Lending Tools...Yes or No?

[Al Borland]

Lend some tools at work, just not my good ones. (or even mediocre ones )
Loaners come from the "Tools for Fools" box. All the cast-offs, remnants of old socket sets, found in a vacant building, kind of stuff, with just enough Harbor Freight/Home Depot stuff thrown in to get the job done.
Stuff I like stays home. Until I get tools I like more. Then, the old stuff becomes "Tools for Fools"

 

[Davefr]

They can buy the tool, or hand over the ticket to a professional will the required tools required to preform the job at hand. Pro environment? No sense lending nearly anything, under any circumstances. That's money that could've been mine, for completing said repair. That's a car being fixed with the tools I bought, adding wear to those tools, while I receive no compensation. So I now have additional wear/use on my tools, that I bought, and received zero pay. As I said, I will bail somebody out. But that is a less than once per-year occurrence. I prefer to make them struggle first and TRY to find a way around it. That's what I do, I have no one to borrow from.


My shop doesn't have a transmission jack. You want a fuel tank removed? Give me the job, or somebody else can drag it out on their back. No, I'm not helping. That's why I bought the jack with my own money, to drop fuel tanks. I'm not dropping a 25gallon fuel tank that's full onto 3 guys backs like a bunch of animals. If the shop wants shop tools and equipment, the shop can buy it. If my dollars are being spent, only I will reap the benefits.


I have a thread on here right now, where I'm considering buying a $3,000 CO2 leak detection setup out of my own pocket. You think anybody but me is going to be touching that? It might be one thing if another tech actually bought some tools and wanted to be in a trading arrangement. Like he buys all the VW injector pulling tools and I buy the BMW ones? Maybe. Still don't like that. Most of the borrowers are goobers who can't fill a harbor freight cart who want to use my investment to try to make a living. Nope, not gonna happen. Part of the reason I buy all of the tools I do, is to control workflow. If I'm the only person with tool X, the shop can either pay me to do the job, or tell the customer they can't do it. This gives me massive leverage, which is the whole point.

I'm the only guy with a scan tool to do electronic parking brakes. Guess what? ALL of those brake jobs, are now my brake jobs. This system has worked well for me. As I earn more, I buy more - it's a massive feedback loop.

Good point about tool investment ROI.

 

[BarrelRoll]

They can buy the tool, or hand over the ticket to a professional will the required tools required to preform the job at hand. Pro environment? No sense lending nearly anything, under any circumstances. That's money that could've been mine, for completing said repair. That's a car being fixed with the tools I bought, adding wear to those tools, while I receive no compensation. So I now have additional wear/use on my tools, that I bought, and received zero pay. As I said, I will bail somebody out. But that is a less than once per-year occurrence. I prefer to make them struggle first and TRY to find a way around it. That's what I do, I have no one to borrow from.


My shop doesn't have a transmission jack. You want a fuel tank removed? Give me the job, or somebody else can drag it out on their back. No, I'm not helping. That's why I bought the jack with my own money, to drop fuel tanks. I'm not dropping a 25gallon fuel tank that's full onto 3 guys backs like a bunch of animals. If the shop wants shop tools and equipment, the shop can buy it. If my dollars are being spent, only I will reap the benefits.


I have a thread on here right now, where I'm considering buying a $3,000 CO2 leak detection setup out of my own pocket. You think anybody but me is going to be touching that? It might be one thing if another tech actually bought some tools and wanted to be in a trading arrangement. Like he buys all the VW injector pulling tools and I buy the BMW ones? Maybe. Still don't like that. Most of the borrowers are goobers who can't fill a harbor freight cart who want to use my investment to try to make a living. Nope, not gonna happen. Part of the reason I buy all of the tools I do, is to control workflow. If I'm the only person with tool X, the shop can either pay me to do the job, or tell the customer they can't do it. This gives me massive leverage, which is the whole point.

I'm the only guy with a scan tool to do electronic parking brakes. Guess what? ALL of those brake jobs, are now my brake jobs. This system has worked well for me. As I earn more, I buy more - it's a massive feedback loop.

