Make A Ring from a Half Dollar

With lots of hammering and dremeling, I turned a 1964 half dollar into an awesome silver ring!
Find more at the Maker Shed: makershed.com

[@DrabRabbit]

best weekend project ever. i've got an army of cool coins soon to be under the dremel. Thanks!

[@MAKE]

You're right about the drilling! One of the things that I like about wearing glasses is that my eyes are always moderately protected!

[@franzyland]

I made one of these in the navy. It took about a year on and off. I rounded the inside of my small hammer and polished the surfaces of my tools and the ring. It takes a LOT of patience. The most critical part is drilling the hole.

[@philmarchisotta]

Haha dude your "metal" part made my day lolol

[@Pepsicarwash]

Pretty cool way to make some wedding rings too as well. Both bride and groom can make each others, that way the rings will have more value because they were made by each other :)

[@MAKE]

Thanks! I spent most of high school as a metalhead!

[@feral_orchidd]

I love you. You're so creative!

[@IamFatnickc]

Great video, Bre!

[@MTBTexasBikeRider]

Awesome video!

[@Nolano386]

A few tips for those who want to try this. 1. Make sure your anvil, or whatever surface you are using, is smooth. If it's textured, the texture can be transfered to the soft face of the silver. 2. Hit lightly. His started warping because he was getting impatient and hitting too hard, I'll bet.

[@MAKE]

I just eyeballed it and then got it close and sanded it down to get it to the perfect size. Good question!

[@autumnbrooke]

Oooh, I love this. I actually have a bunch of 64 half dollars from when I worked in a casino. lol What a cool, interesting gift for other crafting geeks.

[@hotrodzombie]

Excellent! My boyfriend found this video last year and made me a ring using an English 10 pence piece. Although it had no silver in it but a high nickle content so it took him hours to hammer it (with a spoon!) but it is awesome! I stumbled across this video today, now I know why he was so inspired! Nice work! :-)

[@bodiza420]

Spoons are cool for rings too. Nice vid

[@fredrickfowler594]

Hi Bre, I stumbled onto your site when I'd been trying to remember the name of the Theremin, and after having done some research, remembered the name. Then (I remembered this from before) when my friend and I decided that we had so much in common (she said that she was going to buy one) and I did some research and found out that you could make one. So once I remembered the two things I came upon your site and found out how to make one. I was instantly addicted to your site and being that I've watched it so much, I have to go to bed now. I'll be up tomorrow glued to it. You are such an amazing character, and you've got a wonderfully zany sense of humor. Thanks so much, I will be in touch with you soon. Thanks so much once again. Fredrick Fowler.

[@futurevegan8617]

great job on this video, man.

[@BanglewoodCrafts]

That was really cool.

[@soulreaver6300]

I just made mine!! I did exactually like Bre did. But I took a little bit long to hammer it out and it came out perfect!! I do suggest using the largest drill bit possible.....gringing with the dremel took way long! gl and have fun

[@ssilverhawk7]

Your ring warped because it wasn't annealed (softened). That's the trick to keeping it even. That, and of course, plenty of patience. Silver work-hardens and becomes brittle from the compression of repeated blows, as do most other metals. Proper annealing, done several times, will result in a nice wide band. Traditionally, a wedding ceremony with a solid unbroken ring, like one made by using this method, meant the couple would also have an unbroken marriage.

[@woody558]

You hammered WAY to hard. Great Project!

[@jennabeanski]

Sweet! I never thought of that before!

[@MAKE]

Go for it! You're ring will be worth more than the 4 or 5 dollars the coin is worth!

[@uboaw]

great ideaa my friend !! genial idea mi amigo !!

[@LastTaboo]

Use a small hole bit and save the center round, if you are impatient and must drill at all. Take your time. Even if hammering takes days, it's worth not turning an ugly warped ring. OR: press a wedding band into a split cuttle fish bone and pour in molten silver. OR: Drill and hammer your coins, then melt the center rounds and cast rings or pendants. Make the most of your precious metal.

[@soapdoc]

LOVE it! Thanks so much for sharing :)

[@orangegold1]

OMG! Those are worth alot!

[@yis6afraidof7cuz789]

Haha "if you don't have an Aunt. Lidia" I do not! DANG IT!!!

[@silveraspenleaf]

Very cool !!! I got to do this in jewelry class. My hammering (peening) took 4 hrs. and the coin did not warp. Then I drilled a tiny hole off to the side so I could fit a jewelers saw in to cut out the center (for the great seal). I then filed and sanded the "Eagle" prior to forming it into a slight dish to solder, braise onto the ring. It is way cool !!! Everybody loves and I've been offered much more than what the "Proof Kennedy half dollar" was worth. GOT SILVER ?

[@MephistoRolling]

laughed my ass off when i saw the looks that girl behind you gave you when you did the metal bit!!

