Why you don't let friends borrow tools

[ElectroMechTech]

I require a replacement cost security deposit in cash before any tool leaves my sight. Needless to say I don't get many people asking to borrow.

My brother is the same way, except he is more of a pimp about it at times.

 

[LordPsychon]

I will let my father borrow my tools because he will a) give them back to me when I ask and b) clean them before returning them. My brother will only do one of the above and not always the same one. My one neighbor is very good about returning my tools and I gladly reciprocate when I borrow one of his. I don't have many friends who need my tools (most either hire someone else to do the work for them or already own that particular tool).

Remember the old phrase: "Neither a borrower nor a lender be".

 

[va.grouseman]

I lent my cousin/neighbor my chainsaw, several years ago because he said his burnt up.---My wife had just given the chainsaw to me for my birthday because I told her I was going to buy me a good saw for winter wood.---She went out and bought me a real nice McCulloch.---Only one I had and man was I proud of it.---When my cousin said his burnt up, that should have thrown a flag, but I didn't see it.---Two weeks later he brought it back and said it had locked up.---I checked it out and told him he had run it without chain oil and the chain was tight as a banjo string.---I put oil in it, adjusted the chain and fired it up.---I thought he was bringing it back.---He wasn't, he said thanks, grabbed it up, threw it on his truck and drove off.---Two weeks later, he drove up, handed me the saw and said it won't crank.---I pulled the rope and no compression.---Motor was blown.---He used regular gas, no 2 cycle.---I told him he had blown the motor, it was ruined.---He reached in his wallet and got out five dollars and said here's $5.00 for your trouble, got in his pick-up and drove off with me holding a five in one hand and junk in the other.---I'd of had way more respect for him if he had of kicked me in the nuts for my troubles than hand me a five.

From that, something my brother said to me one time began to resonate.---He said ("I don't lend things to people, it protects the friendship").---As the years have gone buy I have found this to be true.---I've had several friends avoid me like I had leprosy cause they owed me money or had borrowed something.---Some of them had borrowed tools from me and then lent them to their friends who lent them to their friends.---I never saw them again.

It sounds like a mighty nice Christian thing to do, to lend without interest and lend your things, knowing you will never see them again.---And I guess that would work out alright.---Because when you are totally cleaned out, living in a box under a bridge, they won't bother you anymore.

I don't lend anymore.---I'm protecting friendships.

 

[bagged89s10]

I will let my father borrow my tools because he will a) give them back to me when I ask and b) clean them before returning them. My brother will only do one of the above and not always the same one. My one neighbor is very good about returning my tools and I gladly reciprocate when I borrow one of his. I don't have many friends who need my tools (most either hire someone else to do the work for them or already own that particular tool).



Remember the old phrase: "Neither a borrower nor a lender be".

I never say no to my father. He takes care of my stuff and I just go to his house if I need something. He also buys old tools at tag sales and gives them to me a lot of times. Can't beat that!



~Veeps

 

[bagged89s10]

I don't lend anymore.---I'm protecting friendships.

Good motto!




~Veeps

 

[LouisianaRebel]

Only thing I've ever borrowed is my friends trailers.
One big enclosed... Which i cleaned and scrubbed on for 4 hours before I brought it back even though it was moldy before I borrowed it.

Another that I completely rewired because his lights didnt work.

 

[LUKE221]

Never let them borrow or have the cheap tools on a pegboard lile i do and the good stuff locked up.

 

[countryroad82]

I have some cheapo stuff that I lend out. You know, those no name tools that your wife's aunt bought you for Christmas that you cringed when you opened the package but had to think it's the thought that counts. Yeah THOSE tools! They go to the casual friends that know I have a shop and lots of tools. I have a few friends that I would let have anything I own in the shop........ But I can count those friends on 1 hand and not use all my fingers! When I loan out the cheapo set, guys will look at me and ask why I won't lend them stuff out of my main box. My answer is those tools make me money, sure there are doubles in there, but I need everything that is in that box and my 'cart'. If I lend anything like that out I'll need it sure as the world when the next vehicle rolls in.

