Button Making

[Jen Peters]

All of our button making machines have been from Mr. Button. The two-step process machine that we bought this year has been a dream. We've made more buttons in the last few weeks than we ever have before at this point during build season.

Usually our P.R. team does the buttons, but every now and then our mechanical team wants to get in on the action. With the machine being so easy to use this year, everyone wants to make one.

[SarahBecker]

At our school, we have activities every Monday morning that people sign up for, one of them is Robotics. We have anyone who goes to that make buttons for us, and the people who have study halls or whatever can go in to our advisor's room and make buttons. Also, at meetings, if someone is finished with a job or whatever, they get the chance to make buttons!
Basically we are making buttons every day, every free moment we have!! And all of us do it! Not just the rookies!

[BandChick]

1089 usually gets together as an entire team and spends an afternoon cutting and making buttons. it's a LONG process but it gives us some bonding time and some time to be goofy. EVERYONE on our team helps cut out or put together buttons, almost in assembly line style (or last year anyway), and i think that's the way it should be. why should a freshman/rookie to the team be forced to do something they don't necessarily want to be doing? besides, it's not like making buttons is all that strenuous ;-)

[tiffany34990]

Yes on S.P.A.M. we like to make the rookies do lots of buttons-- they get to do various things that we veterans don't like to do. Buttons are not bad but for rookies we make them clean, take out the trash (taking out the trash is a bit hard for many of them) oh and file down parts--- we keep them busy!

[Aignam]

Team 25 uses a BADGE-A-MINIT machine. In recent years, we have borrowed a button machine from the school marching band, but for the 2004 season, one of our NJ FIRST RINOS projects was to buy a button machine to lend out to local rookie teams on a 2-week basis so that rookies didn't need to fundraise for the extra expense, but could still have something nice to give away at competitions. After we rushed to make our buttons in our 2-week period, we sent the button machine around to anyone who requested it.

[Jay H 237]

Originally Posted by Aignam

Team 25 uses a BADGE-A-MINIT machine. In recent years, we have borrowed a button machine from the school marching band, but for the 2004 season, one of our NJ FIRST RINOS projects was to buy a button machine to lend out to local rookie teams on a 2-week basis so that rookies didn't need to fundraise for the extra expense, but could still have something nice to give away at competitions. After we rushed to make our buttons in our 2-week period, we sent the button machine around to anyone who requested it.

Team 237 also has a Badge-A- Mint. From what I know we're on our second one (wore out the first one). I can't even count the numbers of buttons let alone the HP printer cartriges we've also gone through. When ever someone doesn't have something to do they break out the Badge-A-Mint. Also as a fundraiser we cut out all the circles of paper and put out crayons and colored pencils and allow children to design they're own button for a dollar. Our team members just assemble the buttons when they're done. We've done this at the local mall, town functions (October Fest, Dare Day, ect.), local car shows, and such. You won't believe how much of a hit it is for children to make they're own and the publicity your team recieves.

[Aignam]

Originally Posted by Jay H 237

Team 237 also has a Badge-A- Mint. From what I know we're on our second one (wore out the first one). I can't even count the numbers of buttons let alone the HP printer cartriges we've also gone through. When ever someone doesn't have something to do they break out the Badge-A-Mint. Also as a fundraiser we cut out all the circles of paper and put out crayons and colored pencils and allow children to design they're own button for a dollar. Our team members just assemble the buttons when they're done. We've done this at the local mall, town functions (October Fest, Dare Day, ect.), local car shows, and such. You won't believe how much of a hit it is for children to make they're own and the publicity your team recieves.

Stellar idea. I'll bring this one up...

[KevinB]

Team #538 also owns the wonderful Badge-A-Mint machine. We use it mostly as punishment for people who are goofing off -- "you're slacking .... go make buttons!" Seriously though, there is no set group of people that do it, just whoever is there and can't work on the robot due to various reasons (other people in the way, waiting on parts, etc.)

[DBo(qcelite.yo)]

yeah.team 648 does the whole badge-a-minit dealy..it works out pretty well for us..we get the job done..it takes awhile..but..we get it done..it gives us something to do all the time..so..its all good.i recommend it..its cheap..and it works!

[sky547]

We have different committees on our team (i.e. build team, scouting, animation team, spirit, PR, etc.). Spirit committe is solely responsible for making buttons, and in fact our biggest button-makers are seniors and team veterans who won't waste button supplies and whatnot.

[Psalms(118:6)]

man button making is a nightmare for me, i get stabbed so many times its crazy, i think some people though shouldn't be given button likes the guys who put them all over, man last season i walked next to a guy at nationa;s and got stabbed like fifty times, not cool. i think buttons are bah!
yeah, but i like handing them out, people smile!

[Koko Ed]

Anyone with any free time on the team is will be put to work and since the PAW room is a popular hangout joint for idling teens on the team I will be sending alot to go do buttons in the comming weeks.

[hcperdan]

Team 135 uses a Badg-A-Minit machine and Bill's 8-yr-old son Andrew who makes PERFECT buttons. Button manufacture is also a punishment for breaking rules such as "No humans hanging from the bar" (penalty 100 buttons) and "Chair's from Jim's room do not go out into the shop" (penalty TBD). After ship date the students will each make a certain number of buttons before each event.

We also print one color copy of a page of 9 buttons and make color copies at Kinko's for $1 a page. Cuts down on toner usage (robotics is a class here and has to run through the school system for printer supplies) and emphasizes the fact that buttons cost money so don't waste.

[Stina236]

Well, PR sometimes get in on the button making, but incoming freshman help out- a bit... besides the fact that we have like 3000 buttons, and still have to make more this year! AHHHHH!

(Like making buttons is all that hard- pull down the handle, pull down the handle again, lol... oh how i love buttons!!!!!)

[Elgin Clock]

We may have a suprise in store for all you teams that have seen our give-aways in the past few years (re: plain buttons)

Maybe....

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

We're also trying to make t-shirts to give away as well.

I'll trade a t-shirt for one of yours!! And that goes to anyone who is interested.
PM me!!