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Machining a penny

sbogusta

Plastic
Joined
Mar 17, 2019
Machining Discs

What is the best equipment ?
 

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For production quantities, I would use a Hardinge second operation lathe (not a chucker). They are very accurate machines that take 5C collets directly in the spindle. They are usually equipped with a lever cross slide and a 6-position manual turret. Look for models DSM59, DV59, ESM59 or TR59. There are usually several on eBay, with varying prices and tooling. Some have sold for well under $1000 with good tooling.

When I wanted to machine just two pennies to make the wheel rims for a tiny cannon, I used my WW type watch lathe. I held the coins in a wheel chuck and used the slide rest to do the turning. The spokes are made from four 18 size watch center wheels, which each have five spokes. I think the year was 1965.

Larry

Vanice cannon.JPG
 
What is wrong with the machine you have?
If you wanted to pump out 10,000 or a million then, yea but you say a hundred or so.
You want to buy a new machine or process for a 100 piece run?
Lets do that math. Base price at auction and scrap metal say 1000, move cost another 2000, wire and spot another 2000.
So now you have 5 large into 100 pieces if you want to work for free.
Not sure the magic here.
Bob
 
Hundreds of pieces at a time? I would look into a CNC mill and make jigs to hold each sized coin. Those jigs may be as easy as some extra thick jaws for a milling vise and just cutting a coin shaped depression in them.
 
If the Fed discovers what you are doing to large quantities of their product they might get upset.

Really? 100-200 pennies = $1-$2.. LMAO

I'm sure "the feds" are looking into defacing a couple bucks of government materials hahaha :willy_nilly:

edit: my apologies, you are in CA so I guess you might really believe that
 
CNC or a manual lathe holding coins would be the challenge. I winder if a small independent 3 jaw might be good with it having jaws with a step shoulder to make face squareness assured. Perhaps just a common 3 jaw with the step jaws.
 
+1 on the hardinge machine set up as a turret lathe.

Hypothetical story: At one time somebody's mom was hospitalized for a long time. The hospital charged $4 per parking event, paid via
token purchased inside. One might find this to be very expensive, visiting nearly every day for several months. Further a hypothetical
person with a turret lathe might discover the skills to replicate said brass tokens, identical in every dimension and mass, to the genuine
article. Except for the embossed lettering of course.
 
Really? 100-200 pennies = $1-$2.. LMAO

I'm sure "the feds" are looking into defacing a couple bucks of government materials hahaha :willy_nilly:

edit: my apologies, you are in CA so I guess you might really believe that

You believed it and that is enough; hook, line and sinker. :crazy:
 
If the Fed discovers what you are doing to large quantities of their product they might get upset.

It used to be against the law to deface United States currency, not sure if that is still the case.
 
+1 on the hardinge machine set up as a turret lathe.

Hypothetical story: At one time somebody's mom was hospitalized for a long time. The hospital charged $4 per parking event, paid via
token purchased inside. One might find this to be very expensive, visiting nearly every day for several months. Further a hypothetical
person with a turret lathe might discover the skills to replicate said brass tokens, identical in every dimension and mass, to the genuine
article. Except for the embossed lettering of course.

The FBI Story:
A spy code named Whitey was passing a hollowed out quarter or half dollar with microfilm inside. Can see the machine cutting grooves on the inside.
The fit has to be just right so that the two halves spring apart when dropped on edge in the movie.

Another propaganda movie to entice kids to join the FBI.
 
Use a Chinese made inexpensive milling machine. They are cheap and can do a lot more than what you want a lathe to do quickly and cheaply machining coins. Use the milling machine to build the fixtures too for even more savings and fun.
 
It used to be against the law to deface United States currency, not sure if that is still the case.

By my understanding making a profit off the venture was a key component.

Larry making himself a cool mini cannon, using a couple pennies as raw material? No biggie.

Larry opening up a store selling such mini cannons? That's where we might run into a problem.

Using modified coins as props in a show? By my sensibilities that's an edge case, but I have nowhere near a comprehensive understanding of the law. In any case, as others have mentioned, the quantities are small on a Federal level so there's likely not going to be any issue.
 
OT:
Years ago I had vending machines about town. Going to a hotel to service a machine I felt odd as if I was being watched..I asked the manager and he said with those keys in my hand I was being watch by three FBI guys who were on the hunt for a telephone thief who quit the phone company with keeping all the master pay-phone keys..yes robbing phones. I have no idea how many FBI guys were in town at that time...seems they were chasing the thief all about the country..
 
The FBI Story:
A spy code named Whitey was passing a hollowed out quarter or half dollar with microfilm inside. Can see the machine cutting grooves on the inside.
The fit has to be just right so that the two halves spring apart when dropped on edge in the movie.

A True Story :
Bottlebob had/has ? a web page with a bunch of his little projects on it. One of them is the two-headed quarter.

Even when flipping a coin bottle always wanted an edge :)
 








 
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