And the answer probably is, "Likely not on residential properties." Where there is public access, probably, even though, IMO, that is asinine about 77% of the time. Does the parsonage across the street from the church REALLY need a dusk to dawn? I think not, but it's been there for at least two decades I know of.
I dunno, guys. Every time a neighbor comes by to borrow a tool, I give them careful instructions on how to use it. "Now george, you might think you know how to use an electric drill, but check this out. It's reversible. And look a the speed control and how it works. And you can set the torque so it won't strip threads. If you run the battery down it'll stop working, and you'll have to bring it back. There are more ways for a person to hurt themselves with a drill than you might know about. Do you have any questions? I'll be glad to answer them. If you do hurt yourself you're on your own. Please wash off all blood, grease, and paint."
"It's a Porter-Cable drill, and I paid $220. for it. It's a high-end brand, and I know you'll be careful with it, but you know if it's broken I'll expect you to replace it. How long will you need it? Two days? I hate to have my tools gone such a long time. I'll be needing it tomorrow, can you get back by then? If not I'll have to come looking for it, and I hate to do that.
Hey, by the way, guy, I've been looking at the motorboat in your driveway. We were thinking about going up to Carter Lake. Care if I borrow it for the weekend?
"Charlie Self" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
It really depends on the area. There's one parsonage that was 2 blocks from downtown in a little boring town that had to have a dusk to dawn light installed because of people messing with the pastor's property.
Puckdropper
Thanks everyone for all the ideas, thoughts, and suggestions. They are great and I've learned from them in how I will handle this in the future. There truly is a fine line between helping someone out in a pinch and being taken advantage of. I think I might be more upset by this than I should be, but dang it, he works at Home Depot and gets an employee discount. I didn't get a discount when I bought these tools. He and his wife both work. My wife works and I'm just starting out in the woodworking business, so I'm not making a whole lot yet. He can better afford tools than I can, yet he comes to get mine. He just had a new patio concreted and hot tub put in, bought his and hers Harley's, already has 2 -250 gallon saltwater fish tanks, got a new 52" widescreen tv, and bought a new SUV last summer for a trip to Myrtle Beach. I guess he needs to save money so he borrows my tools instead of getting his own. But yet, if he would have just brought things back when he said he would, I probably would still let him borrow.
After reading a lot of personal experiences and opinions, I plan on telling him the loaning has to end. My business now is woodworking and my sole basis of income, not just a hobby and I need every tool to do it, even my ladder. I wouldn't go to his job at Home Depot and take his pens, clipboard, phone, desk, or chair. If he gets mad, well he won't be the first person I've pissed off. My biggest problem with that is I spent 9 yrs at my old house pissed off at my next door neighbor and that can be pretty rough.
I now have gotten back all my tools except for the extension cord. Since my original post, it's still strung across his backyard with one freezing rain and two snows on it. I've bought a new one (I had forgotten how expensive they are) and plan to tell him to just keep it as it probably didn't weather to well. I told the lady at the local hardware store why I was buying a new cord and she said "Well, I wouldn't let that sucker borrow anything of mine again."
I've come to finally put 2 and 2 together and realize he did know what he was doing when he scouted my tools and them came to borrow. He buttered me up with all the "you're a good neighbor" talk on the first time we ever met. Maybe he saw me moving all my tools in and he was going to make a good neighbor out of me. I can understand if a project takes longer than expected and he needs it for a while longer, but he should have asked if he could keep it longer or brought it back and ask if he could borrow it again tomorrow. I truly don't think he has a hidden agenda, but he is being disresctful to me and that surely doesn't make me want to let him have more tools.
I would figure that since he has lived at his house for at least 5 yrs. that he would already have some of these tools, especially the ladder and extention cord. I think it's time I suggest he use his Home Depot employee discount. I've seen that he doesn't take care of his own property very well as his nice riding mower sat out in the rain all spring and into the summer. He came over and borrowed my jumper cables when the mower wouldn't start and jumped the battery with his car battery. He blew it up and destroyed the mower, but did bring my jumper cables right back.
His kids asked me yesterday if they could borrow my snow shovel, I said "no" so they went in and got their own. I think Daddy is teaching them how to borrow from neighbors. I also think Daddy already owns a lot of what he comes to borrow.
I heard this phrase a few years ago "No one can take advantage of you unless you let them." I just quit letting him.
Thanks to all, Darrin
"Darrin" wrote
You never mentioned these facts. The solution is obvious. You will let him borrow any tool as long as he leaves one (or both) of the Harleys as a deposit.
Problem solved.
On Jan 22, 10:56 am, "Darrin" wrote: . How do you
I think we've all made this same mistake. When I was younger, I lent out some tools to a neighbor. The guy had the balls to even put them on his pegboard. When I asked for them back, he said, "Oh come on, you don't really need these, do you?" LOL. His plan was to hope I forgot about them, and STEAL them.
Now I just tell them, "sorry, but I'm going to need them soon".. If they need clamps to make a repair or something cut, I invite them to bring their repair over and do it in my shop (under my watch, or I do it for them).. But I don't lend out anything that I want back.
Good advice. I try not to ask the neighbors to borrow anything either, because I don't want to be in "debt" to them. If they lend you a $20 fertilizer spreader, they think they have a right to borrow all your tools and leave them out in the rain.
From Hamlet:
Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
I wonder if Shakespeare did a little construction work on the side?
You've got to check it out. It's a pretty good deal. The quality of the wives they sell is kind of hit and miss (as it is with everything they sell). The best part is the liberal returns policy. No questions asked. Just take her to the register ( even if she is obviously well used), and get a full refund!
"Darrin" wrote in news:de5uh.4571$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews1.bellsouth.net:
No more reason is needed. It's how you make your living. No tools, no revenue, no customer recommendations. See ya later!
Patriarch
I lent my framing nailer to a new neighbor who was building a shed. He then 'rented' his compressor and MY nailer to his golf club for the weekend for $50. I found out 3 months later. I was pissed. He still has half a box of nails (useless to him) left a year later that he is 'saving' for the next job. What did I get in return. Just him bitching about the weight of my nailer..
He came over bitching how his manual T-50 stapler pinches his hand (he's replacing the plastic on the greenhouse at his golf club) hoping to borrow my air version. I told him it was broken and suggested he spend $25 and buy one. He finished the job with his crappy Crapsman manual. I have no idea if he charged the golf club rent or not.
Damn! They must be paying pretty well at Home Dept these days.
Dave Hall
That's all the reason you need to say 'no.' Back when every corner gasoline station was a *service* station, a lot of mechanics had signs up on their toolboxes that said "I make my living with my Snap-On Tools. Please don't ask to borrow them."
There ya go. That's all it takes.
His friend must be the *owner* of Home Depot. I believe he just got a nice golden handshake.
Well yeah but what about a deposit...?
Sticking him with the 2 boat anchors is more of an insult than the borrowing of the tools...
John E.
Dunno how that got away with any new text.
Anyhow, the insurance company may be more concerned about defending against slip and fall lawsuits than about burglary or vandalism.
Wow, it never ceases to amaze me the nerve that some people have.
I believe he bought his second hand air compressor just so he could borrow my air tools. He doesn't use it for anything else. We had a conversation about how economical it would be for him to spray stain his fence. When I didn't offer to loan him a sprayer he ended up doing it with a brush.
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