Make:

• Halloween costumes for kids @ Craft!
• Art supply denim roll up
• Incredible pumpkin carvings by Ray Villafane
• Darkmantle - scary!
• Bike tool roll
• The how-to cat!

I like the idea BUT you can save some time and effort if you put the coin over a suitable hole - I generally use a large NUT or washer. Then beat the center in to dome the coin.

Once you have a dome you can file off the raised portion to make your ring, more work with the hammer and or file will produce a similar end product.

I love this one, its a quick, simple project. I might try this if I can find a coin...

Nice project. I did notice that when you were hammering, you extended your index finger. You might think you are getting more control but in the end, you will cause ligement damage to your wrist and hand. Keep up the good work.

Nice project. I did notice that when you were hammering, you extended your index finger. You might think you are getting more control but in the end, you will cause ligement damage to your wrist and hand. Keep up the good work.

Nice project. I did notice that when you were hammering, you extended your index finger. You might think you are getting more control but in the end, you will cause ligement damage to your wrist and hand. Keep up the good work.

I have made a few of these and it can be a little bit easier if you drill a small hole in the center of the coin before you start hammering the edges. Then put a small bolt through hole and use that to hold and spin the coin (I have also heard of people attaching the bolt to a slow moving motor so that they do not have to spin the coin manually). Also, if you have one available, a stepped drill bit works well for drilling out the center after you are finished hammering the edge.

Cool! There's an Instructable for making a ring out of a nickel, though it's kind of thin, especially compared to this one. Here's my take.
Nice job once again!

A little more patience or practice with your hammering technique and you could make the ring nice and round with smoother finish. The unintended twist is still a nice decorative touch. An earlier effort documented in a nice slideshow format i found here http://homepage.mac.com/johnhuber/CoinRing/PhotoAlbum20.html

i actually did this recently, except i used a pre '64 quarter instead. if you slow down and hit the coin much softer, it will not warp. i've also found that it even works with new coins, and have successfully turned a golden dollar into a ring, although the middle has a copper band. the words liberty and united states of America are still legible on the inside edge of the ring.

Hey Bre- Nice job, but you were right. You hit it a little too hard at the end and that is why it got all wobbly. I was the guy that made the step-by-step instructions, and glad you gave it a shot. Next time call me and I will help you get a straight one.

John Huber

So what can you do with the drill shavings? Seems like you're wasting a relatively large amount of the coin/silver. Next week show us how to melt down the leftovers from this project and MAKE something....

You'd waste less silver if you used a saw frame and a relatively thin blade to saw out the middle instead of drilling. But still, its a pretty neat way to make a ring.

I have made similar rings out of quarters (American and Canadian) but the problem with them is that they turn your finger green. Never did figure out how to fix that. Maybe a clear coat of some kind... who knows.

I also agree, a jeweler's saw will do better. I use them now, but started using a drill.

Frank Zappa? Is that you? I saw you once in New York City in the 80's on the water next to the Intrepid, and you came out on stage in a pink leotard! I was was like wow this is gonna be one wacky night.
Anyway...

You have to use silver coins or you will go green. For us quarters dimes and halves, that was 1964 and earlier.

You can make this much easier by annealing the coin. As you work many metals become harder even brittle. Annealing softens the metal by releasing internal stresses.

http://www.silverstall.com/annealing-silver-jewellery.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annealing_%28metallurgy%29

I want to melt the shavings too, give us the skinny Make!

Here are a ton of pre-64 half dollars on Ebay

here

As a trained jeweler, this video made me cringe multiple times. I understand you're working with tools you have on hand but there are things you can do like annealing the coin before and during the process and making a pickle with just simple stuff like citric acid to make working with metal easier.

Here is another take on the coin ring for your viewing pleasure.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/mtgsquirrel/th_coin-ring-1.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/mtgsquirrel/th_coin-ring-2.jpg

Message me if you want one. I can't do an instructable yet.

Thanks -Rob

BTW: Why didn't you site your sources Bree? They probably would have helped you, if you had asked. This way you just you plagiarized them. That is very week.

that ring looks really cool rob, I'd love to know more!

hey rob, hook us up with those rings!

I'm still working out the kinks on them. I'll let you all know when I figure out how to size them and a couple of other misc problems.

-Rob

Um... You might want to try looking a little harder for answers in the future... Like the question "Is it illegal to destroy money?" The answer is YES!!! http://www.bep.treas.gov/document.cfm/18/104

Oops...

Oh, did I mention I still plan on making one myself? I know I know... I have a complete disregard for the law...

Tmasman, YOU need to look harder. Read the entire page you posted, in particular the second paragraph, which begins "Defacement of currency in such a way that it is made unfit for circulation comes under the jurisdiction of the United States Secret Service"

The critical phrase is "Defacement of currency in such a way that it is made unfit for circulation" which means that you've altered the currency in such a way that you cannot reasonably expect anyone to accept it for payment. In such a case, the secret service (which falls under the purview of the treasury) is responsible, NOT the law cited in para 1.

mvd, I would tend to disagree. If you read the page, it says that the punishment listed is for mutilating the currency "with intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued."

I don't think we can plop down this ring as legal tender. The criminal code cited and the statement of jurisdiction are two separate statements that relate to one subject. Paragraph A says it's illegal. Paragraph B says who could go after you for it.

That said, I don't think anyone in the US SS cares about some geeks and their silver coins. Nobody who has a brain would be using these for legal tender anyhow. Despite my disagreement with the statement on the legality of such things(IANAL,) I still think this is a great idea. I'll make one next time I'm at my folks' place. They have the workshop AND the family coin collection. :)

Good project, if you want to save yourself 4 hours and get a ring that is quality, email me at coinrings@gmail.com, I make these and sell them online and locally.

So is this video evidence of a misdemeanor or a felony? :)

Relax everybody....silver coins are not subject to the currency defacement law. Many, many companies do business buying and selling for the silver content only (for example http://www.midwestrefineries.com/silver.htm). These people are not going to pay you for silver content so they can put them back into circulation at face. They melt them. Remember that a Franklin or pre'64 Kennedy contains 0.36169 oz. silver or, approx. $4.34 in silver (hang on to those filings).
NRHAreiner

I just noticed your Gotham Girls Roller Derby shirt. High five, which borough's team is your favorite?

Rob-I would LOVE to have a ring like the one you posted the link for here. I don't know how you got the ring turned inside out but it's really cool.
Email me at: gone.tothedogs@yahoo.com

Rob-I would LOVE to have a ring like the one you posted the link for here. I don't know how you got the ring turned inside out but it's really cool.
Email me at: gone.tothedogs@yahoo.com

Hey rob I also make rings like yours. I have been working on these for some time but I have a few problems i am trying to work out. They may be the same problems you are having with your rings. I think I know how to resize them. If you are interested in sharing your sytem of producing these, I will tell you mine. Email me charlesfoster82@yahoo.com

could you electroplate a quater before 1964 with silver after making it to stop it from making your finger green.

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