one block will be carved inside. Draw the outline of your heart on the (outside of one block) . On the inside of the block draw the area you wish to remove for the picture. You will only have to remove a little of the material for the picture to set in. Enough for the picture to be flat and for the top and bottom to close flat after sanding.
You will need a small hinge and most lockets have a lock to hold them shut. I think if you check a woodcraft store you will find every thing to do your project.
They may actually have a kit to make it.

Anyway after you carve out the recess for the picture, cutout your heart pattern you put on the outside. Then using the cutout for a pattern trace the heart to the other block and then cut it out.
After you get them formed into the shapes you want then you will be setting the lock and hinge. It is very important that you leave support wood for both. I strongly suggest you have the hinges and know exactly how they fit before you make your pattern.

After the lock and hinge have been set , make sure everything functions as it is suppose too. Remove the hinge and lock and do the finial finishing . There are some great finish suggestions on how to finish the wood , in the finishing section. Hope this helps a little bit.

Ash

[Claude]

Niko:
Two woods spring to mind right away: purpleheart and redheart, because of the name of the wood. Other good candidates that are naturally dark are black walnut, padauk (a reddish-orange wood). These are all available at Woodcraft and Rockler.

Here's a sample of purpleheart that I used to make earrings for my granddaughter.

http://gallery.me.com/beadman/100054...12670670540001

For the screws, hinges, and locks, a jewelry repair or watch repair place might sell you some.

Claude

[imahic]

Sounds like an impressive project. You will get some excellent advice from some very knowledgable folks here. I don' t have the expertise to give you much advise but I am really impressed that a person of your age is willing to attempt this. Carving is a great hobby and I hope you have a lot of fun doing your hobby. She must be a very special girl. Best of luck to you on your project and we hope to see pictures of your progress. Please share them with us.

[Josef]

If it were me, I would go about this a little differently. I would have the front half of the heart inset into the bottom half like a lid. I would place a golden ring through the two halves at the place where the heart dips to meet at the top, which would act not only as the hinge, but the ring from which to suspend the locket from the chain. I would probably leave the back half relatively flat so that it rests upon the skin comfortabley, while having the front(lid) in that rounded shape you prefer. There are many stains you can use if you didn't want to go to exotic timbers, which would still give that 'woody' appearance. I have always preferred a natural polished beeswax finish, but that may not stand up to the rigors of constant wear, so a hard wearing polyurethane might be more suitable. Have fun what ever you do and never be afraid to give it a go, no matter how ambitious Niko. You never know what you are capable of unless you have a go. Good luck and keep us informed. Joe.

[Keoma]

Dude-you've inspired me If it were me-I would use Manzanita...it is a deep blood red for one, and for 2-I have lots of it! I would make the rounded heart and the hinges the same piece of wood and wood pin it. It would be simple to do and very very sweet. Since manzanita is very hard you could use it as a pin no problem. have you sketched anything yet?

[Niko]

Hey everyone, thanks for the replies!

I have my plans as images but I'm not so sure about how to get them visible on a post. I have reduced them in size and added them as "attachments" so I hope they show up. Sorry for any inconvience if they don't and if you could please tell me how to put pictures on properly (if these are wrong).

I guess because I write so much in one post, I'll highlight my questions/problems etc in a different colour

*(All images show the inside of the locket, the outside isn't shown. The part which looks like an 'inner heart' is actually just the line where the edge (or wall) will stop and the indent begins. Hope this makes sense.)*

Image One: Will show the locket as a whole (open). The part labelled "back" will be the section that will rest upon her neck. It is also the section that will hold the picture. I think this is a good way of designing the locket, but if I have missed some important universal rule of lockets (e.g which side the picture goes etc), please correct me before I embarrass myself further :P

Josef - Thank you for pointing out the "curve" of the back section. You're right, I will have to keep it relatively flat so it rests comfortably. I forgot about that, but it makes sense. However, you're idea of using a ring as a hinge, I don't understand it. Could you please explain further?

