Lending tools out

[roofman]

a mate of mine lent his smackhead son his 110V transformer.he got it back ok but and it was'nt till months later when he plugged it in and nothing coming out that upon taking the top cover off there was 2 halfs of a house brick init the son had weighed the copper in!!!

 

[awemawson]

Lent the local rabii 'horse whisperer' a tractor and hedge flail. Suceeded in breaking the main cross shaft on the hydraulic lift (2" shaft!) and also one of the lift arm levellers. In fairness he replaced the shaft but I'm still short of a levelling box. Chap has the gift of the gab and also 6 'wives' and dozens of children. They made a tv programmes about him once! Told him not to ask in future!

 

[mike os]

long or short answer...

very rarely & never something I rely on regularly

 

[keith19]

I had a 'brother-in-law' problem, too. He used to borrow stuff, just one item at a time, and bring some back, but anything he fancied I never got it back. I'm too good-natured and it went on for ruddy months into years; everything from electric drills, hand tools, garden tools, garden hose, even two sets of axle stands.

What was so annoying was that when I asked about them he'd say something like: 'Yes, I do have one, but that's mine, had it here ages, I'll have to look it out if you want to borrow it.' Like it was his, even if it had my name on.

I complained to the missus but all I got was 'Oh, you know what he's like...' Yeah, don't I. Then one day he borrowed her precious maps to go hiking in the Lake District with, and despite reminders, she never got them back. When she phoned him several months later for the umpteenth time he told her they were his, he'd bought them while on holiday. That did it! She's a lovely-natured lady but when she gets the bit between her teeth there's no stopping her. 'That bustard is at work tomorrow,' She announced. 'Bring the van round, I've got his key, we'll sort the place...'

What a scream! We turned his place over, and I found all the ruddy stuff I'd lent him, including stuff I thought I'd lost and bought replacements for. I reckon some stuff that may not have been mine but just looked like it got thrown in the van. She found all her maps and probably some of his as well. We locked up and left.

Nothing was said, but I haven't been asked for anything since, and that was about three years ago!

 

[nicknack]

used to lend tools but not anymore ... lent my mig and grinder to a neighbour to do work on his mini project ... walked passed the house one day to find every tom d*** and harry using it ... got the mig back and they had been fiddling with the wiring in the torch (fixed torch) i was to say the least

 

[gordon stephenson]

My brother in law has a firm policy and he only will lend to some of his very best mates,
First time they ask to borrow they are told bring it back in exactly the same condition and you break it you replace it, Second time of asking he tells them he is not happy doing it but yes, Third time of asking,gets a definite NO, His motto is if somebody needs to borrow something three times they need to buy one of their own,

 

[Omniata]

Had similar experiences of loss or damage...

I only lend my tools on one condition now, they come with me attached...

 

[MattF]

Personally, unless it's one of a couple of people and it just happens to be some type of esoteric item that they're unlikely to have or need again, nope. I treat all of my tools with respect, (other than some fairly cheap, crappy tools which are kept merely for the fact that they can be used and abused without causing concern), and rarely, if ever, do others show ones tools the same respect, so the simple answer is no, if anyone asks.

I don't generally even ask to lend others tools either, unless it happened to be an extreme circumstance, (say for example you'd travelled miles to a job, and dont have some necessary tool with you, for whatever reason), but I'd always expect a probable no from anyone if I did ask.

 

[troppo]

I`ll always lend out tools, but its with the "only used on mt property" caveat, as well as you breat/damage it you replace it with a new one of 'equivalent (or better) quality'
Slowly i`ve had a few tools replaced and i`ve had friends stop asking

 

[pete23]

ha ha, this thread reminds me!

about two month before xmas i lent a 240v knibbler to some one, i shall be on the phone tomorrow!!!!

 

[rtbcomp]

I may lend to near neighbours and always insist they bring it back immediately they've finished the job. Because they're nearby I can keep an eye on them.

After my father died I had his brand new Rover Metro until I sorted his estate out. A neighbour was in a bit of a spot and asked if he could borrow my car, looking at the Rover. I lent him my SIII Landrover, his face was a picture and I never got asked again.

 

[Shox Dr]

if it had been me you wouldn't have seen me nor the S111 again

 

[rtbcomp]

That's OK - he wouldn't have me nor his wife again!

