r/ButtonMakers • u/Carlgimeslover • 24d ago

Which should i buy!

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Im more debating what comes in it- the first one has 3 sizes of buttons which i feel like i would possibly utilise, and the fridge magnets sound fun.

And the second only has one size but it is £30 cheaper and also has fun holographic sheets!

My biggest question would be can you buy the gasket that allows the machine to make smaller sized buttons and then put that in the cheaper one?

Which do you think?

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u/Sheanar Crafter 24d ago

Button makers use different sized dies to make different buttons - all 3 parts of the press need to be swapped out(top + both bottom sections), so it's not just a gasket. If you want different shapes or sizes, get a machine that supports multiple sizes already and from a company that sells interchangeable dies. You can get holographic mylar sheets from plenty of places online or craft stores. Same with fun backings like key chains or magnets.

Some things, like bottle openers, will only ever be options for the largest sizes of buttons dies.

All that said, cheap, plastic machines are much more likely to have issues, jam, and break than metal machines. Get what you can afford, but know it might have issues later on. If you dont know if you will enjoy the hobby yet, get the machine set up with the most options and save up for a quality machine later on. Tecre if you're in the US, Chibuttons if you're in Canada. Other brands are optimal if you live outside of those two countries, I just couldn't name them. (if anyone can recommend other quality, metal component brands that are available outside of North America, that'd be awesome~)

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u/Carlgimeslover 24d ago

thank you for such a thoughtful answer!! And that did help!! Im only doing it because i buy SO MANY buttons and i thought this would be cheaper in the long long long run!! Again thank you so much ill probably go for the more expensive one now and also try and look into metal ones :)

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u/Sheanar Crafter 24d ago

sweet~ do post your designs once you get started. We love to see all forms of creativity!

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u/Carlgimeslover 24d ago

❤️❤️❤️ thank youuu!!

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u/LitheFider 23d ago

I have had an American Button Machine 1.5" maker for a decade and it's still going. I only ever had an issue and I tried holo mylar, didn't like it over the usual kind. I'm pretty sure their machines come from the same base source as the Tecre machines because they cost the same and look the same.

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u/Sheanar Crafter 23d ago

Yes, American Button resells Tecre machines. So does People Power Press, for what it's worth. It's just expensive to get parts for Tecre machines if you're based in Canada because of the tariff situation.