I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show him
some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay tables).
While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a while comes
to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on. I always
get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but it's
usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one of
my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung across
his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a few days
ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
is going to come to a stop.
Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
Thanks for any advice.
"Darrin" wrote
>I need a bit of advice.
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools
> now that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
> Thanks for any advice.
I have a sign posted on the wall in my shop.
It reads:
LOAN POLICY FOR TOOLS
1. I have invested a considerable amount of money in my tools.
It has been necessary to justify to my wife the need for these tools.
Loaning them out would negate the justification.
2. I am not certain that any particular borrower of my tools is sufficiently
skilled in their use to rule out accidents.
I would feel terrible if an accident happened that could have been
prevented.
3. I have just enough friends who might be in need of borrowing tools that,
if I didn't say "no", a major portion of my tools would be on loan at any
given time.
4. I have experienced certain periods of frustration when I didn't have a
needed tool at a certain time in the progress of a project. As a result , I
have invested heavily in providing myself with a wide variety of tools.
(see # 1.) If any given tool happens to be "on loan", you can imagine the
even worse frustration.
With the above in mind, please be assured that if you are in dire need of a
tool for a particular operation, you may use said tool
IN MY SHOP, UNDER MY SUPERVISION.
On Jan 22, 10:56=A0am, "Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I need a bit of advice. =A0 =A0I recently moved into a new house with a b=
ig
> garage that I've made into my workshop. =A0 My next door neighbor is a re=
ally
> good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show =
him
> some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay tables=
)=2E
snip
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools =
now
> that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? =A0 =
=A0 I'm
> already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them no=
w,
> not when he decides he can bring them back. =A0 =A0 It gets to me a bit t=
hat he
> always wants to borrow =A0my tools since he works at Home Depot. =A0 =A0 =
=A0 =A0 I
> figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. =A0 How do=
you
> keep it under control? =A0 =A0 =A0I know I can say "no" everytime he want=
s to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
Uh, is he worrying about pissing you off? You're the guy getting
screwed.
I have a friend like that. Loan him an axe and he leaves it in the
woods. Loan his wife an airless sprayer and she loses half the parts.
Something on the order of 25 years ago, I said no more and meant it.
We're still friends.
Darrin wrote:
> therefore, the loaning is going to come to a stop.
Tell him that you'll lend him the money to go rent a tool and, to make
sure neither one of you will forget (with busy lives and all), he can
leave you a post-dated cheque.
You are suggesting this to circumvent the possibility of him feeling
bad if he accidentally breaks one of your tools, which could leave you
in a lurch. He wouldn't want that to happen would he? Being
friends-and-all....
I have never minded lending a helping hand, but I thoroughly despise
free-loaders. Sometimes that is a very blurred line.
r
The problem of the neighbor who borrows tools is ubiquitous, and a
losing situation for the lender, for all the reasons mentioned by other
posters. The borrower puts the lender in the awkward position of having
to create white lies and feel guilty for asking for his own property
to be returned.
I have no sure fire way to protect ones tools against borrowers but
saying no at the beginning might be the least frustrating when all is
said and done.
Joe G
Darrin wrote:
> I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
> garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
> good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show him
> some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay tables).
> While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a while comes
> to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on. I always
> get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but it's
> usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
> neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
> and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one of
> my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung across
> his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a few days
> ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
> that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
> already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
> not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
> always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
> figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
> keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
First shoot him and then use the tablesaw to cut him into small bits
and then mix the mulch with your wood dust. They will never find him .
. .
On 22 Jan, 15:56, "Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
> garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
I have HAD the problem, but no more. The next time I was asked to loan
tools, I simply stated that I had recently loaned some tools that
didn't return (when promised -or- in my case functional) and when I
needed to use them they weren't available to me. Therefore,
UNFORTUNATELY I have had to take a "I DON'T LOAN TOOLS" stand.
BTW, when I purchased my roll-around Craftsman tool chest(s), I also
purchased for $10.00 a decal pack of assorted Craftsman decals of which
one reads: I DON'T LOAN TOOLS. I have it conspicuously located upon
entering my work area... but a sign generated in MS WORD will work as
well. The great thing is, you can invite the neighbor over to just chat
for a few minutes while you linger Under the sign :) (Why wait to be
put on the spot?)
DJ
Darrin wrote:
> I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
> garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
> good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show him
> some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay tables).
> While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a while comes
> to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on. I always
> get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but it's
> usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
> neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
> and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one of
> my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung across
> his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a few days
> ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
> that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
> already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
> not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
> always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
> figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
> keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
I would have to say that I agree with L. Loaning tools really is a
tough call and I don't normally loan them out to neighbors unless there
a friend and I've known them a long time. With a neighbor, I'll offer
to bring the tool over and help him myself and I use the tool or ask
him if it is something that can wait till I can help if I can't
immediately. I would think that my labor would be more valuable than
the tool and more often appreciated by the neighbor. This way I have
the opportunity to get to know them and decide if they're a friend as
well as a neigbor. Otherwise, I have to view it as there's not much I
can do to help this time. Loaning isn't something I usually do unless
its a friend I've known a very long time (many years) or a family
member.