[@vincentorio]

Maybe a tip for peeps who are gonna try this, if you hammer the edges for about 5 - 10 minutes, heat the coin untill it's glow is colored between cherry red and orange. don't go above it because you'll probably burn/melt it. hold it with plyers! :P let it slowly cool somewhere on a heat resistant surface. this heating unhardens the silver so that you'll probably reduce the time hitting the coin with half! don't use a hammer that's too heavy, it won't help, use a maximum 0,5 KG hammerhead.

[@heuytube]

I made one out of a 1964 half dollar and it came out awesome .. added a ruby red Swarovski crystal for some killer contrast .. looks pretty mediæval!!

[@jezuzfreek777]

the most obvious question is how do you size it to fit properly?

[@MAKE]

The battery dremel is great until it overheats and needs to cool down for 10 minutes.

[@obeasthead]

anyone who made this please tell me what is the width of your ring after it is done? if the inner circumference of ur ring is around 6 cm which is a ring size about 9 or 10

[@PleaseEnterANam3]

thank you!! this one is actualy simple for me.....

[@seasonticket101]

mine came out great... thank for the vid

[@Rishnai]

That's freaking cool. I'm going to go make myself a ring now.

[@MAKE]

Wow, where do you get a ring for a dollar that's made of silver?

[@TheCorinne456]

really cool i finally have something to do with my 5 silver coin thingies

[@spore56go]

1:57 GREATEST PART

[@bubblejuiceman]

what kind of dremel tips do you use?

[@xMrBrown]

that was cool!

[@wilescoful]

i did this with a gold doller! AWESOME!! then sanded it down with 220, 400, 600, then 1,000 grit sandpaper! turnded out amazingly shiny "cause of the cheep mettle in the gold doller you get this two town effect. P.S. the gold doller was very small, (made it for my sisters so all was good)

[@MrMrblackcreek]

you can use a quarter !! drill small hole 1st. then keep shank of drill bit in hole while hammering outside rim. THEN, support drill bit on 2 small blocks so coin does not touch anvil and hammer some more. the drill bit becomes an "internal anvil" and spreads the inside. No need to waste so much metal. Also, be sure to heat with a torch to red and dunk in water to anneal once in a while or the silver becomes work hardened and can crack.

[@ColeslawProd]

Can you do the same thing with a nickel or quarter?

[@MrCelloman21]

please tell me where do you get a anvil?

[@ilovegibsons1]

How would you put like a gem or a stone on it?

[@xSynisterFox]

The reason why a spoon was used, was to prevent the warping of the ring. Yes, it takes longer to make, but the quality afterwards is much better.

[@blondeezrbanannaz]

can i do it with a quarter?

[@babylongate]

Myyyyy...............precious!!!

[@MAKE]

Yup, pre 64 quarters are also 90% silver!

[@MAKE]

Thanks!!! Yay 100th Video = Centideo.

[@Runies1]

prrrety impresive but i live in aus and i don't have thos coins can i make them from 20 cent coins? their as big as thos and if u get 1 that is made in 25-27 they r shineir then a 3 year old babies ass serously their good can i use them?

[@Decoy8]

@Belthazar451 Even with the pre-decimalized coins? I used a 1943 australian florin because it was sterling silver. It turned out quite nice though.

[@MrCelloman21]

cool@%@ i must try this can you try this with other coins or just that one?

[@ihatekate158]

Can you do it with just a normal half dollar..?

[@MrBondy123]

Is your dremell the same as kipkays?

[@yrusonoitall]

My question is how do you make a ring, with the words and year on the outside, like the rings they sell on eBay?? My guess would be to make a hole form the center, but tap the ring from the "center"??

[@MadNerf]

I would use the spoon. Its slower, but makes it warp ALOT less.

[@1theblacksmith1]

You can buy metal cones, or "Bick Irons" To slip that ring on and hit it with a raw hide hammer to make it round. I doticed at the end it was a bit...well...not round. :P Great video.

[@greensword5]

nice only thing is where the f... do you get one of thoos clamp anvils i want it lol good stuff

[@dumass00072]

I tried that with a silver quarter and a stainless steel spoon when i was little. i didn't set it down on anything hard i just held the coin in my fingers. It makes a great ring if you don't get in a hurry like this video. The payoff if seeing the inside of the ring. Advised only if you don't mind hitting your fingers a couple thousand times.

[@philblades4964]

I want to make a memorial to my Dad. Can I solder a screwdriver bit to this metal. He was a great shade tree mechanic/carpenter. Just passed this year (2021) during transplant operation. Totally unexpected.

[@smileynumber13]

Am I the only person that clicked on this because I saw the Gotham Girls shirt in the preview?? Rock on, dude.

[@steeltowndude]

And you gain a sweet-ass ring that's nearly pure silver.

[@MAKE]

5 shilling coin before 1970 should do the trick!

