Finishing wooden buttons

[Mobyturns]

They use MinWax Tung Oil Protective Finish.

Unfortunately MinWax products are becoming difficult to source in Australia.

Jim, I used to do similar with Penetrol Multipurpose Wood Oil - gives a nice satin finish which can be built up to a gloss finish if required using multiple dips.

If using the product be aware that it goes off in the container if you leave airspace above the product. I used the old glass marbles trick to avoid that, but finding glass marbles isn't so easy these days, but glass "pebbles" for interior decorating are readily available.

The Flood Company Australia » Wood Care Products » penetrol_wood_oil

[woodPixel]

I'm far more interested in how you make them thousands at a time!

[John T]

HI JIM,
I used to make wooden buttons of all different shapes & sizes, I had a board about 2mtrs long with a lot of tacks with the head removed and hung them on the board to spray 100hundred at a time, you don't get overspray when dry turn them to do the other side it worked for me hope this helps regards John t.

[Arron]

Google ‘wooden button making machine’

[woodPixel]

I looked around for how to do it, but other than some single-style $12k Chinese behemoth, or an agonizing hand process, it didn't seem too obvious how one might make "hundreds" at a time....

Would the OP care to enlighten us?

[powderpost]

I looked around for how to do it, but other than some single-style $12k Chinese behemoth, or an agonizing hand process, it didn't seem to obvious how one might make "hundreds" at a time....

Would the OP care to enlighten us?

You seem to have interpreted my post as implying that I could make thousands of buttons "at a time". My post was seeking possible methods of finishing the buttons for sale. I was not trying to impress any one with my ability to make buttons. For your benefit it would take me about two days to make 2000 buttons. Maybe I should not have used the phrase "at a time", Which it appears you have interpreted as being some magical method the produces mass buttons in the blink of an eye, I am not that talented. Perhaps I should used the phrase, "in a batches of", instead. That way you would not be quite so concerned. I make two styles, one employs a self made cutter used in a drill press to cut the face, on the face of a narrow board, then use a circular saw to free the buttons from the blank from the back. The other type has a flat face. A strip 25mm wide is cut off the end of a 150 x 25mm board and turned, and then turned round in a lathe. The buttons are then cut off the end of this round "log", on a circular saw. The two holes are drilled in a drill press using a jig I designed for the purpose.

W.P. Hopefully that satisfies your concerns, and I trust you are now "enlightened".

Jim

[woodPixel]

I'm a keen student! I would ask for a video.... But you might get stroppy

[Mobyturns]

I'm a keen student! I would ask for a video.... But you might get stroppy

He might! I would too. as for a video don't hold your breath as Jim has trouble with a camera.

Jim is what we Aussies like to call a "clever old buggar" so on the odd occasion that I get to visit them I like to keep my eye out for some of Jim's jigs and neat little processes in his shed/s that he has developed to "make things."

At the risk of not being invited back I must admit I have seen the boards with the buttons partially drilled / cut. Now I can put 2 & 2 together .

[Mobyturns]

….. some magical method the produces mass buttons in the blink of an eye, I am not that talented.

Now that's what I would like to see. I'm sure I haven't seen a Genie bottle in any of the sheds, but I do believe that you must have some wood elves stashed away somewhere, cause nobody can be that talented.

[ian]

Perhaps I should used the phrase, "in a batches of", instead.
I make two styles, one employs a self made cutter used in a drill press to cut the face, on the face of a narrow board, then use a circular saw to free the buttons from the blank from the back.
The other type has a flat face. A strip 25mm wide is cut off the end of a 150 x 25mm board and turned, and then turned round in a lathe. The buttons are then cut off the end of this round "log", on a circular saw. The two holes are drilled in a drill press using a jig I designed for the purpose.

Hi Jim

That jig sounds interesting -- can you post a photo?

[woodPixel]

See! People want to know!

It's interesting!