As far as getting it back, I'd simply go to the neighbor and ask him
how it went and say that I needed the tool back. If this caused a
problem with the neighbor, at least then you'd know what kind of
neighbor you have and whether you'd be loaning them any more tools. I
suppose I'd also seek some legal advice just in case before I went over
there.
Swingman wrote:
[snipo]
>
> Not a bad way to be raised, and although I didn't always appreciate it when
> "we" were doing the cleanup/sharpening/painting, I thoroughly appreciate the
> response it instilled with regards to borrowing tools ... Thanks, Dad!
>
It was 'teary' moment when my oldest daughter admitted to me that she
had adopted my catch-phrase
"think of others, you are not on this planet by yourself"
When she goes camping, you would never know she had been on that spot
after she left.
Her bathroom mirror is full of Stik-Um notes, all of which seem to deal
with 'other people.'
My youngest still believes that she is the centre of the
universe....she's 13 and is starting to watch how I handle my fork and
knife when I eat, so there is hope. LOL.
My parents made me take dance lessons 'cuz "you never know".
Both parents taught me about accountability and to stop and smell the
roses. (That one has been the most difficult as I suffer fromk
work-a-holism.)
I think I just figured out why Swingman's views (and others') mesh with
mine as much as they do. Good dads go a long way, right Watson?
(What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
Never shy, I remain,
r
On Jan 23, 3:03=A0pm, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Robatoy" wrote in message
> > I think I just figured out why Swingman's views (and others') mesh with
> > mine as much as they do. Good dads go a long way, right Watson?
>
> > (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
> > conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
> > motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
>
> > Never shy, I remain,LOL. Even if you did let a fat girl take you, somet=
imes you gotta dance with
> who brung you!
>
> Besides, I would just a cheerfully jail a politician on general principles
> as to look at him ... ANY politician.
I may start a movement: all politicians, once elected, immediately
serve a prison sentence, the length and severity of said sentence
depending on the damage the position allows them to do. A minimum of
three months (local office), maximum of 15 years, say, though that
sounds a touch low for the damage some presidents do.
Lew Hodgett wrote:
> "Robatoy" wrote in message
>
> > (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
> > conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
> > motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
>
> Remember the political cartoon after the 2004 election showing a
> picture of Uncle Sam with the caption below.
>
> "Elect him once, shame on me"
> "Elect him twice, shame on you"
>
There is a whole assortment of alt.politics newsgroups. If you
don't like to read those because of the flame wars maybe
you folks should think twice before playing with fire here.
--
FF
[email protected] wrote:
Whatever.
I soooo dislike these holier-than-thou assholes.
Fred... do us all a favour and go fuck yourself.
respectfully,
r
Charlie Self wrote:
> On Jan 23, 3:03?pm, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > "Robatoy" wrote in message
> > > I think I just figured out why Swingman's views (and others') mesh with
> > > mine as much as they do. Good dads go a long way, right Watson?
> >
> > > (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
> > > conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
> > > motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
> >
> > > Never shy, I remain,LOL. Even if you did let a fat girl take you, sometimes you gotta dance with
> > who brung you!
> >
> > Besides, I would just a cheerfully jail a politician on general principles
> > as to look at him ... ANY politician.
>
> I may start a movement: all politicians, once elected, immediately
> serve a prison sentence, the length and severity of said sentence
> depending on the damage the position allows them to do. A minimum of
> three months (local office), maximum of 15 years, say, though that
> sounds a touch low for the damage some presidents do.
I like that, Charlie. Maybe marriage could go by those rules too? FIRST
you buy her a house.....etc. :)
On Jan 23, 5:35 pm, "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:Whatever.
>
> I soooo dislike these holier-than-thou assholes.
>
> Fred... do us all a favour and go fuck yourself.
>
> respectfully,
>
Evidently you are why alt.flame was created.
--
FF
On Jan 23, 7:56 pm, [email protected] wrote:
Evidently you are why alt.flame was created.
...and here I was hoping for yet another e-mail from you....and please,
don't flatter yourself by thinking I would take the time to actually
'flame' your sorry ass.
On Jan 22, 10:56 am, "Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
> garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
> good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show him
> some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay tables).
> While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a while comes
> to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on. I always
> get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but it's
> usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
> neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
> and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one of
> my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung across
> his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a few days
> ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
> that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
> already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
> not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
> always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
> figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
> keep it under control? I know I can say "no" every time he wants to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
I'm moving to a new (old) house and plan on making my garage the
workroom. Where I live now I only have 1 neighbor. He has more tools
then me, but he did borrow my tile saw. Returned it the following week
(as he said) in better condition then when it left.
