1 inch Magnet Buttons

THIS STYLE OF MAGNET HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. Please refer to this post for current info!


All of the ButtonMakers.net button machines are able to create magents as well. Here I'll explain how to make standard 1 inch magnets. These are made just like a normal button except you use the crimp adapter and a plastic flat back instead of a collet. Then you stick a little 1/2 sticky magnet on to the back. These little magnets are your standard household variety strength. They can hold 1-2 sheets of paper on the fridge, but that's about it.

Later, I will show you how to make "deluxe" 1 inch magnets, which look nicer and can have more strength.


To make magnets you will need:

A Model 100 One Inch Button Making Machine
A Graphic (artwork that you created on the computer, drew, or found, and cut into a 1.313 inch circle
Crimp Adapter
And Magnet Sets (complete magnet sets include the following):
Shell
Mylar
Flat Back
1/2 inch Adhesive Magnet

1. Place the Crimp Adapter into the crimp die (the one without springs) with the largest side down as shown in the photo.

2. Insert the shell, graphic, and mylar into the pickup die.

3. Place the flat back on top of the crimp adapter in the crimp die.

4. Rotate the pickup die under the upper die and press as normal, repeat for the crimp die.

5. Remove the button from the machine, peel the backing off the magnet and stick it on the back.

That's all there is to it!!!

1 inch Key Chains (and they said it wasn't possible)

All of the ButtonMakers machines can be used to make key chains as well as buttons with the use of the Welded Eye and Snaphook Key Chains (or if you have a 2-1/4 inch machine there are dedicated key chain sets available to you.) - All of the sizes, that is, except for 1 inch. One inch people have been stuck making buttons, magnets, tie tacks, and earrings only...

UNTIL NOW!!!

Thats right folks - with a little poking, prodding, cutting, and crafty spirit I've figured out a way to make key chains with the 1 inch button making machine and parts. Please note that this machine and these parts were not made for this, so proceed at your own risk. (I've done it a bunch of times and never had any problems though).

Okay first you will need the following:

- A model 100 Button Maker (of course)
- Complete 1 inch Button Parts*
- 1 inch Flat Backs
- Key Chain Snaphook Sets**
- A pointy exacto knife (like the one in the photo)
- A graphic cut into a circle

*Complete sets include Shells, Collets, Mylar, and Lock Pins -- but you won't need the Lock Pins for Key Chains.

** Key Chain Snaphook Sets include the Key Chain component itself and the Welded Eyes you'll use to attach the key chain to the button.

1. Get everything you need together.

2. Hold the Welded Eye up to the flat back to get a feel for where you should start cutting. You want the Welded Eye to be as close to the top as possible, but you don't want the flat metal part to protrude from underneath the flat back.

3. With the flat back on the table or a cutting board poke the tip of the knife into spot where your hole will be, and begin to twist it around and around. Keep twisting the knife in further making a nice cricle wide enough to just get the Welded Eye through
***Production Tip***
If you want to make 100's or 1000's of these for resale, I would recommend purchasing the key chain punch to make these holes instead of doing this by hand.

4. Poke the Welded Eye through the hole and set aside.

5. Begin loading the button machine. Put the Shell, Graphic, and Mylar into the takeup die (the one with springs). Then put the Collet into the crimp die as normal. Then carefully insert the Flat Back with Welded Eye on top of Collet, eye side down.

6. Press as you would if you were making a button, but with a little more care.

7. Remove the button from the machine, and attach the Snaphook Key Chain onto the back.

That's it. You've made yourself a 1 inch Key Chain!!
And they said it wasn't possible...

First Things First

Buttons are those little pin-back badges that you get from bands, or novelty shops, and things like that. We're not necessarily talking about the type of buttons you sew, although later I will show you how to use our machiens to make those too! The button shown below is a 1 inch variety. These are the most popular and my personal favorite.

Usually you can buy them for about a dollar, or if you're buying them in bulk (custom buttons), they can be priced about $25 per 100.

Or you can just make them yourself for way less -- and way more fun too!!


Okay, so what do you need to make your own buttons at home? Well, you need a button making machine. Like this one:

This is a Tecre brand machine from ButtonMakers.net. There are other brands around, including Badge-A-Minit, USA Buttons, and Mr. Button. There are also button machines for kids like that B-Dazzel. I don't like to mess around. I want pro-quality and ease, so I went with Tecre Brand. After closely examining all of the other options, this one is just the best for my needs.

You will also be needing button parts to get started. And unless you want to cut out circles by hand you'll also need a Adjustable Rotary Cutter or a Graphic Punch

Introduction

This is my first blog post here. In the future I will be using this space to post detailed information about making buttons with equipment from www.buttonmakers.net. There are a lot of crafty things you can do, and not a lot of info around about it. So hopefully I can do something to change all that!