[@lili4trees]

wows, that was cool.

[@sweettooth80]

may i buy one?

[@anthony_kane]

I used a spoon on mine, and it came out much better than that. Had the year inside the band perfectly intact.

[@Cunhamatatta]

@chipayten By using the the word forging, you imply heating it in a forge and beating it with a hammer. I have never tried this, but, being a blacksmith myself (forging), I doubt this would work. A silver coin would be two small to work with on an anvil, and I'm not sure how you would get the shape of a ring like that. You could probably melt down a coin and cast a ring using the disappearing foam method, or some other method. Hope this helped your query.

[@RoseHathaway10]

@Zydrateaddkt91 I know those coins were sealed in a package doesn't that mean they were in perfect uncirculated condition?

[@MAKE]

Make a response video showing it off please!!!

[@whowantsabighug]

Do all American coins have precious metals in them???

[@AngelaWCM]

This is awesome! Now I have to look for coins. Great idea! I have another idea. Why don't you try making one with wire and just put four holes at the sides of the ring, wire wrap it to show the face on the coin? Don’t cut off the center of the ring. I think this will be more unique, because you’ll be showing the face on the ring. Funny video.

[@josephisepic]

dose it need to be silver

[@johnsonarcher]

turn the spoon over the other way and it gives a better curve to the shape of the ring

[@rockband9108]

will a 1966 work?

[@spore56go]

0:57 OTHER GREATEST PART

[@wally2714]

@RebuildReach In 2007 when this video was made (which was before the recession) silver was around 15 bucks an ounce. A half dollar is less than a third of an ounce. Don't we all wish we bought silver before the recession?

[@MAKE]

Euros have no silver in them :( Still it might look cool, just make sure to treat the inside with fingernail polish so the metals don't stain your hand.

[@Decoy8]

for some reason i cant get my self to hammer a silver half dollar.... but an australian florin works just as well! Its made of sterling silver and its smaller than a half dollar... so theres less hammering involved :P

[@pacotacos1234]

@scorpionkings i agree i have a collection of kennedy half dollars and that is my prized poestion in my coin colection

[@jacobpalomarez5349]

That's actually really neat, but I'd like to do it with gold, as it is much cooler. Maybe with one of those $50 gold coins from that infomercial. Now THAT would be worth it.

[@Decoy8]

@MAJMAJESTIC That half dollar hasnt been demonatized. Just no one spends them because they are worth more in silver than face value.

[@BeechSundowner]

Pretty kewl recycling LOL

[@jamanepanda]

as long as theyre....METAL!!!

[@goldernie]

"concerned citizen" HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[@22magicmike]

Any coin after 1964 is primarily copper based, and copper jewelry is known to turn your skin green when the oils from your skin rub off on it. You can go ahead and make one out of a new quarter but you will have green finger, just FYI.

[@camdencarman8917]

70*

[@number3665]

@poosaypirate not to mention the US still makes kennedy half dollars as proof coinage for collectors etc with the same composition as the coins from 1964.

[@mousepotato64]

Two points. Yes you did beat on it too hard but if the twisted look is ok then cool. Very important....save that stuff you take out of the center it is silver and worth money. I repair jewelry and melt down my scraps for reuse.

[@IVSpod]

Being a coin guy, this video makes my chest hurt a little.

[@viliulfosanchez]

I save them for collections

[@Techmatt167Official]

what do you think the girl is thinking behind you while playing your little guiatar

[@amylchapman]

That's totally not what I thought it was going to be. I'd prefer not destroying the half dollar and just gluing it onto an old plain band. :)

[@wilescoful]

you do now it you use a new one you get a two town effect cause of the cheap mettle inside then snad it down (1,000 grit on dremmal) = AWESOMENESS

[@dra999]

Wow @ the amount of valuable metal which is wasted in the process.

[@CyberToyger]

@Iwatchtrek Absolutely, as long as it's not used for fraudulent purposes; i.e. it would be illegal to - turn a nickel into a dime whether by melting it or pressing, crush a coin into any other shape and use it as currency, drill a hole through a quarter to make it as a necklace and claim it as legal tender (if you sell that necklace, you have to inform the customer that the quarter is no longer usable, otherwise it COULD be interpreted as fraudulent).

[@florianl.356]

I like the Vid. I Made my own ring from a Washington Guarter it only fits the small Finger. I will try a Kennedy Half Dollar. I am in Germany but thanks to Ebay we can get these Coins too. Greets from Here

[@futurevegan8617]

i used a smaller hammer and took it slow. mine wasn't warped... i think thats what did it... and mine turned my finger green also. lol... but i cleaned it out really well with mineral spirits... :]... lol

[@Jayjlow]

No not pre 64, I did it with a copper, like 2000 quarter. It looked pretty cool, but it tarnished pretty fast.