Penny Block

ghetto · Jan 25, 2004

Just a thought I was wonder is it possible to take a bunch of pennies and melt them down in a metal mold and make a block, then it could be milled out.

I am going to try this out by using a blow torch.

9mmCensor · Jan 25, 2004

Try to use new pennies... Like a roll straight from the bank... not old drug laden ones you found on the street... although that would be kinda cool. (not literally though, it would impede the thermal properties).

zip22 · Jan 25, 2004

current pennys aren't pure copper, but zinc plated with copper (i think) and it seems like a lot of work.

Soja · Jan 25, 2004

Yep, not pure copper and a lot of work. Although the thought of a sub 1$ block is nice

.

{BC}Helix · Jan 25, 2004

I belive pennies before 1982 (I think) are 95% pure copper

ghetto · Jan 25, 2004

Well, thanks guys.

I will try it out anyway and let you guys know how it goes.

ZachM · Jan 25, 2004

You could probably get a block o fcopper cheap enough. It would be a lot of work to melt pennies down. They would contain a lot of contaminants too.

johan851 · Jan 25, 2004

Yeah, at least wash those puppies off really well first. Sounds like a lot of work, but hey, I'm sure it'll be interesting. Tell us how it goes!

iNSiGMA · Jan 25, 2004

Yeah, I wanted to know if I could do that melting down copper thing too....

- Why are pennies made of copper?
- Actually, they're not. The reasons they are made of what they are made of are economy (you don't want people melting down pennies and selling the metal for more than a penny) and color (you want pennies to be instantly recognizable as pennies).

How about melting down copper piping from home depo or from abandoned houses

?

ghetto · Jan 25, 2004

Ha, ha , ha...

I didn't tell you guys that I am in a welding class , that have acetyl torch, which is use to cut metal.

I will be using it to melt pennys.

I will weld a mold, or steel metal box together and heat up the penny in it. It will melt like butter those pennys. Then I just cool the melted block with a little water and tap the newly block out.

zip22 · Jan 25, 2004

if you're in welding class, don't you have access to better metals than pennies? its gonna be a zinc block. at least use try to make something somewhat useful.

ghetto · Jan 25, 2004

This is only to see if I can do this.

Since I do have a piece of copper block that I bought from onlinemetals.

I wanted to see if a block can be made from pennies and is it worth it to make.

Well, that welding class just have steel and aluminum

Korndog · Jan 25, 2004

OOO.. u don't want zinc in your wc system with copper. they corrode faster then aluminum and copper :-/

.
stick with onlinemetals dude.

iNSiGMA · Jan 25, 2004

wat about the pipes people?

pauldenton · Jan 25, 2004

iNSiGMA said:
wat about the pipes people?

i would imagine that it's cheaper to buy copper in block form than as pipes (weight for weight) since it's easier to transport and has had less processing - not to mention that it'd be easier to melt down on a small scale......

Korndog · Jan 25, 2004

you can't insure that copper pipes from a hardware store is c110 copper along with pennies. on onlinemetals its labeled 'c110 copper flat bar' so you know what you're getting. If you plan on put so much hard work into a block, you might as well spend a couple of extra bucks on good quality copper.

ghetto · Jan 25, 2004

Well, yeah c110 copper is better but that is no the point.

Basically I am trying to make something, instead of ordering it online.

Don't get me wrong, c110 copper is nice, but it would be cool to make a block from pennies.

Once I melt the pennies all the junk will float to the top like melting lead, well, it will be a lot hotter. The junk on top won't be a problem since, I will mill it off and cut to the size I want it.

I mean who can go around and say, "Hey guys my block is made out of pennies".

Looks like I am going to start on it on Tues, that is when I go to the workshop.

I will let you guys know, since no one has done it.

Korndog · Jan 25, 2004

true ture

well heres some tips so u can get it close to perfect..
get pennies before 1980s like some one eles suggested here, and then put them in vinegar and salt to clean them off to a shine.
it would also look cool if u had some mutated (half melted) pennies stick out of the top so people can be like "OMFG.. isn't that federal property?"

BeerHunter · Jan 25, 2004

Very creative...nessesity is the mother of invention right

hehe well as already noted pennys aint got much copper..bout 5%.

pauldenton · Jan 25, 2004

{BC}Helix said:
I belive pennies before 1982 (I think) are 95% pure copper

and pre 1864 ones are 100% copper... but needless to say their numismatic value is too high for them out to be feasable fot this project.
http://www.pennies.org/history/one.html

you could always buy some pre 82 ones on ebay or whatever - since you're planning on melting them down condition isn't a worry....

pre 1860 english pennies are also copper - and a lot larger than their US namesakes, at 34mm in diameter and 18.8g weight... also half-pennies, farthings (1/4 penny) and half, third and quarter-farthings.... again i suspect that their numismatic value makes them too expensive...

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