The most fun one to loan out is a paint gun. I won't loan out a good gun. I have thrown in the bottom of my gun cabinet a pile of old cheap guns I used for primer and no longer work. So when someone asks for a gun I reach in the bottom of the cabinet, wipe the dust off one, hand it over, and wait. What am I waiting for? The phone call. It goes like this,
Idiot that asked me for one of my main money makers, 'Hey there's something wrong with this gun.'
Me 'what's it doing?'
*****, 'It's not spraying, spraying a bad pattern, spitting, whatever reason it wound up in the junkpile'
Me, 'Well that doesn't surprise me.'
Dummy, 'How come?'
Me, 'That was one of my old spare guns, there's a reason it's a spare, most likely it won't work!'
*****, 'Why didn't you tell me it didn't work!?'
Me, 'I told you it was an old spare!'
*****, 'Can I borrow a gun that works?!'
Me, 'They sell an awesome good cheap gun at HF, I can't afford to lend out any of my guns I use all 3 pretty much every day.'

There is a story as to why I'm a **** about my guns. I have it hanging on my wall to remind me not to loan out a good working gun. It's not like I let these guys catilyze their paint before they figure out they have a bum gun. I always tell them it needs cleaned before they spray because it's been sitting for awhile and test it.......... Ok the guy that made me this way MAY OR MAY NOT have gotten a warning, as a matter of fact I made sure to give him a gun that would quit plus it leaked like a sift. He did ruin about $100 worth of acrylic. But he ruined a $100 gun. I felt that we were even..........

 

[Thumper]

Only one person can borrow stuff from me.....my youngest son. He is picky as i am.

Never to friends as I found when I was alot younger.....your friends are the first to **** you....(because they know they can and get away with it..)

 

[slyonedoofy]

I moved across the state and I stored my tools in my dad's barn.

B-I-L got into the boxes and took tools and left them open and mice got in them.

I could have killed him. I go into his garage every once in awhile and find stuff he took.

I do not lend him tools.

 

[CJM8515]

I think I have come up with a solution for this. I will rent my tools out for free, but the security deposit is full replacement cost!

Thats what I do. Want the tool, gimme a bunch of cash or the cost of the tool (if its expensive) so far no issues.

I do not loan out certain items after having to chase people down: My snap on cordless impact is one of those, soon as a friend finds out I have such a tool they want to borrow it. Well I did that a few times, and it took some hounding and threats to get it back in some cases. I use it for work regularly so I need it back, you cant keep it for a week.

 

[ZRX61]

Used to have *maintenance days" at my old place & a horde of friends would show up to work on their bikes. Sometimes friends of friends would show up & one of those muppets used one of my autobody hammers to install the rear axle on his Suzuki. We had words. No damage to the hammer as he only got one light hit in with it... which was just as well as I was tempted to use his knuckles to demonstrate the correct way to use a 40oz ballpein...

 

[dledmo]

As for lending tools to help friends, I would say it depends on the tool. If it's not a big ticket item, would probably let most of my friends borrow it for a day or two, but most of the time I come over and help them with it. Either way, they all know what I expect. When my boy is old enough to utilize tools, I will probably only let him use the tools in my presence, but I'm sure there will come a frustrating day when find some sockets left outside, or gets into my box when I'm not home. Not sure what I'll do then.

Show him what he did wrong and use specifics such as where rust could develop on a socket or the socket could get run over by a lawn mower. Tell him "I love you and I expect you to better next time". Your job is to teach him to be a better man and to learn from his mistakes. My kids are 14 and 11 with full "I know" attitude. Be patient and he won't become "That Guy I Won't Let Borrow Or Touch My Tools!"

 

[rodsnratfinks]

Show him what he did wrong and use specifics such as where rust could develop on a socket or the socket could get run over by a lawn mower. Tell him "I love you and I expect you to better next time". Your job is to teach him to be a better man and to learn from his mistakes. My kids are 14 and 11 with full "I know" attitude. Be patient and he won't become "That Guy I Won't Let Borrow Or Touch My Tools!"

Good advice. Yeah, I would rather him learn that stuff while at home rather than go out into the world and act like an entitled jerk.

