Penny Bicycle: Make a Miniature Bike for $.05!

by funtogether

3.0K1004

Intro: Penny Bicycle: Make a Miniature Bike for $.05!

Pennies are a useful form of monetary exchange as well as a unique way of creating art. This miniature penny bicycle is made of pennies, wire, and hot glue. Hot glue is not the prettiest option, but, unless you have amazing soldering skills, it is the best option. I hope you enjoy this tutorial!

STEP 1: Materials

  1. Hot Glue
  2. Wire ( I don't know what gauge it is, but it has to be thick enough to easily support its own weight, and light enough to be easily bent)
  3. Three Pennies
  4. Two Pairs of Pliers

STEP 2: Bend the Penny

Grip one of your pennies between two pairs of pliers and bend. This will create a slight curve. Grip the penny in one set of pliers and finish the bend until it looks like the above picture.

STEP 3: Bending the Wires

Cut two pieces of wire, that, when bent in half, are slightly longer than the diameter of the penny. These pieces are labeled "One" and "Two". The next piece you'll need to make should be, when bent in half, slightly longer than pieces "1" and "2". This piece is labeled "3". Piece no. 3 should be bent as shown in one of the pictures.

STEP 4: Gluing the Back Wheel

Center the ends of the wires in the middle of the penny. Glue the ends of the wires in place with hot glue, as shown. Glue the rounded end of the wire into the underside of the saddle (bent coin), as shown.

STEP 5: Gluing the Front Wheel

Glue wire no. 3 to the coin, as shown. Glue the bent part of the wire to the underside of the bike saddle, as shown.

STEP 6: Gluing the Handlebars

Bend the ends of piece number 2, as shown. It should look something like the handlebars on a bike. Hook piece number 2 under piece no. 3 and glue in place. It should be starting to resemble a bicycle.

STEP 7: Gluing the Brace

Glue a wire brace from the center of one penny to the other. This helps support the frame of the bike.

STEP 8: Make Several!

Show them off! Show them to your friends! Make several! This is a fun, easy project that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. I hope you've enjoyed my Instructable! Please comment, and point out something you don't understand, or you think could be improved! Thanks!

Note: There is some controversy as to whether or not it is legal to bend money. The general argument justifying states that it is not "defacing with intent to defraud." I'm sure there are other views on this, but, even so, I hope those that disagree enjoyed my instructable as well!

4 Comments

owenkmc 9 years ago

I'm making this for my mother for Mother's Day this weekend and what I'm doing is drilling small holes around it so it looks like little spokes and then soldering the wires to the pennies. Then also adding a kick stand just so it sits up. Just what I'm doing. Awesome idea though. Love it!!!

funtogether 9 years ago

That is a good idea! I hadn't thought of that way of doing it. I hope your Mom likes it!

NathanSellers 9 years ago

Great fun idea. I'll have to try this out.

seamster 9 years ago

Yes, yes, it's cute and all . . . but can you ride it?? ;)

Alright, in all seriousness, this is very cool. I love tiny sculptures like this, and the use of pennies makes it even cooler.

It's completely legal to make art and other stuff out of money. (It's illegal to attempt to modify the value and then pass it off as something other than what it was originally.)