What Customers Are Saying
Repeat BuyerBest button maker I have ever used!
Home Button StudioMy new machine is a dream to use. I love it!! It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s so well made. Couldn’t be happier with my purchase. Just wish I’d bought it sooner!!!
- Accessible Family Crafting
My son experiences autism and enjoys making his art into buttons, magnets, keychains and more. He can use the button independently and with ease.
- Library System
This is our second button maker purchase from ABM-- largely because of the quality of the first machine. I know these will hold up well with heavy usage at our libraries.
- Everyday Reliability
Easy to use, smooth operation, product comes out perfect every time.
The 1.25" Button Maker is the smallest American Button Machines press that makes a pre-pinned button — the back presses together with the pin already in place, so there is no separate spring pin to insert the way there is on a 1" button. Your purchase includes the all-metal 1.25" machine, 25 free complete 1.25" pinback button sets, full instructions, a set of button-making templates, and our lifetime warranty against defects.
At 1.25 inches the buttons stay small, light, and cute, a favorite size for backpacks, key chains, and zipper pulls, while giving you more design room than a 1" button. It is built for fast, repeatable production, so it is also a great machine for mass-producing smaller-inch buttons. Swap the back and the same press turns out magnets, key chains, zipper pulls, badge reels, and more from your own logos, photos, and artwork.
1.25" Button Maker Specifications
| Finished Button Size | 1.25 inches — 32 mm nominal (31.75 mm exact) |
|---|---|
| Sizing Standard | American Standard. Not compatible with foreign-made "32 mm" supplies. |
| Pinback Style | Pre-pinned — the safety pin is built into the back; no separate pin to insert (unlike the 1" collet-and-pin) |
| Graphic Cut Size | 1.629" — the paper size your design must be cut to before pressing |
| Process | Super-fast two-step pressing with a swivel die set — no changing dies between steps |
| Construction | All-metal, cam-on-roller design, made in America with American steel |
| Also Makes | Magnets, key chains, zipper pulls, badge reels, flatbacks, ponytail holders — same machine, swap the back |
| Best For | Bands and artists, schools, libraries, churches, political campaigns, nonprofits, craft-fair and Etsy sellers, anyone mass-producing smaller buttons |
What Makes Our Button Makers So Great
- Cushioned hand grip
- All-metal construction
- Industry-standard size
- "Zero scrap loss" engineering
- Swivel die set increases speed
- No changing of dies between steps
- Made in America with American steel
- Super-fast two-step button-making process
- "Swivel die stop" ensures upper and lower die alignment
- Compact, lightweight machine for easy storage and transport
- Positive full stroke button-press verification — no half-made buttons
- Cam-on-roller design requires very little physical force to operate
American Standard Sizing — Why It Matters
This machine and its supplies are built to American Standard 1.25" sizing. A 1.25" button measures exactly 31.75 mm. Most foreign-made supplies are built to a metric "32 mm" specification — and that quarter of a millimeter is the difference between a button that crimps tight and one that jams the die or falls apart. Even though the sizes sound interchangeable, foreign-made 32 mm parts do not typically work in an American Standard 1.25" machine.
If you are matching this machine to supplies you already own, or you are not sure what size your current press is, call us at (972) 985-5074 and we will help you identify it before you order.
Use Case Ideas for 1.25" Buttons
The 1.25" button is a working middle size: more design room than a 1" button, small enough to wear or clip anywhere. Popular uses include:
- Backpacks and key chains. A cute, lightweight size kids and fans actually wear and carry.
- Band and artist merch. The classic merch-table size — sells as singles or pinned to a backing card.
- Campaign and cause buttons. Slogans and names stay readable at lapel distance.
- School spirit and clubs. Mascots, student council elections, field day, and graduation keepsakes.
- Library and church programs. Reading milestones, VBS themes, and volunteer giveaways that stretch a fixed budget.
- Craft fairs and Etsy shops. Original artwork and fandom designs in a size that prices well in multi-packs.
- Mass production. Fast two-step pressing makes short work of large runs of smaller buttons.
What Else Can You Make with a 1.25" Button Maker
Pinback buttons are just the start. The same machine and the same front shells press every product below from your logos, photos, and artwork — swap the back, and you have a new product line.
Magnet Sets
Refrigerator and locker magnets that stay up for years — shell, mylar, back, and peel-and-stick magnet.
Ponytail Holders
Hair accessories for teams and dance groups. For use with Models 125 and Z-125F only.
Versa-Back Sample Pack
Five of each Versa-Back style in one pack — the low-risk way to test new product lines.
Supplies & Cutters for Your 1.25" Machine
Everything below is designed and tested with the 1.25" Button Maker, so every component crimps consistently from the first button to the last.
Ultimate Extended Warranty
This machine already carries our lifetime warranty against defects. For added peace of mind, the 1.25" Button Maker also qualifies for the Ultimate Extended Warranty for small button makers — coverage that protects your press against the wear of heavy, everyday use.
Get Started
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "pre-pinned" mean, and how is the 1.25" different from the 1"?
The 1.25" pinback back comes with the locking spring pin already built in, so making a button is a clean two-step press with nothing extra to assemble. A 1" button uses a collet back, where you insert a separate spring pin yourself. The 1.25" is the smallest size we offer that is pre-pinned — choose it if you want a small button without the extra pin-insertion step.
What comes with the 1.25" Button Maker?
Your purchase includes the all-metal 1.25" button machine, 25 free complete 1.25" pinback button sets to get you started, full instructions, a set of button-making templates, and our lifetime warranty against defects.
Is the 1.25" machine good for large production runs?
Yes. The swivel die set, cam-on-roller design, and two-step process make it fast and low-effort, so it handles mass production of smaller-inch buttons comfortably while staying compact and easy to store.
Will foreign-made "32 mm" supplies work in this machine?
Typically, no. American Standard 1.25" parts (31.75 mm) and foreign-made "32 mm" supplies sound like the same size, but the fraction-of-a-millimeter difference prevents a proper crimp — buttons may jam the die or fail to lock together. Use American Standard 1.25" supplies with this press. If you are not sure what you have, call us at (972) 985-5074 before ordering.
What size should I print and cut my graphics?
Graphics for 1.25" buttons must be cut to 1.629" in diameter — the extra material wraps around the shell's edge during pressing. The 1.25" Graphic Punch and the 1.25" Dynamo Hand-Held Punch Cutter both cut this exact size, or you can dial it in on the Adjustable Circle Cutter.
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