Camelot

Jane Dickerson

Materials

15mm ocean blue rhinestone round

Scalloped raw brass collar

24-gauge brass sheet

Etched nickel silver sheet with blue/green patina

7 brass 116" (2 mm) shank diameter × 932" (7.1 mm) long micro screws

7 brass 4mm micro nuts

Two 612" (16.5 cm) lengths of brass 4mm rolo chain

Brass toggle clasp

4 brass 7mm jump rings

Tools

Sheet of paper

Disc cutter

1.8 mm metal hole-punch pliers

100/180 coarse salon board

Ruler

Fine-point Sharpie marker

Bar Keepers Friend powder

Scotch-Brite green scrub pad

Solderite pad

Fireproof work surface (cookie sheet)

Butane micro torch

Utility pliers

Quenching bowl

Soft cloth

Renaissance Wax

Ball-peen hammer

Spiral metal stamp

Steel bench block

Eyeglass repair mini screwdriver

Flat- or chain-nose pliers

Heavy-duty flush cutters

Polishing pad

Riveting hammer

E6000 adhesive

Finished length

19" (48.5 cm)

1. Place the paper over the front of the etched sheet and place it paper side down in the disc cutter. This will protect the etched surface from any grease on the cutter. Cut one 34" (2 cm) disc, two 12" (1.3 cm) discs, two 116" (1.1 cm) discs, and two 38" (1 cm) discs, moving the metal each time to cut the holes close together to maximize the use of your metal.

2. Using the disc cutter, cut six 14" (6 mm) discs from the brass sheet.

3. Make a hole in the middle of each of the discs with the 1.8 mm hole-punch pliers. File the back of each disc with the salon board to remove the rough edges from the punched hole. Place the largest etched disc in the middle of the scalloped collar and, spacing the discs evenly, place each of the smaller discs in descending size order to the left and right of the center disc.

4. Once the discs are lined up, make a mark through the hole in each disc with a Sharpie, placing a dot on the brass collar beneath. Remove the discs. Punch a hole at each mark with the 1.8mm hole-punch pliers. File the back of the collar, if necessary, to remove the rough edges from the punched holes.

5. Clean the front of the brass collar with the Bar Keepers Friend, water, and a green scrub pad, working in a circular motion. Rinse and dry.

6. Place the Solderite pad on top of the cookie sheet and place the collar on top, face side up. Using the micro torch, patina the collar with the flame (see To Patina Using Heat + Flame). Once you have reached a color you like, quench, and dry. Seal the patina with Renaissance Wax.

7. Using a ball-peen hammer and spiral metal stamp, texture the front of the small brass discs on the steel bench block. Seal all 13 discs with Renaissance Wax.

8. Insert a micro screw through the hole in the front of the largest 34" (2 cm) etched disc, then through the center hole of the collar. Thread a nut onto the screw and tighten with the mini screwdriver and flat- or chain-nose pliers. Trim the screw with heavy-duty flush cutters to 1/16" (2 mm) above the nut. Place a polishing pad over the front of the disc and place it face down on the steel bench block. Use the chisel face of the riveting hammer to gently flare the end of the screw (see Riveting with a Nail-head Rivet), then use the flat side of the hammer to flatten it. Turn the collar over and carefully flatten the front of the screw.

9. Insert a micro screw through the front of a 14" (6 mm) brass disc (the next smallest etched disc) and the next hole in the collar. Screw on the nut, trim the screw, and rivet back of the screw as in Step 7; do not hammer the front of the screw. Repeat until all the discs are attached.

10. Glue the rhinestone round to the center disc with E6000 adhesive. Attach one length of chain to one end of the collar with a jump ring. Attach half of the clasp to the other end of the chain with another jump ring. Repeat to attach the chain and other half of the clasp to the other side of the necklace.

Resources

Etched sheet: theartfloozy.etsy.com. Brass collar, rhinestone round, rolo chain, 1.8 mm metal hole-punch pliers, micro screws/nuts, Renaissance Wax: objectsandelements.com. Pepetools disc cutter, brass sheet, heavy-duty flush cutters: beaducation.com. E6000: michaels.com. Blazer micro torch, Solderite pad: riogrande.com.