Anyway, my new house will be in a regular neighborhood, so I think I'll
start off by putting a friendly wood sign next to the door to the
workroom. "Borrow my wife, borrow my kids, but not the tools or the
car"...
Swingman, I didn't know you could get a wife at Harbor Freight. Gotta
go home and look at that catalogue again.
-Jim
On Jan 23, 5:56=A0pm, Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
> Charlie Self wrote:=A0> I may start a movement: all politicians, once ele=
cted, immediately
> =A0> serve a prison sentence, the length and severity of said sentence
> =A0> depending on the damage the position allows them to do. A minimum of
> =A0> three months (local office), maximum of 15 years, say, though that
> =A0> sounds a touch low for the damage some presidents do.
>
> I once stood in the top of the Washington monument and surveyed all
> the government buildings within sight, most of which, while I had
> helped pay for, I could not enter.
>
> At that moment, a thought occurred to me.
>
> Take the name of every politician across the entire country, and toss
> them in a hat, then every day of the year, promptly at a common time,
> say 10:00AM in the east, we randomly draw 100,000 names from the hat
> and shoot the SOBs.
>
> At the end of 10 years, the number of politicians would only have
> doubled, since they breed via incest.
>
> Back then, thought it was a great idea, but never was able to attract
> any support.
>
> Oh well, such is life.
>=20
> Lew
Hang in there. Support is probably coming.
On Jan 23, 5:44=A0pm, "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Charlie Self wrote:
> > On Jan 23, 3:03?pm, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > "Robatoy" wrote in message
> > > > I think I just figured out why Swingman's views (and others') mesh =
with
> > > > mine as much as they do. Good dads go a long way, right Watson?
>
> > > > (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
> > > > conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
> > > > motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
>
> > > > Never shy, I remain,LOL. Even if you did let a fat girl take you, s=
ometimes you gotta dance with
> > > who brung you!
>
> > > Besides, I would just a cheerfully jail a politician on general princ=
iples
> > > as to look at him ... ANY politician.
>
> > I may start a movement: all politicians, once elected, immediately
> > serve a prison sentence, the length and severity of said sentence
> > depending on the damage the position allows them to do. A minimum of
> > three months (local office), maximum of 15 years, say, though that
> > sounds a touch low for the damage some presidents do.I like that, Charl=
ie. Maybe marriage could go by those rules too? FIRST
> you buy her a house.....etc. :)- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -
You might as well. That's the way it works, anyway.
On Jan 24, 7:42=A0am, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "John L. Poole" wrote in message
> > would certainly look at your sternly and tell you that you must not loan
> > your tools to anyone as it exposes you to potential liability. =A0From a
> > liability standpoint you were duly cautioned by your agent to adopt a
> > policy of no loan of tools, which from a neighbor's standpoint is
> > regrettable, but understandable... right?
>
> > (Actually, loaning a ladder or any power tool that can do serious bodily
> > injury is asking for trouble, friends quickly turn into claimants when
> > there is an accident and you have good coverage.)Insurance companies bu=
ying off politicians, and politician-in-training
> lawyers, dictating life in good old NA, (once) land of the free.
>
> A pox on all three.
Double pox. My wife's country church has something like five dusk to
dawn lights. Why? Not because there's any real need: members would know
to bring a flashlight at night when the building is unoccupied. But the
insurance company says each exit/entrance/hazard (as they perceive
hazard) must be illuminated all night.
I know a lot of people who use those things to light their yards,
shops, garages, etc. Sort of like saying, "Here are the goodies. Come
and get them."
On Jan 24, 1:36 pm, Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
> George Max wrote: >
> > Are there statistics on this? Number of break-ins broken down by
> > places with and places without lighting?
>
> The answer to the question is:
>
> Does the insurance give a lower rate if the property has security
> lighting?
>
No, that does not answer the question.
Insurance companies can make mistakes.
--
FF
On Jan 24, 12:05 pm, "Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Double pox. My wife's country church has something like five dusk to
> dawn lights. Why? Not because there's any real need: members would know
> to bring a flashlight at night when the building is unoccupied. But the
> insurance company says each exit/entrance/hazard (as they perceive
> hazard) must be illuminated all night.
--
FF
On Jan 24, 12:54=A0pm, George Max <[email protected]>
wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:22:45 GMT, Lew Hodgett
>
>
>
>
>
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Charlie Self wrote:
>
> > > dusk to dawn lights.
>
> > > I know a lot of people who use those things to light their yards,
> > > shops, garages, etc. Sort of like saying, "Here are the goodies. Come
> > > and get them."
>
> >Actually, security lighting is a very good deterrent against vandals
> >and thieves.
>
> >Think you will find the insurance companies will give you a break if
> >you have security lighting.
>
> >Lew
>
> >LewInteresting. =A0Good points on both sides. =A0It provides illumination
> while thieves to work at opening the door/window while also
> illuminating themselves doing it, and hopefully causing law
> enforcement to be summoned.
