How much does a pin maker cost?

Pin maker machines start at $294.95 for the 1", 1.25", 1.5", 1.75", and 2.25" presses, and the 3" and 3.5" photo presses are $404.95. A machine sold on its own ships with a starter pack of button parts but no cutter. A complete pin maker kit includes the press, a cutter, 250 to 1,000 pinback sets, and three months of Build-A-Button, with free UPS Ground shipping in the lower 48 states. Kits start at $396.95, and the best-selling 2.25" kit starts at $476.95. There is no minimum order.

Why do some button makers cost more than others?

The difference is in the build. American Button Machines took a typical imported 3-in-1 apart: the dies rested loose in soft aluminum, the handle threaded into a cast mount, and the frame was plastic over metal, painted to look like steel. ABM presses use fixed, hardened-steel dies with no compression rings to wear out, a patented two-step press that makes a button in under five seconds, and so little force that students press their own. They are made in the USA, carry a lifetime warranty against defects, and ABM has stocked the matching supplies since 2005.

Is a pin maker worth buying?

It depends on how many pins you will make and how often. If you want a few dozen one time, ordering from a custom button shop is a reasonable choice. If you will make pins again and again, as a school, library, band, campaign, artist, or craft seller does, the machine pays for itself quickly. The parts for one run usually cost less than one order from a print shop, you get pins in minutes instead of weeks, and you can change the design between any two pins. Sports and school programs commonly sell photo buttons for $5 to $8 each. After a couple of runs the machine is paid for, and every pin after that is nearly pure margin.

What is a pin maker called?

The same machine goes by button maker, pin maker, button press, badge maker, badge press, or pinback button machine. Pinback is the technical name for the product itself: a metal shell, your printed design, a clear mylar cover, and a pin back crimped together. The name dates to the celluloid campaign buttons of the 1890s. At American Button Machines the presses are named by size, so the Model 100 makes 1" buttons and the Model 225 makes 2.25" buttons.

How do I make my own pins?

Print your design and cut it to size with the circle cutter. Load the front shell, your graphic, and the clear mylar in the pickup die, and the pin back in the crimp die. Rotate, pull the handle, rotate, pull again, and you have a finished pinback in two presses. On the 1" machine the spring pin slides into the back by hand after pressing, with no glue.

Can a button maker make enamel pins?

No. Enamel pins are cast metal from a factory mold: you pay a mold fee, order a minimum quantity, and wait for the run to ship. A button maker presses your printed artwork into a metal shell in seconds, one at a time or by the thousand, with no minimum and no wait. For the closest thing to an enamel pin you can make yourself, press a 1" Medallion, a flat-backed button made with the crimp die adapter that ships free with every 1" machine, and add a Lapel Pin, a peel-and-stick tack with a pinch clutch. Pressed as an ordinary 1" pinback, the cost is about 6.5 cents a pin in 1,000-set packs; the medallion-plus-lapel-pin version runs about 34 cents a pin at volume, plus paper and ink.

Rectangle 2"x3" PHOTO Button Maker - American Button Machines

2"x3" Rectangle Button Maker – Photo

Name: 2"x3" Rectangle Button Maker – Photo
Brand: American Button Machines
SKU: 2030-Photo
Price: 1795.95 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

$1,795.95

Best Price Guarantee Schools & Libraries: Pay by PO (972) 985-5074

Machine only. Includes the press and a starter supply pack of button parts. To make buttons from day one you'll also need a cutter and pinback button sets — or get the 2"x3" Rectangle Professional Photo Kit, the complete setup with free UPS Ground shipping.

The 2"x3" Rectangle Button Maker, Photo (Model 2030 Photo), presses 2 by 3 inch rectangle buttons and magnets on thicker photo paper. It is an all-steel, American Standard press, made in the USA, and it ships with 25 free complete pinback button sets so you can make your first buttons the day it arrives.

A rectangle gives you a wider, photo-friendly canvas than a round button, which makes it a natural fit for photographers, event badges, and picture magnets. This version is built for photo paper; if you plan to print on regular printer paper, see the 2"x3" Rectangle Button Maker, Paper. To get everything in one order, choose the 2"x3" Rectangle Professional Photo Button Maker Kit, which ships free by UPS Ground.