I get the angle you are coming from. My tool collection does get me some jobs the other guys don't get because I have the tools and skills to use them. I've been buying some tools lately that should get me jobs that require skill instead of swinging a sledge hammer on our shutdown days. I'd much rather be doing something that requires more skill and less of a strong back. I'm about to drop some coin on hydracheck hydraulics troubleshooting stuff, if it's getting used I'm on the job or the mine can buy a set of it for the others to use. I'm showing the ambition to broaden my skill set and capabilities while others are buying more hammers.

Now if we are down, I'm in the middle of something else, and it's counting against our bonus that's a different story. I'm on a completely different pay schedule than a flat rate guy, teamwork effects all of our department's bonus.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Usually no, encourage them to buy own tools, even inexpensive ones. If you don’t have tools hire a professional and don’t complain about prices, keep the economy going.

 

[infinite97]

My rule of thumb is that if I need to borrow a coworkers tool twice, I should have already purchased it.

I have a lot of **** I’ve only used once or twice because of this rule

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I get the angle you are coming from. My tool collection does get me some jobs the other guys don't get because I have the tools and skills to use them. I've been buying some tools lately that should get me jobs that require skill instead of swinging a sledge hammer on our shutdown days. I'd much rather be doing something that requires more skill and less of a strong back. I'm about to drop some coin on hydracheck hydraulics troubleshooting stuff, if it's getting used I'm on the job or the mine can buy a set of it for the others to use. I'm showing the ambition to broaden my skill set and capabilities while others are buying more hammers.

Now if we are down, I'm in the middle of something else, and it's counting against our bonus that's a different story. I'm on a completely different pay schedule than a flat rate guy, teamwork effects all of our department's bonus.

Your employer was clever to tie overall efficiency to your bonus. Well, smart for them. Sounds like the mine is avoiding buying "shop equipment" as most shops do. Specialty timing tool? I buy it out of my pocket, or the shop ships the job. I've shipped jobs because I was going to spend more on the tools than I would recieve in pay. It *****, but unless I truly have a high volume of that job it isnt worth it for me to net -$50 to repair a car.

An issue with borrowing is how the tools are treated. When goober smashes the gauge on your hydraulics test set, will management be replacing it? Or is it replaced out of your pocket? "If you thought he'd break it you shouldn't have loaned it" is the response I usually hear.

Same deal with scan tools. Everybody wants to use it, but nobody wants to chip in on updates. I'm the only person with a jump pack in the shop. Nobody touches mine. I offered to find a beefy unit we could all buy a "share" of. If somebody quit, the others would buy out their share. So we a $50 investment we could have a $200 jump pack. Nope, nobody interested. Well, then you can drag the battery charger out there and try to jump it with that. And no, I dont loan my extensions cord either.

 

[justtools]

I lend tools. But I have duplicates of most. That means when they want a chainsaw. Instead of the 800 dollar stihl. they get the 25 dollar garage sale find Poulan. If its broke or doesnt come back I am not out much.

 

[Fly YX]

I don’t to family my brothers don’t ever return them. One of my brothers Borrowed my chainsaw 10 years ago when I moved. Did not really need it because I don’t have any trees on my property. Asked about it because I had to help a friend cut down some trees he acted like it was his and he told me it hasn’t worked in years and his kids tried to fix it fd it up even more. I have a couple hand trucks that my other brother borrowed and then told me he never got them then I found him and his basement. That remains me I have to get my reloading stuff back from him. I’m sure he won’t remember that either. If I will only get half of it back. At work I used to. I don’t anymore because they don’t like to bring it back. That’s one reason I don’t use the shop to us I have to hunt for them.

 

[Htscheg]

There are 3 people on my list of tool loaners.... and none are in my family lol

 

[wreckdiver1321]

I'm happy to loan tools, but there's a specific list of people I won't lend to. Sometimes the people I'll lend to are required to get me along with the tool. It's annoying to deal with missing tools, but I'm happy to risk it for people I trust who need help. People I trust less who need help are the ones who get me along with the tool. I've not had anything not come back... yet.

