I needed a bunch of button mandrels this morning and decided to try to make some. These were very easy to make and work great. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Picture one:
-two metal discs.. I used 20 gauge nickel silver as it is all I have on hand. I was careful not to direct the flame on my little discs and they worked just fine.
-a drill bit to match your mandrel size. I used 1/16th.
-mark where you want the holes in your disc and give a punch before drilling holes.
-file/sand the holes smooth. That's it!
Picture two:
-Slip your discs on your two mandrels. I used some thin wire to hold the ends of the mandrels together for dipping. You could probably dip and go to the torch at this stage.
Picture three:
-I wired the ends of a half a dozen button mandrel sets, dipped in release, stood upright in a container ready to use. I slipped the set into my vise to make the button. I removed the set to put in the kiln.
A disclaimer here... There is a commercial product that uses two 4 hole metal buttons. I tried it and it doesn't work for me for 2 hole buttons. The thing falls apart mid button. This is my solution to the problem.