[asbill71]

I am wanting to make a set of dies that I can make little Deputy Sheriff's badges. I am a Deputy and would like to make little badges to give to children we come in contact with.

First question is what would make a better badge, plastic or maybe copper (maybe use pennies)

Second how do you make molds for the badges and what should they be made from?

Any help or direction would be appreciated, I think this would be better than the collector cards that some depts have. :wave:

 

[bob8748]

Might be a legal problem with pennys. Defacing US currency. Only a penny but you never know. Im thinking pressing your badge into plaster of paris, and filling with melted styrene (model material you can purchase in sheet or stock form). May have to buy the pin assemblies to glue onto the back. Just a thought.

 

[PWSchuh]

Might be a legal problem with pennys. Defacing US currency.

I don't think this can be true. Most of the tourist traps that you go to nowadays have those hand-crank machines that flatten a penny out into a thin ovoid and imprint a design on it. If you can do that, why can't you melt one??

 

[D-68pontiac]

i dont think pennies are copper anymore. just copper plated.

 

[edseldave]

Ive seen a product at model car stores for casting plastic parts . I think it says to make a mold from silicone or something rubberlike. This stuff is like a liquid 2 part epoxy you mix & pour into the mold . It hardens in minutes . flex the mold to pop it out & make another . The model car aftermarket is loaded with parts that people cast in resin , so it can be done . Check out model car boards & magazines . Casting in metal would be harder & much more expensive .

 

[Cal]

i dont think pennies are copper anymore. just copper plated.

You are correct, pennies have been made from sheets of copper plated zinc alloy since the middle of '82.

But if you are thinking about melting down some pre '82 pennies the melting point for copper is 1083 degrees celsius. And don't try to melt down any '43 pennies cause those are made of steel, and if you find a copper '43 penny you just became an instant millionaire.

Shawn

 

[EXJL]

If you want I can go the big route I can put you in touch with a manufacturing plant in China to quote it for you. The die, material and manufacturing cost would be lower then in the states. Plastic would be the cheapest, both to tool and produce. Another alternative would be to purchase badges that already exists. Finally, if you want to do it in the US, find out if a local plastic manufacturer or tool and die would do it. If not, they may know someone that would be able to help. I don't know your quantities, but it sounds like a good cause so I bet a local company may help you out on this.