Craftin' Makes Me Feel Good: DIY Holtzmann Necklace From Ghostbusters

If you're as smitten with Holtzmann from Ghostbusters as I am, then odds are you've thought about getting your paws on that rockin' necklace of hers:

Quick Confession: I must admit, once I (finally) realized her necklace wasn't a nerdy Uranium reference, but rather a literal "screw U," I was a little sad. I'm not really a fan of insults as fashion statements. Never have been. 

BUT.

Then the Leslie Jones Twitter thing happened. 

And you guys, I got pretty mad.

And I realized: Holtzmann's necklace is directed at the haters. At every racist troll, at every patronizing fanboy gatekeeper. By wearing this necklace, we're not only supporting badass women, we're standing up for our fandom. Think we're fake geek girls? Think women can't be funny? Think allowing a new generation into the fandom is ruining your childhood? Then, hey, dude: READ THE NECKLACE.

So, yeah, that's when I made this:

It's not screen accurate by any means, but I kind of love the idea of putting your own spin on it. 

In fact, I made a second version that's slightly smaller - and even less screen-accurate - but I like it even better:

 

And this smaller version is the easier one to make!

So let's make some necklaces.

First, head to the hardware store and pick these up:

Those were the biggest split key rings they had, and I grabbed two sizes of sheet metal machine screws: 2 inches and 2.5 inches. (Make sure they're stainless steel, not zinc; zinc has a blueish cast that won't match the rings.)

Once you decide which length of screw you like (HEYOOOO), work it into the split ring like this:

It helps to turn the screw to get it into place. The ring will be more than tight enough to hold it, no adhesive needed.

The "U" is the tricky part, but you have a LOT of options. Here are some of the things I tried:

Starting from the left, that's 1) thick cut aluminum [requires power tools, not recommended], 2) thin aluminum flashing, 3) thin cardboard (ie a cereal box) covered in metal tape, and 4) a store-bought scrapbook letter, spray painted silver.

If you're aiming for screen-accurate, then my favorite is the aluminum flashing. It's thin enough to cut with scissors, has a nice clean edge, and looks convincingly metallic because, y'know, it's metal.

Flashing can be found at any hardware store, but you have to buy a roll of it - so if you don't have any lying around the garage, just cut up a soda can instead.

 

 Cut our your U, then glue in place with super glue or E-6000.

(I free-handed mine, but you can also print a large version of your favorite font to use as a template.)

Check it out, the split ring looks surprisingly cool from the side:

Next find a chunky O ring to thread an equally chunky chain through, and you're ALMOST done.

I say "almost," because you'll quickly discover the split ring wants to slide around, so your U leans to the side.  To combat this, I scored a few notches into the top of the split ring:

This roughs up the metal so the ring doesn't slide as easily.

If it still gives you trouble, though, add a drop of superglue to that roughed-up patch and glue the O ring in place. Easy peasy.

If you prefer my scrapbook letter option, here's the package to look for:

I got this pack at JoAnn's for about $3 with a coupon - and there are 4 Us, so you can make multiples.

Hit the U with a blast of chrome spray paint (or paint with liquid silver or Rub n' Buff), attach with super glue or E-6000, and voila:

 

I like this U because it's thicker than the aluminum, so it looks more substantial from the side.

However, the aluminum could be a bit more sturdy and weather proof. So your call.

Ah, but wait! 

I HAVE MORE.

Remember how I said it'd be cool if we all put our own spin on this design? Well here's one more option made by my friend Briana:

Those are just two pieces: a U-type shackle, glued on top of a linch pin.

(And I spent WAY too long figuring out the proper names for those, so be sure to use them at the hardware store like it's NBD, k?)

I especially love the shackle for the U. Here's what to look for in the hardware section:

That top bar unscrews.

(Briana is an amazing cosplayer, btw, and is putting together a Holtzmann cosplay you'll definitely want to see - so be sure to follow her on Instagram or FB!)

 I'll end with more beauty shots of my two versions, so you can decide which one you like better:

And hey, if you do make your own, remember to share pics on the Epbot FB page so the rest of us can shower you with praise, adoration, envy, etc.

Happy crafting, everyone!