>
> Are there statistics on this? =A0Number of break-ins broken down by
> places with and places without lighting?- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted=
text -
No idea about stats, but I'm talking about country, not town. I could
put dusk to dawns on my shop, but all it does is throw light into my
bedroom window during winter when the trees are bare. When the trees
aren't bare, I can't see the shop without going down to the basement
and out. So, no point.
On Jan 24, 1:36=A0pm, Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
> George Max wrote:=A0>
> =A0> Are there statistics on this? =A0Number of break-ins broken down by
> =A0> places with and places without lighting?
>
> The answer to the question is:
>
> Does the insurance give a lower rate if the property has security
> lighting?
>
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.
On Jan 22, 10:56 am, "Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote:
. How do you
> keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
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.
On Jan 22, 11:26 am, "GeeDubb" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm also in the habit now of not asking to borrow anything. Just makes life
> simpler since I usually ended up fixing what I asked to borrow before I
> could use it.
>
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.
On Jan 24, 11:01 am, "jtpr" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Swingman, I didn't know you could get a wife at Harbor Freight. Gotta
> go home and look at that catalogue again.
>
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!
On Jan 24, 6:55 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> On Jan 24, 12:05 pm, "Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Double pox. My wife's country church has something like five dusk to
> > dawn lights. Why? Not because there's any real need: members would know
> > to bring a flashlight at night when the building is unoccupied. But the
> > insurance company says each exit/entrance/hazard (as they perceive
> > hazard) must be illuminated all night.--
>
> FF
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.
--
FF
On Jan 25, 1:27 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>>.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.
Wow, it never ceases to amaze me the nerve that some people have.
A few years ago I started getting people to sign out my tools. I can't tell
you how many times I started to hunt for a tool, couldn't find it and had to
start calling around. I've have one guy that's had my mitre saw for a year
now, good thing it's not my only one otherwise I'd be pissed. I just can't
bother to drive the 1/2 hour to go get it. I find that when people sign them
out they normally return them faster and if not it gives me a reason to go
through my list and follow up. I usually make the "friends" pay with coffee
or work off the loan. Remember most of us have a lot of money tied up in
tools. What do you think it would cost him to rent them or hire you to do
the work??? Same goes at my metal shop, you can use the shop and tools but
nothings free. I have power, heat and consumables tied up in the shop it's
not free to me.......
Like the old saying..."neither a borrower nor a lender be."
Your Dad sound a lot like mine, Swingman. I have a neighbor who has
offered more than once to let me use his old planer (he rarely uses it
himself), but I know with my luck the thing would give up the ghost
while I was using it. Then my conscience would force me to spend my
money on a new planer for HIM when I could have spent it on a new planer
for ME in the first place.
Swingman wrote:
>
> Want a good deal? Loan a tool to me ... _IF_ you can get me to ask, that is.
>
> I learned at an early age to return tools that "we borrowed in better shape
> than they were before we borrowed them. I can't tell you how many tractor
> box blades I painted after "we" (Dad) borrowed it, or how many shovels I
> cleaned and oiled, how many hay cutter blades were sharpened and oiled, how
> many horse trailers were polished to a show room shine, tools with edges
> sharpened, etc., ad infinitum, before they were returned.
>
> Not only that, if a tool broke when it was under loan to us, we fixed it,
> had it fixed, or bought the loaner a new one. I borrowed a riding lawn mower
> from my Dad at one point and the transmission went out before I finished the
> job ... you can bet your sweet ass it had a new transmission when it was
> returned to him.
>
> It's one of the reasons I rarely borrow a tool. AAMOF, on a job site I'll
> walk out to my truck to get a screwdriver instead of borrowing one from a
> worker that is standing right next to me, just to tighten a screw on a
> receptacle.
>
> Not a bad way to be raised, and although I didn't always appreciate it when
> "we" were doing the cleanup/sharpening/painting, I thoroughly appreciate the
> response it instilled with regards to borrowing tools ... Thanks, Dad!
>
George Max wrote:
> On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:24:32 GMT, Me <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>> It seems like this problem is world wide and i bet it goes back to the
>> cave man days .
>
>
> :)
Clubs...spears.....wives.....
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:
[...]
>I HAD a brother in law living acrossed the street and two
>doors down. His wife wanted to remodel their house and
>he, being an auto mechanic, had few tools for that type
>of work. In no time at all he had
[a truckload of tools]
>If I needed one of my tools back it'd take days to
>"borrow it back" and this went on for over a
>month.
>
>Things came to a head after a couple of weeks when
>I heard my skill saw cutting something - at 10:30
>at night. Our neighborhood gets quiet after about
>nine pm and folks call the cops after that.
>
>Now knowing that this guy had a problem with
>"authority figures" [...]
>NEVER LOAN TOOLS TO IN LAWS.
Wrong lesson from the experience, IMO -- correct lesson is never loan tools to
*jerks*.
