When a washer costs 8 cents!

bsshog40

I found a cheaper alternative.

jayPem

Bingo!

braddick

How long does it take to retrieve your drill, prepare the cent, and then drill the hole in it?
I'd think you would have to calculate the value of your time before a complete assessment can be made as
far as value.

bsshog40

@braddick said:
How long does it take to retrieve your drill, prepare the cent, and then drill the hole in it?
I'd think you would have to calculate the value of your time before a complete assessment can be made as
far as value.

I actually seen this on FB and thought it was funny. But to answer your question. It would take me less than 2 minutes to grab my drill, put a bit in it, put the cent in my vise and drill it. I have a very organized shop. Considering what it would it cost me to drive 15 miles one way to our closest hardware store and buy these, I think drilling the cent would be cheaper. Lol

alaura22

Do you know how hard it is to find fender washers?????

bsshog40

It sounds funny but I always pickup washers if I see them on the ground if in good shape. Lol

rte592

@braddick said:
How long does it take to retrieve your drill, prepare the cent, and then drill the hole in it?
I'd think you would have to calculate the value of your time before a complete assessment can be made as
far as value.

It's a hellofA lot cheaper than the gas round trip to the parts store.

Don't forget the steel Mexican money, they make solid washers... Weldable too if you need to plug holes.

Martin

100 years from now someone will wonder why a person would put a hole in such a valuable numismatic treasure

Make ‘em cringe it will
Martin

braddick

@bsshog40 said:

@braddick said:
How long does it take to retrieve your drill, prepare the cent, and then drill the hole in it?
I'd think you would have to calculate the value of your time before a complete assessment can be made as
far as value.

I actually seen this on FB and thought it was funny. But to answer your question. It would take me less than 2 minutes to grab my drill, put a bit in it, put the cent in my vise and drill it. I have a very organized shop. Considering what it would it cost me to drive 15 miles one way to our closest hardware store and buy these, I think drilling the cent would be cheaper. Lol

Using your logic- having to drive to the closest hardware store to purchase a washer- how long will it take you to drive to your closest bank to retrieve a cent?

PerryHall

This works great if you are using a pre-1982 copper cent. I'm not sure using a post 1982 zinc cent is such a good idea considering how easily zinc corrodes.

Namvet69

I've dug many a holed large cent on farm land and wonder what it was fastened to. Necessity is the mother of invention. Peace Roy

PerryHall

@Namvet69 said:
I've dug many a holed large cent on farm land and wonder what it was fastened to. Necessity is the mother of invention. Peace Roy

When a house or barn was built, they used to nail a coin (usually a large cent) to one of the rafters for good luck. Not sure what the rationale was for that custom. I imagine most of the coins had square holes. During the colonial period, nails were handmade and were fairly expensive. In fact, nails were frequently used as money due to coins being in short supply, When people living on the edge of the western frontier decided to move further west, they would sometimes burn their house down and then sift through the ashes to collect the nails for use in building their next house. Also, during the era of sailing ships, they used to put coins under the main mast of the ship in case the ship sank and all were lost. I believe this custom went back to ancient times. The dead would be buried with a coin to pay Charon the ferryman to ferry them across the river Styx to Hades which was the land of the dead.

MarkKelley

Time spent drilling as well as zinc rot are valid reasons not to go this route. However, I have a hole punch tool which is much easier and faster to use. It works great on copper cents as well as mild steel.

ricko

It is quick, it is available and functional, and cheap. Now... do you have the screw?? Oh good...saves a trip to the hardware store.... Cheers, RickO

bsshog40

@braddick said:

@bsshog40 said:

@braddick said:
How long does it take to retrieve your drill, prepare the cent, and then drill the hole in it?
I'd think you would have to calculate the value of your time before a complete assessment can be made as
far as value.

