Never lend tools!!

[Sideways]

You need to spend workshop time with a person to see how they work and what they knows before lending tools. I have one friend I trust enough to lend them almost anything. We've spent enough shop time to know we have similar values and attitudes. No one else would get anything more complex than a hammer.
I was taught to return a loaned tool in better condition than I was given it. Sadly this isn't the norm.
You did right to ask him to replace what he broke through ignorance and overconfidence. He just learnt a valuable lesson.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

When I used to teach furniture design and making as my primary full-time occupation I used to tell the students they weren't really either a designer or a furniture maker if they couldn't find about their person a pencil, tape measure and a bit of paper at pretty much any time. They soon learnt to be self sufficient enough to never ask me if they could borrow any of the several tape measures, rules, or various pencils that I could always find in a pocket at all hours, in the workshop, the design studio, or even anywhere that had no real connection with either design or making furniture.

Even for something as basic as a tape measure and pencil I have for decades now simply found it best to say that I don't possess any loaner tapes, pencils, rules, etc, because if I lend any of those items to 'you', what am I going to use to measure or mark stuff when I need to do so?

Of course, with finding it so easy to be 'stingy' with basic tools, sometimes to the great annoyance of the asker (tough ti**y on them I say), I never have a problem refusing the loan of more valuable kit: a lesson learnt many, many years ago through the usual of a return of a broken tool lent out to a careless and clumsy borrower.

Having said all that, there are a few respected, careful and trusted crafts people I will lend to, and they'll lend back, but none of that small band would even dream of asking for the loan of a tape measure, pencil or rule - it would generally be a bit embarrassing for them to ask. Slainte.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I was taught to return a loaned tool in better condition than I was given it.

My friend said years ago he was always delighted when I asked to borrow something. I asked why and he said because whatever he'd ever lent me had always come back in better condition than it went out.

 

[Doug71]

There is a joiner in the unit next to me and we borrow stuff off each other all the time and so far it has worked okay. I do say yes through gritted teeth when he asks to borrow one of my Domino jointers though :|

The one that winds me up is the local builder, he is forever borrowing my Fein multi master and I don't think his labourer appreciates the price of the blades! I sometimes borrow his tower scaffold etc so don't like complaining. Anyone know if the Lidl multi masters are any good, think I am going to buy him his own next time they have them in!

 

[Steve Maskery]

I think that would be a good idea. Have a set of blades for yourself and don't lend them out. Say, yes you can borrow the tool but you buy your own blades, they are consumable. I would say that is a good compromise, if you are happy with the rest of the deal.

 

[Doug71]

I think that would be a good idea. Have a set of blades for yourself and don't lend them out. Say, yes you can borrow the tool but you buy your own blades, they are consumable. I would say that is a good compromise, if you are happy with the rest of the deal.

I actually meant buy him the tool, think the Lidl ones are only about £25.

The problem is not just the blades. I don't use my Fein much but on the odd occasion it's needed I often go to get it out of the van and only then realise the builder borrowed it and never returned it (again) #-o

But good idea, I should also get him a pack of blades for it or he will still be round to borrow mine anyway :roll:

 

[Rorschach]

Yes the cheaper ones work fine. I have had an aldi one for a few years and it has done some hard graft. My father has a lidl one, also done some hard graft.

 

[sammy.se]

My Lidl tools are good. However, I bought Lidl multitool blades and they separated at the weld spots before they got dull, so their blade quality is questionable (or I got unlucky with a bad batch)

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.saxtonblades.co.uk/fein-mul ... ble-blades

have to be worth a look. I've not used these but everything I've had from them has been good.

 

[Lons]

I very very rarely lend tools, never borrow them either as I'd rather hire of buy something I need and if I don't borrow I'm under no obligation to lend.

Last time I did lend was my £400 plate wacker to a mate who was doing a small patio, the dozy twit filled it with diesel instead of petrol and dropped it off when I was out leaving a note it wouldn't start.

To say I was not amused doesn't quite cut it. :roll:

 

[novocaine]

Edged hand tools don't get lent to anybody, ever. I've spent to long learning how to maintain them to have it trashed by someone else. If you know how to sharpen, you won't need to borrow anyway.

Power tools are fair game for the most part, they are cheap enough in my case and quite often I have a cheaper version and a decent version , guess which one goes out when asked (power plane is a good example of this, a tool I rarely use, so I have a cheap one, the neighbor loved it and it saved him a packed recently).

don't ask to borrow a bike though.

 

[AndyT]

My planes and sash cramps have just been returned, completely unharmed and accompanied by some nice bottles of beer.
It can all turn out ok!

 

[Trevanion]

My planes and sash cramps have just been returned, completely unharmed and accompanied by some nice bottles of beer.
It can all turn out ok!

To be fair, you have to be an extraordinary kind of stupid to do any real damage to sash cramps.

Handplanes however...

 

[woodbloke66]

Many years ago, back in the mid 70's a fantastic cabinetmaker lived in the next village to us and by a round about method I went to see him and look at his stuff. He had one or two excellent books and I enquired if I could borrow one for a few days. Much to my surprise he said he never, ever loaned books or tools to anybody and since that time I haven't either - Rob

 

[TFrench]

Last year I'd just bought my first "grown-up" tracksaw - a dewalt. I carefully trimmed the splinter guard and marked which one I'd used so I always had a fresh one should I need it. First time I lent it to my cousin, guess which one he cut into? #-o To his credit he bought me a new blade and a roll of splinter guard to apologise (without being asked)

 

[MikeG.]

.........To be fair, you have to be an extraordinary kind of stupid to do any real damage to sash cramps........

The thread on one of mine failed a few weeks ago. It's just scrap metal now.

 

[MikeG.]

You'd be safe lending a punch to a neighbour, wouldn't you. Of course you would.

Well, after he ruined it, somehow, he bought me a completely unnecessary set of 3 new ones and a bottle of wine. That's the right attitude, but I'm much more interested in how you actually can possibly manage to stuff up a punch.

 

[loftyhermes]

Many years ago, back in the mid 70's a fantastic cabinetmaker lived in the next village to us and by a round about method I went to see him and look at his stuff. He had one or two excellent books and I enquired if I could borrow one for a few days. Much to my surprise he said he never, ever loaned books or tools to anybody and since that time I haven't either - Rob

Learned that lesson a long time ago. I had a signed copy of Keith Rowleys book, Woodturning, a foundation course that I lent out and never got back, so I now no longer lend either books or tools.

 

[cammy9r]

Not much of a friend if he did not offer to replace what he damaged. One of those 'its always someone else to blame'.
Anyhow, if I have borrowed a 'something' for a third time, I just buy my own as I clearly need it.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

You'd be safe lending a punch to a neighbour, wouldn't you. Of course you would.
.....he bought me a completely unnecessary set of 3 new ones and a bottle of wine......

I'm surprised you had room for them all - you East Anglians.... :wink:

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