I have received many questions regarding the lockets I made inspired by the movie "The Illusionist". 

Here is a video of the completed model.  (6.7 mb)

And here (finally) are some drawings and instructions for what I did:

1. 

Go to hobby/craft store and buy: (unless you like cutting shapes)

• 3 wooden heart wafers (or package with at least 3 wafers)
• Pack of axel pegs*

*Axel pegs should be in the size you want.  The width of the axel will affect the size of some of the notches you must make in the wafers. 

2.

Axel Pegs

3.

Cutting the lid-rotation pin (half-pins):
Work on the top/rounded part of the peg first so you'll have the leverage of the whole axel to hold onto.  Shape the top of the peg as illustrated.     Note: the top of the pin should be made concave: refer to step 5 for more info.  Cut the excess from the axel.  Save the excess: You can use it to make the center pin later.  The bottom of the pin is cut into trapezoidal shapes (see step 4).  The middle section should remain round.  Cut the pin in two halves.  This pin is designed to glue to the lid wafers and rotate when the two halves come together to make the heart-shape.

4.

Cut the hearts in half.  There are three layers of heart: lid (top), middle, and bottom.

Lid (Top) Wafers:
On the lid wafers, make trapezoidal notches for the half-pins.  The half-pins will later glue to these notches.

5. 

Back/Bottom Wafers:
The back/bottom wafers will have circular/convex notches to receive the rotating head of the lid-rotating pin (half-pins). Note: the concave/convex nature of the pin and notch.  This is to prevent the lid pieces from falling out when the locket is rotated between the heart and oval forms.  Cut these notches as smooth as possible: the lid will rotate by turning the pin in this socket.

6.

Middle Wafer:

Notches for Lid-rotating pin:
Cut notches for the lid-rotating pin.  The middle and bottom wafers will sandwich the head of the lid-rotating pin.  The notch should be cut to match the width of the circular mid-section of the lid-rotating pin.  Make these as smooth as possible.

Notches for center pin:
Measure to the midpoint (axis) where the locket will turn to rotate between the oval and heart shapes.  The center-peg must be in the center of the middle wafer - long ways.  I used a tiny drill bit and an exacto knife to cut these notches.  Cut one side square, and the other in a 'match head' shape.  See next step to match these notches to the shape of the center-pin.

 7.

Center Pin:
Using either the excess peg saved earlier or some other wood, cut the center pin: One side square and one side in a "match head" shape.  Cut as cleanly as possible to match the notches in the middle wafer.

 8.

A "glue side" is where the pieces are glued together - I decided that was easier than trying to call them top/bottom/bottom/top, etc.  Remember to only use a thin layer of good wood glue.  Don't let the glue seep into either of the pin sockets or the pieces won't rotate and the pins could snap.  (This happened several times with me.)  First glue the half-pins to the lid wafers.    (Diagram Step #1)  Next Glue the square end of the center-pin to the square notch of the middle wafer.  (Diagram Step #2)  Allow both to dry.

 
This is how the wafers stack before gluing.

 9. 

Place the 'match head' of the center-pin into the notch of the middle wafer.  Check the fit of the pin and notch.  When set, there should be enough friction to keep the halves from spinning.   Adjust if needed.  When gluing the center pin, it is easier to remove the lid pieces and deal only with the middle and bottom wafers.  Carefully glue the bottom wafers to the middle wafers to secure the center-pin.  Use clamps to hold the wafers tightly in place.  Allow a few days to dry.

10.

And if that wasn't hard enough to understand... Here's the part that's hard to describe:

Insert the lid pieces:
Turn the locket half-way between the heart and oval forms. (Perpendicular).  The convex notches for the lid-rotation pin should now be visible.  Carefully rotate the pin-head into the notches.  Don't force them.  You may need to sand and adjust to get them to fit.  Once the lids are in place, finish rotating the locket. 

12. 

There will be alot of tweaking to make it all snug but still rotatable.  Be patient. 

Depending on what you have planned for the locket.  The inside of the locket can now be cut to create the storage area.  (Although it could be cut at an earlier stage) As has been pointed out in some of the forums: the heart shape will be rotated in half, so any picture placed in the middle of the heart will be torn in half or will fall out the middle seam.   (The movie took a few creative liberties that ignore the laws of physics.)

I created a lidded box on one heart-half with gold leaf and gem-stones embedded in the other half.  Alternatively you could cut a picture in half and glue half to each side.  I leave this issue to your imaginative solutions. 

Now you are ready to Paint, Polish, and Adorn.

Here is an earlier video of the semi-completed locket (3.4mb)

Please email any specific questions to me if I've managed to confuse anyone.  Thanks.
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