# Question Of The Week... (2021 week 11)



## ripjack13 (Mar 14, 2021)

*Do you loan out tools to friends and/or neighbors? 
And what do you do if you loan one to them but they say they never got it?*








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**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks, wood spinners, and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course the  and the doc too....


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## woodtickgreg (Mar 14, 2021)

I learned my lesson on this a long time ago, I do not loan out my tools, EVER! When I have in the past they almost always come back damaged. I loaned out a generator to a family member once, he fried it and didnt tell me and moved to Arizona. I had to buy a new generator. Other tools, cords have been cut, blades destroyed, etc.
I'll help someone with a project but I wont loan out my tools.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## ripjack13 (Mar 14, 2021)

I stopped loaning my stuff out a long time ago.
I loaned out a blower to this guy to use all day, and he left it on my cart broken....
I loaned out my makita skillsaw, blade was burned up and missing teeth and the cord looked like it was dragged down the road....
I loaned out that same saw after I had fixed it to a good friend, I left it in his truck and locked it up. But when I asked him when I was getting back, he said he never had it.
Screw that. No more loans....

Reactions: Agree 2


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## eaglea1 (Mar 14, 2021)

This is a "NEVER EVER TOPIC" to me!
I've had and have friends that have had some very bad experiences doing this. People that have been hurt borrowing your tools, and actually 
dragged the tool owner into liability lawsuits. Some of the questions asked were, do you provide everything from instructions to safety requirements. A question from the insurance company was " are you operating a rental company, do you loan out your tools to lots of people, and on and on and on..... so my comment to this question is NO WAY, NO TIME, NO HOW. 
Then you have the issue of sometimes of having to go get your tools back, or they come back dirty, rusted etc..
I loaned out a metal knockout kit one time to another electrician and even though I had a note in the box to please wipe down all the knockout
punches and oil them after use, it came back full of metal chips , not oiled and clean. 
I lent out a Milwaukee drill and had to finally go ask to get it back after 3 months, and the trigger was broke and the chuck was rusted up....
Sorry to rant but this one hit a nerve. 
Randy

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Mar 14, 2021)

I make a living with my tools, if they arent busy, neither am I. I am with Greg on that. I may help out with the tools but not really into the tools having adventures of their own. I rarely even hand off a company tool to fellow crewmembers to use on company time. I had another crews worker sand my belt sander cord in two. Three times before they brought it back to me with the handle broke as well. Didnt know you could sand a cord in two. Much less in two different spots at the same time!

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## David Hill (Mar 14, 2021)

Loaning tools to friends??..... Nope. Have had experiences that revealed my errors in judgement. To family? Sure but with conditions.
With my Turning friends— if I have a tool they want to try—- we visit MY shop and have a learning session, or maybe do a demo at our Turning Club (be glad when we start having meetings again).

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## Nature Man (Mar 14, 2021)

Have to consider loans as gifts, then it is palatable! On select occasions! I don’t like loaning thing out for the most part, whether it be tools or books or whatever! When someone loans me something, I am anal about returning it! Chuck

Reactions: Agree 3 | Informative 1


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## Mike1950 (Mar 14, 2021)

I lend to my kids- years of chewing them out for not returning- they are a lot better at returning and for the most part have purchased what they borrowed in past.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Mar 14, 2021)

I had a guy tell me something one time that I still go by...

NEVER lend out more than you're willing to lose!

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 4


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## Sprung (Mar 14, 2021)

I have a few really close friends - some of them are like brothers to me - that I trust enough to let them use my tools. But I typically do not let people borrow my tools. I will sometimes let people use them under supervision in my shop. But there are just the few that I'd trust enough to let them take my tools out of my shop, use them, and then return them in the same condition.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## Steve in VA (Mar 14, 2021)

It looks like I'm in the minority here. Garage is open to anyone, and if they don't know how to use something I'm glad to either show them or help out with their project. 

I've never had any problems except for a circular saw cord that got run over by a neighbor when his son was cutting the grass and got too close to the deck project his father was working on. Good thing it wasn't plugged in! It was returned with a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory and a new saw from Amazon on the way. I replaced the cord and let him return the new one he bought me. The cheesecake was delicious 

I'm a big believer in what goes around comes around. Tools can be replaced. Not worth losing friends over one in my eyes. Now, where the heck are my vice grips?

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## T. Ben (Mar 14, 2021)

I live far enough away from most of my friends that it is very impractical to borrow anything from me.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1 | Informative 1


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## barry richardson (Mar 14, 2021)

I loan to friends, and borrow from friends. But I'm pretty selective on who my friends are though.....

