Button machine advise please.

[cthomps]

It's time.  I have to buy one.  Word is getting around that I have been hanging out on this forum and learning stuff.  I would like some advice on which brand of button machine I should purchase.  Thank you.  Carol

[sofadoc]

There's really only 2 brands to choose from. Handy or Osborne. Both are very comparable in quality. You would want to start out with at least #22 and #30 dies.
Used sets turn up from time to time on E-bay, but they usually sell for a "close to new" price.

Here's a new Handy:
http://www.rochfordsupply.com/shop/Upholstery_Buttons/Tools_and_Dies/Handy_Junior_No_1_Button_Maker/index.html

Here are the dies:
http://www.rochfordsupply.com/shop/Upholstery_Buttons/Tools_and_Dies/Handy_-_Die_and_Cutter_for_Button_Assembly/index.html


They also have the Osborne:
http://www.rochfordsupply.com/shop/Upholstery_Buttons/Tools_and_Dies/Osborne_W-1_Button_and_Grommet_Machine/index.html

And dies:
http://www.rochfordsupply.com/shop/Upholstery_Buttons/Tools_and_Dies/Osborne_-_Die_and_Cutter_for_Button_Assembly/index.html

Ken sells the Osborne press and dies right here on this website:
http://www.upholster.com/toolkits/button-machine.html

Osborne dies will work on a Handy press, and vice versa. Can't go wrong with either brand.

[Grebo]

Vicious rumours eh Carol  ;D

I bought my Osborne from Ken  :-* .
Something I didn't think of when I bought mine was that it can double up as a grommet press  ( If you don't have one already) The dies are expensive but if you are bashing them in with the hand setters/ punch & hammer it's a great bonus to use the machine & much quieter  ;D
I actually do far more grommets than buttons so it works out real well.

Suzi

[cthomps]

Thanks everyone!  I just didn't know which one to purchase.  Does Ken carry the button blanks as well?  I cant find them on his site. 

[sofadoc]

Does Ken carry the button blanks as well?  I cant find them on his site.

The "blanks" are called molds. They're listed at the bottom of his page along with the press and dies.