From: none@none.com99   
      
   On 11/27/2024 8:51 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:   
   > On Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:33:48 -0700, Bob La Londe    
   > wrote:   
   >   
   >> On 11/27/2024 4:17 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:   
   >>> On Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:55:48 -0700, Bob La Londe    
   >>> wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>>> On 11/27/2024 3:29 PM, Joe Gwinn wrote:   
   >>>>> On Wed, 27 Nov 2024 13:57:58 -0700, Bob La Londe    
   >>>>> wrote:   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>> Every since watching a woman dressed in pirate garb at a renaissance   
   >>>>>> fair (or faire if you prefer) place a blank in a set of dies and drop a   
   >>>>>> heavy weight on it to strike a souvenir coin I have had in the back of   
   >>>>>> my mind the idea to strike my own coins.  I can certainly make the dies.   
   >>>>>>     4140 is relatively easy to machine if you know how, and it will   
   harden   
   >>>>>> "hard enough" for a low production number of from a few hundred to a   
   >>>>>> couple thousand coins.  I also keep a bit of O1 and W1 on hand for those   
   >>>>>> cutting tools I can't hand grind from HSS or carbide.  I even have a   
   >>>>>> propane forge in the back along with a toaster oven for tempering   
   >>>>>> (although it gets used more for powder coating).   
   >>>>>>   
   >>>>>> I started writing with two questions in mind.   
   >>>>>>   
   >>>>>> Where to buy/make coin blanks at the best price?  Not the 10-20 on Ebay   
   >>>>>> or Amazon, but a couple hundred to a couple thousand at a more   
   >>>>>> reasonable bulk price.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Many country fair coins were made of soft aluminum.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Maybe the brass sold for stamped dataplates or tags?   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> .   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>> That's not a bad start.  Unfortunately they also sell end product which   
   >>>> usually means they don't sell for real wholesale pricing.  Its still a   
   >>>> good idea.   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>>> Probably the alloy used for copper pennys can be got.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Getting actual penny copper is not a horrible idea.  I could certainly   
   >>>> do some experiments by going through my change bowl and sorting out the   
   >>>> older real copper pennies to be restamped.  I suppose the zinc pennies   
   >>>> stamp okay, but they may not re-stamp okay.  My end goal is mostly for a   
   >>>> coin "about" the diameter and thickness of a regular classic silver   
   >>>> dollar.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Casting copper from old pennies, motors, etc could also be an option,   
   >>>> but that would make it a whole different class of project.  A time and   
   >>>> money thing, and I don't mean the pennies.  Also, my little propane   
   >>>> forge probably isn't up to melting enough copper to be worth while.  Its   
   >>>> fine for one off heat treating projects, but probably not for casting   
   >>>> any quantity.   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>>> Hobby stores may have coin-making supplies.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Hmmmmm... I suppose its worth a look to see if Michael's (are they still   
   >>>> in business) or Hobby Lobby has anything.  At the very least I could   
   >>>> read the packaging if they do to see if that generates an other leads.   
   >>>>   
   >>>>> Early Chinese coins were lost-wax cast from bronze.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> I don't think casting is really the way I want to go.   
   >>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Joe   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>> --   
   >>>> Bob La Londe   
   >>>> CNC Molds N Stuff   
   >>>    Do your own "fineblanking" - stamp your blanks from aluminum, copper,   
   >>> or brass flat stock on a punch press.   
   >>   
   >> I design some punch dies years ago.  Hadn't even considered it for this.   
   >>   Its an option, but a big fancy punch press is probably out of my   
   >> budget.  I'll have to calculate the shear and see if it can be done with   
   >> one of my shop presses or perhaps an improvise drop weight press.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> --   
   >> Bob La Londe   
   >> CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
   > Shop press will do it. Even a good arbour  press. Cycle time is slow   
   > doing onezies ---   
      
   I am aware that it will depend on die design.  I have a 6 ton arbor   
   press, and I think I would be hesitant to think it would manage a fairly   
   detailed die impression, but I have used it for lots of other things   
   including punching round holes in thin sheet metal.  I've also got a 12   
   ton and a 20 ton shop press.  Both are air over hydraulic, and actually   
   quite slow.  In the field at the "faire" a drop hammer is used.  a   
   relatively crude one.   
      
   "...a woman dressed in pirate garb at a renaissance fair (or faire if   
   you prefer) place a blank in a set of dies and drop a heavy weight on it   
   to strike a souvenir coin..."   
      
   I think if I follow through with this I'll stick with a drop hammer or a   
   trip hammer until production required a faster process.   
      
      
      
      
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
   --   
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