Would you - borrow a tool?

[Rich Engelhardt]

A lot of people - myself included - make it a policy to really avoid lending out tools.
The list is a really short one of the people I will lend a tool to.

What about - borrowing a tool?

[Tom M King]

Never. …..

[Lee Schierer]

I've loaned tools to people I know and borrowed tools as well. I always return the tool in as good or better condition that it was when I received it. If I purchased any blades, bits or accessories for the tool, they go home with the tool. I have always experienced the same care from people who have borrowed any of my tools.

[Kevin Jenness]

I lend and borrow tools with people I trust who trust me to take care of them. A fairly short list. It allows us access to a wider range of stuff with a smaller investment. My son has heavy gear for timber work and rigging, while he can call on me for cabinetry tools. I go back and forth with my colleague up the road and the shop I used to work for, especially for shaper cutters. I lent my car mechanic a router bit when he was doing a floor nosing and what do you know, he came up a few days later and opened up the car at no charge after my wife lost her key.

If I have to borrow a specific tool twice I get my own. I would be very chary of lending out something hard to replace or essential to a time-sensitive project. There's a reason why farmers all have their own mowers, tedders and balers- haying waits for no man.

[Jim Becker]

It would be highly unusual for me to need to borrow a tool from someone else since in my very small circle, I'm the one with the tools. I have borrowed a tall extension ladder once from a neighbor who is a contractor when he was working next door, but I only had to move it about 20 feet. (Needed to replace a second floor bathroom exhaust vent and couldn't reach with my own ladder) But otherwise, I really cannot remember ever borrowing a tool from a friend. I guess that my borrowing/testing a few Festool products from "Uncle Bob" back in the day is a different kind of thing.

I can count on less than one hand the number of people that I would lend a tool, just to level set.

[Joe Bradshaw]

I have loaned tools to relatives with the understanding, if you break it, you have bought it. Works out good so far. Joe

[John Kananis]

I lend tools (like power washer, etc) to family and they are responsible for bringing it back in the same condition it left but i don't lend it shop tools/equipment. The only tools I don't have and sometimes borrow (from my neighbor, who is also a good friend) are medium and large equipment (chipper, log Splitter, etc) and I ask that he hang out (and help lol) while I use it.

[Michael Burnside]

I’ve borrowed a tool or two from my father in law and vise versa. Beyond that there isn’t anyone I would trust they wouldn’t hurt themselves. My kids know better, they ask for dad the “tool” to come and do it

[Philip Glover]

I do not loan out loan out woodworking, machinist, mechanics, or power tools - nor do I borrow them.
That said, I have loaned out and borrowed bicycle tools such as installation / removal tools for bottom brackets and headsets.

Phil

[John Lanciani]

One of my best and most enduring friendships was formed almost 30 years ago when I lent a complete stranger (a new neighbor at the time) a Sawzall and an extension cord. Tools are simply relpacable objects, how we treat fellow humans can change the course of our lives.

[Mark Gibney]

I will loan my machinist friend tools, and I borrow some from him. He has an extensive collection of gear pullers I've used over the years when restoring my machines.

Last week our car battery crapped out in the Costco parking lot. The guys at the tire service station there refused to loan me a battery jumper.
A man herding the shopping carts heard this and offered me his personal jumper. I took it to the opposite end of the lot to use, and he trusted me to come back with it. I marveled at the trust of this man, an immigrant from Senegal.

[Robert M Richardson]

I loan tools to friends and neighbors and am rarely sorry. Loaned a wheel barrow to my neighbor a few weeks ago and some fellows he hired for a job, despite his explicit instructions, mixed concrete in it. I got a new wheel barrow of the next highest grade back. He gets whatever he needs anytime.

[Ron Citerone]

Generally don’t borrow tools. I have in rare occasions with tools that have a low chance of bring damaged.

[Mike Cutler]

It really depends on the person.
I recently loaned out a Festool 1400 for a few months to someone that needed to replace all of the doors and jambs in his house. I've seen him with tools though, so I knew the router wouldn't be a hazard to him. He could also pay for it, if he broke it. A year or so ago he gave me probably $250-$300.00 worth of 20ga. shotgun ammunition he had no use for, so I think it was an equitable arrangement.
It really depends on the person though.

[John TenEyck]

Yes, occasionally, I will loan a tool to a friend. And that reminds me that one of my woodworking friends has had a couple of router bits so long that both of us have forgotten, until now.

John