I actually seen this on FB and thought it was funny. But to answer your question. It would take me less than 2 minutes to grab my drill, put a bit in it, put the cent in my vise and drill it. I have a very organized shop. Considering what it would it cost me to drive 15 miles one way to our closest hardware store and buy these, I think drilling the cent would be cheaper. Lol

Using your logic- having to drive to the closest hardware store to purchase a washer- how long will it take you to drive to your closest bank to retrieve a cent?

My bank is 50 miles from us. Lol

JBK

Great idea. I recall this happening on a very wide-scalw basis in an African country (?) where one of the lowest denomination coins was made with a hoke in the center, and its value was a fraction of the cost of washers that roofers used. So, they all used the coins.

My only suggestion is, use pre-1982 cents.

rte592

@ricko said:
It is quick, it is available and functional, and cheap. Now... do you have the screw?? Oh good...saves a trip to the hardware store.... Cheers, RickO

A self tapping screw was used saving the need of a drill bit.
I have a pretty good assortment of nuts and bolts.
Still takes me awhile to get two that fit together.
Fine thread/course
Course thread/metric
Etc...if I need enough that match it's quicker to make the drive out than to sort enough and see if I can come up with some that work.

Manifest_Destiny

As noted above, it's fairly common to find large cents that were used as washers, or gears, or even as a pie crust crimper.

jesbroken

@alaura22 said:
Do you know how hard it is to find fender washers?????

We have one store that sells these, a paint and body supply shop 20 miles away. So any time I'm in need I buy a mixed size box.
Jim

jesbroken

I have done the same thing, Bobby. I believe I can beat your time. Lol
Jim

bsshog40

@jesbroken said:
I have done the same thing, Bobby. I believe I can beat your time. Lol
Jim

Looks good Jim. I just got done wiring my new shop. Built the 2 workbenches a week ago. Still trying to organize. And still have to insulate and put up plywood walls. Lumber prices have me slowed waaaay down. Lol Here's a panoramic view of my shop so far.

seatedlib3991

I was rather young at the time, but have never forgot my Electrician father showing me that all the fuses in the house he had just bought had pennies behind them. James

alaura22

Can I join in
Here's pics of my home made CNC Router

jesbroken

Great looking shop, @bsshog40. Look forward to seeing it complete. My wife and my son, and I built our 54x28 garage/workshop in 2001 after work and on weekends. Amazing the difference between 53 and 75. lol
That is some outfit, @alaura22. Would be nice, no doubt.
Jim

FrankH

I once had a "something" made of 6 half dollars soldered together and a SQUARE hole through the stack.
The top one was an 1853.

Lost it. looked high and low but it was 3 houses ago.
I'm sure it was in one of my plastic storage tubs but my garage was robbed 2 houses ago.

Smudge

I have an 1850 large cent with two holes that was apparently used as a button.

JBK

@FrankH said:
I once had a "something" made of 6 half dollars soldered together and a SQUARE hole through the stack.
The top one was an 1853.

We've seen similar things posted before, although I think it was a stack of large cents.

I saw a tool on clearance at a big box home improvement store and I bought it because it reminded me if the "coin stacks". I had intended to post a picture in some appropriate thread, but I've temporarily misplaced it.

The tool was some sort of wrench for use on radiator or stove valves.

OAKSTAR

@jesbroken said:

All I know is, you're not the only one that can make something with PVC! 😂 👍🏻

silverpop

if it works don't knock it

jesbroken

Cool. What ever works.
Jim

alaura22

A few more pics
My 30x40 back wood working garage

Inside

Planner and Router Room

Compressor & Dust collection Room

Stove for powder Coating

Upstairs Storage Loft

Some pics of my trucks I make

Front garagre, complete with 10,000lb car lift

Just some of the many things to keep me going

jesbroken

@alaura22 Wow, all I can say.
Jim

bsshog40

@alaura22 Sweeet

OAKSTAR

@jesbroken- Just one last question. Does this door open in or out? 😂 🤣