I have *zero* problem with loaning tools to *my* brother-in-law. He knows how
to use and care for tools properly, and he and I lend each other tools freely.
Neither one of us has ever refused to loan a tool to the other for any
reason besides "I'm using it right now myself." Same goes with my
father-in-law. He's welcome to borrow any of my tools, any time. He's a
retired tool and die maker; he knows what it means to have good tools. I'm
honored to be one of the people that he allows to borrow *his* tools, and even
more honored to be one of the few people to whom he has *given* some of his
tools.
On the other hand, I have other relatives to whom I wouldn't lend a
screwdriver...
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
Darrin wrote:
<snip>
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
>
As a diligent homeowner you no doubt talk to your insurance agent from
time to time to discuss your coverage and make sure you are not
underinsured and during such a discussion you could mention that you
have been loaning out tools to your neighbor/friends to which your agent
would certainly look at your sternly and tell you that you must not loan
your tools to anyone as it exposes you to potential liability. From a
liability standpoint you were duly cautioned by your agent to adopt a
policy of no loan of tools, which from a neighbor's standpoint is
regrettable, but understandable... right?
(Actually, loaning a ladder or any power tool that can do serious bodily
injury is asking for trouble, friends quickly turn into claimants when
there is an accident and you have good coverage.)
In article <[email protected]>,
jtpr <[email protected]> wrote:
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?
--
Vince Heuring To email, remove the Vince.
Darrin wrote:
> I need a bit of advice. How do you
> keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
Old Indian advice:
If you don't loan your tools, he get mad.
If you LOAN your tools, you get mad.
Damn site better HE get mad.
Hello Darrin,
One way I have found that works to get your tools back real fast is to ask
for a cash deposit, maybe of one third to one half of the value of the
tools. This may be a problem for the more expesive tools, so you may have
to negociate something different. I figure that if I lend someone a tool
for free, that same person can lend me some money in return. And should
the tool be returned damaged, you already have to money to get it fixed.
Just make sure you have the borrower sign for what he borrows and the
amount of deposit left, so the deposit is not considered to be the selling
price of the tool.
Too bad to have to resort to such methods, but the lender is not the
person who should suffer from his gracious deeds.
Andre
Walking that line between being a good neighbor and being an
abused neighbor can be tricky. Asking "helpful" questions like
"What are you going to do with this tool?" can short circuit
its abuse. In the cutting through comp shingles example, you
could then point out that a circular saw is the wrong tool for
the job and that a sawz all/ bayonet saw would be the tool for
the job - with the right blade of course. Then you can offer
to go with him to buy one - along with the proper bladeS -
plural - for the job he's got in mind. Now you're in Helpful
Advisor mode rather than the less desireable Lender mode.
Also make a point of asking how long he'll need the tool.
Explain that you often do things very early in the morning
and late at night and you'd hate to wake him up to get
your tool when you need it. So stress that you need your
tool(s) back by sundown. Now you're the Helpful Neighbor
who is also the Considerate Neighbor. It also make him
schedule things for a week end.
I HAD a brother in law living acrossed the street and two
doors down. His wife wanted to remodel their house and
he, being an auto mechanic, had few tools for that type
of work. In no time at all he had
- my pick up truck with the bed full of 2x4s
- my worm drive circular saw, with blades
- my sawz all with blades
- two of my electric hand drills with bits
- my crow bars
- two or three of my hammers (ball peen hammers
are useless on remodels)
- a couple of my extension cords (the ones his sister
hadn't "modified" - with the hedge trimmer!)
- my framing square and regular square
- my palm nailer (he had a compressor)
- my 6 and 8 foot ladders
:
:
:
If I needed one of my tools back it'd take days to
"borrow it back" and this went on for over a
month.
Things came to a head after a couple of weeks when
I heard my skill saw cutting something - at 10:30
at night. Our neighborhood gets quiet after about
nine pm and folks call the cops after that.
Now knowing that this guy had a problem with
"authority figures" (he'd chased his father around
the back yard with a baseball bat when he was
a teen, and tried to back his bug eyed Sprite over
a county sheriff in his early twenties) I went over
to suggest he knock off work for the night and
offered to give him a hand when he got home from
work the next day.
That lead to a lot of yelling on his part and me
demanding my truck and tools back. When he
was about to THROW my skill saw into the bed
of MY truck - from his porch - things got a bit
testy. That incident ended with him pulling a
knife on me and my 6' 6" neighbor, who'd come
out of no where, taking the knife away in a less
than gentle manner.
Needless to say, I became a little tighter with
my tools. Fortunately, he lost the house,
but only after I, being the husband of his sister,
had to deal with sheriffs and bail bondsmen and
one of his ex-wives/girl friends and a sheriff,
on a cold rainy morning around 6 am.
NEVER LOAN TOOLS TO IN LAWS.