Funny enough, my brother-in-law and close friend are the ones who get the most tool lending, but also have the biggest collection of tools. That's a win for me because they're both very respectful of tools, so stuff doesn't get lost. In return, I've been able to borrow stuff as necessary without any pushback.

 

[LeonardY]

I do occasionally to certain people. I've not been burned but I have been very disappointed.

I loaned my drill driver to a neighbor. It came back with the nose of the chuck all chewed up. Why? Because he didn't know enough to put an extension on.

A new neighbor came over and said "I hear your the man to borrow tools from." Not a good way to open a conversation with someone you don't know. He was a nice guy and really didn't need any tools since he had more than I did. He told me later that his wife gave him a hard time. Telling him there was someone else in the neighborhood that had more than him. He had to check himself.

 

[pmiranda]

I lend out duplicates or rarely used tools all the time. I need to take a page from a buddy of mine: He sprayed orange paint on all his tools so it was easy to spot which were his. At the race track when people are diving into every toolbox they see in a thrash to fix a car between sessions it's nice to easily get the right tools back to the right toolbox.
Of course, if I think somebody could hurt themselves with something, I'll ask if they've used one before and try to supervise at first so they don't hurt somebody (or the tool).

 

[Davefr]

There are 3 people on my list of tool loaners.... and none are in my family lol

...and certainly not my wife!!!

 

[Renegade1LI]

I feel better now knowing someone I trust didn't brake & tool & not tell me, Milton Shaw hit it on the head, the plastic biodegraded. Glad I didn't call up the last person I lent it to & yell at them, my faith has been restored. However there are still some tools or equipment I will never lend. I have a hot water diesel pressure washer for some reason everyone wants to borrow it, too easily broken, can not lend. My neighbor asked if I had a track saw? I made a 4' & 8' cutting guide & told him he could keep them, just can't lend precision tools.

 

[TalonFE]

Only if they leave a hot GF as collateral......

 

[FuzzyTiger]

I have random junk tools I'll loan out. I'll also occasionally loan out specialty tools that no one could possibly forget they borrowed.

My good stuff though? The only person I'd let borrow it is my neighbour because I know from experience he cares about his tools as much as I care about mine which means he'll treat any borrowed tool better than his own. Also coincidentally means we never really need to borrow each others tools because we both would rather just have our own.

 

[Mikeske]

I totally quit loaning tools recently by being burned on a 1/2" breaker bar that was original to my professional set of Bonney tools I bought in 1983. None of my tools leave the garage unless I am using them outside. I can not and have not found a replacement yet but the jack wagon that "BORROWED" the breaker bar never returned it and I am deeply pissed off about it. He asked recently to borrow something and found the tool he needed but I just said sorry no more tools out of my garage after that.

 

[zmotorsports]

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

I have the nice tools at my shop so everyone wants to borrow them and generally speaking, I do lend them out. It's bitten me in the **** a few times but I figure tools are meant to be used so better to be busted by my coworker instead of sitting unused in my box. That being said, I've learned to not let certain individuals borrow my tools and I never borrow out my micrometers or calipers since those are calibrated precision items I use my entire shift and are generally quite expensive and have zero warranty.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

After over thirty years of countless discussions concerning the return of a piece of equipment, I disregarded the borrowers latest excuse for not returning it, and told him: "I need it back tomorrow morning" .. Finally got it back, along with a hint for My apology for his inconvenience that morning. My response was: "ya, I need this thing to do projects that should have been done 20 years ago".. I can add this story to four dozen similar experiences. For some reason; Us Nice People are such slow learners when it comes to being overly nice.

Helping someone out is one thing; but don't be the sucker that gets hooked by the individuals who are constantly trolling for a free lunch.

 

[crewchief888]

I don't loan anything out to anyone any more. I had some stuff magically disappear a few years ago at work. My tools don't leave my sight.

 

[Goosedowner]

I don't like to lend out tools because I can never remember who borrowed what and then I never see them again....lol

 

[u2slow]

All my tools are personal since work provides the work tools.

I try my best to not lend tools because I forget where they went when I need them.

