!!!Caution!!! Melting pennies will release Zinc Oxide fumes which cause flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, nausea, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, joint pains, shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough. Use a well ventilated area with power assisted ventilation to avoid breathing these fumes.
That being said, this is ring made from pennies. You can smelt the copper coating off leaving you with zinc. Pennies minted after 1983 are all made like this.
You don’t have to have a lathe to do this. You could always hammer the ingot flat and follow the nickel ring instructions. A surprising thing is how lite it is. My wedding ring is the same size weighing 8 grams. This ring weighs in at 3.
That being said, this is ring made from pennies. You can smelt the copper coating off leaving you with zinc. Pennies minted after 1983 are all made like this.
You don’t have to have a lathe to do this. You could always hammer the ingot flat and follow the nickel ring instructions. A surprising thing is how lite it is. My wedding ring is the same size weighing 8 grams. This ring weighs in at 3.
Step 1: Smelt
smelt 1 (sm lt). v. smelt·ed, smelt·ing, smelts. v.tr. To melt or fuse (ores) in order to separate the metallic constituents.
I placed 10 pennies on a spoon and heated them with a propane torch. The spoon was held with locking pliers, which was held by a wooded clamp. Once the zinc liquefied I removed the copper with a metal probe (I used a light tester I had near by).
I then poured it into a section of ½” pipe and let it cool off.
I placed 10 pennies on a spoon and heated them with a propane torch. The spoon was held with locking pliers, which was held by a wooded clamp. Once the zinc liquefied I removed the copper with a metal probe (I used a light tester I had near by).
I then poured it into a section of ½” pipe and let it cool off.
Step 2: Cut a ring blank
Here I machined the ends off the blank then drilled a hole through it. I chucked the same drill bit into the lathe. Next I wedged the blank on by placing a plastic bag over the bit. Finally the outside was machined.
Step 3: Size the ring
To expand the blank I hammered it over a pry bar. I started out with a small bar then moved up sizes as the ring expanded. To get to my ring size I eventually had to hammer over a ½ socket bit.
Of course to get your size simply stop hammering once it fits.
Of course to get your size simply stop hammering once it fits.
Step 4: Polish
I evened out the ring with a file. I then spun it on a ½” socket bit and sanded it with 1000 grit then 200 grit sandpaper.
Lastly I buffed it on a buffing wheel.
Thanks for reading.
Lastly I buffed it on a buffing wheel.
Thanks for reading.
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V
Though... it is technically illegal, I believe - destroying currency :) Should be fine as long as you dont post it online or something... (just kidding - though I do think it is technically illegal...)
i don't want to get the zink all over my driveway.
also, dose the zink dull very fast
Great Instructable! You made the steps simple and easy to follow. I have but one suggestion: your caution about the zinc fumes is just a little too tame. It should read like this:
"WARNING! Breathing zinc fumes can KILL YOU! If you decide to do this and find yourself feeling flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, nausea, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, joint pains, shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough, go directly to the Emergency Room. You may have just contracted Metal Fume Fever."
Here's just one tale about a blacksmith who died from Metal Fume Fever: http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor.php?lesson=safety3/demo
Paw-Paw was an all-around great guy. BTW, Anvilfire is a great resource for blacksmithing and metalworking.
Zinc fumes are bad...mmkay?
I've enjoyed your other instructables. Keep 'em coming.
All the Best,
Matt
I found a Scandinavian journal that documented the death of three metalworkers: http://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=625
Here's an extract: "...The warning follows three independent reports of deaths from pneumonia with septicemia to the NLIA since 1997 among previously healthy men 50 to 55 years of age. All three men were exposed to welding fumes immediately before they fell ill. Two were experienced shipyard welders. According to their widows, they used to have bouts of metal fume fever several times a year..."
Many people survive metal fume fever, but like you said, I'd rather not find out how many times I can survive it. I appreciate your positive reply. Keep up your great work!
Now here is the cool part I had three cheapo chinese batteries I had just thrown away. I used my pipe cutter to crack open the case and peel the casing back like peeling open a ham can, only in a spiral downwards move. This kept me from having to mess with the insides and the acidic alkaline mess. It was all wrapped in paper inside. Now I have all the zinc I need for one ring and am recycling, Sort of... but hey no money wasted.
It makes sense as well as if everyone melted down pre 1992, after this period they become copper plated steel in Britain, there would be a mass shortage of pennies, thus forcing the Mint to make more whilst others are still, in theory, in circulation.
The law was most likely introduced to stop the large scale scrap dealers from doing this when scrap metal prices skyrocketed last year.
If everyone did melt down 10 pennies the government would make billions from the fuel duty on all the gas needed to melt them.
The cost of enforcing such a law alone make it farcical. You could test the theory and report one of your neighbors on crimestoppers for melting down 10 pennies and see how long before the penny police turn up to kick down his door.
One could polish then electroplate it to keep it from tarnishing.
As a concept electroplating is simple.
In reality it's a difficult process to get good results,
notwithstanding the fact that the chemicals used are not cheap and the waste electrolytes are considered hazardous and can't be disposed of easily.