Button Maker SOP

Cricut Maker 3

Located in Main Lab (Love 164)

Button Maker Technical Officer (TO): Gab Ward

Last Updated: June 20, 2024

Primary Use

The button maker is used to create buttons or magnets using circular cutouts of the desired image and premade shells that are crimped together with vinyl in the machine.

User Safety

Do not put fingers in the way of any moving parts while operating.

Equipment Safety

Do not use excessive force when trying to crimp buttons, as this can snap or bend the lever. The button maker is not bolted to the table, so exercise caution when pressing down on the lever.

Sample Prep

Do not reuse button shells that have already been crimped. Copy paper is the best material for the button maker designs.

General Procedure

Installing button attachment

  1. With the top attachment, push the top pin into the silver cylinder attached to the lever. The side with three holes should be facing away from the machine and the horizontal pin should face the back of the machine. The top pin attaches to the cylinder with a magnet.
  2. To attach the bottom slide, pull up the bottom cylinder of the top attachment and hold it until the bottom plate is attached, then slide the bottom plate into the right side until it hits the pin.

Making a button/magnet

  1. Depending on the desired button size, scale each design according to the specifications below and cut the design into circles. These can be cut using the Cricut or the circle punch.
  1. Small buttons - 1.25 inches
  2. Medium buttons - 1.75 inches
  3. Large buttons - 2.5 inches
  1. On the left metal plate of the bottom slide, place the top button shell round-side-up into the groove so that the edges of the shell fit into the gaps in the metal plate and it sits flat with the plate
  2. Place the printed cutout and arrange it in the center of the shell. Then, put the vinyl sheet on top of the cutout and shell.
  3. On the right shell, place a backing(either magnet or pin) with the pin/magnet side facing down.
  4. Slide the plate to the right until it is directly below the top plate and pull down on the lever. The pins on the top attachment  should hit the top plate and not go through the holes. If this step is done correctly, the vinyl/shell will be picked up by the top attachment and will no longer be in the left metal plate
  5. Slide the plate/slide to the left so the top attachment is over the right metal plate.
  6. Pull down on the lever again. The

Common issues/Debugging/Tips

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