it should be our duty to gather with the ca card so you don’t need to bother with reimbursements. Plus I get 15% off everything (plus coupons) because I live a life of a teacher. Because we need all the money for wine, antidepressants, and school supplies. Ps I’m kidding about the antidepressants…I get them for free off my students in exchange for passing grades. Kidding! Kidding!
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But if I could buy some of those things at JoAnn or Hobby Lobby or equivalent with a 40% or 50% off coupon, would it be worth the savings? I don’t know what it costs us to process a reimbursement so I don’t know where the break even point is.
EDIT: I haven’t been out to The Space yet to talk with @Kriskat30 about this. I especially need to confirm that we don’t already have 1/4" guide feet for the Janome’s before we buy any.
I’ve spoken with @Kriskat30 and we are in agreement that these would be the things to buy.
If you see my earlier post it has links for everything.
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I was going to suggest that we go ahead and create 5 rotary cutters one for each box. What do you think?
I’m not sure that’s necessary. People likely do their rotary cutting before they get their machine out. If you get one for each box, you also need two for the general purpose sewing notions or else they will just get cannibalized from the boxes.
There are a couple small diameter ones elsewhere in CA but they get used for paper, cardboard, leather, etc. and all sorts of things that render them less usable for fabric. We need to mark these “fabric only” and store them with the sewing notions.
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Nicole (@uglyknees), would CA consider purchasing an easier to use / better quality 2.25 punch for the button maker?
I realize there are two punches/cutters for the 2.25 size buttons already; however, they can both be challenging to use.
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The adjustable circle rotary cutter has the benefit of being adjustable - therefore serves multiple uses; however, it can be a challenge to get it “set” at the proper distance to cut the correct size circle. It can also be difficult to use once it’s finally set at the correct distance. (Example: Someone was trying to show me how wrong I was about this fact, and while she was cutting the circle the cutter slipped a bit and her circle was more of a spiral after all was said and done ~ which is the exactly the same issue I’ve experienced myself more times than I care to deal with it any more…)
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The inexpensive 2.25" paper punch is ‘easy’ in that there are no adjustments that need to be made; but, it’s very temperamental. It tends to ‘tear’ the paper very often, and the circles that get cut out will often get stuck in the cutter - which ends up ruining the cut-out circle after having to “dig it out” of the cutter (since the cutter doesn’t have much of a gap to allow the circle to be popped out from the bottom…).
I mentioned these issues to David (@Photomancer) the other day while letting him know that I was going to be asking CA to consider purchasing an easier to use / better quality punch - as a result of how long it took for me to cut out a handful of buttons for PR to review/use. David showed my friend and me how to get the inexpensive punch to work without tearing; and, by golly - it worked great! Until he left the room! (haha??). Seriously, he did show us how to place our hands on the punch and use a forceful yet steady push to get it to cut… and we were able to cut like two circles flawlessly! Then the next three or four not so well… They tore, plus a couple of them got ‘stuck’ in the punch and were not usable after digging them out of it. My friend used the tore ones anyway - because he was wanting to learn the machine more than anything… However, it would have been very frustrating if we were trying to make really nice quality looking buttons…
All that being said… I realize it’s not a high priority - especially since we have two tools that can be made to work; however, it seems that a one time expense for a better quality, easier to use punch will potentially prevent recurring headaches and put many more smiles on future Button Makers of Dallas Makerspace! 
Here is a link to explain the differences between the two 2.25" punches sold by American Button Machines (there are links to each punch within the article):
After reading the article, IMO either would work great in our environment! They are both the same price (from American Button Machines, and from the manufacture), so it’s just a matter of preference on the size of the circle that you think would work best (and honestly, either will work perfectly well - with regular paper, photo paper, and the card stock that we have at the 'Space (which is .0095" thick) with the button maker that we happen to have in CA. Here are a couple of links from the manufacturer supporting the fact that our button maker can handle these types of paper: https://www.tecre.com/catalog/button-maker-machine/25 & https://www.tecre.com/blog/2014/10/the-great-paper-debate)
Thanks in advance to taking the time to consider this request! :dms:
I wonder if that cutting edge is getting dull. I’ve used with out any issues, granted it was about 6 months ago.
