Core77
e
Using the Hell Out of a Corded Drill: How to Make a Ring Out of a Coin, When Safety is of No Concern
By Rain Noe - Nov 19, 2013
For those of you with access to a full shop—I'm looking at you, ID students—if I gave you a half-dollar coin and asked you to turn it into a wearable ring, which tools would you turn to? The drill press and bench grinder are probably the first to come to mind. That's why it's all the more amazing that this unnamed craftsperson did the same using little more than a hammer and a handheld drill (old-school style at that, corded and with keyed chuck) with a variety of attachments, some store-bought, some seriously jury-rigged.
The safety-minded among you will cringe—this man has no regard for his fingers, and while he never damages them on camera, it does look like the "Don't Do—" part of an industrial safety training video. Yet you can't help but be impressed by the results, and by the sheer range of uses this guy gets out of his drill.
Rain Noe
Rain Noe is a writer and industrial designer based in New York City.
6 Comments
-
Seriously he didnt do anything dangerous that most of us haven't done in a pinch. Its not like he was putting his hands in a brake press or torch or using an open face rip saw (Ive actually had to throw a circa saw in a vice once w/ the full blade facing out). Anyway, beautiful project. Im amazed though that he didnt use a vice! It would've made it all go smoother and faster as it would have a built in anvil that would stay put. Kudos.
!Report as spam -
Showing ignorance here but what is the brown and blue stuff he puts onto the polishes
!Report as spam-
Just fine rouge.
!Report as spam
-
-
Amazing use of minimal tools!
As a silversmith, the part that made me cringe was all the silver he was wasting. I would collect the silver shards from the drill and dust from the grinding stone to recycle. Also, there are other ways of making a ring from a coin that allow size variation and the design ends up on the outside.!Report as spam -
When I was a little girl, my father did about the same thing with a US nickle, a blowtorch, and a hammer. Again, he had little regard for his personal safety but today I have this great, little pinky ring as a reminder of that part of my life.!Report as spam
-
Having done some similar things in the past, how hot must that bit of metal be getting!?
Fingers like old leather!
Thanks,
Mike!Report as spam
Continued Reading
-
By Ray Hu - Nov 19, 2013
Introducing Pencil by FiftyThree: A Stylus That's Been Designed Down to the Last Detail
In the early chapters of The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance, Henry Petroski speculates about the uncertain origin of a certain species of writing implement, proceeding to chronicle a fascinating (albeit at-times long-winded) account of its eponymous subject matter. A civil engineer by training and professor by trade,...
-
By Rain Noe - Nov 18, 2013
Woodworking Tip: How to Drill Pilot Holes... Without a Drill Bit!
Meet my friend Brad, he's a pilotMeet my friend Brad, he's a pilotThe drill bits I break the most are the 1/8" ones I use for pre-drilling. Probably because I keep buying those cheap Ryobi bits (I like the hex shank), and I never stepped up to a more expensive...
-
By Rain Noe - Nov 08, 2013
Watch as Tony Swatton, Blacksmith to the Gods, Makes Thor's Hammer
Thor's mighty hammer, Mjölnir, was forged from magic metal in a workshop of the gods, right? Well, not this latest one; it was TIG-welded out of chromoly steel in a workshop in Burbank.Tony Swatton is a California-based master blacksmith who runs an unusual roster of employees, with a "Warlock of...
-
By An Xiao Mina - Nov 07, 2013
Fire Up this Portable USB Charger for Your Off-the-Grid Power Needs
At this point, any observant tech ethnographer knows that no one leaves their home without at least three things: wallet, key and cell phone. But lately, with the kind of short term battery life that smart phones have, I've noticed that more people are now adding another essential: some...
K
{Welcome
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
K
Reset Password
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.
