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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: jimbo on July 12, 2011, 06:14:28 pm

Title: Coins
Post by: jimbo on July 12, 2011, 06:14:28 pm: Has anyone cut coins? if so what blade size and type did you use
Jimbo
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: GrayBeard on July 12, 2011, 06:17:36 pm: Check with FD Mike!
I seem to remember he has a very fine jeweler blade for that but not certain!?!?!?

My stepson does it all the time but he is a custom jeweler!

~~~GB~~~
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: jimbo on July 13, 2011, 02:54:01 am: Asked Mike and he is not sure as he has not cut coins, he suggested im#3 or ur #3, thanks any way GB
Jimbo
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: tux_linux on July 13, 2011, 03:58:07 am: a #3 seems a bit big to me - the coin might flip off the saw!

Coins by Steve Good:
http://www.stevedgood.com/penny.pdf
http://www.stevedgood.com/roundtuit.pdf

and a video: Coin Cutting Jig/url]

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PufirJOg3Y)
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: jim stiek on July 13, 2011, 09:46:39 am: I have cut lots of coins and find that the F.D. 2/0 is probable the best cutting of all I have tried even better than even the jewelers blade, blades of even smaller sizes can be had but they are made for hand saws, they can be used in scrollsaws but are very fragile and I only use them when size dictates. As scrollers we have to be aware that any blade we use to cut metal will not last as long as when cutting wood, the life of a blade when cutting coins can be extended by paying close attention to speed and feed rate.
jim
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: Gabby on July 13, 2011, 03:06:04 pm: Jim do you ever use lubricant while cutting coins?
I've done a little machining and we used a lubricant in one form or another, helps dissipate heat and lengthens the life of the cutting tool besides flushing away the chips. I'm sure no one wants to hook up a flushing system to their scroll saw, what a mess that would make!
Gabby
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: jimbo on July 13, 2011, 10:31:10 pm: Thanks for the info Jim, as yet I am not ready to cut coins just gathering the info on them as I have a heap of obsolete coins, NZ decided to change the size of its currency several years ago and I kept a lot and made them into frig. magnets but the novelty has worn off and can no longer sell them
Jimbo
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: jim stiek on July 14, 2011, 09:58:02 am: Gabby I have not found it necessary to use a lube on the americian coins I cut, but have talked to people from other countries that use different alloys and they tell me some of thier coins can be a challenge. Jimbo I have never cut N.Z. coins check to see what they are made of or just try one you will soon know if it is to hard for the blade. One tip if you are cutting bright coins spray a light coat of clear matt finish first helps cut down on the glare. hope this helps.
jim
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: Gabby on July 14, 2011, 03:01:47 pm: Quote from: jim stiek on July 14, 2011, 09:58:02 am
Gabby I have not found it necessary to use a lube on the americian coins I cut, but have talked to people from other countries that use different alloys and they tell me some of thier coins can be a challenge. Jimbo I have never cut N.Z. coins check to see what they are made of or just try one you will soon know if it is to hard for the blade. One tip if you are cutting bright coins spray a light coat of clear matt finish first helps cut down on the glare. hope this helps.
jim

Thanks Jim, I'm guessing that the difficulty of drilling could be an indicator of the hardness of the metal used in the coin and possible difficulty in cutting it. When I was first looking for a saw, I bought several interesting foreign coins from the local pawn shop with cutting them in mind. They enclude a British large penny, and a Australian penny with a kangaroo on the back, both appear to be mostly copper.

Gabby
W
Gabby
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: jimbo on July 14, 2011, 03:24:13 pm: Our older coins have a lot of silver in them so they should be easier to cut, thanks for the suggestions
Jimbo
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: Gabby on July 14, 2011, 03:28:10 pm: Quote from: jimbo on July 14, 2011, 03:24:13 pm
Our older coins have a lot of silver in them so they should be easier to cut, thanks for the suggestions
Jimbo

If they have a lot of silver in them they may be more valuable than you think, wouldn't hurt to check that out!
Gabby
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: jimbo on July 15, 2011, 02:48:43 am: Silver isn't worth much these days Gabby
Jimbo
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: Gabby on July 16, 2011, 12:42:23 am: Quote from: jimbo on July 15, 2011, 02:48:43 am
Silver isn't worth much these days Gabby
Jimbo

Are you sure?
Check this. http://www.24hgold.com/english/gold_silver_prices_charts.aspx?money=Euro&p=argent
or this http://www.silverseek.com/quotes/
Crowding 40 bucks an oz.
Gabby
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: Paw Paw Ray on July 16, 2011, 08:03:04 am: I've heard of an 8/0 jewelers blade but don't know where you can buy one.
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: cskipper on July 16, 2011, 08:55:13 am: Here are some sites for 8/0 jeweler blades - I have no experience with any of them or their blades (I just performed a web search):

http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/CTGY/jeweler-saw

http://www.progresstool.com/pd_herkules.cfm

http://www.ottofrei.com/store/home.php?cat=1139

http://www.pjtss.com/browseproducts/49.440-8-0--SWISS-MADE-PIKE-reg;-BRAND-JEWELERS-SAWBLADES-(SAW-BLADE).HTML

http://www.contenti.com/products/saws/400-201-8_0.html

This are reference guides for jeweler's blades:
http://www.anvilfire.com/FAQs/jewelers_saw_blades.htm

http://www.silversupplies.com/product-care-use/jewelers-saw-blade-sizes.html
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: mrsn on July 16, 2011, 12:21:36 pm: I have a pack of robert larson jewelers blades that I picked up at Rockler a while back. I have used a couple of them, they are crazy small.
I would think the hardest part of cutting a coin is holding on to something that small.
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: jimbo on July 16, 2011, 06:11:50 pm: The coins are held in a jig
Jimbo
Title: Re: Coins
Post by: Gabby on July 16, 2011, 08:05:34 pm: Katie, I saw a video from Steve detailing how to make a coin holder. It's probably in his video archive.
Gabby