"Greg D." wrote in message
...
Hi,

I was wondering how you guys deal with "tool less" neighbors asking to
borrow your powertools.

I lend some, but not all things to a very select few friends. There is a
longer list of people who can use my garage and about 80% of what's in it
whether I'm there or not - though that is not a huge list, just longer than
list A.


I've been asked today to lend my PC pancake compressor for a full week
the time for the "neighbor" to put up a new wood floor in his house. I
found him rude to even ask. I managed to get away with it by saying
the compressor won't be powerful enough but I'm not sure he believed
me.

I find it more than a little odd that you consider him rude to have asked.
I think that says more about you than about your neighbor for asking.


I would never borrow a tool from a neigbhor, I'd rather rent one. I
don't know if it's me but I believe there's so much more involved in
landing a tool. Just to name a few:


A fine personal perspective, but that's your choice on how to deal with the
need.

1. The tool can be abused or even damaged by careless handling or a
lack of understanding on how to use it. If it does happen, comes the
"fun" to ask "the neighbor" to pay for the repair or replace the tool.
He may deny damaging the tool and claim he got it like that... You
must have heard that one before...

A good start on a list of weak and contrived reasons to back up your
position.


2. Liability issue. What happens, especially for you guys in the US,
if "the neighbor" injures himself pretty bad with your tool. Can he
sue you and invoke the fact you didn't give him enough warnings and
advices on how to use the tool?

A long reach, but credit is given for at least keeping up the momentum of
weak and contrived reasons.


3. Will it ever come back? When it's a big job, chances are pretty
high he will use it for several days. During all that time, you don't
have the tool for yourself. Not to say if you're to shy to ask, he may
just keep it.

You are developing quite a roll.


4. And the last one, I just can't resign myself to lend any of my
tools. I carefully chose and paid the high price for them (I buy only
high end stuff) so let's say the "better cry once" happened several
times with me and I don't why to cry twice for the same tool.


The only reason in your list that makes any sense to me. I consider you to
be somewhat selfish, *but* at least with this reason you come clean and
simply state that you don't like to loan your valuable tools. Then fine -
don't. But don't loan them simply on the basis that you don't want to loan
your valuable tools. Making up silly sounding contrived reasons does not
convince anyone else any more than those reasons probably convinced you.

I would ask you though - have you ever borrowed a tool? Maybe before you
amassed all of your high end valuable collections?

So, what do you guys do when those situations happen? Do you have any
horror stories about that or overall, it always work for you?


No Greg, it has not always worked out for me. Sometimes a tool gets broken.
Sometimes it gets repaired or replaced, and sometimes it does not.
Sometimes that hurts a bit. But I believe in giving back. I'm fortunate to
have what I do and I try to extend that to others. I do take precautions
and I do try to be smart about others using my stuff, but I don't hoard what
I have.

--

-Mike-