Making mirror-back buttons is just slightly different than making pin-back buttons, and is easy if you follow the illustrated guide shown below.

When making mirror-back buttons you will have 3 metal parts, plus the mirror and mylar disc (the plastic covering). The metal parts, which are shown below are the shell (the front of your button), the collet ( a thin metal retainer which holds the mirror in place), and the shim that will act as a spring and keep the mirror from rattling once the button has been made.

The first step in making a mirror-back button is to insert the shell, your cut artwork and the mylar disc into the appropriate die on your button machine, as shown in the photo below.

 

 

For step 2, which is shown below, you rotate the die assembly on your Model 225 or 300 SX and insert the collet into the other die so that the sharp edge faces up.

 

 

Now take your mirror and place it into the collet, so that the reflective side of the mirror faces down.

 

 

In step 4 of the process, you take the thin metal shim and hold it between your thumb and forefinger of both hands, as shown below.

 

 

Then bend the shim downward so it resembles a flattened pup tent, as shown in the photo below.

 

 

Next, take the shim you just bent and place it on top of the mirror you already placed into the die of the Model 225 or 300 SX. Once the shim is in place, pull the handle of your button machine down.

 

Then pull the handle up, rotate the die assembly so the mirror part is under the pressing handle, pull the handle down, pull it back up and your finished mirror-back button should look like the one shown in the photo below.