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I wondered the same thing - or if maybe there was too much ‘gap’ (alignment issue) or something… I’m not even sure how it would be ‘sharpened’ or if a gap/alignmet issue, how that might be resolved… (Sort of like when you buy cheap scissors and they start getting ‘loose’ and won’t cut right…). The cutting edge is not a solid flat circle like on the nice 1" paper punch that we have. The inexpensive 2.25" punch we have has sort of a wavy (for lack of better words) cutter. At any rate, I had considered that it might have been better at one point; but, it’s just a bundle of frustration at this point. 
The punch for the 2.5 we have isn’t a high quality one - it’s for scrapbooking. You can sharpen them by punching aluminum foil. We will upgrade the punch.
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Good to know ~ thanks for the info!
THANKS!!!
You know Lisa, I have the same problem with Help Desks. There is no problem while online/phone, then as soon as the connection is gone the problem comes back! 
That large punch we looked at would be useful - but expensive. We’ll just charge you extra if you use the premium punch to recover the costs! 
Actually I was slightly amazed that every time I punched it worked perfectly and also when you did while I was there after the first punch. The circular punch has the advantage of going to the middle of the page.
Need to find the cost for the circular punch. Maybe get them set up for the 1" and 2" badges and tack weld them so they can’t be monkeyed with or Locktite the adjustment threads
@uglyknees send me a link for the circular cutter. I doubt it cost the $180 for the one Lisa and I looked at I I think two permanently set circular punches would be a better solution as edge distance isn’t a problem.
Well David you could always machine one! 
Thanks again, Nicole (@uglyknees)! 
Bwahaha… or like going to a doctor! hahahaha… 
In this case “expensive” really does equal “Quality” + “Ease of Use” 
I thought that I would like that, as well… But, the way the bottom is designed to ‘grip’ paper and fabric, it also leaves an imprint on the paper - most often across a significant portion of neighboring graphics that are left marred and unusable for a nice button… 
The price for the circular cutter is on the same site as the two punches that I suggested. There are direct links to both of the recommended punches in the article that I posted a link to above (https://www.americanbuttonmachines.com/pages/photo-punch-and-graphic-punch).
I linked to the article - instead of the punches directly - to give Nicole (and anyone else who wanted to research which of the two might be best for the 'Space…) an opportunity to review the differences as noted by that one particular company that sells them. There are other companies that sell the same exact brand. Most are the same price. Some are more expensive. I imagine there may be some less expensive; and, if so - then might as well get the best deal (deal = price, reliability of the seller, etc…).
At any rate, here are some links (and screen shots) for ya:
2.25" Graphic Punch (https://www.americanbuttonmachines.com/products/2-25-graphic-punch)
2.25" Photo Punch (https://www.americanbuttonmachines.com/products/2-25-photo-punch)
Adjustable Cutter (https://www.americanbuttonmachines.com/collections/adjustable-circle-cutter/products/circle-cutter)
Unfortunately, unless you weld them down, neither will remain ‘permanently set’ in our environment (hehe??)… Besides, there are some advantages for members to have an adjustable circular cutter, I’m sure…
The current prices are shown in the screen shots above; and, the links are provided - to make it easy to double-check the prices at the time of purchase. Since the punches are solid, I believe the price is well worth the quality and ease of use.
Thanks!!
@uglyknees I completely defer to you on this infernal button maker, I admit you’ve been right about this crazy thing when I had doubts.
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Haha #buttonmania
I haven’t had a chance to really read up - we bought the super expensive 1" and it’s been good for us. Ya who knew…buttons.
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Nic, you got my email, right?
I have the stuff in the PM that we were discussing but the last email I have from you was 10/30 about the hangout- unless you sent it via another email. [email protected] or try [email protected]
So I’m searching out irons. I’ve always used inexpensive irons - but what do you guys think about investing in a “highly rated” one on amazon. This one seems to have a downright spiritual following. An iron is the cornerstone of good sewing so I think it’s worth the investment (also put on some standard iron cleaner on the order) The iron is $45
Here is what I have right now - not pretty plus I know Bitta has a full out designed spreadsheet coming @mreynolds Let’s look at the vinyl that needs to get ordered.
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