Choosing a photo magnet press or button maker machine.

The short version

Start with what you'll sell.

On Vixie, square photo magnets outsell round ones by a wide margin. 2" × 2" and 2.5" × 2.5" sell the most, and 2.25" is the most common round.

Square photo magnets

A square press, about $500 to $2,200 for the press alone, depending on the maker. Pick your size first, because each press makes one size.

Round pin buttons and magnets

A steel 2.25" press, about $295. One press makes pin buttons, magnets, keychains, and mirrors.

Not sure anyone will buy

An $83 budget press or printable magnet sheets. Sell a few, then buy the press you'll keep.

Press types

Four ways to make photo magnets.

Each one makes a different product. The price gap between them is big, so it pays to know which one you need.

Sellers who've tried both say pressed magnets look better and sell for more than cut magnet sheet. Sheets are still a cheap way to test your market.

Running costs

What each magnet costs you.

The press is a one-off. Supplies are what you pay on every magnet: the metal shell, the clear film, the back, and the magnet.

Add your paper and ink on top. The China rows are metric parts for Chinese presses, and they don't fit US presses. Packs of 100 cost two to three times as much per magnet, so buy 1,000 once you know your size. Plug your own numbers into the magnet profit calculator to see what you make on each one.

Before you buy

The size traps.

Most press regrets come down to parts that don't fit. Check these before you order.

• 2.25" is not 58 mm

  A US 2.25" press is 57.15 mm. Imported 58 mm parts usually don't work in it, and US parts usually don't work in a 58 mm press.

• Badge-A-Minit is its own size

  Badge-A-Minit's 2.25" parts only fit Badge-A-Minit presses. Other suppliers sell them as a separate line, and some label them 2 3/8".

• Square parts don't swap between brands

  Each maker builds its square shells, backs, and punches for its own press. Makers warn that their parts may not fit other machines.

• Print size changes with the press

  The photo you print for a 2" × 2" magnet is 2.717" across on one press and 3.64" on another. Your print template has to match your press, or the photo lands off-center.

Vixie lays out the print for your press.

In Edit Measurements, pick Titan, MPRO, TECRE, Chinese, or ENTERS specs and the Photo Size, Edge Width, and offsets fill in for that press. If your press isn't listed, type in your own numbers. The photo magnet sizes guide lists every size and which presets cover it.

Buying advice

What sellers wish they'd known.

• Buy steel if you'll sell

  Vendors who press in volume say plastic budget presses crack, drift out of line, and start wrinkling the film. A steel press costs more once and keeps going for years.

• Commit to one size first

  Steel presses don't swap dies. Start with the size your customers want most, usually 2.25" for rounds, and add a second press when that one is busy.

• Punch or cutter

  A punch is fastest for one size. An adjustable cutter covers several sizes and handles photo paper and fabric. If you print on photo paper, get the photo version of the press and punch.

• Plan for 100 to 200 an hour

  Owners report 100 to 200 pieces an hour once they get a rhythm. At a busy event, the press is rarely the slow part. Taking orders and laying out prints is.

Questions

Magnet press FAQ