You will need a button press, dies, cutters, shells and backs. There are eight sizes of dies, and cutters, with shells and backs to go with them. For the backs, you have standard and short wire eye, prong, nail, and nylon hook.You can even get a square button. It's not cheep to get into the button making business.

Thanks Jim (Y) im planning on starting out with just one size button and then getting different ones as and when needed for each resto, when pressing the pronged buttons will i need a specific die??

Die sizes are 22, 30, 36, 40, 45, 50, 60, 80, and 48/65. You don't need all of them. I only have three and get along just fine. If the button is on a door panel, it's probably a #22. A #22 when covered in vinyl is approximately 1/2" or 1 1/2 cm. Depending on the length of the prong, you might have to drill a hole in the bench that the press sits on to accommodate the length of the prong, or you can cut the prong off before you cover the button. when you do that, you sacrifice the point on the end of the prong.

Thanks Jim really appreciate your help i'm going to look into buying the basics

I got lucky when starting out and found a retired trimmer who was trying to sell everything. Got 3 sets of dies n cutters and a shells n backs for a really good deal.

Me too. Over the years, I've bought out the inventory of several shop that have closed down and now I have 3 press machines.