Garage + Tools = Freeloaders?

[mmb617]

I thought about this thread yesterday when a certain situation came up. I have new neighbors. They are a young couple and it just so happens I know the guys dad. He was a friend of a friend back then and I hung out with him on occasion, but I haven't seen him for 50 years.

So the kid has a Mustang with a noise in the engine. They know I have a Mustang and a lift, and do all my own work on my car. I was out digging post holes when Tom (the dad) comes over and asks me to listen to the noise and tell them what I think. That wasn't too bad and I stopped what I was doing to try and help them. Then they totally disregarded what I told them to do in order to eliminate some possibilities. OK, so I'm done here, right?

A little while later, while I'm still working on my post hole project, Tom comes over again and says he supposes they'll have to pull the engine and tear it down. He says "We'll get some beer and come over to your house some time and we can all work on the car using your lift and air tools".

I hope he was kidding, because if he thinks there is any chance that's going to happen, then I guess we won't be friends (if that's what we are now) much longer.

I've already loaned the kid some yard tools and he returned them promptly, but they are certainly not using my garage, my lift, or my mechanics tools, either with or without my help.

I would hope that no one thinks I'm unreasonable about this. Just the liability issue is enough to prevent me from allowing people to use my tools and equipment, let alone the fact that I hardly know these guys and owe them nothing. I didn't see either of them volunteering to help dig post holes!

 

[CJ7VFR]

... He says "We'll get some beer and come over to your house some time and we can all work on the car using your lift and air tools"........I would hope that no one thinks I'm unreasonable about this.... I didn't see either of them volunteering to help dig post holes!

You are in NO WAY being unreasonable!

For this "friend" of yours, that you have not really had any contact with in over 50 years, to just come right out and say hey, we are coming over to your house to use your tools, your time, your garage, your lift and all of your other things is outrageous.

And the worst part is (if there is a worst part) is that he didn't even ASK you first! He just flat out said we are coming over, so be ready.

I call people like that "America's guest". They think that everything was put on this planet for them to use, when they want, where they want, why they want, how they want, and who they want to do it for them.

These are the same people who if they do actually ask you a question, and you say no to the question, they will keep repeating the question, in slightly different ways, to badger you to try to get you to say yes.

No means no. But America's guest never takes that. They will continue to ask you why you don't want to say yes to their request, and then after the 10th time you tell them "NO" and you start to get angry, they get pissed off and make you feel like you are the bad guy.

It amazes me how many people do **** like that. If I ask someone a question, and they say no, then that is it. I don't ask them again.

But America's guest wants what they want, and they don't care how they go about getting it, as long as the outcome is what they wanted, not what you wanted.

Jim

 

[mmb617]

You are in NO WAY being unreasonable!

Thank you. I don't want to come off as some kind of *****, but I also don't intend to be used.

 

[RustyGoat]

Oh yeah, just to bring me back to reality, a "friend" that I haven't heard from in almost 2 years wanted to know if I could come help him build a deck. Didn't even bother calling me to say hello or catch up first - just asked over a text. I've yet to reply.

A coworker and myself both went to school for auto tech plus there are a few other car guys at work. One of our other coworkers who had a couple POS vehicles was always wanting people to work on them for him. One guy who is super nice worked on and towed his broke down junk numerous times and was never paid a penny for any of it. A couple weeks after the guy quit he started texting all of us asking if we wanted to make some extra money working on his truck. None of us replied since we knew he wasn't going to pay anyhow. After about a week he got the hint and hasn't texted any of us since. If you're known for being a shady sleezebag people aren't exactly going to jump through hoops to help you out.

 

[R-Savage]

If you think having tools and shop is a mooch attractant try letting people know that you can fix computers.

I would get calls on any day or night at almost any time asking me to help them fix their computer problem. "Gee, I know you probably eating dinner but I can't get my email..."

