What Size Paper Cutter Do I Need? Button Making Questions, Ask ABM

What size paper cutter do I need to make my buttons?  This is a simple, yet tricky question that every new button maker will ask.  You want to make a 2.25" button so you can get any old 2.25" paper punch from the local craft store, right?  Wrong.  Although the button may be 2.25" the graphic needs to be a little bit larger so it wraps around the front shell meaning your circle needs to actually be 2.625".  Who knew?  

This means you need a paper cutter that is designed specifically for the purpose of button making.  Just getting a standard size cutter that is a little larger than your button, like a 2.5" for making 2.25" buttons, won't work.  Button making equipment is designed to work within certain specifications.  ABM makes it super easy to get the right size with our convenient button making kits that have everything you need to start making buttons right out of the box and even includes free shipping and bonus software! When you shop for supplies at ABM, we take out the guess work by making size designations consistent throughout.  That means if you have a 1.5" machine, you need a 1.5" cutter and 1.5" supplies even though the cutter actually makes a circle that is 1.837".  Actual cut sizes are listed on every cutter's product page for convenience but they are labelled according to the machine size they match.  (ABM bonus tip:  Mylar is sized the same way and starts out larger than your button so it can wrap around the shell.  Your mylar and your cut graphic should be the same size!)

Always remember, the weight of your paper, the evenness of the edges and the precise size of the cut all make a huge difference in the success or failure of your buttons which makes your cutter an incredibly important piece of the puzzle!  You can read all about how to pick the right paper to use in your new cutter in our article Three Steps For Picking the Right Paper For Button Making right here in the Button Blog.

Do you need to know exactly what the cut dimensions are that work with your button size?  ABM has a handy template for most all of our sizes available on our site to help.

If you can't find the answers you need on our website, remember Team ABM is here to help you in your button making adventures so never hesitate to reach out.  You can also join 1600+ button makers in The Pinback Button Community for tips, tricks and advice any time from the best and brightest button makers in the industry!  Until next time, happy button making!

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