never agaian will anybody borrow ANYTHING

[Joe Finch]

last weekend my neighbor borrowed my dropcord-skil saw-sawsall-pressure washer to repair and stain his deck( very nice guy lives about 1/2 mile away so why not). first things first cut my new dewalt skillsaw cord in half, next nottting found its way home. i go to his house to find a choc lab dragging my sawsall by the chewed cord around the yard and pressure washer sitting BESIDE THE GARAGE NOT IN IT BUT BESIDE IT with the temps getting down to the teens at night( needless to say pump frooze seals busted) as for the drop cord who knows?

try to be a good neighbor and become a broke neighbor

[Joe Cunningham]

He gets to pay for the tools, right? If someone borrows something, it better come back in the same condition it went out in.

Being neighborly is a two-way street--if he breaks your tools and doesn't pony up the $$$, he is acting just as nasty as if he broke into your house and stole them IMO. Doesn't sound like a nice guy to me.

If he doesn't pay up, I'd take him to small claims court.

[Mitchell Andrus]

I politely say, "I don't loan my tools, and nobody works in my shop." I likewise don't ever borrow tools.

Would they ask to borrow a blender? Couch? Patio umbrella?
.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

he turned your tools into a dog chew toy and a busted water pump....yup, I'd say he better replace them.

[Brian Kent]

My opinion. YMMV

Assume he will reimburse you.

Go over with a calm smile and a simple list of reimbursement costs.

Go the extra mile and let him know he can pay over the next month, "I know money is tight".

Charge him for the seal and cords, replaced professionally at a local repair shop, and not the whole replacement cost for each tool.

Keep a good neighborly relationship rather than yelling for him to pay for all of the tools "right now", and if he asks to borrow your tools again, say "Mmmmm, nope. But you can invite me over for a barbecue when you deck is finished!"

Brian

[Tom Godley]

I hear and feel your pain! Other than one close friend who takes care of things like me - I will not lend my good tools out or my outdoor equipment.

You want to be a good friend/ neighbor but it always backfires. Many people have never had really good tools - they have no idea how to take care of them or what they cost.

At this stage I have seconds of many hand power tools - so I will occasionally lend them out. But everything always comes back dirty and dull.

[Tom Godley]

Mitchell - I have never had someone ask to borrow a couch - but yes on the blender and umbrella!!

In fact, last summer someone asked if they could borrow all my new pool furniture for a big graduation party. I politely refused as he informed that he could just stack them and use his company pick-up for the move :(

[Wakahisa Shinta]

Being generous is difficult. In my experiences, my tools mostly come back damaged, dulled, dirty, and abused. Sometimes, they don't come back at all. Then when I need them, I scratch my head to try to remember if I misplaced them. One day, it will come to me that I lend out the tool to that person. I have a relative who has a policy of borrow-without-return. I don't mind letting people borrow my tools, but I'd love to find someone who understands and cares for the tools like I do. So far, no luck! :(

Yet, it feels horrible to say "No," like I did something really bad.

[Joe Cunningham]

Assume he will reimburse you.

Go over with a calm smile and a simple list of reimbursement costs.

Brian

I agree. I would try the neighborly way first, giving him the opportunity to either fix or replace the tools. But I'd probably also start documenting the loss just in case.

But if he declines or 'forgets', I'd definitely kick it up a few notches.

[Mike McDonough]

That includes in-laws,my bro in-law borrowed my wet saw and months later i had to go get it and the power cord was rubbed thru and the on/off shitch stayed on all the time.NEVER AGAIN.

[Al Willits]

Its a two edged sword I think, while my list of people I'd borrow stuff to is kinda short, hard to say no to a neighbor who when your power goes out for 4 days, he shows up on day 2 with a extension cord from his house to yours.
After you finally get power he won't take anything for the electricity you used.

He's not really all that tool friendly and can be a bit hard on them, so I usually follow him over and watch till he's done.

I figure for the $800-1000 we had in the freezer that we saved, it was worth it.

But I don't borrow any tool I can't replace if it breaks and return them clean and ready to go.
I expect the same in return.

Al

[Chris S Anderson]

My best friend of over 18yrs borrowed a table saw from me to do some work on an apartment buiding. He kept it in his garage, and his brother, who I am also friends with, drove over it on accident. It didnt have a stand, so it was only 1ft off the ground.

He gave it back with the sides broken off and some damage to the top. I was confused as to who to ask to fix it, as one friend drove over it, but the other left it on the garage floor where it could be run over.

It's been 12 years or so since that accident, and it still bothers me. I wish I had done something then about it, but I just let it go. Unfortunately, I really didn't let it go because it still bothers me today. But I do know it's not worth losing a friend over.

I am happy about it, though. That saw cost me maybe 90.00. Now, I have a valid reason and story as to why I never loan out any tools.