The worst was a guy that insisted I work on his schedule, at his house. I had to bring it home with me to fix it, go get parts and pay for them up front. He again wanted me to deliver on his schedule which i couldn't make so he grudgingly came by my place to pick up the PC from my son. The parts were 17 bucks and change, stood in line for 30 minutes to get them after a 1 hour round trip. He actually left a check (which back then I take to the bank) for the exact amount. He was co-worker where i contracted or I would have told him no in the first place.

After that one my wife answered the calls and told them she won't let me work on computers anymore.

Haa haa I know these stories. Oh you're a computer tech? How do I get rid of this purple monkey???

 

[mygarageone]

I read most of these posts , I much life good because I have friends who won't even call me even after I offer to help but we all seems to have the ability and don't want to abuse a friendship.

 

[ibedayank]

tool boxes and doors have locks for a reason

 

[Pwrgeek]

I guess I'll play the ray of sunshine roll in this thread. I have the shop with a lift on my street. Pretty much all the neighbors know about it and a few have used it from time to time. I don't really get bent out of shape because we have a good neighborhood and they have things I need sometimes. It works out well. I have the shop. Guy across the street has a big John Deere that we can borrow. Guy down the street has all the machine shop tools you could ever want and guy on the other sides wife stays home and can be counted on to cover kid emergencies. We all just work together. At least in my case sharing our resources has worked out well. Everyone has access to the things they need and everyone contributes something the others can't.


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[Corndoggeh]

While I haven't had people outright abusing our friendship and trying to take advantage of me and my tools/shop. I did have to deal with a guy that was a friend of my mother that was too "helpful" for his own good. I was helping with a full ignition tune-up and some suspension work on his Honda in exchange for him paying for a chunk of my parking permit for University (Essentially halfing my hourly rate). He didn't get to the house until early afternoon so I told him I'd pick up the rest in the morning and he could grab it at noon. So I wake up the next morning and my brother had let him in and he started working on the car himself without me being there and ended up taking the entire power steering pump and having fluid spilling all over the garage floor. I had to kindly explain to him that I appreciate him trying to help but that it was best to leave it to me.

On another note, I've seen how toxic these situations get. When I was in highschool I had two friends who were in their 2nd year of auto class (They did competitions and such, one of the only highschools in the state to do that anymore). We had an english teacher that would offer to give them B's and A's on assignments in exchange for them working on his POS PT Cruiser that broke every week. When we would be on lunch hour and hang around the english teacher would always ask the two when they could work on his car, disregarding any school work or football practice that would be done over the weekend. After graduation it turned out to be much worse in that he promised the two that they would get A's at the end of the year and that he actually gave them C's (hurting their GPA's for college scholarships) and finding out that he would refuse to buy them any drinks or lunch for spending hours working on his car and they were never paid for their work being afraid that if they didn't work on his car he would end up failing them (and in turn getting an extra 5 gassers/suicides, plus 60 pushups, plus extra laps on Saturdays as long as the F was still there). Our english teacher knew this and took advantage of it and we couldn't report it because the school was afraid of him suing if they fired him for discrimination for him being physically disabled.

So I learned extremely quickly from my two highschool friends that there are teachers that use their students to benefit from them and abuse the student-teacher relationship and I also learned very quickly to never tell anyone that isn't a very close and personal friend that I know how to fix -anything-.

 

[Coolabah]

I guess I'll play the ray of sunshine roll in this thread. I have the shop with a lift on my street. Pretty much all the neighbors know about it and a few have used it from time to time. I don't really get bent out of shape because we have a good neighborhood and they have things I need sometimes. It works out well. I have the shop. Guy across the street has a big John Deere that we can borrow. Guy down the street has all the machine shop tools you could ever want and guy on the other sides wife stays home and can be counted on to cover kid emergencies. We all just work together. At least in my case sharing our resources has worked out well. Everyone has access to the things they need and everyone contributes something the others can't.


