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Creating at Cline Library

Your complete how-to guide for enjoying the Cline Library's MakerLab and multimedia Studios.

Button Maker

Button makerThe Cline Library MakerLab offers two 1.5 inch American Button Machines button makers. These button makers create 1.5 inch buttons. Though checking out the button maker is free, you may purchase button supplies to make 25 buttons for $5 at the Ask Us! Desk. Bulk button making supplies are also available online from vendors such as American Button Machines. The button maker is available for checkout by NAU and CCC students, faculty, and staff, as well as community members on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • NAU/CCC Affiliates and Public
  • Number available: 2
  • Loan period: 7 days
  • Overdue fee: $25

View Availability

 

Kit Components

  • 1.5" Button MakerButton Maker Kit
  • 1.5" Punch Cutter

Button making supplies are available for purchase and the Cline Library's Ask Us! desk. A $5.00 pack of buttons includes:

  • 25 Button Shells
  • 25 Pin-backs
  • 25 Mylar Sheets

How To Guide

This How to Guide will show you how to:

Designing your Button

You can use a number of different software programs to design your buttons:

  • Canva (recommended)
  • The Button Guy
  • Microsoft Word
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign

Templates are available here; and from The Button Guy.

Designing with Canva

  1. Download this 1.5" button template
  2. Visit www.canva.com and sign-up for a free account
  3. Select the "upload" icon from the top right -- it looks like this:  & upload the 1.5" button template file that you just downloaded.
  4. Now you are ready to design! Anything outside the red circle will likely get cut off when the button is punched out. You can adjust the transparency to check if your design is in the red circle and fitting in the template.
  5. Canva has lots of free images, shapes, and designs. Some are free and some you can pay for. You can upload your own images as well. Use the search bar to browse different photos and illustrations.
  6. When you're done click Share > Download > Select "PDF Print" 
  7. Then open the downloaded file & print! 

* thank you to the Fort Saskatchewan Makerspace LibGuide for these directions, which we have repurposed here. 

Designing with The Button Guy

  1. Visit thebuttonguy.net.
  2. To get started, select Free Online Button Designer.
  3. Sign up and log in to your free account.
  4. Select your button size. If you are using one of MakerLab's button makers, choose 1.5".
  5. Click on any text to edit it using the text editor menu on the right.
  6. Select any element to change its color using the right side menu.
  7. Use the show/hide menu on the bottom to remove elements.
  8. Select Upload Image to add a photo to your design.
  9. Be sure to save your work!
    • Save Session to save the project file and be able to make edits in the future.
    • Save This Button to save and print your finished design.

Making your Button

  1. Place the button components in the pickup die and the crimp die.
    Button step 1
  2. Rotate the pickup die clockwise until it is underneath the upper die.
    Button step 2
  3. Pull the handle all the way down to crimp the shell, graphic, and mylar in the upper die. 
    Button step 3
  4. The components are now in the upper die. Raise the handle and rotate the crimp die counter clockwise. 
    Button step 4
  5. With the pinback still in the crimp die, 
    Button step 5
  6. Pull the handle a second time.
    Button step 6
  7. Rotate the die clockwise to see your finished button. 
    Button step 7
  8. Your button is complete!
    Button step 8

View the tutorial videos below for additional help.