What Customers Are Saying
- VideoPublic library teen space
We recently purchased a 1" inch button maker for our teen space. Teens so far love it! Figuring out how to use it was so easy that the teens did it themselves with a little help from the video and were making buttons on their own within minutes.
- Pop-up market booth
I use the 1 inch buttons for my pop up events and they always turn out fabulous. The pin backs for the 1 inch buttons are very sturdy as compared to other button companies.
Button bookmarksI use these to attach one inch buttons to the jumbo book markers, works great!
- High School Makerspace
This button maker is a workhorse! It is a great addition to our high school library's makerspace. It takes just a few minutes to teach someone to make a button, and they can turn around and teach others!
- Family Craft Night
We chose the introductory kit as a way to keep our family artistically active. After a few hours of practice tests, the circle cutter and button maker became a non-stop dining room factory.
The 1" Button Maker Kit is the complete starting point for making 1" pin-back buttons: the American-made Model 100 press, the paper cutter of your choice, and your choice of button set quantity, shipped together with free UPS Ground shipping in the lower 48 states.
Everything needed to press a finished button arrives in one box. The kit is built for the buyer who is starting from nothing — a school ordering its first press for spirit days, a library setting up a summer reading program, a crafter opening a booth — and it removes the guesswork of assembling a machine, a cutter, and supplies as three separate purchases. The press carries our lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects and lifetime USA-based technical support.
What's in the Kit
- 1" Professional Button Maker — the Model 100 press, all-metal cam-on-roller construction, built with American steel
- Your choice of paper cutter — Dynamo Punch, Adjustable Circle Cutter, or Graphic Punch (comparison below)
- Your choice of quantity of 1" Pinback Button Sets with spring pins — 250, 500, or 1,000 sets
- 1" Crimp Die Adapter ($17.95 value, included free) — lets the same press make plastic-back medallion buttons
- 10 1" Medallion Button Sets to use with the crimp die adapter
- One Magneta Snap Pendant with ceramic magnet, included free
- 3 months of free access to the Build-a-Button Design Center
- Three digital design collections: Button Essentials, Artistic Creations Series 1, and Artistic Creations Series 2
- Printable button-making templates, complete instructions, and free lifetime USA-based technical support
- Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects
Choosing Your Paper Cutter
The cutter is the only real decision in this kit, and it is the one most first-time buyers call us about. All three cut graphics to the 1.313" size a 1" button requires. The difference is speed, volume, and whether you will ever make other button sizes.
| Dynamo Punch — Good |
Best for: occasional runs and tight budgets. A compact, all-metal hand-held punch that cuts the entire circumference in one squeeze. It cuts 1" graphics only. The right choice for a classroom or a home crafter pressing a few dozen buttons at a time. |
|---|---|
| Adjustable Circle Cutter — Better |
Best for: anyone who may add a second button size later. Five pre-set sizes on one cutter, and it handles paper, photographs, and fabric. If you expect to grow into 1.25", 2.25", or 3" buttons, this is the cutter that comes with you instead of being replaced. |
| Graphic Punch — Best |
Best for: high-volume and repeat production. A heavy-duty table-top punch that cuts the full circumference at once with far less hand effort. Built for schools running spirit days, libraries running summer programs, and sellers cutting hundreds of graphics in a sitting. |
If you are unsure, the Adjustable Circle Cutter is the option most of our institutional customers choose, because it is the only one that still works if the program later adds a larger button size. Call us at (972) 985-5074 and we will help you pick before you order.
How Many Button Sets to Order
The kit includes your choice of 250, 500, or 1,000 complete pin-back button sets. Upgrading the quantity inside the kit costs substantially less per set than buying additional sets later.
| 250 Sets | The starter quantity. Enough for one classroom event, one library program day, or a first craft-fair table. |
|---|---|
| 500 Sets | Adds 250 more sets for $15 — about 6¢ per additional button, roughly half the cost of buying a 250-set package on its own. |
| 1,000 Sets | Adds 750 more sets for $44 — about 5.9¢ per additional button, and the quantity most schools and libraries order for a full program year. |
A 1" button set is a consumable. The press lasts for decades; the shells, mylar, and backs are what you reorder. Buying the larger quantity inside the kit is the cheapest button set pricing we offer on a first order.
Ordering for a School, Library, or Government Agency
- We accept purchase orders. Submit a PO through our purchase order page and we will invoice your district, campus, or department on net terms. No credit card is required to place the order.
- Tax-exempt ordering is available. Register your exemption certificate on our sales tax exemption page and sales tax is removed before you check out, so the total on the invoice matches the total on the requisition.
- Quotes for requisitions. If your purchasing office needs a formal written quote before the PO is issued, call (972) 985-5074 and we will send one the same business day.
- Free UPS Ground shipping on this kit within the lower 48 states. Shipping charges apply to any additional items added to the same order.