Once, someone asked to borrow my LN#7 3 days after I purchased it. That was an easy no. So, looking back, it cost me 90.00 to never have to lend out a tool again.

[Mike Henderson]

I have a tool borrowing story from the other side. My neighbor was a Snap-On tool salesman. Had the truck that he drove to places and sold the tools. I was working on a car I was restoring and was having trouble getting the tie rod ends off. He offered me a tie rod puller. I initially told him "No" and added that I didn't want the responsibility in case it broke. He said, "Don't worry about it, Snap-On tools are guaranteed for life."

So I took it and when I was pulling a tie rod end, the tool broke. I felt bad when I took it back to him broken but I didn't offer to pay for it.

Mike

[For woodworking tools, there's only a couple of people I'll lend to or borrow tools from. Sometimes you want to use a tool before you decide if you want to buy it, or it's a tool you just won't likely use again.]

[Bruce Page]

I’ve been burned. There’s only a select few they I will lend out to. I have said No much more often than yes.

I would demand the neighbor to make good on everything he borrowed.

[Lee Schierer]

I guess that unless the neighbor saw me visit while the tools were dog toys and frozen, I would pick up the phone and ask if he is done with them as I need my saws all this weekend and see what he says and does. If they come back in bad condition, politely ask what happened and ask if he will pay for the repairs or replacements. If the answer didn't satisfy me, that neighbor would never get another tool without me attached and it would come home when I do. I might also be busy the next time he asked for something.

[Ed Griner]

The fairest policy is recommend a rental company,if any damage occurs while the tool is being used,guess who pays the damages.DON'T LEND ANYTHING,tools,money,car,etc..This is absolutely the best policy,keeps your blood pressure in check and your life simple.If you feel bad about turning them down,give them a gift certificate to Harbor Freight.

Ed



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[Michael Schwartz]

I learned an important lesson many years ago in kindergarden when I loaned a fellow class mate one of my crayons. I finally got it back some time in the first grade when I found it worn down 1/2 way in his crayon box, my mother had marked my name on it.

I will only loan tools to people I know will treat them as good, or better than I will, and even still I won't let them out of my sight for very long.

But even still my Starett combination square ended up on the floor when I let somebody use it.

[Cliff McNeill]

Anything that I use a lot or cost me a good hunk of change doesnt get loaned out. Often I have less expensive/ used/ cheap beaters hanging around that I will give to whoever asks. That way I get to be a nice guy, I get to keep my stuff, I dont have to worry about getting it back and I free up space in the shop.

I have, on occasion, very reluctantly let one of my boys wonder off with something but they know I will hold them 110% responsible for it and they know they better bring it back undamaged and in a timely fashion.

I am getting older but I think that in the back of their minds somewhere they think dad can still kick their butts and dont want find out for sure. lol

[Dave Lehnert]

If the pressure washer was left out frozen, most likely the pump is toast. Unless you have a high end unit (800+) it will cost more to fix than the washer is worth.

[Gene Howe]

I never ask to borrow tools. I wait until LOML needs something fixed/made what ever, then I have a good excuse to buy that tool. :D

[Mitchell Andrus]

I learned an important lesson many years ago in kindergarden when I loaned a fellow class mate one of my crayons. I finally got it back some time in the first grade when I found it worn down 1/2 way in his crayon box, my mother had marked my name on it.


Oh, WOW! That was YOU????

Sorry, man.
.

[Art Mulder]

Oh, WOW! That was YOU????

Sorry, man.
.

I wasn't going to say anything... :p

[keith ouellette]

Thats a shame. I loan and borrow things all the time without incident.

I one time loaned my Bostitch roofing nailer to a waitress. Her husband was doing they're roof with rental tools but didn't quite finish over the weekend and was going to have to rent the gun the following weekend to do just a small amount of roof.

I had never seen this woman before and have no idea how we got on the subject of her roof but the house was on the way from my house on a road I usually travel

so I dropped it off and picked it up a week later. No problems.

Most people would probably say that was pretty foolish.

But I doubt I would ever let anyone have access to my shop. a hand tool is one thing. My shop tools are quite different.

[Joe Finch]

Thats a shame. I loan and borrow things all the time without incident.

I one time loaned my Bostitch roofing nailer to a waitress. Her husband was doing they're roof with rental tools but didn't quite finish over the weekend and was going to have to rent the gun the following weekend to do just a small amount of roof.

I had never seen this woman before and have no idea how we got on the subject of her roof but the house was on the way from my house on a road I usually travel

so I dropped it off and picked it up a week later. No problems.

Most people would probably say that was pretty foolish.

