In this video, which is actually a slide show of images, I’m going to unbox and use a badge making kit. I was sent this by Vevor and they wanted a video about the product but they are getting a slideshow instead. Because nothing ticks the modern tock for fast entertainment like a presentation. As with most things that are posted, I received the badge making kit and additional disc die cutter puncher thing in some boxes, and I opened the first box with one hand. And the first thing to great me from the box was the instructions, which were printed upside down, so I stood on my head to read them.
[Dropping sound] Arh my phone dropped out my pocket.
This included information about the proper inlet size, paper feed inlet, cutter plate, cutting blade enclosure plate and pressure HANDIE!
Install the pressure handle well, align the drawings with the paper inlet from top to bottom, move the required pattern to the window of the cutter plate, and press down the pressure handie.
In the other box were all the metal badge fronts, rear plastics with fastening pins, and some clear plastic covers. This also included a die inserts for the front and back of the badge, plus the upper press and main body of the arbour which is made from some strange kind of resin. There are also fixings and hex keys, a small circle cutting jig which we’ll not be using, a metal base and another handie.
After examining everything, and checking the parts list, I fitted the handie onto the arbour press and secured the metal base. I placed the upper press mould into position, and then slid the left and right die inserts securing pins to hold them in place. The one labelled L goes to the left goes and the one labelled R remains on the right.
To test the kit, I chose to stamp out a disc from some used 240 grit sandpaper. It looks like a little moon. I placed a metal hemisphere into the left mould, then the sandpaper disc above that and finally a clear disc. I can now push the L die mould under the arbour and place a plastic backing plate into the R mould with the clip facing downwards. I pull the handie downwards, then back up again, and slide the R mould die towards the left under the arbour. The badge front is held in the upper section and lowering the handle for a second time presses the two parts together. Joining them in unearthly matrimony.
The moon, the badge in the night sky, when it’s full anyway.
The kit also came with a user manual documenting the making process, some possible adjustments to the machine, and a matrix of common problems with some unusual fault phenomena. The translations could do with some improvement, but it works and is a fun thing to have around providing it is not used to actually express any deeply rooted opinion.