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[John MacKenzie (Cugiok)]

Mushroom type bass buttons. I am making replacement "washers" for this style of button, using pallet felt/leather/  I punch a 7 M/m hole in a piece of said felt, I then cut a square round this hole, and thread this piece up the lever (Having removed it first), and then I cut round the outside edge of the button. It successfully quietens down the buttons, and avoids bushing the holes, which I feel is too technical for me.

Sir John

[Steve_freereeder]

If you make a single, straight, radial cut with a sharp blade, from the outside of your felt square to the centre hole, you will be able to flex and feed the felt around the button shaft without the need to remove the lever. The radial cut will close up once the felt is in place. A tiny smear of PVA glue will hold the felt in place and allow you to then make the circular cut arond the perimeter of the button as you previously describe. 

[Winston Smith]

Sir John, could it not be easier to punch out the outer circle of the felt as well. I'm certain that a man of your ingenuity could make a suitable punch from a bit of pipe or an old mechanic's square drive socket or something, without having to splash out on a real one. 

[Rog]

Charlie sells those felt washers

[John MacKenzie (Cugiok)]

Charlie sells those felt washers

Aren't they the original spec? If so they are too thin for my taste, and don't cushion the button adequately.
Ah Winston if only it were that easy. I have the punches to do this, but whether one cuts the large disc first, or the 7 MM hole first, I found the material distorted. So it was easier to use the method I described.

Sir John

[Steve_freereeder]

Charlie sells those felt washers

Aren't they the original spec? If so they are too thin for my taste, and don't cushion the button adequately.

The other thing to be aware of is that if you have a washer which is too thick, the pallets may not open sufficiently and you will end up with a muted sound and at a flat pitch.

I would also recommend, like Edward, that you cut the disks of felt rather than squares. If you are careful, you can easily cut the felt with sharp scissors rather than a punch. Mark a cutting line on one side of the felt on one side using a biro.

Also, it allows you to cut the disks fractionally under-size. This gives you a neater finish and compensates for subsequent slight spreading of the disk as it gradually gets flattened out in use.

[invadm]

http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/CGM_Musical_Services/Treble_Bass_Buttons.html#51
 13mm washers I use from Charlie to replace Hohner mushroom bass buttons,you'll have to enlarge the middle hole to fit and trim it around out side edges once fitted..good stuff it is but isn't going to help you with rattling sound of the lever arms & bottom part of the button hitting the body/holes..on a few boxes I used heat shrinking plastic tube to stop rattling as I found bushing very challenging for me..worked OK but not the same thing as bushing