Recapping
Ask helpful questions
Offer helpful suggestions - like lets go over to
The Borg and get you the tools you're gonna need
Need the tool(s) back by sundown - the OR ELSE
can be implied as subtly or as forcefully as you
feel necessary.
charlie b
who just got his four, four foot bessys back
from his eldest and his youngest still has his
hammer drill and masonry bits.
"Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show
>him some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay
>tables). While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a
>while comes to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on.
>I always get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but
>it's usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
>neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one
>of my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung
>across his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a
>few days ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools
> now that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
> I'm already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them
> now, not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit
> that he always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot.
> I figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do
> you keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants
> to borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
I don't let anybody borrow the tools I use to make a living with. I
sometimes lend out lawn/gardening equipment but rarely. I become quite
defensive when people want to borrow something and usually point them in the
direction of a phone book or rental store. I paid for this stuff why can't
they?
I'm also in the habit now of not asking to borrow anything. Just makes life
simpler since I usually ended up fixing what I asked to borrow before I
could use it.
Gary
>Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
>that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
>already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
>not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
>always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
>figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
>keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
>borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
I loaned a circular saw to a relative once. Even put on a fresh
carbide blade for him. It came back covered in tarry stuff and the
blade semi melted. Seems he was cutting holes in his roof from the
top side and right through the shingles. When he handed my saw
back in that condition, I invited him to come to the tool store with
me. I picked up a new saw (BD same as mine and about $40.) and at
the check out told him to pay for it please seeing as how he fucked
mine up. I said this loudly in the crowded checkout line. Whether
he paid up because of a sense of remorse or because I embarassed him,
I don't know and I don't care. He owns a a tarry saw with a buggered
blade that maybe you can come and loan from him one day. If you see
him, say you need it for a boat anchor.
Was I mean to him? Quite likely. But then sometimes you have to be
mean to the thoughtless inconsiderate stupids walking the earth.
Your neighbour works at a place that sells materials and tools? Why
are you not getting hime to buy you materials with his employee
discount. Or drill bits, saw blades, and other consumable tools.
Why not wait until the next time he asks to borrow something and tell
him you in the middle of using it right now, but if he wouldn't mind
picking up some oak boards and pay for it with his employee discount.
Be interesting to hear his response.
The best answer you got here was to point out the you have noticed
that your stuff is being abused. Do that again and the lending
stops.
Pere
"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Not a bad way to be raised, and although I didn't always appreciate it
> when
> "we" were doing the cleanup/sharpening/painting, I thoroughly appreciate
> the
> response it instilled with regards to borrowing tools ... Thanks, Dad!
I had to start buying my own tools as a young adult to understand why my
dad would get so pissed when me or my mother or one of my brothers failed to
put one of his tools back. Unless he found it rusting in the backyard, he
never discovered it until he had need for that particular tool.
For years now I've been fighting the same battle with my wife and my 21
year old (who I [often] think doesn't know which end of a screwdriver to
hold.
Paybacks are hell.
--
NuWave Dave in Houston
>
>Go get your tools back when he isn't home and flirt with his wife.
>Nope, I'm not kidding.
>A) He won't like you coming over when he isn't home and he will think twice about
>borrowing next time.
>B) His wife won't like you coming over unannounced and tell him to stop borrowing
>your tools.
>
>C) She flirts back and you have wild sex on his shop bench. Then you start offering
>him MORE tools so you have an excuse to go back over.
>
>In all three cases it's WIN WIN WIN. <g>
>
OK All you guys who are married to foxy wives can come loan some
tools. Give me a list of what you need - if I don't have it, that
means I'll have go buy it.
Rules: You must have a job. This is important when I have to
come over there for tool removal while the wife is at home.
Inform the wife I'm coming over so that we both can come and
to not wear anything complicated.
I'll be sitting here next to the phone so don't be shy.
Pete
Darrin wrote:
<snip>
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
> that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
> already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
> not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
> always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
> figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
> keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
>
I won't give advice but I will point something out. Your last sentence
asks about bad blood. From what you've said, there either already is or
will be the next time he leaves a tool in the weather or misuses it.
Since he's already broken your rules of how to treat tools, it's pretty
clear he'll do so again.
Sometimes we hate to piss people off for being territorial about our
possessions, but we're willing to let ourselves get pissed off and say
nothing. That's not helping anyone, including your neighbour.
I don't think it's too late for any of your options, and you've had a
few suggested, including nipping it in the bud. And yes, it's still in
the bud so far, but it will go full bloom if you do nothing. As Swing
said, it's all in what you think you can live with.
Whatever you do, it's not really going to be that pleasant. Do nothing,
get pissed off. Nip it, get him riled or at the very least embarrassed.
Something in between, and the feelings will be somewhere in the middle.
Let us know how it turns out. I don't think there's anyone who's got
even a small selection of tools that hasn't been in the same predicament.
Tanus
--
This is not really a sig.
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
>
> 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.