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That is just awesome. If all the world was like this , then this thread would not have started. Don't you be thinking of moving anywhere else now !

Unfortunately , I also have some stories that could be added to this thread, might post on that later.. maybe... but sometimes its best to leave old wounds to heal.............

 

[hotdogstand]

That's a good one. You'll need a vending machine

I've considered that myself a few times! I had this one "friend" that would show up on a Saturday empty handed and ask for major work (lift kit, water pump, etc) I can't stand that ****. He doesn't come around anymore.

I also have friends who ask if I can help them do something, then ask what kind of beer I like. Those guys are welcome anytime.

 

[toolmiser]

If they are your friends, how come they don't know what kind of beer your drink?
Default Re: Garage + Tools = Freeloaders?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Farmall450 View Post
That's a good one. You'll need a vending machine
I've considered that myself a few times! I had this one "friend" that would show up on a Saturday empty handed and ask for major work (lift kit, water pump, etc) I can't stand that ****. He doesn't come around anymore.

I also have friends who ask if I can help them do something, then ask what kind of beer I like. Those guys are welcome anytime.

 

[Orange65]

I simply tell them that I only work on my hot rod. I don't even work on my daily drivers.

 

[Lassen Forge]

...
"Mom, in the tiny remote village where you live, there is a house with a sign out front saying "Computer Repair".

" What you're going to do is take your computer and its power adapter to this house. Inside the house will be a rotund, gruff man with an unkempt beard, surrounded by computer parts. In exchange for about $100, he will make your computer work."

And lo, it came to pass. Unkempt beard and all, it was exactly as I predicted. I haven't heard a peep out of her regarding computers since. It's been absolutely wonderful.

So, have you met your new Father-in-law yet?

 

[yamaha0343]

I feel your pain. Don't forget, when you do somebody a computer favor, you enroll yourself in a free lifetime warranty for any related or unrelated issues. "Look, I know you were here a month ago and fixed my dial-up modem, but now my games won't play right" (actual comment). Or, "Hey, thanks for fixing my burnt-out backlight in my laptop, but now I get pop-ups when I am online".

Very true! I've been in IT for about 15 years now, plus I enjoy wrenching and building things from wood in my spare time. Spare time hasn't really been a thing since my son was born last October though, so I don't have time for other people's **** anymore.

What I don't like is borrowers who don't take care of your stuff. Especially because I don't borrow anything. If I don't have it, I go buy it. Even if I have to go get a cheap HF version of what I need.

 

[OCD]

So, have you met your new Father-in-law yet?

 

[Worsedog]

I guess I'll play the ray of sunshine roll in this thread. I have the shop with a lift on my street. Pretty much all the neighbors know about it and a few have used it from time to time. I don't really get bent out of shape because we have a good neighborhood and they have things I need sometimes. It works out well. I have the shop. Guy across the street has a big John Deere that we can borrow. Guy down the street has all the machine shop tools you could ever want and guy on the other sides wife stays home and can be counted on to cover kid emergencies. We all just work together. At least in my case sharing our resources has worked out well. Everyone has access to the things they need and everyone contributes something the others can't.


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That is how things should be.

But as with everything else that isn't right with the world, "SHOULD and IS are often not the same thing"

As also mentioned in this thread, if people would just do what they should, there'd be a lot less to ***** about in this world.

 

[Shady Oaks Garage]

lHe was right about a trailer I bought a new 10 ft open trailer 2 years ago and it already needs tires new paint 1 tail light and I have used it twice

 

[4x4_G30_Sportvan]

Haa haa I know these stories. Oh you're a computer tech? How do I get rid of this purple monkey???

Well I just say I am only able to work on IBM Thinkpads with Win XP on them. I am at this moment still using my X41 Thinkpad.

 

[Outbound]

I don't have a shop yet, but I'm one of those guys who buys the tools if he can and then figures out how to fix stuff himself. As such, I've always had a bunch of tools many people don't (latest is a cordless orbital sander). Before I moved to a new town, friends asking to borrow stuff was constant.