Imho, A better strategy for the friends that ask is to lend myself at the same time... see them through the task... bring your tool back home with you. They get more and you don't lose your tool. Maybe you get a good favour back.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have the nice tools at my shop so everyone wants to borrow them and generally speaking, I do lend them out. It's bitten me in the **** a few times but I figure tools are meant to be used so better to be busted by my coworker instead of sitting unused in my box. That being said, I've learned to not let certain individuals borrow my tools and I never borrow out my micrometers or calipers since those are calibrated precision items I use my entire shift and are generally quite expensive and have zero warranty.

DRILL BITS. I will loan zero, none, under NO CIRCUMSTANCE, drilling/tapping stuff. I have little issue fixing threads for people, but man people just **** drill bits and there is usually no teaching them otherwise.

 

[Renegade1LI]

DRILL BITS. I will loan zero, none, under NO CIRCUMSTANCE, drilling/tapping stuff. I have little issue fixing threads for people, but man people just **** drill bits and there is usually no teaching them otherwise.

One of my guys needed to borrow a bolt extractor, I handed him a brand new Ridgid # 10 set, he says he'll give it back when he's done. I turned around & said keep it there won't be much left, sometimes it's better this way.

 

[Grokew]

A hard no. Lent someone a screwdriver, they sheared it somehow, lent a relative a new soldering iron, they returned it loose. Someone wanted to use my cobras for brazing. A new chef knife was unnecessarily used to open a can, while there was a stupid can opener right there. Chef knife used to dig on the ground for planting stuff... nope

 

[like2wheel]

My wife's step dad has NEVER returned a tool unless I badgered him to return it. Twice it was a chainsaw that he had for the whole summer. Each time it came back with the chain so dull it wouldn't cut Styrofoam, even though I warned him to keep it out of the dirt. He cut about a half dozen 4" trees. Big project for him.

Last thing I loaned him was a basin wrench. Made him promise to bring it back in a timely manner. Put a note in my phone. 5 YEARS later, he said "I gotta return that basin wrench someday". I said "don't bother, I bought my own".
Now he knows not to ask me anymore, he asks my son -who uses my tools. But my son knows better than to loan him anything of mine.

Anyway, my answer to the question is mostly NO, due to the person above. Also my neighbor who borrowed my nail gun who tilts his head & looks at me funny whenever I told him I needed it.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

But won't that backfire? If you never loan a tool doesn't that preclude you from ever borrowing a tool if you break a tool or get into a bind on the job? Doesn't that also detract from creating a team environment?

I'd think it would be safer to loan and borrow from other workplace professionals than neighbors/etc.

Just curious?

Nobody has jack to loan to me. Combine everybody's tools in the shop, and it's less than 10% of mine. I cant borrow anything as I have it all. I used to borrow something once a year, and I simply bought all of that stuff. Ya know, like a professional who makes a living with their tools.

As I said, if someone has their 14mm socket crack, I will get them out of that jam. But they will do no additional work with that 14mm. Hardware store is 10min down the road. If you dont have basic hand tools that's not my problem. Plenty of oil changes and tires.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Oh, and as far as the "team" - I stopped falling for that nonsense years ago. Theres no team. Life is not a team sport. Unless someone is willing to look out for me, I sure as hell dont look out for them.

I get a paycheck based on how many cars I can fix. If you want me to train apprentices or supervise the luber goobers then pay me salary. If the shop wants tools for the tool-less, the shop can buy them.


I'd consider an arrangement with another tech who actually had some tools if they want to trade. Maybe, I still dont like the idea. When my scan tool gets broken, is the shop paying?

 

[Milton Shaw]

You may have solved a mystery, i figured it was dropped, my sander is also a first year model. I feel better knowing it simply degraded instead of being damaged. I just replaced the plastic housings and it’s good as new, funny how there are a lot of housing for sale.

Thanks for telling me about the availability of housings, I had not looked. Will order a set.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Thanks for telling me about the availability of housings, I had not looked. Will order a set.

I found them on eBay, 42$ free shipping and for perfect, just doesn’t have the porter cable logo.

 

[m6z]

Oh, and as far as the "team" - I stopped falling for that nonsense years ago. Theres no team. Life is not a team sport. Unless someone is willing to look out for me, I sure as hell dont look out for them.