Ashbys - I was planning on keeping one side (the back) solid so it has a little weight. Thank you for suggesting the finishing section, I shall give it a visit.

Keoma - You're idea of using a wood hinge and wood pin sounds so good! You say it's simple, but I am still a beginner. However I will give it a go, it sounds a lot better than using a normal hinge. I'm not an expert on wood so all I can picture in my head is the hinge snapping, but you say Manzanita is hard and therefore good for acting as a pin? My plans currently show just a standard hinge. If you could please offer some pointers or suggestions on how I would apply this to my design, and I will research some ways of doing this sort of hinge. Thanks for the great idea! Much appreciated

Image Two: Practically the same as image one, but it just indicates the "front" of the locket (which is obviously still open). As said, it will be mostly hollow (I will have to figure out how thick the wood has to be before I can speculate how much space will be inside it). The 'inner part' of the lid will also have a message engraved into it.

Image Three: This image may just be repeating what I have previously said, but nontheless I shall add it. I am still figuring out a way to fit the two sections together with a "click". I will be using a lock to keep the lid closed, but I am also trying to figure out how to keep the lid on the back section securely without the lock (not too tight, just to stop it from swinging open randomly). I don't want 2 flat pieces against each other (which is ironically shown in my plans...). My idea is to have the lid slightly overlap the back part of the locket (I think this is what Josef was explaining if I'm correct?) so it typically acts as a "lid". Also, I have speculated where I would have the lock, but any other expert advice on where I should place it is, as always, greatly appreciated. As I may be using a wood hinge and wood pin, could I attempt to make a wood locking system?

Image Four: Just a simple idea on how I could attach the locket to the cord, with a ring. I like this idea as it doesn't destroy the shape/image of the heart (It sort of hangs independently off the cord...if that makes sense). This also shows how I intend the ring to be placed. The plan shows the ring continuing it's circular shape inside the locket, but after a quick thought I have decided to have the parts of the ring that are embedded into the locket bend "outwards" rather than complete a circle. No ideas on how I shall achieve this but I figured it would keep the ring securely in the locket with no risk of it falling out (or the ring easily coming loose from the locket. It would "grip" the inside of the locket). I figured this is possible as it will be attached into the "back" of the locket, which isn't hollow, perfect. There is just the problem of where to place the ring to get the perfect centre of gravity so the locket hangs naturally when it is held up by the cord.
Any ideas on what material/thickness/size of ring to use?

Image Five: What the locket should hopefully look like from the front (when it is closed) (Sorry about the drawing, it is supposed to look like it is round at the front).

I still have yet to make any exact measurements or perfect, scale designs. I'm just trying to figure out the basic design first before I go full on into the official design/plan. The ideas and instructions I have gotten so far have helped considerably, so thank you to everyone.

Thanks again guys,

Niko,

[Keoma]

sloppy quick sketch-sorry-but hopefully you will get the idea I want to thank you so much...been wondering what kinda heart ornie I could make my sweety this year and I think this is it-bigger than your locket-about 4 inches i think.
Then I was thinking, maybe it would help you practice up to your locket if you started on a bigger one? to get your momentum going and work out any bugs before the initial masterpiece
Must be a very special girl-congratulations.

[gtech]

I just remembered what I used before for this kind of project.



Brass Pin Hinges - Lee Valley Tools

You can also get them in USA, from pen makers stores. It is used for pen boxes.

It is very easy to install and looks better than real hinges.

Gilles

[Midnight Carver]

This is about the same as Josef's idea, and I'm not sure I can explain this right but here goes...
Don't use an actual hinge. At the top of each side, put a small hole through the front and back piece, and put a wire ring through the holes (the rings would be running opposite as in your drawings). The front of the heart would be able to open (upwards) because it can slide on the ring and gravity would keep it closed. You could use the rings to attach the chain. I would probably try it on some scrap wood to be sure you're happy with the way it works before you carve it.
Hope that made sense and helps
Eric