I also have a boat back home. Just a little 13ft aluminum with a 9.9hp and electric Minn Kota. Everyone I know who fishes would ask to come out in it but never offer to even split fuel.

Let's not mention the fact that I've never owned anything other than a pickup truck and most people in my hometown own cars...

I'm a journeyman welder too. I have about a half dozen people who assume when I finally get my shop that I'll be setting up a welding machine and building stuff for them. What they don't know is that field rig rate is $110 per hour...and that's what I'd be charging in order to fire up a simple Mig welder in a garage. Assuming I even bother putting in a welder.

All that said, if I do need help and ask somebody with the knowledge and tools I ensure that I not only pay them for it if they'll accept, but I supply beer, pizza, coffee, donuts etc and I'll be right beside them the whole time getting my hands dirty and making sure I learn so I don't have to bother them again. Any tools borrowed are returned in better condition than I get them and if broken, are repaired or replaced.

 

[78C-10]

Since my garage was built in late 2012 I have yet to really be able to work on my own projects. I live out in the country on my girlfriend's family's farm. My first job was doing a head gasket on one of the girlfriend's dad's old International tractors, no big deal, took two days. He was going to pay me but I said no way, he was generous enough to let me build my garage on his land. Here is the real kicker, next project was a cosmetic restoration on a local farmer's John Deere model 50 farm tractor. This guy is a millionaire, no joke. I told him it would be $1000 to do the job plus he pays for supplies. It was in the garage for almost a year. At the end he pays me an extra $200 so $1200, nice. A week or so later he sends me a 1099 form so he can claim the work on his farm taxes! I WAS PISSED! After I had my taxes done that $1200 turned into $600! I figured I worked on that tractor for $3 an hour as I had about 200 hours in it. He asked me if I would do his 70 tractor. I said no I have too many other things going on. I'm not one that tells it like it is (I wish I was sometimes). He is a good friend of the father in law (that's what I consider him) so I kept my mouth shut.

Next project is the father in law's brother, he likes Edsels. He has two 58's and one 59. He asks if I can fix the rust (lots of it too) on the one 58. Like a fool I said I would do it. I told him it would be done in about 6 months. Well, it is still in the garage, almost two years later. I'm still working on this turd. Never again. From now on I am telling people I already have a job and I have too much of my own stuff to work on that is not getting done because of other people's ****.

 

[ovilla]

I took my dog out this morning and saw my neighbor struggling to put air in a flat tire. He was using one of those mini inflators. I told him to just move the truck over to my driveway. Anyway, I'm glad he did. I don't think the wheel had ever been off the truck - 2012 truck with 54K and original dealer tires. We used my impact to get the lug nuts off and the wheel was rusted on. Had to use my torch and a baby sledge to free the rim.

This neighbor is awesome. I can come over and ask him for help on anything whenever I need it. He takes instruction really well so little by little I'm teaching him how to take care of his landscaping equipment. He also tries to do things himself and not bother me, but I actually enjoy helping him.

 

[Delerium]

If you think having tools and shop is a mooch attractant try letting people know that you can fix computers.

I would get calls on any day or night at almost any time asking me to help them fix their computer problem. "Gee, I know you probably eating dinner but I can't get my email..."

The worst was a guy that insisted I work on his schedule, at his house. I had to bring it home with me to fix it, go get parts and pay for them up front. He again wanted me to deliver on his schedule which i couldn't make so he grudgingly came by my place to pick up the PC from my son. The parts were 17 bucks and change, stood in line for 30 minutes to get them after a 1 hour round trip. He actually left a check (which back then I take to the bank) for the exact amount. He was co-worker where i contracted or I would have told him no in the first place.

After that one my wife answered the calls and told them she won't let me work on computers anymore.

yup, i even get it while AT work. "I know your eating your lunch but..."