# Custom center bands.



## BradG (May 6, 2016)

I noticed littlemisscreative's post about custom center bands so I thought id share this with you.

A while back I went through a phase of making rings from coins. some of the middle eastern and far east coins are beautiful, and too small to be made into a ring. but they are big enough to fashion into a center band for a truely unique pen.

Here's my process:


*buy a bag of coins and pick one out which has detailing which appeals around the outside edge*








*Drill the center out. the size of this hole goes a long way in determining the final size of the ring.*






*This is a dapping block. it's used to hammer things into a dome shape. I have a hydraulic press so I used that, but it can be done in a vice also.*











*Press to this shape*






*Place it onto a jewellers steel mandrel. these are used for straightening out bent rings and making them a little larger by working them down the taper.*






*heat the coin until it glows with a blow torch, and begin working the coin with a soft hammer such as copper or weighted leather. Depending on what way around the coin is on the mendrel (Flange pointing in or out) will determine if you end up stretching it down the mandrel more as you hammer it, or if you're hammering it flat.*














*I give mine a rough polish so I can see what i'm working with*







*and then take to the grinder to profile the edges*







*From there, another polish.*







*And one finished ring with arabic script.*








here's a couple of other finished coins


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## Loucurr (May 6, 2016)

What is the tool you use with the rounded holes and the round tap?


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## BradG (May 6, 2016)

Loucurr said:


> What is the tool you use with the rounded holes and the round tap?



It's called a dapping block


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## BRobbins629 (May 6, 2016)

Great idea Brad!!


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## Robert Taylor (May 6, 2016)

very nice, thanks for posting, Bob


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## stonepecker (May 6, 2016)

Great work Brad. Very classy and well thought out. 
Wish you had a video out with the process for show and tell. Bet the library would love to have it here.

Way over my head at this time. But love the idea.


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## BradG (May 6, 2016)

I've asked for a camcorder for my birthday lol. no worries in making a video after then.


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## magpens (May 6, 2016)

Very creative, Brad !!!


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## nava1uni (May 7, 2016)

Explained very well, especially like the pictures.  Great idea.  I have lots of foreign money that I can use.  It gives me ideas of other places I could do the small thing.


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## Gregf (May 7, 2016)

10 ton pen press. 
Love it!


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## Carl Fisher (May 8, 2016)

I've played with that idea (have all the tools and such) but never could get anything small enough for a center band without making either a really big pen or using a dime sized coin. By the time you fold them they get pretty big diameter.


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## BradG (May 8, 2016)

Most of my pens are 15mm diameter, so that's not an issue for me. You would struggle for a slimline for sure.

Did you have the flange pointing towards the tip of the mandrel? As that way when you hammer it it's forced a little down the mandrel which will widen it. With the flange pointed towards your hand it won't stretch as much. This can be done with larger coins so long as you trim down the excess once it's been hammered into a ring shape


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## fitzman163 (May 13, 2016)

Very cool idea, and great work!


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## Jgrden (May 13, 2016)

I'll be carned. You are on to something. Those look great and have significance.


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