Sunday, March 25, 2007

Illusionist Locket


That stupid locket from "The Illusionist".

Turn one half 180 degrees on a pivot...

Wow! It's a heart.

Slide the top open and reveal the picture of your love. Of course it's ripped in half and the movie used two separate prop lockets, neither of which worked fully.
I used this sketch from Curious Goods to do the layout and general geometry.

One half of my locket.

The other half.

The pivot pin is pinned to one of the halves. In either the open or closed position a spring bullet catch holds it against rotation. I would probably use a shallower detent than I show.

My sneaky half hinge. The undercut groove is essential. Each of the pair pinned to the one of lid halves of the locket.

The pin (and glue, probably) holds the half hinge to the lid half. The bent spring tongue slides in the groove of the half hinge, holding it to the bottom half while allowing rotation. You could use a half dovetail groove, a undercut boss on the bottom and a pin riding in a groove or sundry other methods, but any solution must hold the pin down and against the semicircular pocket while allowing it to rotate, and for the other half hinge to rotate into it and be retained as the top halves are turned to open.

The bent spring tongue is shown in the semicircular pocket in the bottom half. Notice the detent for the spring bullet catch.

A&B: half hinge, C&D: The bent spring tongues, E&F: pins to hold the half hinges to the top halves. G&H: parts of the bullet spring catch (should be secured to the pocket somehow so it doesn't shoot out when opened.) I: pin to hold pivot pin in one half of the bottom halves, J: Pin rides in groove in pivot pin to keep it in position so it has no axial play.

The 4 halves.


The 4 halves.

Well, what do you think, would it work? It is certainly doable. The lid halves are not mechanically joined, but are restrained against each other with the same axis of rotation.

This would take a lot of fine lathework under a microscope, more like clockmaking than carpentry. I have no intention of trying to make it. I'm sure it needs a lot of experimental refinement...

EDIT/UPDATE: See here for a design that uses common materials and can be made with hand tools...



(copyright 2007 Nick Carter)

48 comments:

Anonymous said...

nick i think this is an excellent design....i have been talking with wagster about this problem and i am one of the people attempting to build this contraption... although, as you have said, it would be more like clock making, i'm sure i can some how impliment these ideas into my design and hopefuly create a working locket....if you wish to dicuss this further email me at alius15@hotmail.com

Test said...

the hole for the photo would have to be hollowed out more, if i remember correctly, it was, I think that the photo would have slide over to one half of the locket when transforming the oval to a heart.... it was suppose to look intricate, that was the plan.

Anonymous said...

ok so for those of you who want an easy way to build one and dont care if its a bit different here is a practical answer.

do this [ heart key chain] out of wood.
make both sides slide upon the lid.

Anonymous said...

I have made one of these lockets using only wood. It is slightly larger than the one in the movie, but it works. I am starting on a smaller one. The trick is balancing the size of the rotating pin and the size of the wheel so that the torque does not break it off in your hand( did several protos). If the main swivel is tight enough, and you've sandwiched the wheel correctly, using a a modified groove, the piece will work. the drawback is that it can be swivelled off when the halves are perpendicular. my_oubliette@cranitorium.com

Please let me know if you want a pic!

Nick Carter said...

I'd love to see a pic, email cartertools@gmail.com

Unknown said...

i would also like to see a pic if you don't mind. email kaltwater@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

please send me a pic too, email m_robillard3@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

would i be able to order to get the parts i need to make the locket as i cannot find them in any shops here in australia.

reply to adam_meilak@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

the problem with your design is that the photo would be ripped in half when opening... also, the halves of the heart lid could be taken off when the locket is only turned 90 degrees, both of these problem could be solved in a very simple way. You have placed the axis of rotation below the photo... the solution is to place the photo in the middle of the axis of rotation... then the portion that the photo resides in would not have to turn at all... only the half of the locket surrounding that axis. This would also hold the half lids together at every point except 0 or 180 degree rotation. In essence, the photo would be between 2 half axis

Anonymous said...

Yes, the picture would probably be ripped in half... if it was in the centre. If you watch the movie, the picture is the right shape to fit into one side of the harp, thus enabling you to close the locket without ripping the picture.

tina said...

Hi there.. do you make this? Can I buy 3 ? how much would it bee?? pleaseeeee..

Anonymous said...

How..I mean Where can I buy such a equipment which is like spring pin..etc?

I would also..like to see a pic.

Please~

yoo-ji-tae8318@hanmail.net

TasHammer said...

spring pins? perhaps a gun shop?

Anonymous said...

k thats all well and good but something like a picture could never stay centered and whole in a locket like that and his was in there the whole time.

if anyone does make that locket, however, i'd be willing to buy it off you. my little sister and i have really fallen in love with it.

email me: kcar88@verizon.net and subject line it locket or something of the like.

thanx!

Unknown said...

i would wana know if there's someone who can make it. i am doin AME-Aorcraft MAintenance engg. and have a workshop in my college.but cant go in there now coz its in d airport premises and my security pass has expired.i've done loads of metal jobs n fine carpentry jobs,all sorts f wooden work. so,if there's anyone who can make it or if you know some place where i can get it from??

Felice Luftschein said...

Here's how to make one, easily from common items:

http://cranitorium.com/aneurysm/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=50

Anonymous said...

Wow, you really over-engineered that thing. Don't worry, I tend to do the same. The spring bullets shouldn't be necessary because we're dealing with wood and the friction should be enough to keep it together. Removing that part of the design would make the above much simpler.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I just saw the movie and thought it would be neat if that locket contraption were possible. I like this design but as others on here it seems overly complicated. I agree with 'brian' on that part. But I dont agree that the friction would hold it-- not for long at least. I have seen a video on it that used magnets, and I must say, that seems like the way to go.

