Borrowing or Purchasing a Button Punch Sidelap Connection Tool for Metal Deck

The most common type of sidelap connection for metal decking is the button punch. To perform a button punch, you will need to use a button punch tool. But where can you find one of these tools? And how do you go about renting or purchasing one?

One important thing to note is that the button punch tool is manufactured in two different styles: manual and pneumatic. The manual button punch tool is available to borrow and to purchase. The pneumatic button punch tool is only available for purchase.

In order to make things simple, we will detail the procedure to borrow and buy a button punch tool from Western Metal Deck.

Manual Button Punch Tool	Pneumatic Button Punch Tool

Procedure to Borrow a Manual Button Punch Tool for Metal Deck

Western Metal Deck loans manual button punch tools to our customers at no charge under the following guidelines.

1. The borrower must have purchased the material from us.
2. A deposit of $1,395.00 in the form of a company check must be provided as security for the return of the tool. This deposit check is due at the time of pick up or prior to shipment.
3. A button punch loan agreement must be signed by the borrower. This agreement requires the borrower to return the tool on schedule or buy the tool for $1,395.00 (which is the normal cost). In which case, their deposit check would be deposited in our bank and they would keep the tool. See a sample of the button punch loan agreement.
4. The borrower is responsible for picking up the tool and returning the tool.
5. If the borrower is more than 50 miles away and would rather have the tool shipped than they are responsible for paying the shipping costs both ways.

How long can a customer borrow the button punch tool for?

The amount of time a customer can borrow the button punch tool will depend on the size of the job. The larger the job, the more time a customer can borrow the tool, the smaller the job, the less time a customer will have to borrow the tool.

Small Job Size - Under 2,500 Square Feet

The customer can borrow the tool for 3 business days.

• Day 1: is when the customer picks up the tool, or the day the tool is received (if shipped out).
• Day 2: the tool is used on the second day
• Day 3: the tool is to be returned to us or shipped back to us.
• In a typical 2,500 square foot job, it should take 2 hours or less to completely button punch the job.

Large Job Size - Over 2,500 Square Feet

The borrower may keep the tool for 5 business days instead of 3 business days.

• Day 1: is when the customer picks up the tool, or the day the tool is received (if shipped out).
• Days 2-4: the tool is used on days 2-4.
• Day 5: the tool is to be returned to us or shipped back to us.

Borrowing a Crimper

Borrowing a crimper to do top seam stitch welding follows the same procedures as a button punch. The reason for this is that the same tool is used. When the tool is used for crimping purposes the button between the jaws is easily removed with an Allen wrench and the tool is changed to a crimper in about 30 seconds.

Procedure to Purchase a Button Punch Tool

In our experience, we have found that most installers that regularly install metal decking choose to buy their own tool because of the convenience of having it whenever they need the tool. To help our customers we carry the manual and pneumatic button punch tools for purchase.

We make the process simple for customers to purchase a new tool.

1. Customer can either call or email to inquire about purchasing a tool
2. A sales rep will then email a quote confirmation and credit card form.
3. To place an order, the customer needs to sign the confirmation, fill out the credit card form, and email back both pages to the sales rep.
   
   

Manual Button Punch Tool

If a customer prefers to purchase a manual button punch tool instead of borrowing, we stock and sell brand new tools.

• The manual button punch tool costs $1,395.00 + Tax
• Available for same-day pick up in Ontario, California
• Can be shipped UPS Ground for an additional $50 if shipped within the continental US
• If an order is placed and paid for by 12 PM PST it can be shipped the same day.
  
  

Pneumatic Button Punch

The pneumatic button punch tool is an air-driven version of the button punch. The tool would need to be hooked up to an air compressor with enough air hose to conveniently reach the area that is being button punched. The compressor should be able to generate 100 psi pressure. The tool does not come with an air compressor or an air hose. We do not loan or rent pneumatic button punch tools.

We stock and sell brand new tools as follows:

• The pneumatic button punch tool costs $2,195.00 + Tax
• Available for same-day pick up in Ontario, California or,
• Can be shipped UPS Ground for an additional $100 if shipped within the continental US
• If an order is placed and paid for by 12 PM PST it can be shipped the same day.

Want to learn more about tools needed for your metal deck project? We have more information to share with you in the Metal Deck Learning Center.