Hi,

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

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 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:

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...

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?

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.

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.

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?

Greg D.