need help on silver dollar belt

[Leewood]

I'm not a leather worker adn this is my first post here.

I was recently in Taos and saw a belt with actual silver dollars or half dollars as conchos.

I don't know how they were attached but they were actual coins and not reproduction coin conchos.

Any idea as to how they were attached to the belt?

I've seen some where it looks like a metal loop or guide was welded to the back of some coins and the belt was threaded through. This belt was not that variety.

I saw the $275 price and backed away. Now that I'm home I wonder how they were attached adn if I could attach some of my old coins to a belt.

TIA.

Lee

[Rawhide]

I'm not a leather worker adn this is my first post here.

I was recently in Taos and saw a belt with actual silver dollars or half dollars as conchos.

I don't know how they were attached but they were actual coins and not reproduction coin conchos.

Any idea as to how they were attached to the belt?

I've seen some where it looks like a metal loop or guide was welded to the back of some coins and the belt was threaded through. This belt was not that variety.

I saw the $275 price and backed away. Now that I'm home I wonder how they were attached adn if I could attach some of my old coins to a belt.

TIA.

Lee

You could just cut a hole in the belt a little smaller than the coin and gouge out a recess for it to sit in, then cover it with a liner.

Marlon

[Kevin]

I used to know a buckle maker who domed the coins and soldered a Chicago screw on the back. Kevin

[JRedding]

Do you want to make a belt with a clean lined back ( no attachments showing ) or are you planning on attaching the coins after the belt is completed with the attachments showing. Because if you want a clean backside it's an entirely different process that requires a different method of attaching your coins ?

[Leewood]

You could just cut a hole in the belt a little smaller than the coin and gouge out a recess for it to sit in, then cover it with a liner.

Marlon

Marlon,

Thanks for the reply.

I am not sure what a liner is. Would it be a backing for the belt and coins so they didn't fall out?

What would I "gouge" with? Have you done this or seen examples of this process? Any danger the coins would fall out?

Thanks.

Lee

[Leewood]

I used to know a buckle maker who domed the coins and soldered a Chicago screw on the back. Kevin

Kevin,Thanks for your reply.What is the purpose of doming the coins and is that done with a press, heat, hammer?Not sure what a Chicago screw is or how to solder to coin silver. I guess I could do more research and or find a jeweler to do this for me. My hope is that there was a way to attach them w/o damaging them. I have seen coins with a band around them to use as pendants on necklaces and thought there might be a band that fit the coin, then had prongs that would go through the belt and be bent back on the back side of the belt to hold them in place. I thought there might be something like that.Lee

Do you want to make a belt with a clean lined back ( no attachments showing ) or are you planning on attaching the coins after the belt is completed with the attachments showing. Because if you want a clean backside it's an entirely different process that requires a different method of attaching your coins ?

Thanks for replying.I don't care if the attachments show on the back or not.What might be a method to attach the coins to a belt? Any ideas?Thanks.Lee

[Bree]

Kevin,Thanks for your reply.What is the purpose of doming the coins and is that done with a press, heat, hammer?Not sure what a Chicago screw is or how to solder to coin silver. I guess I could do more research and or find a jeweler to do this for me. My hope is that there was a way to attach them w/o damaging them. I have seen coins with a band around them to use as pendants on necklaces and thought there might be a band that fit the coin, then had prongs that would go through the belt and be bent back on the back side of the belt to hold them in place. I thought there might be something like that.LeeThanks for replying.I don't care if the attachments show on the back or not.What might be a method to attach the coins to a belt? Any ideas?Thanks.Lee

I know a guy who does this. He domes the coins so the attachment of the Chicago screw isn't visible. It sits under the dome. He built a doming jig out of coved out leather layers and just puts the coin in there and bangs away with his ball peen hammer. In a few seconds it's beautifully domed.

A Chicago screw is similar to a rivet but it screws in so it is removeable. It is soldered in using a good solder for attachments. I think he used silver solder. Prongs would work also but you would need to solder them on as well. I think the Chicago Screws are the easiest method.

My $.02

[Jordan]

There was a post, pre-crash I think, from a member that did inlays of flat bottomed stones in bracelets, and a explanation of how to do it. Perhaps someone could resurrect it or if they know who it was, could convince them to repost? If memory serves it was a two layer process with reverse bevel cutouts in the top piece, that held the stones in place, very beautiful items. It would probably work with coins also, and in rough times they could still be spent on more leather stuff.

Edited October 22, 2008 by Jordan

[Echo4V]

I think Marlon's method is what you are wanting as it won't damage the coin and if done properly there is no way to lose the coin. To put it more in lay terms you take the belt and punch a hole in it just a little smaller than the coin, lay the coin on the back of the belt( so it can be seen through the hole) and then sew something onto the back of the belt that will cover the coin and hold it in place.

I have also seen this method (kinda the opposite of what Marlon suggested) where the coins are layed out on the out side of the belt then a peice of leather is cut in a design with round spots where the coins are and smaller runs between the coins then that second piece is sewn on the top of the belt with the coins in between (kinda the way a ranger belt is two peices sewn together). I think this way looks the best but that's just my opinion.

