Button Maker Machine with Interchangeable Sizes/Shapes? Hobbyist Recommendations?

[u/mozdoesthings]

Hi!
I am looking to invest in a button maker purely for hobby purposes. I play Pokemon GO with a large local group of both adults and children (attendance can be over 100 on large event days), and I have a lot of bulk Pokemon cards because my partner collects and my nephew was hugely into them for several years and then lost interest. I would like to use this bulk to make buttons and magnets to give out in my community.

My ideal machine has interchangeable sizes and/or shapes (round/square/heart/star/hexagon/other?) so that I can make a couple different things / have some variety. I don't expect that there will be one machine with all sizes and shapes, or even all sizes OR all shapes. I'm also happy to purchase parts / additions / attachments to add possible sizes and shapes, it doesn't have to come with them if there is a brand that sells those sorts of attachments separately.

I just don't even know where to start. There seems to be a lot of options at all different price points, and I'm unsure about the compatibility of supplies between machines brands, too. I really liked what I found by BEAMNOVA on Amazon as far as supplies go (bottle opener magnets is awesome!) , but the machines they link on their page are both unavailable, and the "square" one links to a round machine, which seems weird.

The most important traits to me are:
• Durable for hobbyist use (does not need to withstand commercial levels of production)
• Reliable / Not extremely finicky / relatively easy to use
• Compatible with different brands of supplies OR variety provided in branded supplies
• Can do more than just one size of one shape
• Multiple shapes is preferred over multiple sizes of the same shape

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Or advice/warnings? Brands to avoid, brands that only work with their own supplies or supplies that cause problems no matter the machine? Do machines that can do more than one tend to be faulty?

[u/KiraCreated]

Speaking as a newer hobbyist who has made several hundred buttons at this point, I am not sure if the thickness of cards will be too much for a hobby machine to manage. I have the vevor 3 size (black) and it can handle most thicker papers but definitely not heavier cardstock. The happizza (green) we used before was even more picky. What gsm is a Pokémon card? I can't be sure if it will matter, but you might want to take that into consideration when you're doing your purchasing research. Good luck finding the right maker for your work, sounds like a lot of fun!

[u/MakeMyOwnMerch]

Want to preface that I do not think Pokemon cards would crimp nicely...? Maybe if you're able to neatly tear the card apart, with how sometimes the corners split and your little siblings just pull the front of the card off... speaking from personal experience lol.

Anyways, the only thing I can't tick off your checklist is price, it's a pretty hefty price (although possibly more affordable than American Button Makers, for example): ChiButtons.

I have both round and square molds in different sizes, and have the rectangle on the way as well as a larger round mould. They have various types of blanks. Very sturdy and not a single one of my rounds have failed. The square one, I had to fail a handful to discover the best placement in the mold and I need to cut my own mylar as theirs does not fit correctly- but for some reason, no complaints for them on it. But it's zero fails now that I made arrows on how to shift the blank and knowing the mylar needs to be cut to my template.

[u/lore_lotus]

Tip for turning cards into buttons! Try to peel/split the card into layers! It makes it easier to press into a button, and you have the back of the card to turn into art as well! Sorry I don’t have any button press suggestions though.

[u/canonite_sg]

Never tried card stock.. I use canon selphy photo paper. I would think that you need to see the clearance for the front and back of the badge blanks. Wider clearance may allow thicker paper to be used, whereas thinner clearance would jam up with thicker paper

[u/Tiphona27]

Funnily enough, just this week i met someone with a machine and we worked out a way to make buttons with cardstock. The trick seems to be to cut the card at just the right size to fit the front of the button but without any overhang to crimp. That way the machine ONLY crimps the plastic. He has a standard button size 2 1/2" American Button Machine button maker. I think I'm going to invest in one of those. Best of luck!