Coin Rings

In this process, you will be turning a coin into a ring. This process in total should take about 2-3 hours. It is extremely important that once you start this process, you must not stop until it is finished.

For this project, you will need the following materials:

• Blow Torch
• Large rock or Brick
• Drill
• Flat Piece of wood
• C-Clamps (2)
• Mallet
• Rotary Tools/Bits
• Sandpaper (Used for polishing metal
• Paper and Pencil/Pen
• Ring Mandrel
• A Container of Water (A Mason jar works great)
• Pliers
• A Punch
• Clear Nail Polish
• Protective Equipment (Fire-resistant gloves and apron and safety glasses/goggles)
• A Coin (Preferably one about a US Half dollar in size

The majority of the items can be found at any normal hardware store. However, the ring mandrel will need to be specially ordered or you will need to go to a specific store to purchase. I purchased mine at Micheals. Click here is the link.

Make sure that your workspace is outside, flat, and away from potentially flammable materials. You will need 2 different workspaces. One for the drilling of your coin (step 3) and one for the metalworking (step 4-5). For step 6, you will return to your original workspace.

IMPORTANT: Your secondary workspace must be away from ALL flammable and explosive materials. Failure to follow this step could result in major burns, severe property damages, and in worse case scenarios; death.

For this step, it is pertinent that you follow the steps to the letter. Failure to do so could result in the destruction of your coin.

1. Using soap and water, remove all dirt and grime from your coin.

• IMPORTANT: Before you continue, make sure that your coin is dry to the touch. The best way to do this is to let it air dry over several hours. If that is not an option, dry extremely well using a towel or paper towel.

2. Using a piece of paper, find the center of your coin by folding the sheet of paper.

3. Using your pencil, mark the center of the coin that you just found in the step before.

4. Using a punch and mallet, make a small indentation where you marked the coin. This indentation should not go all the way through the coin.

5. Using the C-Clamps, make sure that the coin is clamped to your piece of wood in 2 different spots.

6. Using your drill and rotary tools, cut a hole in the center of the coin approximately 3 mm in diameter where you made your indentation in step 4.

• WARNING!: Keep your hands and hair away from the rotary tools and drill while in operation.

7. Repeat step 6. while slowly increasing the size of the rotary tool until you reach a hole diameter of 14 mm.

The video attached to this step will include step 5. It is important that once you start this process, you quickly transition to step 5 to assure you don't damage your coin.

1. Using the blow torch, heat your coin until red hot on your brick.

• IMPORTANT: If you heat up your coin too much, it will begin to melt. DO NOT OVERHEAT YOUR COIN!
• WARNING!: For this step, you will be working with fire. Make sure that you are using proper safety equipment and taking caution in what you do.

1. While the ring is still hot from Step 4, place the coin onto the ring mandrel/Punch using your pliers.

• In the beginning, you will use a punch as the coin will not have a big enough center hole to fit onto your ring mandrel. This is ok! If you were to make the coin bigger using the rotary tools, you would not have enough coin to make the ring.

2. Hit the coin down the ring mandrel/punch with your mallet.

3. Once the coin has cooled and his difficult to bend, remove the coin from the ring mandrel with your pliers.

4. Repeat steps 4 and 5.1-5.3 until the coin matches the desired ring size.

5. Once you have gotten it to the size you want, flip the ring over and repeat steps 4 and 5.1-5.4 with the coin facing in the other direction

• While this step is optional, if it is not followed, your ring will have a more conical shape than the desired cylindrical.

6. Once you are done manipulating your coin, place your coin into water.

• You should leave it in the water for 3-5 seconds.
• Warning!: The coin/ring could still be warm to the touch even after it comes out of the water.

1. Using sandpaper and your rotary tools, clean the coin again.

• This will make it shine and remove sharp edges. Specifically, go around the edges of the coin. This is where the majority of the sharp edges will be found.

2. Paint the inside of the coin with clear nail polish.

• While this step is not required for the completion of the project, it will prevent the discoloration of your finger due to the exposure of the metal alloys in the ring.