A trial and error process

[ByrnBucks]

Good evening to all,

This is one step removed from engraving but I thought maybe some may find it intriguing. Four years ago beginning an endeavor to create something particularly unique proved to be most challenging. Although balancing expectations whilst attempting fulfillment of a lifelong dream has been one of the most satisfying experiences to behold.

Firstly I have zero assumptions that this process has not been know, used, and perfected by many over time. But having no real idea whether or not this may be common or even elementary to those in a type of smithing capacity, I began from scratch and spent about a year before the success rate rose above eighty five percent.

Well that out of the way here’s the seemingly simply process shown in this video. I begin with a penny that is 1981 or prior so its copper and not copper coated zinc. The first couple of years I mostly did I the zinc ones as they seemed more malleable. Unfortunately over the years discovered that after engraving and prolonged exposure to pocket sweat or temperature changes the exposed zinc would corrode, destroying the engraving.

Starting with a semi hand made “Im going to call a blank Die” as well as a fashioned portable anvil and a trusty old sledgehammer its time to make a bit of noise. Beginning in the center of the penny I push enough material outward so I can expand the sides without fracturing the edge. Then moving around the sides evening as I go the circumference of the penny grows a bit maybe a couple of millimeters on each side. Then another go around the center pushing enough towards sides that most all the texture is removed before doing the same around the edges once more.

Changing to a smaller hammer I try to remove any deep impact spots first then change to smoothing the entire surface again from the center moving outward. Once 90% of and light catching strike points are gone I’m left with a slightly concave blank so using a wooden block and smaller sledge I mostly flatten back down the blank and give it a finishing pass, lightly the strikes with every step. Finely one more flattering with the wooden block and one more extremely light finishing passes leaving me with an mostly flattened and totally blank copper coin to be engraved.

I’ve kept this process hidden away as most people whom I’ve shown the engraved piece assume and say “oh you smashed it with a hammer” underwhelming feeling to say the least haha. But never the less Im interested to hear from the community what they think of this process. Positive or negative, intrigue or boredom. Is this something that has been done by many or anyone who knows about this sort of thing wouldn’t waste they’re time on what would be a simple task to them.

After making this video I made another showing the first part of engraving this coin. Turns out Im not equipped to video any good close ups of the work but I posted it anyways as I think It shows ok graver control. I’d like to capture this from start to finish but the next step hopefully I can focus on the piece and Ill try my hand at editing it down to a watchable length. Lastly the design be engraved is a McKenzie scroll from Sam Alfano’s Pendant/Key fob design kit which is awesome for beginners.

Thanks for watching and I hope everyone has a wonderful day. BB

 

[gtsport]

Most of your post reads like an artist's CV and I can't seem to pick out what your goal in this process is. Personally, I would use a much more massive anvil and a shorter die what is easier to hold and less prone to be far out of parallel with the anvil, both highly polished and hardened. There is no need to worry about fracturing the edges of the coin as the alloy used for pre 82 Lincolns is very malleable, think about the pressed pennies available at tourist traps. Are you just looking for round blanks to engrave or is there something more, like a zen process, that you are going for?

 

[ByrnBucks]

Gtsport, In the beginning the goal was…. got me there haha.
Well always had an affinity for a found on the ground lucky penny. Then I recon started fooling around with the concept of making a unique trail marker, little something to leave at the end of a long and arduous hike into the woods. Next got one of those high tech “engraving machines“ from hobby store…. didn’t know anything about engraving or even ever thought about it, but ending up scribbling on a few pennies and keeping them in my pocket like a lucky found one. Maybe a year in to fiddling I stumbled across a engraving video and thats all she wrote, bought my first proper graver and been hooked ever since.

The extent to which I’m able to expand the perimeter of the penny without the side splitting is a bit more complicated than it may seem. The mechanics of the tourist trap machines moves the metal from one side to the other. I’m not familiar with smithing terms so I’m unsure how to explain but I use un parallel strikes from the center outward as very little progress can be made striking perfectly parallel.

Lastly a useable blank for engraving…yes. A zen process mmmm maybe a little, but more from the perspective of a more personal connection with the finished piece which almost always moves from the vise and into my pocket relieving the last from its duty’s as a keepsake.
PS just googled artist’s CV didn’t have any intention of coming across as such just trying my best to explain. BB

 

[mitch]

Most of your post reads like an artist's CV and I can't seem to pick out what your goal in this process is. Personally, I would use a much more massive anvil and a shorter die what is easier to hold and less prone to be far out of parallel with the anvil, both highly polished and hardened. There is no need to worry about fracturing the edges of the coin as the alloy used for pre 82 Lincolns is very malleable, think about the pressed pennies available at tourist traps. Are you just looking for round blanks to engrave or is there something more, like a zen process, that you are going for?

