Make Good Things

STEAM PUNK Lightning Bug Pendant

TOOLS:

• Jeweler’s saw
• 2/0 saw blades
• Cut lube or bees wax
• Center punch
• Hole punching pliers 1.8mm and 1.25mm
• Round file or diamond bead reamer
• Flat file
• 3M ultrafine sanding pad
• Scribe
• Bezel mandrel
• Flat nose pliers
• Metal scissors (e.g., Joyce Chen)
• #42  #53 Twist Drill bits
• Ring clamp
• Flush cutters
• Riveting hammer
• Ball peen hammer
• Nylon hammer
• Wrap and Tap pliers (small)
• Jax Brown Patina
• Jax Green Patina
• Stainless steel plate or bench block
• Fine felt tip marker
• Protective eyewear
• Jewelry cleaner or soapy water

MATERIALS:

• Laser print out of patterns (supplied below)
• Rubber cement
• Rayovac K4/KPR104 bulb
• Patterned Metal Sheet
• I used flower, star and snakeskin patterns
• Nuts and bolts (14g)
• 4 Flower spacers (or make your own)
• Thumb Lite (auto store)
• Sealant (renaissance wax or matte spray laquer
• E6000 adhesive
• 2 –(5/8” outer dia.) brass gears (stock)

TECHNIQUES

• Sawing
• Drilling
• Fold Forming
• Patination

STEP ONE:

Print the shapes provided on regular weight bond paper. I use laser paper. Roughly cut out your shapes and apply a thin layer of rubber cement on the back side of each one. Then apply a thin layer of rubber cement on the back side of your patterned sheet metal to match up to your laser prints. Let both air dry for a minute or two and strategically apply your drawings to your sheet metal to minimize waste (Image 1). 

TIP: I use rubber cement because it’s such easy clean up.

STEP TWO:

Use a jewelers saw with a lubricated 2/0 blade to cut out all your pieces (Image 2). 

TIP: Unscrew one end of your saw blade and thread it through large holes. Reattach your blade to cut out interior shapes.

Drill holes with a #60 Twist drill bit, or use small and large hole punching pliers to punch large and small holes where indicated (Image 3). Use a scribe to mark guides along the dotted lines for fold forming (Image 4). Gently tap down around hole locations with a ball peen hammer to flatten out any ridges or bends. Ream out any burrs or roughness with a diamond bead reamer or small round file (Image 5).

STEP THREE:

Remove all paper backings and file edges of all your pieces. Thoroughly clean each piece with jewelry cleaner. Be careful not to get any oil on your pieces from your fingers. Use a tissue to handle them after you clean and dry them (Image 6).

Patina your pieces with JAX Patina. I use simple paint brushes to paint on a thin layer of patina. It works pretty fast, so when you like the effect, rinse it off in cold water. Sand with Ultra-fine 3M sanding sponge to shine the relief texture. Repeat patina process to intensify the effect. Use renaissance wax or spray matte lacquer on your pieces to preserve the patina (Images 7 & 8). 

STEP FOUR

Grasp the lightbulb upside down in a ring clamp and use a #53 Twist drill bit to drill out the metal piece at the base of the bulb. I clipped out the rest of the plastic inside the metal electrical housing with my flush cutters (Images 9, 10, & 11).

Note: The bulb inside is one bubble shaped piece of glass, so try not to drill down into it.

STEP FIVE:

Form piece “D” to fit around your bulb. I used a bezel mandrel and a nylon hammer. Fold along scribed lines with flat nose pliers (Image 12). Hold your pieces with the bulb together to check your alignment (Image 13). Use the front left hole on “D” as your guide for drilling a hole through the back plate “A”. Insert a nut and bolt to hold them together temporarily. Proceed to drill the right hole, and put another set of bolts through that hole (Image 14).

STEP SIX:

Remove the Phillips head screw from the top of the Thumb light and set aside. Remove the adhesive paper from the back of the light and align it with the light bulb. Now when you push the button, the bulb looks lit up. Remove piece “D” and set aside (Image 15).

STEP SEVEN:

Fold piece “B” along scribed lines as shown (Image 16). Replace Phillips head screw through the top hole in “B” and back into the top of the Thumb light (Image 17). Use the holes on the back side of the piece as your guide to drill through the “tabs” in piece “B”. Use sheers or a jewelers saw to trim off excess (Image 18). Replace piece “D” to sandwich the tabs on piece “B” underneath “D”. Screw nuts and bolts through all three layers and snip off excess tab material with metal sheers or jewelers saw (Images 19 & 20).

STEP EIGHT:

Use a ring clamp to hold piece “C” in alignment with piece “B”. Use the hole on the end of the wing as your guide to drill hole into piece “B”. Use either 1.8mm hole punching pliers, or a #53 Twist drill bit. Attach them together with a nut and bolt (Image 21). Drill or punch hole in the opposite end of the opposite wing (Image 22).

STEP NINE:

Pair up the layers for the upper wing sets. E goes with G, and F goes with H. Slide them to sandwich into position beneath “B” and above thumb light (Image 23). Use the holes in piece “C” and “B” as your guides for drilling holes into the wing sets (Image 24).

STEP TEN:

Insert flower spacers onto two bolts and thread them through the holes in piece “B”. Insert nuts and bolts through holes in piece “C” (Image 25).

STEP ELEVEN:

Hold gears in position and mark through center holes for placement.  Punch holes with 1.8 hole punching pliers. Load flower spacers and gears onto bolts and attach (Image 26).

STEP TWELVE:

Use Wrap and Tap pliers to form the bale. Use a fine tip marker to mark location for back hole, and punch with hole punching pliers. Attach bail with bolt and nut (Image 27).

STEP THIRTEEN:

Tighten all your nuts and bolts, and snip off excess, leaving approx.. 1mm of bolt length beyond the nut.  Use a riveting hammer in order to smooth and flatten out the bolt end, making them permanent rivets. Use a bit of E6000 adhesive on the bolts you can’t reach to rivet (Image 28).

Enjoy!!

Here is the shapes template:

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