Just thought I'd put my two cents worth in. :)

Unknown said...

I built some simple lockets:

http://search.ebay.es/_W0QQsassZevadediaQQhtZ-1

Evadedia said...

Finally I built one piece of the illusionist complete locket pendant : http://illusionistpendant.blogspot.com/

Felice Luftschein said...

Evadedia, very cool!

Evadedia said...

Thanks Felice!! Kisses!

Anonymous said...

id love to have one if u could email me a price and pics id would be apprecciated ajn323@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3jwVMIz4PQ
check it out
much simpler idea I think. But still too complicated for the common person.

Anonymous said...

OMG
i've wanted to make this in ages
but where can i get the hinges, pin and spring

u can email me at xox.strawberry_marshmallow.xox@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

My comment was probably not as up to date, yet I think this is a useful blog for my interest. I watch The illusionist few days ago and saw the wood locket.Hey...I have CAD/CAM /CNC I could make it by myself. So I googled out if anyone ever made it.How surprised I am this blog.

Anonymous said...

in your design, how do you keep the picture from ripping in two as you twist the two halves to form the heart. That is where the illusion of the picture being whole is done.

Felice Luftschein said...

My design rips the picture in half. As far as I know the movie used fake lockets that didn't work either.

Anonymous said...

Are u selling those? How much?....email me: cquadrelli@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

though the desighs a carefully drawn out there are still a few things that most ordinarly people woulnd be able to do with paper and glue the perhaps a tooth pick .haha.i think that they should find an easyer way to make it cause there are so manyparts u cannot find at like home depo haha

Anonymous said...

with a depression in the lid, you can conceal an untorn photo.
by turning it right-side up, it falls into the display well when you open it.
turning it upside down as you close it drops it back into the cavity in the 1/2 of a lid.

gcz cnczone

Anonymous said...

your over thinking it's build all you've gotta do when it's in heart shape is dowel it so it may turn to it's oval shape then use magnetic pegs to hold the lid of the heart together ... and only make one half of the heart lid pivet while the other half is magnetically held to the first half ... it's simple really ...
i know cause i'm making it for my gf ... and i'm just working out of a school wood shop so i hjave to make it simple yet very effective

Anonymous said...

Hi i was just wondering if you sell any of these, if so how much?
please contact me on dettmann5@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

hello ... my name is Simone Mazzi ... I want you to do me a pendant like that ... is ... very important ... you can pay up 100euro ... I am from Rome, I pay the shipping

Unknown said...

...heey, I'm also tryng to create one of this precise creations, and I would just like to have some concrete diagrams with some measures (lenght, width...) Would be really grateful for this... you can add me on the live messenger (jurij.gostisa@hotmail.com) or we can contact by mail (jurij.gostisa@gmail.com)

I really need your help... thanks in advance...

Anonymous said...

hey guyz .. I was going to make that design but I googled a lil bit more about the locket then I found this small family company makes them perfectly http://illusionistlocket.com
I was amazed by the perfect design and I'm wondering if anyone of you guyz has figured out how the pictures centered in the middle and change as simple as that !!! any hint about that trick would be highly appreciated :)

Anonymous said...

can the one who made this idea please show how the two haves are held together? you don't show the groove that holds it together or however you held them together, i have your idea almost perfected, i just can't put it all together and if you could e-mail it to me i would appreciate it. i would like to build it for my girl friend but am confused on parts. please contact me at

tra.hayward@yahoo.com thank you for your time.

Charles said...

http://illusionistlocket.com

Picture in the middle explained.

Take a circular ring.
Add axles opposite each other on the outside of the ring, in the same plane and aligned through the center.
Mount 1 picture on one side, another on the other side.
locket rotates around the axle, displaying one picture in vertical format the other (at an angle) in heart shape.

I noted in the movie that the heart pivots open at the point at the end of the movie, but opens (hinged) outward towards the viewer when it first is seen.

Niobium magnets hold this design in place.

Florin said...

You are good. Succeses!

Anonymous said...

good morning ! . i´m from venezuela, would be someone I could help in the preparation of one of these shrines or medallions, I would like to develop one myself for my beloved. anyone who could help me infinitely agradeseria it, my email is fernando666_1934@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I have came up with a much much simpler design with out compromising the beauty. Uh, i mean just look at all those pins and tiny springs. The whole point of making these is the sentiment that goes in to the fact that one makes it for a loved one, by hand. This model is more suited for a more commercial purpose. Any one can e-mail me for the design and illustrations to make it my way...slimteddy@gmail.com
luv'

Luis Kjr said...

I think the whole project is dumb, complicated and unnecessary. Not to mention it would brake soon and not endure the test of time. The best locket is this one
www .illusionistlocket. com
...perfect and magic, very clever, using magnets.

Anonymous said...

http://www.illusionistlocket.com/

Anonymous said...

does anyone have any for sale that is cheaper than 150 dollars? i have been searching for one online and theyre all overpriced.

please email me at migx333@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

you can always take a ripped picture and paste the two pieces inside the locket each side facing the opposite.....so that when you open it....it makes a full picture.....!!!

the drawback is you cant change the picture more than a couple of times......!!!

That is if you plan to marry more than once.....:P


Unknown said...

Thank you, very interesting. You could send me a more detailed drawing? My e-mail: LehanTin@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Thank you, very interesting. You could send me a more detailed drawing? My e-mail: LehanTin@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Love your design, here is mine! For the illusionist locket

Www.cartoushea.com