Pocket Watch Vault

Are you tired of having small objects stolen for you? The Pocket Watch Vault is a small safe, complete with key, hidden inside an ordinary pocket watch. It can store anything up to the size of a few stacked half dollars, and is inconspicuous. It is hard to open with bare hands, and will deter most thieves.

The Pocket Watch Vault is very simple to make. To make this instructable, you need:

A pocket watch (Not a wristwatch). I bought mine at Walmart for about $10
A flat head eyeglass screwdriver (For removing the hands and face)
A flat head screwdriver (Normal size)
A balpeen hammer (Optional, but makes removing the back easier.)

Most cheap pocket watches have a plastic lens. This is fairly easy to remove. First, tap it with the hammer or with the back end of your screwdriver a few times until it is cracked. Then, use the eyeglass screwdriver to pry out a few pieces, and it should fall right out.

The face should now be exposed. On some watches, you can just pry out the face with the eyeglass screwdriver. On others, you may need to do this step. Hold the watch in your hand and tap the face firmly with the back of the screwdriver until the back pops out. Then, remove the face and hands.

After removing the face, you should see all sorts of metal and plastic bits inside. Take them all out, either through the front or through the back (If you opened it up). Be sure to save the button that opens the watch, as this will become the key. You can save or throw away the other bits, they will not be used. Be sure to keep the back panel, though.

The last step is to put the whole watch back together. If you removed the back, place it back into its socket, and give it a few sharp taps with the screwdriver or hammer to get it back in the right position. Then, take the key and put it into its hole in the handle. Close the watch, and press the button. The watch will open. You can take out the key as long as the watch is either open or closed. You can close the watch without the key, but it is always a good idea to put it in just so you don't lose it. You DO, however, need to use the key to open it. Congratulations. You have made a pocket watch vault.