Reactions: Like 4 | Informative 1


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## trc65 (Mar 14, 2021)

Most of my friends and family don't want to borrow tools, they want me to come with my tools. That's fine, I prefer it that way, then I know the job is done correctly, and I won't be getting a call later to come "fix" what "Bob" just did by himself. 

Out here in the rural areas, nearest neighbor is about a mile away, and everybody is pretty self sufficient out of necessity.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Mar 14, 2021)

I learned my lesson the hard way on this. Loaned a tool to a friend and it got lost. They said they didn't take it later when I asked about it.

Never again will my tools leave my shop without me taking them.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Jonkou (Mar 14, 2021)

Have and always will loan most tools and equipment to family, friends and most neighbors. Never had anyone say they never got it but if it did maliciously happen the repercussion would depend on who they are and what it is.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Tony (Mar 14, 2021)

I loan things out occasionally but for the most part I will do it for them or people are always welcome to come over and do things in my Shop.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Gdurfey (Mar 14, 2021)

I am more like Matt, am very, very selective about who I loan to. The few I have loaned to recently are like brothers that I trust. But again, very limited. I also fully understand the other side as that happened in college......and it still gripes me today to think about it.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Tclem (Mar 15, 2021)

I don’t have any friends

Reactions: Funny 5 | Sincere 1


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## Lou Currier (Mar 15, 2021)

If I lend out a tool then I consider it gone! I loaned my brother my chop saw, air compressor and nail gun a little over 2 years ago, did because I was going through a divorce and packing up the shop for storage and figured why not....he still has it 



Mike1950 said:


> I lend to my kids- years of chewing them out for not returning- they are a lot better at returning and for the most part have purchased what they borrowed in past.


One of my brothers stole most of my Dad's tools and sold them for drugs (nasty things they are!)

Reactions: Informative 1 | Sincere 5


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## Mike Hill (Mar 15, 2021)

I guess I look mean and nasty - nobody asks me to borrow tools. Garden tools - I would lend them out all day long. Others, I would consider. People were nice to me when I was younger, so I can pass it forward.

Reactions: Like 3 | Informative 1


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## Mike1950 (Mar 15, 2021)

Tclem said:


> I don’t have any friends


we know!!!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## Mike1950 (Mar 15, 2021)

Lou Currier said:


> If I lend out a tool then I consider it gone! I loaned my brother my chop saw, air compressor and nail gun a little over 2 years ago, did because I was going through a divorce and packing up the shop for storage and figured why not....he still has it
> 
> 
> One of my brothers stole most of my Dad's tools and sold them for drugs (nasty things they are!)


white powders steal your soul. sorry about your brother.
My kids are 40 or almost. They have their own tools now. One son has my tile saw- it will come back cleaner than it was when he got it.
I have a moving dolly that I have threatened each one with near death if they did not bring back. I have had it for 35 years- it is a major miracle that I have retained possession of it for that long....

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1 | +Karma 1


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## Tclem (Mar 15, 2021)

Mike1950 said:


> we know!!!!


Grrrrrr

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 5


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## barry richardson (Mar 15, 2021)

Don Ratcliff said:


> I learned my lesson the hard way on this. Loaned a tool to a friend and it got lost. They said they didn't take it later when I asked about it.
> 
> Never again will my tools leave my shop without me taking them.


Dang that sucks Don, if you're talking about me, I didn't take your tool, for the umpteenth time lol

Reactions: Funny 1 | Way Cool 1 | Sincere 1


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 15, 2021)

2feathers Creative Making said:


> I make a living with my tools, if they arent busy, neither am I. I am with Greg on that. I may help out with the tools but not really into the tools having adventures of their own. I rarely even hand off a company tool to fellow crewmembers to use on company time. I had another crews worker sand my belt sander cord in two. Three times before they brought it back to me with the handle broke as well. Didnt know you could sand a cord in two. Much less in two different spots at the same time!


There are some really talented guys that can do amazing damage.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 15, 2021)

I have loaned things out to many, but usually had multiple of the tool lent out. Brother borrowed my pressure washer for 10 years. He let me borrow it back once for a day or two. I just borrowed my other brother's pressure washer if needed the other times. I got mine back 2 years ago, had to have a new carb, did not get my 150' of hose or the gun. I just let it go because why try, family is family.

Reactions: Like 1


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## DLJeffs (Mar 20, 2021)

I fall into the "selective loaner" category like Barry, Garry and Matt. I loan tools to people I know well and who would buy me a new one, no questions asked if they broke it. I also only borrow tools from the same people. I don't like it if it doesn't feel reciprocal.

Reactions: Like 2


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