 

[Fazerruss]

I think Im among friends here cos I feel right at home. I was begining to think i'm a bit mean as I hate lending tools out.
I will gladly help anyone in need of a repair but bring it to my workshop, my workshop doesn't come to you!

 

[the snooper]

a mate of mine lent his smackhead son his 110V transformer.he got it back ok but and it was'nt till months later when he plugged it in and nothing coming out that upon taking the top cover off there was 2 halfs of a house brick init the son had weighed the copper in!!!

all my 110 trannys are resin filled cant get at the transformer let alone fit anything in there

 

[dannyp]

depends on who they are and what there asking for as to the conditions.

i'll lend out quite a lot of my tools like timeing kits to mates and even random people but i expect folding to be presented on the borrowing, when it come back they get the cash back and if it don't come back it's order a new one and keep the change.

with spanners sockets ect i have a set that other people may use. it mostly comprised of cheep stuff i've upgraded from get some miffd looks when its presented

 

[naughtyboy]

only lend to my dad as got lots of him over years as hes got heart prob and cant do as much.
my neighbour came over a while ago to borrow my puller and insisted on leaving 50quid in case anything happened to it.
brought it straight back when he had done all clean and in good nick, asked if hes ok to borrow any special tools if he leaves deposit.
people like that i dont mind using my stuff, he will also ask how to do job/ use tools properly before he starts.

 

[Fazed]

A 'mate' borrowed my Whale chain splitter some years back for fitting a new chain to his R1, under the proviso that I got it back straight away. He lent it to another 'mate' and I haven't seen it since.
I also haven't seen both 'mates' since either. *****.
Don't lend anything - especially to 'mates'.

 

[razie1985]

i won't lend anything out unless i accompany it.
I once lent my angle grinder to my mates dad so he can finish is boat trailer as his brushes burned out. i was happy to lend it out because he used to help me out a lot, but 1 day i needed to use it and turns out that his son had gone and took the brushes out and ducked it up, he said he is going to replace it but its been a few years now.

 

[tigler]

A mate let me use his race team workshop at one time, when it was local to me, too far away now he's moved So, a kid that worked for him as a trainee service tech on the race cars was left to do a job in my mates absence one Saturday afternoon, I wasn't there. Said kid had a dodgy rep when working unsupervised. I used to leave a couple of cheap socket sets there for my convenience and use, which I expressed on numerous occasions were not to be used by anyone when I wasn't there. This was to prevent them not being available for my immediate use when ever I needed them, due to missing items.
There should have been no need for anyone to use my stuff anyway as the shop was well equipped with tools, but the guys there were lazy and tended to loose stuff so would try to 'borrow' mine !!
On this occasion, said kid borrowed the 1/4 ratchet from one of my sets. The following week, the next time I was in, I had a job to do on one of my customers cars and sure enough I needed the 1/4 ratchet. Went to use it and there was no drive in either direction ! It was then I discovered what had happened. One of the guys was spot on and knew his stuff, he told me the kid had used it shift a manifold stud that had already broken the 2 workshops 1/4 drives ! This was because the access was tight and anything bigger couldn't be used.
Kid didn't own up though, he just put it back hoping I wouldn't notice !
When I confronted him he said, oh yeah, I forgot, I'll get you a new one. Fine I said, £10 on ebay, by the end of the week will be fine.
Two months later no replacement, despite reminders. So, a lesson was needed I thought.
When the team was at a meeting the guys left their cars at the workshop until they returned on the Monday. So, I went in on a Saturday when they were away, and took the battery off his car !
Had an irrate phone call on the Monday asking if I'd used his battery, oh yes I replied, I needed to jump something and I dropped and cracked your battery, no prob though, I'll get you a new one within a few months or so !!
Went in the next day anyway and he was in my face as soon as I walked through the door, much to everyones amusement !!
Where's my f'ing battery you #anker !! You know what my reply was !!
When he'd acknowledged the error of his ways and apologised, I went to my car and produced his battery. The look on his face when I said, it's yours, well when you give me a tenner for a new 1/4 ratchet it is !!
He had a grudge against me ever after that but was sacked about 2 months later anyway !!