What Is A Crimp Die Adapter? Button Making Questions, Ask ABM

What is a crimp die adapter?  If you have a 1" button maker from ABM, you most certainly got one with it and this may very well answer all of your questions about that flat, round, nickel sized mystery disk you found inside the box.

So now you have a name for it, but what are you supposed to do with it?  The first thing to know about it is to remember you only want to use it when you are making plastic backed medallions.  That leads us to a quick side note, what do you do with medallions?  They can be used for game pieces, tokens, bracelets, rings, lapel pins, thumb tacks and earrings just to start.  You can even replace the little race car or the shoe from that old Monopoly set!  This sounds a lot like a flatback but you can read about the differences between them in our article "1" Flatbacks and 1" Medallions...How Are They Different?"  So why use the crimp die adapter?  Simply put, it takes your slightly rounded button and flattens it.  

To use the crimp die adapter, you want to use the third press operation.  I know, that sounds intimidating but it is actually really easy!   First, place a shell (sharp side down), graphic and Mylar into the pickup die.  Then, place the crimp die adapter (face up, so you can see the little ridge) into the crimp die.  Place the flat plastic medallion on top of the crimp die adapter, rotate and press each side as you would any other button (shell side first)  Remove the finished button and put it back into the pickup die (graphic side up). Rotate & press the handle a 3rd time and then remove your finished, flat as can be, medallion!

Now that you are a third process professional, why not show off those cute creations in The Pinback Button Making Community?  Share ideas, ask questions, get inspiration and make friends!  Hope to see you there but until then, happy button making!

By Brighid Brown, Director of Blogging and All Things Cool at ABM