This instructable follows the making of a Tiny Tao, but through a simple design change you could make any book you want. I have made a Tiny Necronomicon, a Tiny Diary of Tom Riddle, and a Tiny Dipper Pines' Journal...

Materials:

Small piece of sheet metal

2 sheets of paper (parchment)

Jumpring

Tools:

Shears/saw to cut your metal

File/sandpaper

Paper cutter/scissors to cut the paper

Drill/drill bit for one small hole

Glue (I use E6000)

Clear nail polish

Hammer

Vise

Piece of wood about 1/4” thick

Step 1: Prepare the Book Cover

For this instructable I am using 20 gauge brass. Book
pendants could be made from 16 ounce roofing copper or aluminum or any other sheet metal you want. The cover should be sized to provide the front cover, spine, and back cover in one continuous piece. I mark the lines along the spine, but they are really only guides when you bend the cover. You can leave the cover blank or mark it in any way you see fit. You can stamp, etch, engrave, paint… however you want it to be. I use electrolytic etching to make all sorts of things, so I etch my book covers.

Whatever method you use to make the cover, be sure to cut your metal down to the final size and sand or file any sharp edges. If you are going to add any sort of patina, now is the time to do it. With brass and copper, I use acids to darken the surface, then sand and scuff to leave an aged look.

Step 2: Bending Into Shape

Next is the first set of bends. Using the lines along the
spine as a guide, I put the cover in a vise and bend the covers BACK from the spine. This will distort the line to simulate where a real book opens. Bend both covers back about 10 degrees.

The next bend is over the ¼” piece of wood. Bend the cover by hand over the wood trying to keep the covers aligned. Bend them as closed as you can.

Step 3: Almost the Final Shape

Keeping the cover over the piece of wood, put the whole thing in the vise. TIGHTEN the vise along the spine. TIGHT! Did I say the vise has to be TIGHT? Using your hammer, flatten the spine down to give it the look of a hard covered book. If the piece slides down in the vise, loosen it, put it back and TIGHTEN the vise better. Keep hammering until it looks right.

Step 4: Making the Pages

You should now have an empty hard cover book. Pry it open
just a little and figure out how big to cut your pages. You want the pages to be slightly smaller than the cover. Mark and cut your paper until you have a small stack that matches the thickness of your cover.

Step 5: Placing the Pages

Holding the stack of pages, place a small dab of glue in the middle of the edge that goes into the cover. Carefully slide the stack into the book and push the pages around until they look right. I use a small stick or pencil to help position the pages. Once the pages are in place, lay the book on your bench and use your hammer to ‘close’ the book. Use the hammer to shape the open edges and corners, rounding them slightly to mimic a well read book.

Step 6: Sealing the Pages

Let the book set somewhere until you believe the glue is dry. Next you will be painting the edges of the paper with clear nail polish to help hold them in place and seal them from moisture. I use 2 clamps to help hold the book, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Paint the polish along the 3 edges, heavy for the first coat and lighter on the second and third. Allow enough time for each coat to dry before adding the next. Keep adding coats of polish until you are sure all of the paper edges are covered, then set it aside to dry for at least 8 hours.

Step 7: Adding the Jumpring

The last step is to drill the hole in the spine for the jumpring. I use my drill press, but you can use a hand drill if you are careful. Drill the hole at the top of the spine. Once through the metal, tilt the bit and drill through the paper as close to the spine as you can. Using pliers, open your jumpring, run it through the hole, and close the ring.

TADA! You have just finished your Tiny Book Pendant! String it on your favorite necklace and wear it everyday!