 

[aaronrkelly]

You need better "friends".

My friends can use what ever they want. Most of them take better care than I do.

This.

I have a very well stocked garage.....tools, power washer, welder etc....more than most guys have.

I have digital keypad to get in.....all my friends and family have the code and know the drill.

When you borrow it you write IT and your name on the whiteboard on the garage wall.

When you bring IT back, erase it.

If I dont have something, a quick check shows who does have it.

Nobody ever has taken something and not written it down. Nobody has ever broke or lost anything without replacing it.

Works great and Id loan them ANYTHING I own without hesitation.

 

[MrJason]

#1
So a month ago I went to look for one of my air ratchets to change a starter in my truck.
It's Missing.
There are only 4 friends that ever borrow tools and all say they don't have it.
So It's still missing. Luckily I have another air ratchet that I was able to use.
But it's still missing.

#2
I let my friend borrow my plasma cutter. I ask him to drop it off 2 weeks ago and doesn't drop it off. I need it to cut some steel brackets. WTF!

#3
Yesterday I was looking for my tap and die set.
It's Missing.

I'm pissed and no more allowing tool borrowing anymore.

I can go on and on but these are the 3 most recent incidents.

:rant



~Veeps

You train people how to treat you. Now, go get your plasma cutter and lock up your stuff.

Bring your friends to your level. Stop allowing yourself to drop to theirs.

Jason

Jason

 

[tank4114]

some of these stories i don't know how you haven't killed people
I wouldn't care if it was my best mate if they fucked one of my tools i would cut sic at them and tell them they got 2 options they pay for a new one or i'm taking something of theres of equal value
then again i'm a heartless ****

 

[pudgybear]

Never a lender or borrower be! " old saying "

 

[bagged89s10]

You train people how to treat you. Now, go get your plasma cutter and lock up your stuff.

Bring your friends to your level. Stop allowing yourself to drop to theirs.

Jason

Jason

Got home from work yesterday and the plasma cutter was back.
Not getting loaned out again, I will only let my friends come over to use it.



~Veeps

 

[TommyD]

All my lendable tools are spray painted purple for identification purposes and are only lent out to a few people, my good tools do not leave my gay-raj. They almost always comment on the paint so it leaves an impression on them that it's NOT their tool and will be easily identified if I have to come look for it. Haven't had to yet.

 

[countryroad82]

Hey there's an idea on my loaners!! ^^^^ Except I'm thinking pink!! That way it shows how girly a guy is that he has to borrow a set of tools!!

 

[56FordGuy]

When I worked in a truck shop I did exactly that. I picked up a cheap dollar store tool set and spray painted all the tools hot pink. If a driver needed to come in an borrow a pair of pliers, adjustable wrench, whatever they got the hot pink tools from the dollar store. Strangely enough, that stuff always seemed to come back when they were finished with it.

 

[jakemac]

I did the same with all the company tools for an event company I worked for. We went from losing hundreds of dollars in tools every year ($1300 one year), to tens of dollars in lost tools after the paint. Keep in mind that the tools were only used for 3 weeks out of the year and would disappear in those three weeks. The rest of the year they were locked up in a warehouse.

At first I got yelled at for "ruining" all the tools and for spending $10 on a case of cheap discontinued pink spray paint. Once they realized how much I was saving them on the budget each year (a year later), I got a raise on my contract. Go figure.

 

[rogersmithiii]

Why would you want to borrow tools? If you borrow, you get rid of the logical, defensible reason to buy. Conversely, why would you put someone else is such a nasty position?

"Darling, I'd love to fix the oil burner, but I need a combustion analyzer. My buddies won't let me borrow one, so I have to cut an order right now."

If you lend tools to your buddy, you're destroying his marriage.

 

[michiganman18]

Never lend tools. Period. Don't borrow them also.

This seems the way to go

 

[the1nonlyjl]

Tools are my jewelry box just the same concept ******* how they **** out having jewelries to be touch free kept in their jewelry box.

 

[Beemer533]

This is it for me as well, though I take care of my stuff the best. I spend a lot of money on having certain tools for small projects and I am happy to see them get used.