Funny you mention pressed pennies at tourist traps. A couple months ago a guy called me about engraving some sort of custom die for one of those machines that he bought for a song at a yard sale. We talked about it, but hand engraving was not gonna be a cost effective option. I haven’t seen one of those since i was a little kid.

 

[gtsport]

Funny you mention pressed pennies at tourist traps. A couple months ago a guy called me about engraving some sort of custom die for one of those machines that he bought for a song at a yard sale. We talked about it, but hand engraving was not gonna be a cost effective option. I haven’t seen one of those since i was a little kid.

I know a couple of guys who have these machines. I've engraved a couple of dies for one of them as a favor/thank you for other work he has done, but yea, not financially worth while.

 

[gtsport]

I like the engraving and I see what you are doing now. I would still recommend a shorter die and heavier anvil, it will allow you to move metal faster. If you are getting cracks at the edges, my guess is that it is the angle the die is striking the coin. The reason that the penny presses don't crack the coin is that they are doing a slow squeeze rather than a sharp blow. I've been making coins for about 20 years going from hammer striking to screw presses to my current hydraulic coin press and I've learned that metal acts somewhat like a non Newtonian fluid - if you hit it quickly, it can crack. If you hit it slowly, it will stretch. Think of silly putty. If you pull it apart quickly it breaks, slowly, it stretches. the picture shows what one squeeze at 80 tons will do to a copper cent. What looks like a crack is actually a line transferred from the die, which has a crack.

 

[ByrnBucks]

I like the engraving and I see what you are doing now. I would still recommend a shorter die and heavier anvil, it will allow you to move metal faster. If you are getting cracks at the edges, my guess is that it is the angle the die is striking the coin. The reason that the penny presses don't crack the coin is that they are doing a slow squeeze rather than a sharp blow. I've been making coins for about 20 years going from hammer striking to screw presses to my current hydraulic coin press and I've learned that metal acts somewhat like a non Newtonian fluid - if you hit it quickly, it can crack. If you hit it slowly, it will stretch. Think of silly putty. If you pull it apart quickly it breaks, slowly, it stretches. the picture shows what one squeeze at 80 tons will do to a copper cent. What looks like a crack is actually a line transferred from the die, which has a crack.

Good evening Gtsport, Wow That’s super cool one heck of a rig you must have to exert that much force. Long ago I saw a proper anvil for sale and it did cross my mind, but the progress wasn’t far enough along to justify as the first year was pretty rough haha. Very much appreciate the advice, glad to find out they’re others who where once at this stage.

 

[ByrnBucks]

Good Evening too all,
I started this particular project and had one day hoped to capture and share this process start to finish if only to be able to look back one day at the current state of progress. As such theses additional videos probably wouldn’t be of interest to most but I did manage to video the entirety of this piece.Though the time constraints of not wanting to stop decreased the quality a bit as a whole not ashamed to put it out there. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and your current projects go very well. BB

 

[MoldyJim]

I've used a rolling mill to make larger blanks out of coins. Silver coins work best, but copper/silver clad or old pennies works too. The clad coins are interest, if you cut all the way thru the cladding into the copper it will give a nice contrast and if you roll after engraving you can =almost make them look like it's a copper inlay.

Anneal them every few rolls, don't try to do it all at once.

Flip them over and rotate 90 degrees every turn through the mill.

You can also manipulate how you roll to get different outlines or sizes.

Much easier than hammering to thickness. The mill I have was given to me as a birthday present.
Chinese made but decent enough for my purposes. I've seen similar ones on Amazon starting at $134 and others going up into the thousands.

 

[ByrnBucks]

I've used a rolling mill to make larger blanks out of coins. Silver coins work best, but copper/silver clad or old pennies works too. The clad coins are interest, if you cut all the way thru the cladding into the copper it will give a nice contrast and if you roll after engraving you can =almost make them look like it's a copper inlay.

Anneal them every few rolls, don't try to do it all at once.

Flip them over and rotate 90 degrees every turn through the mill.

You can also manipulate how you roll to get different outlines or sizes.

Much easier than hammering to thick

Jim, much appreciate the knowledge of other techniques. And the results obtained from differing coinage. Hope you have a wonderful week.

 

[MoldyJim]

Thanks.
I forgot to mention, by rolling other materials with the coins you can add textures. Screen material will leave a grid etc.