Make Yourself DIY Royalty With This Scrap Metal Crown

I received a pressure tank from a well pump recently. It was a bit too thin to make a drum out of so I tossed it on the scrap pile until a good idea came up. When I saw the metal contest, I went digging through my scrap pile for inspiration. I came across a 1" ring cut from a large CO2 tank. It was the perfect size for a crown. Hmmm... I put it on my head but it was too heavy. Then I saw the pressure tank. It was wider than the CO2 tank, but it was easy to cut and shape. This is how I turned it into a crown to be the self appointed king of DIY.

First I drilled a pilot hole for the jigsaw blade to fit into. Always make sure any tank is free of pressure or flammable gases before cutting or drilling. I traced a crown design onto the tank incorporating the groove to increase stability and cut it out.

I used a section of 4" steel pipe to form and shape the crown. I ground all the edges smooth with a Gesswein jewelers drill and finished them with sandpaper. I welded the two free ends together and ground the weld smooth. I used scraps of PVC pipe to curl the points downwards.

I cleaned the crown with alcohol and painted a base coat of silver industrial paint. I added several coats of gold glitter paint and several more coats of triple thick clear glaze. I used all Rustoleum paints for this project. I let the crown sit overnight to cure.

The headband was made with a strip of recycled upholstery material stretched over a split section of polyethelene tubing slid over the bottom of the crown. I used an old credit card to slide the material into the tight gap between the tubing and the crown.

Edit: After wearing this crown for several hours at a LameCon this weekend it started to hurt where it rested on my scalp. Next time I build one I'll add some padding or felt between the polyethelene tubing and the fur.

I wanted to add some kind of balls to the ends of the points to prevent accidents and add a bit of flair. I looked all over my shop, but I didn't have anything in the right size. I went down to the dollar store to wander around and I eventually found a cheap bracelet with cool looking beads. The were yellow and orange with blue accents in an organic pattern. It was a nice match with the gold and leopard of the crown. I cut the bracelet and glued a bead to the end of each point. I let it sit for a few hours to dry.

That was it. I'm now the monarch of my domain- sitting on my ergonomic, white plastic Ikea throne. It's a grave responsibility.

Keep an eye out because I'm sure I'll be making a bigger and even more spectacular queen's crown once my wife sees this one.