Hope this helps

David

[tonyc1]

I'm sure you'd be able to "dome" them using a vise.

[Leewood]

thanks, Bree.

I think I'll try some method where the coin isn't damaged. They do have some sentimental value to me.

Lee

[Leewood]

There was a post, pre-crash I think, from a member that did inlays of flat bottomed stones in bracelets, and a explanation of how to do it. Perhaps someone could resurrect it or if they know who it was, could convince them to repost? If memory serves it was a two layer process with reverse bevel cutouts in the top piece, that held the stones in place, very beautiful items. It would probably work with coins also, and in rough times they could still be spent on more leather stuff.

Thanks for the reply. This sounds possible. Are there punches or dies that are sized this large (slightly smaller than the circumference of a silver dollar) that can be purchased to punch out the belt?

Not sure I'd bevel the top piece. Maybe just make it thinner leather then the middle piece has a hole the size of the dollar coin then the back piece is solid and covers everything.

does that sound feasible?

Lee

Lee

[DCKNIVES]

It can be done in two layers as others have said.I have not done it with coins but have used different materials such as Turquoise and Water Buffalo.They do make some large puches but that may be expensive if you are doing only one belt.A makeshift punch could be made using copper plumbing fittings and sharpening one edge of the fitting.Dave

here's one I did mounting some turquoise into my sheath.I filed the edge of the turquoise to make a small lip, then cut the hole in the leather and insert the turquoise piece from behind.Dave

[Leewood]

Thanks for the tip on the pipe fittings. I can check out if there are any that are of the right size. If not I could get a large wooden dowel and buy some metal sheet goods and do the same thing using a band clamp to hold the sheet metal around the dowel, sharpen the edge and use a flat board to back it up when striking with a hammer.

Just need to measure the silver dollar and go shopping. Then I need to find a cheap belt to practice on adn a guy that can stitch the belt for me. Maybe I can find a two layer belt, take the layers apart, punch the holes and have it restitched.

thanks again.

Lee

[Bree]

thanks, Bree.

I think I'll try some method where the coin isn't damaged. They do have some sentimental value to me.

Lee

Don't dome them then as the act of doming them, no matter how you do it, will of necessity damage the coin. It won't be flat anymore.

You could try to epoxy a Chicago screw to the coin. That won't permanently damage the coin as you can get the epoxy off with some work.

[Leewood]

Don't dome them then as the act of doming them, no matter how you do it, will of necessity damage the coin. It won't be flat anymore.

You could try to epoxy a Chicago screw to the coin. That won't permanently damage the coin as you can get the epoxy off with some work.

Bree,

Thanks for your advice. I need to think about the epoxy option. Not sure I'd feel really secure about the coins staying put.

Not to hijack my own thread but noticed your IBA membership. Are there a lot of motorcyclists on this forum? I ride a 2003 Kawasaki Mean Streak when I'm feeling sedate and a 2008 Yamaha FJR when I'm feeling the need for speed.

Best.

Lee

[Rawhide]

Sorry for the late reply here. I missed it. Below I posed an example of what I did. you can find individual punches the size you need, but unless you do a lot of punching, it's probably not worth the 30/40 bucks for one. Just use a sharp xacto knife or the like to cut out the hole, use a french edger to recess the back side of the hole and burnish the inside of the hole. place your coin in and cover it with a liner leather. A liner is just a piece of leather to cover the back side, they are either glued down or glued and sewn.

Marlon

[Bree]

Bree,

Thanks for your advice. I need to think about the epoxy option. Not sure I'd feel really secure about the coins staying put.

Not to hijack my own thread but noticed your IBA membership. Are there a lot of motorcyclists on this forum? I ride a 2003 Kawasaki Mean Streak when I'm feeling sedate and a 2008 Yamaha FJR when I'm feeling the need for speed.

Best.

Lee

I think there are quite a few. The FJR would be a good long distance bike. I was thinking about buying one once. It would go nicely with the Virago I have out in the garage!

[carr52]

The pictures arn't very good but I think you can see how I mounted the coin with the eagle head conchos.

Tom

[Leewood]

Sorry for the late reply here. I missed it. Below I posed an example of what I did. you can find individual punches the size you need, but unless you do a lot of punching, it's probably not worth the 30/40 bucks for one. Just use a sharp xacto knife or the like to cut out the hole, use a french edger to recess the back side of the hole and burnish the inside of the hole. place your coin in and cover it with a liner leather. A liner is just a piece of leather to cover the back side, they are either glued down or glued and sewn.Marlon

Marlon,Thanks for the reply. That seems to be getting there. I have made the copper fittings punches for the OD and ID of the 50 cent piece. I'll have to research a french edger and burnishing. I'm only familiar with burnishing in relation to printmaking.thanks again this gives me something to work with.Lee

The pictures arn't very good but I think you can see how I mounted the coin with the eagle head conchos.Tom

Tom,that is a pretty good idea. Maybe small star conchos would work for me around the edge of the 50 cent piece.Thansk for the idea!Lee