How To Make Custom Enamel Pins in 3 Simple Steps

Making custom enamel pins can be accomplished in 3 simple steps. First, think of a pin design, second, digitize the pin design, and third order the pin design.

People hesitate to order custom enamel pins for fear of the unknown. We want to take away the unknown so there is no hesitation on your part.

You may already have an idea and that is great. Or, you may have seen customized pins and thought they were cool, and wondered how you could make your own custom enamel pins. Either way you've made a good choice, and made it to the right place.

Think of a pin design.

It all starts with the design, and the good news is, if you can think it, we can design it. So, let your imagination go wild and see what you can do.

Don't worry about the computer or the designing part right now, all you need to do is think of a design.

Maybe you are a bird enthusiast and you want to make a set of bird pins.

Maybe you like unique quotes and you want to make a set of quote pins.

Maybe you like memes and you want to make a set of meme pins.

Maybe you are "The Office" fan and you want a set of "The Office" pins.

Or, maybe you are a designer and you have your own style of art, and you want to make your art into a pin.

It really can be anything you want. Just come up with the idea and be able to describe it to another person. And the description doesn't have to be long or complicated.

A few design rules that save you trouble later

Not every idea works well as a pin, and the reason is how pins are made. Enamel is paint, so every color needs a metal border around it to hold it in place. Pin artwork has to follow that rule where a poster or a t-shirt print doesn't.

• Solid colors only. Each section holds one color. If your artwork has shading, adjust it so every area is a flat color with a line around it.
• Simple beats busy. A pin doesn't have to be complex to make a strong impression. Merging similar shades into one color keeps the design clean.
• Design at actual size. This is the mistake we see most. Details that look great on a 5 or 6 inch drawing get lost on a 1 inch pin, and sometimes the whole design becomes unrecognizable.

Try the eyeball test. Scale your design down to the real pin size and look at it. Any detail you can't make out with your eyes is most likely how it will turn out on the pin, so remove it. Not sure what size to pick? Most of our pins land between 1 and 1.5 inches, and our guide to custom lapel pin sizes covers the rest.

We can take your ideas and put them to paper, and help you see what your brain is thinking. We understand that ideas take refinement before they are perfect so we prepare an artwork proof, let you review it, then change it for any of your recommendations. The design is free, and the first proof usually comes back within 4 hours. After a couple of revisions, you will clearly see what you were thinking.

Digitize the pin design.

We hesitate saying digitize as that sounds so professional and often scares people away. No fear, we will do the digitizing for you. What digitizing means is taking the design on paper and putting it into an electronic format (digitized) in the computer.

Custom enamel pins are produced based on an Adobe Illustrator file (.ai file type). This is a special type of format we like to call vectorized. Vectorizing is another technical term that basically means the artwork is converted to lines. The lines are what the cnc machines are capable of reading and interpreting so it can cut the design into a die. The die is what is used to create the actual pins.

You don't need to send us a vector file. If you have one (.ai, .eps or .svg), great. A photo, a screenshot or a napkin sketch works too, and our design team will clean it up for production.

There is one important point to remember with designs. Colors need to be separated by lines. In other words, you cannot have 2 colors blended or faded together within one section. Each color has to be separated by a line and contain only one color per section. (Need a gradient or a photo? That's what offset printed pins are for, covered below.)

Once the illustrator file is produced, it is also saved as a jpg file type for you the customer to review.

Anyone can open a jpg file, but unless you have the program you cannot open an illustrator file. Most customers do not have Illustrator so we save it in a file you can view.

You've now thought of a design, had it digitized, now you are ready to order.

Choose the type of enamel pin.

One more choice before you order: what type of pin do you want? Sometimes your design decides it. Other times it's just preference. Here are the four main types of enamel pins.

Soft enamel pins

Soft enamel pins are textured, almost 3D. The enamel fills the recessed areas and air dries, settling below the metal lines so the borders stay raised. The metal finish goes on before the color, which means dyed metal colors like black work well. If you want a black metal outline on your finished pin, soft enamel is the right choice.

They're our most popular pin and one of the least expensive, so you get a great quality pin for the least amount possible.

Hard enamel pins

Hard enamel pins are flat and smooth. The enamel is filled to the top of the metal outlines, hardened with heat, then ground and polished smooth. Here the enamel goes in before the metal finish.

