wrote in message
oups.com...
I moved into my house a year or so ago, and the neighbors are starting
to notice the tools on the peg-board, tool chests, etc in the garage.

So one comes over a few days ago to borrow an 8mm wrench, the first one
I could find was a nice Kobalt (the kind made by a company owned by
Snap-On Williams?), now made by ????)...

Well, you know the story, he can't remember where he put it, yada,
yada, yada...

So my question is, what would be a half-way decent (non-dangerous,
don't want to get sued if the tool breaks) set of 'loaner' tools? Or
should I be a pri$k, and not loan out tools period?

My Dad is a 'Craftsman' man, and I will inherit a sweet set of
'40s-'50s Craftsman tools someday, but for the least amount of outlay,
what would be a safe and decent set of 'no-tears' tools if they get
borrowed or lost? Can I trust a Harbor Freight set, or should I snatch
up a Craftsman set on sale?

I will get a cheap tool chest to put them in, keep that ONE unlocked,
and pretty much let the neighbors help themselves when they ask to
borrow a tool...

First keep your garage door closed.
When I traveled frequently below the border I would visit Harbor Freight and
get a set of tools including a tool box. More than once I was "man-handled"
into giving them the tools. My boss was pretty miffed at the concept but
when he found out what my SK or Snap On stuff cost he was elated.

We had to do an ugly transformer job a couple of year ago. The only 13/16
inch wrench that did not break was from HF. Granted the craftsman was
replaced, but when your 150 miles into the desert at a mine, broke is broke.