Pin Badge Machine - Advice Required

[Justin]

I have an order for 500 25mm badges and was going to contract out but I think it might be a good opportunity to make the small investment in a machine myself.

Anyone have any recommendations for a good quality machine? Seen a couple on eBay and elsewhere but would be good to have something that's been tried and tested

Could also do with an idea at how much these badges retail for please.

[John G]

If you do want to contract them out I have 2 x 25mm presses that need the work I also think IanM may have a 25mm machine.

Cheers John

[Justin]

Lol, maybe lead with my head on this one and just get them done elsewhere then!

If you want to drop me a PM with a price John I'll see whether it's worth me taking the plunge! Could be an ongoing order which is why I thought about getting the machine....just looking for an excuse really

[socialgiraffe]

Hi Justin

I used to do them in house but gave up as the prices that the larger companies charge meant it was simply not worth it.

As an example, I can get 500 badges for about 12p each. The unit cost is around 4-6p, so £40.00 profit on I would say about two hours plus work on a basic badge making machine.

Plus it is arguably one of the most tedious things to do in the world

If you want to go down the route of making them yourself then Enterprise (www.buttons.co.uk) are pretty good machines and the company is a nice one to deal with. Knowing what I know now, you are better to go with a cheaper machine and get a cutter that punches out the circles (not the one style that you have to rotate) as this is the really really really tedious part.

[Justin]

Yeah, I've kinda been wondering about that.....not another tedious job! Was just looking at that site, good stuff but I'd want a decent cutter.....oh what the heck, I'm just going to outsource them! PM me with prices guys! lol.

[socialgiraffe]

The quick cut machine is pretty good and the super cut is excellent. But even with the quick cut it is still not worth it

[John G]

Hi Justin,
Sent you a PM but looking at SG prices - I shouldn't have bothered
It's a lot more than 2 hours work.

[ASO Embroidery]

Hi Justin,
Try this company I bought a keyring machine off them at the printwear and promotion show they also do button badges they done a demo at the show and it looked first class. blankbadge.co.uk the machine I got is excellent not sure of prices though but think there on the website.
Regards,
Sammy

[socialgiraffe]

Hi MrC

Not my prices, I do not do them and to be fair I did exclude the time taken to cut and also the time taken to print etc. etc. The prices came from what my clients currently pay.

I know that Enterprise use their local prison for large runs as the labour rate is cheap and I did time a casual worker once on two machines, both from Enterprise. One was the budget system and the other was the faster Mini. Per hour she did 200-250 on the Micro and 300-350 on the Mini

Compare this to acryllic keyrings @ 500 per hour and a higher profit margin I soon realised that this is not something I want to do.

I think it is one of those items that unless you are doing bucket loads of them then it is simply not worth doing as the hassle/tedium factor is quite a major issue on these.

[socialgiraffe]

Whats does a keyring machine do Sammy?