Coin rings

gbones

New Member
#1
I heard about coin rings a few months ago on FB, after watching alot of YouTube videos I decided to buy some tools and give it a try. I bought a ring mandrel and a dappingblock set from amazon, punch and die set, 15lb anvil and a nylon mallet from HF. I found an easy way to find center of a coin(YouTube video) punch a hole in the coin, then anneal the coin. Put coin on the ring mandrel and hammer away. I'm making these for Christmas presents this year, so I've been using "state" quarters for certain people. Here's a few pics of what I have made, mostly U.S. quarters and 1 U.S. bicentennial half dollar and a few foreign coins.
 

CarPlayLB

Well-Known Member
#4
You know that is a Federal offense? LOL Kidding!

I have seen those before...they are awesome. keep us posted on this! I do not possess the skills to really make anything, so I will be watching. Aren't the all silver coins easier to do?

good luck and keep the pics coming
 

gbones

New Member
#5
The rings, my iPod takes shat pics. I have 5 silver quarters set aside for certain people and yes the silver is so much easier to hammer, but with that said they are that much easier to mess up. But put the coin back on the mandrel it get it back to shape. I'm still learning.
 
#7
Funny you posted this thread. I made my second attempt yesterday. came out much better than the first try. The video I first saw the guy wasn't annealing the coin. I didn't either. He was using a piece of schedule 80 pvc pipe with a cap on one end to hammer the coin down the ring sizer. I bought a 12" piece threaded on both ends and a pipe cap at lowes for $3. The punch and die set came from harbor freight for $34.95 minus a 20% coupon. Next attempt will be a gold dollar. I have seen a few different ways to do it and I'll give the annealing a try. I have to do several more before I try a silver coin.
 

gbones

New Member
#9
Definitely anneal the coin, it makes a huge difference. I heat the coin till it gets red but not glowing red, put it in water for a few seconds just so you can handle it. You will notice the difference rite away, especially with the silver coins. I do this about 3 times durring the hammering. Getting the center punched out is the hard part, marking a center on the coin is no problem but then you gotta center the coin in the block to punch it out and it can move between the first few hits.
 
#10
Here is an example that my Dad made while serving in Italy during WWII. He saw a buddy making one and thought it would be a great way to pass the time when they were on rest. He used the spoon from his mess kit for a hammer and his machine gun for the anvil. No doubt it took his mind away from the action on the front lines, and maybe was an inspiration for when he came home. He became a blacksmith after the service.
 
#11
Here is an example that my Dad made while serving in Italy during WWII. He saw a buddy making one and thought it would be a great way to pass the time when they were on rest. He used the spoon from his mess kit for a hammer and his machine gun for the anvil. No doubt it took his mind away from the action on the front lines, and maybe was an inspiration for when he came home. He became a blacksmith after the service.
That's great that you have the ring your dad made. There is a short scene in cool hand Luke that one of the guys was making a coin ring that way
 
#12
Looks good G-Man....:thumbsup:

How do you hammer on it without smashing the lettering...?



.
Haha Gerry, I saw your first edition. I use a steel ring mandrel and a nylon mallet, if you use a steel hammer, bye bye letters. The nylon mallet is soft enough not to damage the details, but if you do hammer the shat out of it you will see some detail get Fd up.
 
#13
That's really very interesting. I've got one that's been passed down as supposedly my Grandfathers (my namesake) wedding band that he made. Almost no detail other than very faintly on the inside. I'd assume that may have been intentional. A living aunt is 84 so I'm guessing it's from the late 20's? I've always wondered and disbelieved it a bit but this proves it as more common than I would have thought. Thanks for sharing! :biggrin::thumbsup:
 
#14
Definitely anneal the coin, it makes a huge difference. I heat the coin till it gets red but not glowing red, put it in water for a few seconds just so you can handle it. You will notice the difference rite away, especially with the silver coins. I do this about 3 times durring the hammering. Getting the center punched out is the hard part, marking a center on the coin is no problem but then you gotta center the coin in the block to punch it out and it can move between the first few hits.
The harbor freight punch has a steel base with the top half being clear plexiglass or lexan. It makes centering a breeze since you can see it. I use a 3lb mallet and usually with one solid blow it punches right through. There are no instructions. The punch has one beveled end and one flat end. The vids on youtube you'll see some of them using the punch with the tapered end against the coin. It works but the flat end is part of the cutting action. It cuts clean. Although the tapered end dishes out the coin and gives it a head start in turning it flatside out.

Btw it really kills the nylon hammer. A couple vids show a rawhide hammer. I need to pick one up.
 
#17
I havnt seen them done the way you have over a mandrel. thats intresting. The way Iv seen it done is just to hammer around the outside till you get enough lettering on the inside and drill out the remainder. The problem with that is your stuck with whatever size it is . usually too small. I suppose it could be stretched on a mandrel but i dont know. good winter progect :thumbsup:
 
#18
I havnt seen them done the way you have over a mandrel. thats intresting. The way Iv seen it done is just to hammer around the outside till you get enough lettering on the inside and drill out the remainder. The problem with that is your stuck with whatever size it is . usually too small. I suppose it could be stretched on a mandrel but i dont know. good winter progect :thumbsup:
I bought a length of 3/4" PVC to stretch the rings. You heat the coin up and a quick dip in water, put the ring on the mandrel and slip the PVC on top then start hammering. I did mess a few rings up this way, you just have to check the ring every few hits to make sure it's going down straight. If not you just gotta mess with the angle you hold the PVC and hopefully you can get it back to shape, but then you may end up with a ring that is to big or worse it'll crack but that hasn't happend to me yet.
 
#19
I did buy a ring stretcher from amazon but stretching the rings with it really gauges the inside of the rings. So I like the mandrel and PVC method.
 
Top