I get a paycheck based on how many cars I can fix. If you want me to train apprentices or supervise the luber goobers then pay me salary. If the shop wants tools for the tool-less, the shop can buy them.


I'd consider an arrangement with another tech who actually had some tools if they want to trade. Maybe, I still dont like the idea. When my scan tool gets broken, is the shop paying?

I understand your position. You are paid off of billable hours. Nothing more, nothing less.

"helping" a coworker is costing you time and money.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I understand your position. You are paid off of billable hours. Nothing more, nothing less.

"helping" a coworker is costing you time and money.

IMO one needs to be nice if somebody needs dug out of a hole. But much like our last "tech" we tried to hire - when they start digging too many holes, it's off to the lube rack. That's another plus of not loaning tools in a professional setting; it keeps people from taking on work above their pay grade.


IDK why nobody has any tools.

They got plenty of money for cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, guns, electronics, aftermarket wheels, concert tickets, vacations, coilovers, stereo systems for their car...... it goes on and on. And they don't have a 24mm wrench somehow? Or they want to borrow a hammer?

 

[m6z]

IDK why nobody has any tools.

They got plenty of money for cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, guns, electronics, aftermarket wheels, concert tickets, vacations, coilovers, stereo systems for their car...... it goes on and on. And they don't have a 24mm wrench somehow? Or they want to borrow a hammer?

And here I am, never turned a wrench for money, with sockets up to 36mm and wrenches up to 30mm.

And the people with that kind of short sighted view, NEVER seem to learn from their mistakes. The only thing they've got is excuses.

 

[brownbagg]

to me lending tools is just giving them away, they never come back. I have a harbor freight collection just to lend out

 

[dsimatt]

I don't loan anything out to anyone any more. I had some stuff magically disappear a few years ago at work. My tools don't leave my sight.

Never had issues at work with tools growing legs but have lost a fair share over the years. Have had guys break a tool thry borrowed but warranty covers its replacement.

The worst was tech school my first year, any breaks or done for the day you locked up everything or it was gone, funny thing that all stopped when the wnd year students graduated.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I do have a few family members that will bring back what they borrowed immediately and clean, they know they can borrow anything. I have one bil that thinks borrowing is like gift giving, i have to send his sister to retrieve whatever he borrowed, and it’s almost like borrowing from him. Needless to say i try to never lend him anything.

 

[thunderalley3]

I will loan to NO one anymore after loaning a specialty tool, getting it back in a timely fashion and was told that everything went well, then opening the box up about 3 months later to find it was buggered up and I could not do the job I needed it for.

When I was working in a shop there were a couple of guys who would always help out if you got in a bind. One day I broke a common socket (non impact using it on an impact) so one of them loaned me his so I could finish up the job. I returned it promptly as he told me it was his only one. I brought mine from home the next day and when the tool truck came mine was replaced under warranty and I bought two more so I had a spare at work and gave the other to my coworker who loaned me his so I could finish the job. He of course said no but I said yes take it. About two weeks later we went to lunch together, a Friday thing for us and he picked up my lunch ticket, we never do that but he said he was buying as he had broken his socket a few days earlier and had a spare because I was courteous and it kept him working.

Karma does exist!!

 

[CJM8515]

I typically dont, maybe to my brother is the only one.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I have 2 stacks of tools - one are the old cheap ones I got decades ago, and those, I'll loan out. The others are the ones I rely on to make money or get a job done, and no, those do NOT get loaned out. Kind of like loaning out your motorcycle, or your Lamborghini, or your wife... You don't do it unless you expect never to see it again in one piece, and not get reimbursed for their carelesness... after all, if they can afford to replace YOUR tool they broke, they would have bought one themselves. It only takes one time to break you of being the generous sap who loans stuff out only to get it returned ruined... then again, it's a good way to never see someone again.

There are a few exceptions, but that's to people who I KNOW will take care of my whatever... but to just anyone? No, nope, nein, nada, nyet, uh uh, f*** that ****, Pete, take the piss, and all that...