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Tired of gold and diamonds? Perhaps you're a bit cool on that whole "diamonds are forever" bit? Maybe you're reluctant to prop up the De Beers cartel? Gold is nice, but doesn't it leave a bad taste in your mouth to be such a conformist consumer?
Well this is the project for you, the progressive, self-sufficient DIY'er! Show your love and lasting commitment in the way you know best: by making your own wedding band from a Genuine US Nickel! (or other coinage of your choice)
This is a great beginner wedding band project, suitable for a first engagement or wedding. By the time you're ready for your next wedding band, perhaps i'll have written up how to make something a bit fancier :)
Note: In all candor, I do not personally find this to be an especially attractive ring although I do wear it daily. I think it would be a lot nicer if you can find a thicker coin to use.
Well this is the project for you, the progressive, self-sufficient DIY'er! Show your love and lasting commitment in the way you know best: by making your own wedding band from a Genuine US Nickel! (or other coinage of your choice)
This is a great beginner wedding band project, suitable for a first engagement or wedding. By the time you're ready for your next wedding band, perhaps i'll have written up how to make something a bit fancier :)
Note: In all candor, I do not personally find this to be an especially attractive ring although I do wear it daily. I think it would be a lot nicer if you can find a thicker coin to use.
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Signing UpStep 1The Parts
You will need:
A nickel (or other suitable coin). You only want to use coins made from a relatively inert metal: Copper/Brass/Bronze, Silver and Gold are all fine. A US Nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) will work for ring sizes 7-10 or so (see the comments about possible nickel allergies though). Most other US coins are not suitable because they have a Zinc core, which corrodes rapidly and is bad for you. The Sacagewea dollar is a bronze alloy, so that will work nicely for large fingers. Several of the EU coins are made of bronze alloys, and they come in quite a few sizes.
Tools
There are a couple of different fairly easy ways to make the band. You'll need: a vise, a dremel tool (small rotary tool), a drill and a small hand file. Nice to have but not required: a center punch, a reaming tool, a micrometer for measuring the hole size.
A nickel (or other suitable coin). You only want to use coins made from a relatively inert metal: Copper/Brass/Bronze, Silver and Gold are all fine. A US Nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) will work for ring sizes 7-10 or so (see the comments about possible nickel allergies though). Most other US coins are not suitable because they have a Zinc core, which corrodes rapidly and is bad for you. The Sacagewea dollar is a bronze alloy, so that will work nicely for large fingers. Several of the EU coins are made of bronze alloys, and they come in quite a few sizes.
Tools
There are a couple of different fairly easy ways to make the band. You'll need: a vise, a dremel tool (small rotary tool), a drill and a small hand file. Nice to have but not required: a center punch, a reaming tool, a micrometer for measuring the hole size.
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Section 16 of the Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 ("the Act") prohibits the deliberate defacing or destroying of Australian coin or banknotes unless consent has been given by either the Reserve Bank or Treasury. As a general rule, such consent is not given on the grounds that banknotes or coin should not be destroyed or defaced. The legislation covers all Australian banknotes, both present and past.
It is also an offence to sell or possess current coins that have been defaced. Defacing a coin includes coating the surface of the money with any sort of material. The penalty for defacing coins , or selling or possessing money that has been defaced, is $5,000 or imprisonment for two years for an individual (or both), and $10,000 for a body corporate. You may also be guilty of the offence of making counterfeit money if you alter a genuine coin.
Wait, I have more.
Where's George.
Dollarbill Origami. (3 words, but whatevs)
Franklin Mint
Coin Jewelry
Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States; or whoever fraudulently possesses, passes, utters, publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or brings into the United States, any such coin, knowing the same to be altered, defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled or lightened - shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (Emphasis added.)
It is indeed illegal but the key word there is "fraudulently'
According to The New York Times, it cost the US Mint 1.73 cents for every penny and 8.74 cents for every nickel it makes. In 2006, in addition to the law already in the books, congress passed a ban on destroying US coins where the metal will be serve other uses. So maybe those museums are in violation of the laws but may have an exeption within the law that we private citizen does not.
in other words, it's legal to do this. people, please. Don't automatically assume you are doing something wrong just because the government languages things to scare you.
Clearly you're in hot water if you go hammering pennies or ripping or writing on dollars you intend to use as money. the moment you spend that money, you are breaking that law above.
Hey, thats the law. I had nothing to do with it so arguing it with me is pointless.
If I ever try to make a "Five-Cent Wedding Band" Ill check to see before my wife-to-be breaks out, not in tears, becuase of her close contact reaction.
Also for that reason, I would appreciate hearing of some potential problem that I might not have thought or been aware of.
I am sorry and do apologise if anyone viewed my comment as being against the instructable. I like the instructable. I intended my comment as a warning, some information that the potential maker might not be aware of. I find most instructables and their creators admirable both in concept and execution.
"Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States code provides criminal penalties for anyone who “fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the Mints of the United States.” This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage: however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent."
It's NOT illegal unless you try to pass it off as a coin that it isn't. The key here is the word "fraudulently"...
An example: the penny pressing machines that are at every tourist attraction. (I think just like that Funky Taco up there. Great name by the way.) Why are they allowed to deface the pennies if it is illegal?
*SARCASM SWITCHED TO: ON MODE* Is it an underground conspiracy controlled by the government? Are they secretly putting little listening devices into the pennies so that they can monitor us? No. In fact, the explanation is that it is perfectly legal.
Another example (i'm on a roll!). Store clerks used to - i don't know if they still do - but they used to use markers to check the authenticity of bills worth $20 or more. Why would they be allowed to do that if defacing the bills was illegal? Because it is legal.
In conclusion, the defacing of currency is permitted only if you are not intending to use the defaced currency for scammery (is that a word?) or skulduggery.
if your mad go with foreign coins
Why not solder two nickels together; or even three. this would give you alot more depth, etc.