How to Make Movable Steampunk Spinning Gears

You can remove the cogs and gears from a pocket watch to make steampunk creations.

Steampunk fashion is inspired by the Victorian era and the technology associated with that culture. Watch parts and gears are often incorporated into steampunk accessories such as pendants, earrings and necklaces. These watch gears can be fixed onto the accessory in such a way that they are still able to spin freely, giving your steampunk creation an element of innovation and eccentricity, both of which are typically associated with steampunk culture.

Things You'll Need

• Old pocket watch
• Screwdriver
• Watch parts and gears
• Needle nose pliers
• Hammer
• Tacky glue

Instructions

1. Unscrew the back of an old pocket watch, revealing the inner cogs and gears of the watch. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws holding the parts in place and use a pair of needle nosed pliers to gently remove the parts.

2. Arrange the cogs and gears on your workspace, keeping the screws and the cogs and gears they held in place together; this will make piecing the pins back with their correct pieces easier.

3. Place the watch gears and cogs on the accessory or piece of jewelry you want to make into a steampunk piece; for example, you can fix the gears onto an antique locket to make a steampunk necklace.

4. Hammer down the pointed end of the screw that held the gears and cogs together so both ends of the screw are flat. The flattened end can now be glued in place properly.

5. Put the screw through the cogs and gears you are using in your steampunk creation and glue the newly flattened end of the screw to the piece you are working on. This will allow the gears and cogs to move and spin on the piece you have created.

References

• "Making Jewelry Now"; How to Make Steampunk Jewelry; Rena Klingenberg
• "Pink Raygun"; Steampunk Costumes - More than Gears; Amy Ratcliffe