2"x3" Rectangle Photo Button Maker Specifications

Model	Model 2030 Photo
Finished Size	2" x 3" rectangle
Paper Type	Photo paper. For printer paper, use the 2"x3" Paper version of this machine.
Graphic Cut Size	2.894" x 3.892", the size your photo is cut to before pressing
Supplies	2"x3" Photo pinback button sets (horizontal or vertical) and 2"x3" Photo magnet sets
Speed	A finished button in under 5 seconds; several hundred buttons per hour
Press Design	Patented two-step process with a cam-on-roller design that takes very little force; pickup die on the left, crimp die on the right
Construction	All steel, no plastic or composite parts; rectangle dies are hand milled because a rectangle cannot be turned on a lathe
In the Box	Press, 25 free complete pinback button sets, button making templates, and complete instructions
Warranty	Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects
Support	Lifetime U.S.-based phone support
Manufactured	Made in USA
Best For	Photographers, schools, sports leagues, event planners, real estate and small business promotions, and campaigns

Photo and Paper Versions: Why It Matters

ABM makes two 2"x3" rectangle machines, one for photo paper and one for printer paper. Photo paper is thicker, so this machine and its supplies are built for that thickness. Use 2"x3" Photo pinback sets, Photo magnet sets, and Photo mylar with this machine; the Paper sets are made for the Paper version. The Model 2030 Photo is also built to American Standard sizing, so foreign-made metric rectangle supplies do not typically crimp correctly in it.

Not sure which version or which supplies you need? Call us at (972) 985-5074 and we will help you choose before you order.

Use Case Ideas for 2"x3" Photo Buttons and Magnets

The rectangle shape frames a photo the way people are used to seeing one. Popular uses include:

Portrait and event photography. An add-on product for school picture days, sports leagues, and family sessions.
Sports teams. Player photo buttons for parents and fans, and team photo magnets for the fridge.
Event and name badges. A photo and a name in one badge for conferences, staff, and volunteers.
Weddings and save-the-dates. Photo magnets guests keep long after the event.
Real estate and small business. Photo magnets with contact details that stay on the refrigerator.
Schools and graduations. Senior photos, homecoming, and recognition buttons.

See an ABM Button Maker in Action

For full step-by-step guidance, download the complete 2"x3" instructions PDF.

What You Can Make with the 2"x3" Photo Machine

The same machine and the same rectangle shells press every product below. Swap the back and you have a new product.

Horizontal Pinback Sets

Shell, pinback, and mylar for landscape photos and wide designs.

Vertical Pinback Sets

The same set with the pin turned for portrait photos and name badges.

Photo Magnet Sets

Rectangle photo magnets with a steel shell, for save-the-dates, team photos, and business magnets.

2"x3" Photo Template

A printing template sized for this machine, so your photos line up before you cut.

Open vs. Closed Corners

Two kinds of cutters make rectangle graphics. The 2"x3" Rectangle Photo Punch leaves open corners on the back of the button. The Die Cutting Press with the 2"x3" Rectangle Photo Cutting Die closes those corners for a finished back.

Open and closed corners on the back of a rectangle pinback button

Compatible Kits, Cutters & Supplies

Every item below is made to fit the Model 2030 Photo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What comes with the 2"x3" Rectangle Photo Button Maker?

The machine ships with 25 free complete pinback button sets, button making templates, complete instructions, and a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. It does not include a cutter or a Build-A-Button membership. The 2"x3" Rectangle Professional Photo Button Maker Kit adds a rectangle punch cutter, 250 horizontal photo pinback sets, and 3 months of Build-A-Button.

What is the difference between the Photo and Paper 2"x3" machines?

The Photo version is built for thicker photo paper and uses 2"x3" Photo supplies. The Paper version is built for standard printer paper and uses 2"x3" Paper supplies. Choose the version that matches the paper you plan to print on.

What size do I cut my photos for 2"x3" buttons?

Cut each photo to 2.894" x 3.892". The extra material wraps around the edge of the shell and locks under the mylar. The 2"x3" Rectangle Photo Punch cuts this size in one press.

Can it make magnets as well as buttons?

Yes. Use 2"x3" Photo magnet sets on the same machine to make rectangle photo magnets. The sets include a steel shell.

Why does a rectangle button maker cost more than a round one?

A round die can be turned on a lathe. A rectangle die cannot, so its dies are hand milled, which takes more time and costs more to make.

Does the 2"x3" Photo Button Maker ship free?

The machine on its own does not include free shipping. The 2"x3" Rectangle Professional Photo Button Maker Kit ships free by UPS Ground within the lower 48 states.

What warranty and support come with the machine?

Every Model 2030 Photo carries a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects and lifetime U.S.-based phone support, available 8am to 4:30pm Central, Monday through Friday.