Every metal finish is available except dyed metal colors (black, white, green and so on), because those would be polished off. Hard enamel is durable and scratch resistant, and most people consider it jewelry quality. Torn between the two? Read soft enamel vs hard enamel.

Offset printed pins

Offset printed pins are exactly that: printed. The design goes directly onto the metal, and the pin is sealed under an epoxy dome. Choose printed when your design has blended colors, gradients, a photo, or details too small to fill with enamel. They're also our fastest option, with a 72 hour rush available.

Die struck pins

Die struck pins are made the same way as enamel pins but have no enamel color at all. The pin is only metal finish, usually gold or silver, and you can still read the design because of the raised and recessed areas. Sandblasting is often applied to the recessed areas (a grainy texture) to create contrast with the polished raised metal.

Order the Pin Design.

You've seen how easy it is up to this point, and it only gets easier.

You do have to decide on a few things, like how many pins do you want to order and when do you need the pins, but those should be easy questions.

Once we have the answer to those two questions and you approve the proof, you pay online, we process the order and deliver the pins direct to your door, usually within 10 to 15 business days.

It really is simple to make custom enamel pins. So, start your order today.

What happens after you order?

Someone else is making the pin, but knowing the process helps you make better choices.

1. The die is cut. A cnc machine cuts your vector design into metal to make the master die (or mold).
2. The pins are stamped. The die is stamped into a thin metal sheet, and each pin is trimmed to remove the extra metal. This leaves sunken areas and raised borders.
3. The color goes in. The raised borders hold the liquid enamel in place. If a border didn't fully surround a color, it would run into the next one. Coloring machines do some of this now, but many pins are still filled by workers dispensing enamel through small syringes. It's the most time-consuming part of making a pin.
4. The pins are plated. You pick the metal finish, like gold, silver or copper. It covers the back of the pin and the lines between the colors, so choose one that complements your colors. On hard enamel this step comes after the enamel, and on soft enamel it comes before.
5. Finishing. The pins are cleaned, polished and packed for shipping.

We will answer a few other questions below that you might be wondering about.

How many pins do I have to order?

Because a die is the most expensive cost of making a pin, and it costs the same whether you make 1 pin or 10,000 pins we set a minimum order quantity of 50 pins. The mold and setup are included in our prices, so there's no separate die charge on your invoice.

Only need one to see it in hand? We make custom samples for $200 per design, and if you go ahead with the full order unchanged, $125 of that is credited toward it.

What does it cost to order Custom Enamel Pins?

Pins are relatively inexpensive and the more you order the cheaper they become.

On our price list, 100 soft enamel pins at 1 inch cost $2.92 per pin. At 500 pins the price drops to $1.43 per pin. You begin to see how the price decreases the more you order. Every price includes free design and free shipping in the US, and the full list for every size and pin type is on our pricing page. For 50 pins or a quantity that isn't listed, ask for a quote. Want the details behind those numbers? See how much it costs to make enamel pins.

How long does it take to make Custom Enamel Pins?

Most orders reach your door within 10 to 15 business days after you pay and approve the design. That includes production time and delivery time to your doorstep.

In a hurry? Printed pins have a rush option that can be delivered in 72 hours, and soft enamel and die struck pins can be made faster than hard enamel. More on timing in how long it takes to make a custom pin.

What if I have a problem with my Custom Enamel Pins?

We know you are ordering sight unseen, that is why we produce a really good artwork proof so you can see what you will get. We don't like surprises, and we know you don't either.

The artwork and the actual pin will never be exact, as that would be impossible, but it will be very close.

We stand behind the quality of our pins. If there's a quality issue with your delivered order, email us pictures and a description of the problem and we'll address it.

Can I reorder my Custom Enamel Pins?

Yes, you can reorder whenever you have a need. We keep all artwork on file for 10 years. This makes it very easy to reorder. Email us in the same thread as your earlier order, or submit a new request online, and we'll send the proof again for you to approve before production starts. You can even change the size or quantity.

The minimum quantities still apply, but the process is so much easier.

Conclusion

You are now an expert at ordering custom enamel pins. It really is that easy, your biggest challenge is coming up with a design, but the fact you're reading this blog post seems to indicate you have some ideas already to go.