The Button Guy Blog

New to button making! - How do I cut circles?

Hi,
I’m new to button making.
My question is if I’m just making a few, and want to cut by hand or scissors, is it better to cut a bit more than the suggested cut lines or a bit less. Will the paper fit into the press if it’s cut slightly larger or will the button form properly? Thanks.   Quang

Hi Quang

How to cut circles to make pin-back buttons.

 Cutting a bit less is fine, just inside the button template cutline.  If your cut is larger than the cut line you will get paper sticking out of the back of the button.  Cutting on the cutline is ideal or take a piece of mylar (plastic cover) and use that as a template to cut you’re artwork.  The image or button artwork should be the same size as the mylar.  Cutting with scissors works for most images but an image that must be centered exactly is better cut with a circle cutter or better still a graphic punch or die cutter.  Cutting circles is a key part of button making.  If you cut the circles well, it greatly improves your buttons. Badly centered buttons look terrible especially noticeable when your design is a circle within a circle.

If you are producing any kind of quantity then cutting with scissors is pretty tedious and certainly not efficient………but it works for small quantities. Above is a picture of a graphic punch.  This is the best way to cut circles for quantities around 1000 buttons at a time.

I recently purchased a tecre graphic punch, but I’ve been having problems with it.

Hello,
I recently purchased a tecre graphic punch, but I’ve been having problems with it. The paper always gets stuck between the punch area and I don’t know why (I’m using regular printing paper). I’ve only had it for a month and I’ve been using it pretty regularly.
Thanks, hope to hear from you soon.
Louise.

Hi Louise

 It’s hard to know exactly what’s wrong with a long distance diagnosis.  Tecre stuff is normally very reliable.  You could send a few pictures to show what’s happening maybe.

 If you are in Toronto you should swing by at People Power Press with your graphic punch.  They can give you an instant diagnosis or see if it’s faulty.

 Otherwise send a photo and more description.

 http://PeoplePowerPress.org/contact.html

The Button Guy

Hello,

I’ve uploaded some images of the punch here: 

Everything seems fine except the circle punch area. Every time it is used the punch it lifts up to cut, after I remove the paper and return the handle to the rightful position the circle doesn’t go back down. I’ve had to push it down every time to return the cutter to the right position and my thumbs are really starting to hurt.

I live in Barrie so it’s a bit of a drive. Though if all else fails I wouldn’t mind coming in to Toronto to get it looked at.

Thanks for your quick response.  Louise

I have seen this problem in a number of circumstances:

• When a sticky, gluey, or stickers have been cut with the punch.
• When the handle has been forced down the wrong way
• When paper remnants are stuck between the upper and lower plates.

Solution:

With the handle up and the upper and lower plates of the graphic punch open take a piece of rigid flat tin that is about 0.03” thick and work it between the upper and lower die to clear any remnants or debris or sticky stuff that can be caught between the 2 plates. Work it back and forth, side to side to clear any debris between the plates.

If this does not work I would send it back to the manufacturer or reseller as it does have a warranty if it has not been abused.

Here’s a photo so you can see the method of how to clean debris from your graphic punch / circle cutter.

Mending / cleaning a Tecre graphic punch / circle cutter.

New Online Button Designing Software for easy creation of pin-back button artwork

I just came across your new button designing software…I’m not big on photoshop and all those other brands (too complicated) but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE your software…simple and easy to use..you have just opened up sooo many more ways for me to make and sell mirrors..THX A BUNCH!!!!!!!! Barry

Online Button Designer Software: http://Button-Designer.com

Thanks Barry.  It’s really quite easy to design button artwork and then get it on a full sheet for printing just by using your mouse and keyboard without a learning curve as in Photoshop, Illustrator, Gimp etc.

Here’s a few examples that were created in minutes by Alicia using the Online Button Designer:

FREE software for designing buttons

I get frequently asked about FREE software for designing buttons.  Usually this is a question set by someone who has little design experience or does not own or doesn’t want to pay $1000 a program like Photoshop or Illustrator or any of the professional graphic design programs. 

If you have Photoshop and know how to use it, then use it. If you have it and do not know how to use there is a learning curve so to make a quick button you may want to keep reading.

There are FREE button design software options that are simple to use.

For experienced graphic designers or those who want to learn a program.

http://www.gimp.org/ - Gimp is a cool free downloadable graphics program that is equivalent to photoshop.  Photoshop costs $1000.  This is free. But this program still requires some skill and there is a learning curve.

For people starting out

Checkout the simple online button designer. Upload photos, add text, add logos and basically design with ease.  Adding a text to your own logo or artwork couldn’t be easier.

Microsoft Windows Users:
You have a FREE graphic editor that comes with your computer. Just type “paint” in your windows search bar.
Or goto Start->All Programs->Accessories->Paint

Mac Users:
http://paintbrush-mac.en.softonic.com/mac - Your computer does not come with any graphics software preinstalled. You can download a very basic FREE graphic editor for your computer here.

More options

http://opengraphicdesign.blogspot.com/ - This site compares 10 FREE graphic design software applications. It also has a video explaining the differences.

Hello, I was wondering how the bottle openers work.  Is there a way they can be both bottle openers and buttons?  They seem to have some sort of pin attachment but I couldn’t figure out how this would work.  Thanks,

Hi Cristan

Bottle openers are only available in the 2-1/4” size and are traditionally with a key-ring option or with a magnet.  I do not know any with a pin attachment.  If you’ve seen something you can send a photo and maybe I can see what it is.

You can always combine magnet with key-ring.   Here’s some photos of the product parts that make up various bottle opener options.

Bottle Opener Button Options

Metal Bottle Opener Backs for button makers

Bottle Opener Button Options with Keyring and don’t miss the tiny rare earth magnet that is strong enough to hold this bottle opener to the fridge or metal bar.

Metal bottle opener option with quick release keyring.  Can also just come with a split ring but the metal bottle openers are not magnetic. If you need magnetic they are the black plastic type with the metal bar that actually opens the bottle.

The combination of bottle opener with magnet is easy. Works well and gives you a versatile product.