The moment you cross me though, you're done. If I need something I own back to get something done, it's on you to get it back and get it back promptly.

If something breaks/is damaged/etc., it better be replaced or repaired in a manner I see fit.

This is exactly how I look at it.. Over the years I have had a couple friends abuse it, so the had their privileges revoked, but for the most part it works out for me.

This post edited by the NSA

 

[jakemac]

Tools are my jewelry box just the same concept ......................

I was with you right up to this point. After that, your train ran out of rails.

 

[heywood22rbr]

All of the postings on this thread remind me of too many bad memories. My friends mostly know better than to borrow my expensive tools. But my wife's male friends from work and university are moochers. The worst ones are the ones with 2 and 3 expensive degrees, good jobs, new cars, and fancy stuff in the house. But they do not own even the most basic tools! When my wife asks if so-and-so can borrow a tool, I always reply: "Do you think he would he mind if I sleep with his wife tomorrow afternoon?" When I think about it, my tools are only slightly less important to me than my own wife, and I am absolutely crazy about her.

 

[top drive]

Big sticker on my tool box.....says - " this is not a tool hire shop"

How ever if you come up to mine you can use em , but they dont leave the premises.

One of my mates who i met through work whos a gearhead but not on here and is my best man at my wedding gets free reign though....

He always returns my tools in good fettle usually with extras , i loaned him my shop vac and it came back with a new bag of bags , he has my hitachi nail guns atm and said he would get more gas and nails as i was low.

My 4 wheeler spent 5 weeks in his garage last year waiting on repairs as it was in an crash near his house and barely drivable, no complaints and he even helped fix it

If i need to borrow something ill might ask once if its a high value item how ever if its low value or i need it again ill buy it.

 

[Jhoff310]

After years of loaning out power tools and having them comeback broken, if they come back at all. I have started changing all of the plugs in my garage and on my power tools to the the European style. I will make my own extension cord to go from a standard outlet to the European style so I can still use my tools anywhere.
This way when someone asks to borrow "whatever they need" I can say, " I dont think you can plug it in at your house"......Should eliminate people asking real soon.

Spray painting tools hot pink or some other color works well too. I have a toolbox full of rainbow colored hand tools. They usually take one look at them and then decline to take them.

 

[PJNJ]

I'm not buying junk tools to lend; spray painting tools pink; or changing my outlets to Euro style.

Over the years, I bought tools as I needed them or in anticipation of needing them. And I built up a pretty good collection. And it seems a few neighbors, family members and "friends" took notice of this. Naturally they asked to borrow them. Being a nice guy (my wife used to tell me I was too nice), I would let them take them to use. After having tools come back worn out, broken or not at all more than a few times, I took a much simpler route. So about 6-7 years ago, I started practicing saying the word "no". Now, except for two very trustworthy people - my son and one of my friends, my tools don't leave my premises. And it really only took a few times of saying "no" before "friends" and neighbors stopped asking.

 

[bagged89s10]

I'm not buying junk tools to lend; spray painting tools pink; or changing my outlets to Euro style.



Over the years, I bought tools as I needed them or in anticipation of needing them. And I built up a pretty good collection. And it seems a few neighbors, family members and "friends" took notice of this. Naturally they asked to borrow them. Being a nice guy (my wife used to tell me I was too nice), I would let them take them to use. After having tools come back worn out, broken or not at all more than a few times, I took a much simpler route. So about 6-7 years ago, I started practicing saying the word "no". Now, except for two very trustworthy people - my son and one of my friends, my tools don't leave my premises. And it really only took a few times of saying "no" before "friends" and neighbors stopped asking.

I'm with you on not buying cheap tools just to loan out. The people borrowing them should buy some cheap tools.




~Veeps

 

[Kingcreek]

I'm lucky- I have almost no friends!

learned my lesson with one friend once when he asked to borrow my trailer for a home remodel project. He had it for a month before I called him and said I urgently needed it for something. He said sure I could come and get it but he hadn't had time to "unload" it. I found it loaded with soggy wet rained on drywall scraps that could only be unloaded by taking handfulls of mush. I had to go get it, haul it to the landfill transfer station, and PAY to unload it! so I could use it when I needed it.