But I doubt I would ever let anyone have access to my shop. a hand tool is one thing. My shop tools are quite different.


there in lies my problem. i have alot of folks i loan stuff to and never have any real problems. im just goona tell the dude to either replace or fix my stuff(that dont mean tape the chords back together) a.s.a.p cause i got a project underway at my rental house and see how it goes

[keith ouellette]

there in lies my problem. i have alot of folks i loan stuff to and never have any real problems. im just goona tell the dude to either replace or fix my stuff(that dont mean tape the chords back together) a.s.a.p cause i got a project underway at my rental house and see how it goes

Yea;
It only takes one bad apple to spoil a pie, or something like that. The guy you tried to help probably just doesn't know any better.

I agree with you. He should fix your tools. And making him do so may teach him to be a little more careful next time he borrows something.

[Harry Hagan]

( very nice guy lives about 1/2 mile away so why not)

You're way too kind, Joe.

Actions speak louder than words. (He’s not really a very nice guy.)

To say he's just a Dumb A$$ and doesn't know any better would be giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Suggestion: Print this thread and have him read it while you’re standing there if he doesn’t hand you a blank check to atone for his sins.

[Michael Gibbons]

Get a security deposit to cover the cost of a new exact replacement. If it comes back like you gave it to someone, they get their money back. If not, they keep the broke tool and you keep the money.

[Mike Wilkins]

Not fond of loaning out anything, unless it is dirt-cheap to begin with. My boss asked to borrow my truck to haul off a downed tree; I offered to help move the tree with my truck and trailer. Completed the task with 2 trips to the dump and got treated to lunch afterwards. It must be an un-written rule somewhere that if you own a truck, it is OK for anyone to ask to borrow it.
Feel the same way about my tools.

[Rick Potter]

I only loan my tools to family, or a few select friends, unless it is something indestructible, like a sledge hammer (Wait! That one came back with a fiberglass handle damaged by an overstrike.). I have had pretty good luck. Actually, like Wakahisa, my biggest problem is remembering whether I misplaced, or loaned out the tool, and to who.

For years, I reminded my brother to return a tool, only to find it one day, right where I put it. He insisted he didn't have it, but I never believed him.

Rick Potter

[glenn bradley]

Neither a borrower nor a lender be. Burned too many times. I know why these folks must borrow; they broke theirs. I said "never again" a long time ago and still stick to it except . . . . in a momentary lapse, I lent my neighbor my good jigsaw just the other day. He needed it for 15 minutes . . . it came back fine, on time, as promised. I was nervous the whole time. Its not worth the stress.

[Jon Lanier]

If I can't live without the item to be borrowed, don't loan it out. I always assume if I loan it out, I will not see it again.

Question for me is... Can the relationship be maintained if something goes wrong.

I've lost some tools, golf clubs and books but lending them out. I've yet had a item be more important to me than a friendship.

[Bruce Koch]

I had a guy that borrowed my scaffolding in July one year. I called him at the end of the year to return it and he said he couldn't tomorrow. I finally sent him a bill in May for the rental and he promptly returned it while I was gone and he left me a note saying that he was going to charge me storage of the scaffolding that he didn't return. Nice guy.

[Bryan Berguson]

Thats a shame. I loan and borrow things all the time without incident.

I one time loaned my Bostitch roofing nailer to a waitress. Her husband was doing they're roof with rental tools but didn't quite finish over the weekend and was going to have to rent the gun the following weekend to do just a small amount of roof.

I had never seen this woman before and have no idea how we got on the subject of her roof but the house was on the way from my house on a road I usually travel

so I dropped it off and picked it up a week later. No problems.

Most people would probably say that was pretty foolish.

But I doubt I would ever let anyone have access to my shop. a hand tool is one thing. My shop tools are quite different.

I wouldn't say that was foolish. I'd say she must have been good looking! :D

Bryan

[Jim Mattheiss]

I got caught in the middle of something like that.

I stored a friends direct drive table saw in my garage and got to use it when needed.

The owner (not me) then sub-lent it to a mutual friend. The mutual friend came to get the saw and asked to borrow my roller stand as an outfeed.

6 months later we were at the mutual friends house doing something and I saw the roller stand and brought it out of the basement to bring home with me. I forgot to bring it when we left and have never seen it again. He eventually moved to Pittsburgh PA, so keep your eyes open for my roller stand.

On another note, the table saw owner needed his saw one time and I had inadvertantly put the security chain on the back door, so he couldn't get into the house to get his saw. I said I was surprised he didn't kick the door in to get his saw. He wasn't put out at all, he said he just did the sut another way.

Cheers

Jim

[Jason Strauss]

I had a guy that borrowed my scaffolding in July one year. I called him at the end of the year to return it and he said he couldn't tomorrow. I finally sent him a bill in May for the rental and he promptly returned it while I was gone and he left me a note saying that he was going to charge me storage of the scaffolding that he didn't return. Nice guy.

You have got to be kidding me! Some people just don't get it.