Coin enclosed pendant

[Patstone]

I am a bit stuck, making a pendant for my niece and its to hold a coin but so that the coin can be taken out. Made a bezel on the back to hold the coin but can't think how to keep the front from swivelling on the rivet at the bottom. If anyone has any ideas they would be very welcome.

[Dennis]

Pat, It's looking good. The problem is only that you have already drilled other holes at the top. you only need two holes, one in each part, and kept small enough to fit whatever you use. Perhaps you can close them by soldering on rings, disks or patches.

Then whatever you use to keep the parts together can also serve as the hanger. The simplest thing could be a small (5.0mm?) split ring, which is like a mini key ring, or a catch like a bolt ring or lobster claw, maybe put on back to front to hide the claw. Browse silver catches on Cookson to see.

You can also buy silver ear screws, with a screw and threaded tube. Buy two, then use Two threaded tubes and one of the screws to hold your work together.

Finally you can just use a small ribbon. Dennis.

[Patstone]

The screw part of the earring is quite a good idea but already tried the split ring and its not man enough. It will take a fair bit of wear and tear as its going to be worn every day. If I put a small bit of tube over the earring screw, it would give it a bit more strength. Thanks Dennis, for some reason I just had a mental block, been sitting looking at it for hours. I will post a pic of it when it's finished. Its not something I am proud of, not up to standard but it was to be done cheap.

[Patstone]

Got a better idea if it works. Wait for it,........... Belly bars, they are threaded each end. Got several new ones that I bought and decided I didn't like. Watch this spot.

[mizgeorge]

I think I'd just go for a large single hole on each side and use a triggerless clasp (or pearl shortener) to make a closure/bail all in one.

[Patstone]

Not sure what that is George, would like to see cos I have another one to do soon. What I have done is a soldered oval jump ring about 1cm high which allows the coin to be taken out and replaced if needed. Its in the tumbler as we speak, then have to final polish and set stone.

[mizgeorge]

They're not always easy to find in the UK, but the same job can be done by an albert - it's a neat way of reversing how things are attached. They come in lots of sizes - http://www.cooksongold.com/Findings/...rcode-NV50-102

[Patstone]

That would have been ideal but as I didn't know they would make them big enough I thought about the big carbiners but they weren't big enough, but the jump ring looks ok now. I will know what to do next time. Are the cheap tap and die sets worth buying or are they rubbish. Screwfix have some at £25.

[Dennis]

It is actually quite difficult to make a threaded hole and a screw to match and will take some practice. Even worse a hole in silver sheet has to be quite deep (about 2.0mm) and silver is so soft that it wears and becomes slacker with each time the screw is undone.

If you are going the screw route, then tiny stainless steel screws as found in glasses repair kits are best. They will tap their own thread in a hole about 20% undersized. As mentioned above you need quite thick silver and sometimes have to add a disk to thicken it.

I am not sure about this, but believe you can use stainless steel screws if you declare them, in the same way as you can use stainless steel brooch pins. Dennis.

[Patstone]

Well coin holder is finished and ready to go. Thought you may like to see it, not to a very good standard, no excuse but got to a stage where I wanted to finish it and get rid of it.