 

[eborcim]

I'm lucky- I have almost no friends!

learned my lesson with one friend once when he asked to borrow my trailer for a home remodel project. He had it for a month before I called him and said I urgently needed it for something. He said sure I could come and get it but he hadn't had time to "unload" it. I found it loaded with soggy wet rained on drywall scraps that could only be unloaded by taking handfulls of mush. I had to go get it, haul it to the landfill transfer station, and PAY to unload it! so I could use it when I needed it.

that would have been shoveled off right in his yard

 

[michiganman18]

I lent my cousin/neighbor my chainsaw, several years ago because he said his burnt up.---My wife had just given the chainsaw to me for my birthday because I told her I was going to buy me a good saw for winter wood.---She went out and bought me a real nice McCulloch.---Only one I had and man was I proud of it.---When my cousin said his burnt up, that should have thrown a flag, but I didn't see it.---Two weeks later he brought it back and said it had locked up.---I checked it out and told him he had run it without chain oil and the chain was tight as a banjo string.---I put oil in it, adjusted the chain and fired it up.---I thought he was bringing it back.---He wasn't, he said thanks, grabbed it up, threw it on his truck and drove off.---Two weeks later, he drove up, handed me the saw and said it won't crank.---I pulled the rope and no compression.---Motor was blown.---He used regular gas, no 2 cycle.---I told him he had blown the motor, it was ruined.---He reached in his wallet and got out five dollars and said here's $5.00 for your trouble, got in his pick-up and drove off with me holding a five in one hand and junk in the other.---I'd of had way more respect for him if he had of kicked me in the nuts for my troubles than hand me a five.

From that, something my brother said to me one time began to resonate.---He said ("I don't lend things to people, it protects the friendship").---As the years have gone buy I have found this to be true.---I've had several friends avoid me like I had leprosy cause they owed me money or had borrowed something.---Some of them had borrowed tools from me and then lent them to their friends who lent them to their friends.---I never saw them again.

It sounds like a mighty nice Christian thing to do, to lend without interest and lend your things, knowing you will never see them again.---And I guess that would work out alright.---Because when you are totally cleaned out, living in a box under a bridge, they won't bother you anymore.

I don't lend anymore.---I'm protecting friendships.

Ouch. Talk about rude. I've never received a nice tool gift like that and if someone ruined it the way he did I wouldn't be thinking very Christian either. I'd be pissed. Can't believe the apathy he showed. Sorry to hear that. It leaves a bitter taste for helping people. I've never had quite a terribly experience like that but that'd be all it'd take.

 

[GaugedFreak]

If a friend asks to borrow a tool, I usually just offer to help. Gives me an excuse to hang out with friends and drink beer.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

I have a few friends I'm always happy to loan tools to. They're the friends who are always happy to do the same for me.

I wouldn't have it any other way, having everything from heavy equipment to specialty tools to people always willing to give me advice is well worth sharing for.

 

[Mr. Fixer Upper]

It's all about understanding. I have a neighbor that is an avid wood worker. I'm more of a mechanical guy. If I need a wood tool he's got it. If he needs help with something that I have I've got him covered.

I agree with the sentiment that others have voiced about folks without tools being the biggest abusers of the timely return. Of course that's true because they don't have anything anybody would want to borrow so nothing is ever loaned out of their garage.

Even letting folks use tools while at your house/shop can be an issue. Next thing you know the tool is broken or damaged from abuse or maybe it just had enough. So now there is sore feelings because they messed up your favorite ratchet or whatever. It's hard to win the tool loan game.

 

[shoot summ]

I think there are some distinctions.

I have very few "friends", these are people I trust, people that are like me, they take care of stuff, and they are responsible. I know if I loan them something, I will get it back in as good, or better condition than I loaned it. If they damage it, I will get a new one, and they will keep/repair the old one. They bring things back in a timely fashion.

Then there are acquaintances, these are the people that might get to come over and use my stuff, but it never leaves my possession. I have a lot of these, they want to borrow tools, but find out pretty quickly who the local rental companies are...