>
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
--
Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm
On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 10:56:07 -0500, "Darrin"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show him
>some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay tables).
>While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a while comes
>to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on. I always
>get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but it's
>usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
>neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one of
>my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung across
>his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a few days
>ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
>I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
>over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
>hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
>is going to come to a stop.
>
>Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
>that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
>already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
>not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
>always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
>figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
>keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
>borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
>Thanks for any advice.
>
My father painted tools pink and kept them (the good ones) out of
sight. I tell people that I never loan out my tools; however I'm
glad to help them with the job using my personal tools.
On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:48:48 -0500, "Darrin"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>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.
Damn! They must be paying pretty well at Home Dept these days.
Dave Hall
"Connor Aston" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> First shoot him and then use the tablesaw to cut him into small bits
> and then mix the mulch with your wood dust. They will never find him .
Been watching Fargo again?
"Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools
now
> that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
I'm
> already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them
now,
> not when he decides he can bring them back.
Your mistake was that you didn't set the ground rules from the get go. All
you can do at this point is to sit him down and explain that you think he's
a nice guy and all, but you have a personal problem with lending out tools.
Tell him that you can still lend him tools when it's necessary, but that
you'll expect them back the minute he's finished with them. If he still
takes advantage of you, then you're going to have to restrict tool lending
even more.
This is kinda related - I seldom loan my tools. Not because I'm a
jerk to anyone, almost no one asks. One of my closest friends does
sometimes ask, and when he does borrow something, it's returned in as
good of condition as when it went out. He's even had the blade
sharpened on my miter saw.
Now for the OT part - this is a good reason (for me) to keep my shop
in the basement. No one in my neighborhood knows what I have. It
isn't the top reason. Heck, that isn't even in the top 5 reasons, but
it sure don't hurt.
On 25 Jan 2007 10:01:11 -0800, "bf" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>On Jan 22, 11:26 am, "GeeDubb" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I'm also in the habit now of not asking to borrow anything. Just makes life
>> simpler since I usually ended up fixing what I asked to borrow before I
>> could use it.
>>
>
>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.
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..<g>
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.
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.
"Lee Michaels" <leemichaels*nadaspam*@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Darrin" wrote
> > 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.
>
> 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.
>
>
>
>
"Robatoy" wrote in message
> (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
> conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
> motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
Remember the political cartoon after the 2004 election showing a
picture of Uncle Sam with the caption below.
"Elect him once, shame on me"
"Elect him twice, shame on you"
Lew
"Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show
>him some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay
>tables). While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a
>while comes to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on.
>I always get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but
>it's usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
>neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one
>of my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung
>across his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a
>few days ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools
> now that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
> I'm already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them
> now, not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit
> that he always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot.
> I figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do
> you keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants
> to borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
I had a friend do this once. He did not really intend to steal the tools.
He just "forgot".
So I waited until he had company. Went to his house, and in front of his
friends, threw a fit. I yelled about how my wife got upset with me for
lending tools. This was true. Then I went into hyperbole mode. I talked
about calling the cops, small claims court and having to hide my gun from
the wife. This was pure theatrics.
But it worked. All tools were immediately gathered together and delivered to
my place in a matter of minutes. And his wife forbade me from borrowing any
more tools again.
So that turned out well. I must admit that a couple of other cases did not
turn out so well. It just depends on who it is.
I have a nice neighbor now who I found out recently is a high ranking member
of the local police force. She does ask to borrow things from time to time.
The tools are returned within the hour except once. And that was returned
the next day. Can't complain about that. You can't ask for a better
neighbor.
Charlie Self wrote:
>
> Double pox. My wife's country church has something like five dusk to
> dawn lights. Why? Not because there's any real need: members would know
> to bring a flashlight at night when the building is unoccupied. But the
> insurance company says each exit/entrance/hazard (as they perceive
> hazard) must be illuminated all night.
>
> I know a lot of people who use those things to light their yards,
> shops, garages, etc. Sort of like saying, "Here are the goodies. Come
> and get them."
>
Actually, security lighting is a very good deterrent against vandals
and thieves.
In a former life, I sold a lot of outdoor lighting systems designed
specifically for security applications.
Think you will find the insurance companies will give you a break if
you have security lighting.
Lew
Lew
Charlie Self wrote:
> I may start a movement: all politicians, once elected, immediately
> serve a prison sentence, the length and severity of said sentence
> depending on the damage the position allows them to do. A minimum of
> three months (local office), maximum of 15 years, say, though that
> sounds a touch low for the damage some presidents do.
I once stood in the top of the Washington monument and surveyed all
the government buildings within sight, most of which, while I had
helped pay for, I could not enter.
At that moment, a thought occurred to me.
Take the name of every politician across the entire country, and toss
them in a hat, then every day of the year, promptly at a common time,
say 10:00AM in the east, we randomly draw 100,000 names from the hat
and shoot the SOBs.
