loaning tools

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
in short ITS always a bad idea!
I generally try hard to not loan out tools as the people who borrow them either,
rarely return them in excellent condition,
or conveniently seem to loose all memory they borrowed the tool(s)
.I generally keep a few records if I loan tools,
I've rarely loaned anything I can,t afford to lose,
because It seems few people have any intention of ,
or remembering too return or take care of any borrowed tools.
 
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I have gone to great lengths too help damn near all the guys I know for decades,
but its obviously not a common mind set!
several of the guys I have in the past loaned tools too like jack stands,
or even engine stands have failed to return those when they finished projects.
I went to retrieve one engine stand from a guy, only to find he moved out of state the week previously...
I think asking for a significant financial deposit, in cash,
that will be returned might help memories
I visited one guy who had previously borrowed an engine stand and asked for its return...
I got a bit of an evasive story at first..... then he handed me $100 for the stand after his wife ..
pointed out he had sold it at a yard sale.
I learned long ago that you never loan out something not easily replaced...
but I'm always amazed at the people with selective memories, and the number of people that have no issue asking for help or loaner tools,
that conveniently forget to return those tools,
and guys that treat the tools like trash,
leaving them outside in the rain, or back yard,
or guys that always have a pressing family emergency,
preventing them from stopping bye to help, if you ask for help.
 
Ask to borrow their wife for a week and see what response you get, but don't tell your wife.

Never loan either out for they will come back ----up or never because you didn't do a a good job.:):););)
 
Yeah! Ive just found out one more guy who moved too who knows where after borrowing tools ,
luckily they were not mostly my tools, but in this case, only two jack stands I loaned to a neighbor,
he re-loaned those , to a second neighbor, we both knew, plus his engine crane to one of his friends.. now were both out...
the scam artist moved , (with the tools) when he got a new out of state job offer!
in this case Im temporarily out about $23 , no big deal...financially....
but its pissing me off.. that both guys effectively are un-trustworthy.
the guy who borrowed the jack stands said he would pay me for them on his payday... we will see if that happens.. I doubt it!
 
I'm nice to every one, just ask.

But don't ask to borrow my tools! You'll hate what I will say just for asking!
 
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