1" Button Maker Kit Specifications
| Finished Button Size | 1 inch |
|---|---|
| Sizing Standard | American Standard Sizing. Not compatible with foreign-made "25 mm" supplies. |
| Press Model | Model 100, 1" round |
| Construction | All-metal, cam-on-roller design with swivel die set and cushioned hand grip |
| Operation | Two-step press cycle. No die changes between steps. Positive full-stroke verification prevents half-made buttons. |
| Graphic Cut Size | 1.313" — the paper size your design must be cut to before pressing |
| Cutter Options | Dynamo Punch, Adjustable Circle Cutter, or Graphic Punch |
| Button Set Quantities | 250, 500, or 1,000 complete pin-back sets |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. Qualifies for the ABM Ultimate Extended Warranty. |
| Support | Free lifetime USA-based technical support |
| Manufactured | Made in the USA |
| Best For | Schools, PTOs, libraries, churches, nonprofits, political campaigns, rec sports leagues, crafters, small makers, band and artist merchandise |
Who Uses the 1" Button Maker Kit
Schools & PTOs
One inch is the lowest cost-per-student button size, which is why elementary teachers use it for reading incentives, kindness-of-the-week pins, and student council elections. The button is small enough to clip to a name badge or backpack strap without weighing it down, and a single press covers Friday spirit days for an entire campus year after year.
Libraries
Summer reading programs, Banned Books Week, and staff identification badges all run through the same press. At 1", a fixed program budget stretches further than it would at 2.25", so every patron who walks through the door can leave with one.
Churches, Nonprofits & Community Programs
Vacation Bible School themes, volunteer appreciation, donor recognition, and awareness pins are all produced in-house at a fraction of the cost of ordering from a promotional printer, with no minimum order and no turnaround time to wait on.
Political Campaigns
One inch is the traditional lapel campaign button size, and pressing them in the campaign office means a design can change on Monday and be in volunteers' hands on Tuesday.
Crafters & Small Makers
The 1" press is the foundation of a jewelry product line. The same machine that presses these pin-back buttons also presses shells for earrings, bracelet links, adjustable rings, interchangeable pendants, and bobby pins — several product lines from a single piece of equipment.
Bands & Artists
The classic punk-rock lapel size, sold in multi-packs at merchandise tables and pinned to jackets, lanyards, and bags. Low supply cost per piece leaves room for margin on a $2 or $3 button.
How to Make a 1" Button
The kit contains everything needed for all four steps. Most people press their first finished button within a few minutes of opening the box.
- Design your graphic. Use the included templates, the digital design collections, or the Build-a-Button Design Center, and print on ordinary paper — no special stock is required.
- Cut to 1.313". Run the printed sheet through your cutter. The extra material beyond the 1" finished size wraps around the shell's edge during pressing.
- Load the die set. Place the front shell, your graphic, and the mylar cover in the first die station and press.
- Swivel and press again. Rotate the swivel die set, add the collet back, and press a second time. The pin slides into the collet after assembly. No glue and no die changes.
Compatible Supplies & Accessories
Every supply below is designed and tested with the ABM 1" Model 100 press, so components crimp consistently from the first button to the five-thousandth. The same press and the same front shells produce every product in this list. Change the back or add a finding and you have a new product line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which paper cutter should I choose?
All three cut the 1.313" graphic size a 1" button requires, so the decision comes down to volume and future plans. The Dynamo Punch is the compact, budget option for occasional runs of 1" buttons only. The Adjustable Circle Cutter handles five sizes and cuts paper, photos, and fabric, so it still works if you add a larger button size later. The Graphic Punch is the heavy-duty table-top option for high-volume production with the least hand effort. If you are ordering for a school or library program that may grow, the Adjustable Circle Cutter is the option most institutional customers choose. Call (972) 985-5074 and we will help you decide before you order.
Should I upgrade the button set quantity?
Almost always, yes. Upgrading from 250 to 500 sets adds 250 more buttons for $15, and upgrading to 1,000 adds 750 more for $44 — roughly 6 cents per additional button, about half the per-button cost of ordering a 250-set package separately later. Button sets are a consumable and the press will outlast many reorders, so the larger quantity inside the kit is the lowest first-order supply pricing available.
Can my school, library, or agency pay by purchase order?
Yes. We work with school districts, public libraries, universities, churches, and government agencies every day. Submit your PO through our purchase order page and we will invoice your institution directly on net terms — no credit card required. If your purchasing office needs a formal written quote before issuing the PO, call (972) 985-5074 and we will send one the same business day.
How do I order without paying sales tax?
Register your exemption certificate on our sales tax exemption page before checking out. Once your account is verified, sales tax is removed from your order automatically, so the total you check out with matches the total on your requisition or PO. If you have already placed an order and need tax removed, call us before the order ships.
Is shipping really free?
Yes — this kit ships free via UPS Ground to addresses within the lower 48 United States. Shipping charges apply to any additional items added to the same order, and to orders shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, or outside the United States. Call us for a shipping quote on those destinations.
What is the difference between the kit and buying the machine on its own?
The machine on its own includes a small starter pack of button sets so you can test the press. The kit adds the paper cutter, your choice of 250 to 1,000 button sets, the medallion sets, the digital design collections, and free UPS Ground shipping — the full set of items needed to start producing buttons without placing a second order. For most first-time buyers the kit is both the faster and the less expensive path.
What size do I print and cut my graphics?
Graphics for 1" buttons must be cut to 1.313" in diameter. The extra material beyond the finished 1" size wraps around the shell's edge during pressing. Printable templates are included with the kit, and whichever cutter you choose is set up to cut this exact size. Ordinary printer paper works — no special stock is required.
What does the warranty cover?
Every ABM press carries a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, plus free lifetime USA-based technical support. This kit also qualifies for the ABM Ultimate Extended Warranty, which adds coverage for normal wear and is offered during checkout.
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