Marble and Metal Pendant Necklace (3 Versions)

First - let’s say I have collecting issues with marbles. I have bags and bags of marbles – buckets and buckets of marbles. I have marbles everywhere, I love marbles – there, I have said it.

I wanted to share some of my marble and metal pendants; three versions

1. The bottle cap style

2. The sun burst style

3. The tab style (I wish I had a fancier name for this one)

I will be showing an instructables on cut marbles (not completely round) to make 3 pieces of jewelry.

Remember to practice and use shop safety – use protective eyeglasses, dust masks and gloves. Know how to safely use the equipment before you start. No loose clothing, hair or objects around moving items. Remove your rings.

Step 1: Items Used

Marbles – American made Glass marbles – called shooters – approximately 9/16 inches in diameter. Fireballs, blue mist, cats eyes – they are all good
Thin Brass Stock
Diamond wheel cutter – wet saw with 12 inch blade
Disc punch
Doming block with dome punch
Hammer
Tin snips – light duty
File
Sandpaper – aka emery – I like wet versions – grits on hand- 100 220 400 600
8mm ring and 5mm ring
Small pick – used on the sunburst version
Necklace material – can be chain, leather, string

Step 2: Get Started Cut the Marbles

I started by selecting my marbles; I tried to get a variety to pick from and cut extra (just in case). My goal was to pick the best color and pattern to face forward. I used a diamond wet saw to cut the marbles slightly off center, leaving the larger side to keep for mounting.

Step 3: Metal Cutting

I like using thin brass to work with. It cuts with light duty tinsnips and can be worked (folded, punched, etc…).

Using a disc cutter, I punched out 1 inch diameter brass discs. Again cut extra. I was fortune with having access to a nice disc cutter.

The disc cutter leaves a little bur, so I used a general purpose file to smooth.

I followed up with emery paper - 400 grit

Note: Most of the time I make a card stock pattern with a compass, cut it out – and then trace the pattern onto my brass stock. I would cut the disc out with my snips.

Step 4: Forming Metal - Three Versions or Styles

Forming metal - Three versions

1. The bottle cap style

2. The sun burst style

3. The tab style

Step 5: Version 1. the Bottle Cap Style

Using the 1 inch disc; I started by using a simple punch to put a hole in the edge for the 8 mm ring.

I used a doming block to start collapsing the brass disc

Then I put the doomed disc into an undersized hole in the disc cutter. Using an even smaller disc cutter (the size of the marble) pushed the disc down in the hole.

I placed an orange cut marble into the center.

Using my pliers, I closed up the folds of the brass – to secure the marble inside.

Added the 8mm ring and necklace material

Step 6: Version 2. the Sun Burst Style

Using the 1 inch disc.

I placed the marble in the center of the disc and traced around it.

Using my tin snips I cut diamond patterns (to make the bursts) around the disc (I really just used my eye to create equal rays).

Using my pliers I bent the rays at approximately 98 degrees upward towards and towards the center. At the tips of the rays, I did another slight bend inward.

Placing of the white & blue marble requires a roll in process. Tip the marble slightly and push into the center. Now with a small pick, gently pull the rays out one by one. As you are pulling the rays out, push the marble in. It is kind of like changing a tire.

Using my pliers, I closed the bursts or rays of the brass – to secure the marble inside.

I left one sun burst ray to be completely folded over to hold the 8mm ring

The necklace material was attached through the ring.

Step 7: Version 3. the Tab Style

Using the 1 inch disc; I started by using a simple punch to put a hole in the edge for the 8 mm ring.

I placed the marble in the center of the disc and traced around it.

Using my tin snips I cut straight patterns (to make the tabs) around the disc (I really just used my eye to create equal tabs).

Using my pliers I bent every other tab at approximately 98 degrees upward towards and towards the center. At the tips of the tabs, I did another slight bend inward. The balance (the other every other tabs), I bent flat against the back.

Placing of the red marble requires a roll in process. Tip the marble slightly and push into the center. Now with a small pick, gently pull the rays out one by one. As you are pulling the rays out, push the marble in. It is kind of like changing a tire.

Using my pliers, I closed the tabs of the brass – to secure the marble inside.

I added the 8mm ring

The necklace material was attached through the ring.