How Do I Make a Button?

[Indigo_Beads]

can someone direct me to a tutorial or help me? i'd like to learn how to make a button- the kind with a solid face and a shank.
thank you guys- i know i can count on you!
shelley

[ziggys]

The only one I have seen is by using a Zoozii Press. Ok, it is www.zooziis.com. It's been awhile since i looked at it and I'm sure there are lots of other ways to go about. But it might be a place to start because she has a tutorial if I remember correctly.

[menty666]

Mine aren't the most beautiful, but here's how I do it...

First off I have a dirty bit of cheating in that I made myself a mold with a piece of cherry wood and a forstner bit. You can probably do this freehand or carefully in a marble mold, but this makes life SO much easier. If you go the cherry route, make sure it's waterlogged first so you don't damage the mold.

Once you've got that sorted out....

Make a ball of glass, do some surface decoration, press into the mold, punty onto the front.

Take a thin rod of your choice (I like clear since it's on the back and unseen, and cheaper than color), weld it onto the back of your button off of center, and leave enough glass to loop over (about 1/2 an inch maybe?)

warm the welded piece to soften it so you can loop it over with your tweezers and weld it to the button. Ream the hold round.

I have some up in my etsy shop at the moment if you want a peek at mine. They're boro, but I don't see why you can't do it as easily or easier in 104.

[technicaltess]

You should get the small paperback about Jim Smirchich, By Jim Kerwin. It has a great instructiona and picture demo for a shank button.

[technicaltess]

I think they are under 20 and there are some many great tips. Very precise way of glassworking well worth the exepense.

[Indigo_Beads]

thank you!
shelley