At the end of 10 years, the number of politicians would only have
doubled, since they breed via incest.
Back then, thought it was a great idea, but never was able to attract
any support.
Oh well, such is life.
Lew
In article <[email protected]>, "Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm just starting out in the woodworking
>business, so I'm not making a whole lot yet.
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."
>
>I heard this phrase a few years ago "No one can take advantage of you unless
>you let them." I just quit letting him.
There ya go. That's all it takes.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
"Me" wrote in message
> > retired tool and die maker; he knows what it means to have good tools.
I'm
> > honored to be one of the people that he allows to borrow *his* tools,
and even
> > more honored to be one of the few people to whom he has *given* some of
his
> > tools.
Want a good deal? Loan a tool to me ... _IF_ you can get me to ask, that is.
I learned at an early age to return tools that "we borrowed in better shape
than they were before we borrowed them. I can't tell you how many tractor
box blades I painted after "we" (Dad) borrowed it, or how many shovels I
cleaned and oiled, how many hay cutter blades were sharpened and oiled, how
many horse trailers were polished to a show room shine, tools with edges
sharpened, etc., ad infinitum, before they were returned.
Not only that, if a tool broke when it was under loan to us, we fixed it,
had it fixed, or bought the loaner a new one. I borrowed a riding lawn mower
from my Dad at one point and the transmission went out before I finished the
job ... you can bet your sweet ass it had a new transmission when it was
returned to him.
It's one of the reasons I rarely borrow a tool. AAMOF, on a job site I'll
walk out to my truck to get a screwdriver instead of borrowing one from a
worker that is standing right next to me, just to tighten a screw on a
receptacle.
Not a bad way to be raised, and although I didn't always appreciate it when
"we" were doing the cleanup/sharpening/painting, I thoroughly appreciate the
response it instilled with regards to borrowing tools ... Thanks, Dad!
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/06/07
Doug Miller wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:
> [...]
>> I HAD a brother in law living acrossed the street and two
>> doors down. His wife wanted to remodel their house and
>> he, being an auto mechanic, had few tools for that type
>> of work. In no time at all he had
> [a truckload of tools]
>
>> If I needed one of my tools back it'd take days to
>> "borrow it back" and this went on for over a
>> month.
>>
>> Things came to a head after a couple of weeks when
>> I heard my skill saw cutting something - at 10:30
>> at night. Our neighborhood gets quiet after about
>> nine pm and folks call the cops after that.
>>
>> Now knowing that this guy had a problem with
>> "authority figures" [...]
>
>> NEVER LOAN TOOLS TO IN LAWS.
>
> Wrong lesson from the experience, IMO -- correct lesson is never loan tools to
> *jerks*.
>
> I have *zero* problem with loaning tools to *my* brother-in-law. He knows how
> to use and care for tools properly, and he and I lend each other tools freely.
> Neither one of us has ever refused to loan a tool to the other for any
> reason besides "I'm using it right now myself." Same goes with my
> father-in-law. He's welcome to borrow any of my tools, any time. He's a
> retired tool and die maker; he knows what it means to have good tools. I'm
> honored to be one of the people that he allows to borrow *his* tools, and even
> more honored to be one of the few people to whom he has *given* some of his
> tools.
>
> On the other hand, I have other relatives to whom I wouldn't lend a
> screwdriver...
>
It seems like this problem is world wide and i bet it goes back to the
cave man days .
just Me
"Robatoy" wrote in message
> I think I just figured out why Swingman's views (and others') mesh with
> mine as much as they do. Good dads go a long way, right Watson?
>
> (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
> conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
> motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
>
> Never shy, I remain,
LOL. Even if you did let a fat girl take you, sometimes you gotta dance with
who brung you!
Besides, I would just a cheerfully jail a politician on general principles
as to look at him ... ANY politician.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/06/07
"L" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Darrin <[email protected]> wrote:
>I can think of two solutions....
1. Don't loan any out.
2. Go and get them.
Darrin wrote:
> I need a bit of advice.
Tell him, "Bring the tools back when you're finished. If I have to come
looking for them you'll never borrow another tool from me again."
Stick to it. One way or the other the problem is solved.
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]
"Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> My wife works and I'm just
> starting out in the woodworking business, so I'm not making a whole
> lot yet.
No more reason is needed. It's how you make your living. No tools, no
revenue, no customer recommendations. See ya later!
Patriarch
andypack wrote:
> Hello Darrin,
>
> One way I have found that works to get your tools back real fast is to ask
> for a cash deposit, maybe of one third to one half of the value of the
> tools. This may be a problem for the more expesive tools, so you may have
> to negociate something different. I figure that if I lend someone a tool
> for free, that same person can lend me some money in return. And should
> the tool be returned damaged, you already have to money to get it fixed.
> Just make sure you have the borrower sign for what he borrows and the
> amount of deposit left, so the deposit is not considered to be the selling
> price of the tool.
>
> Too bad to have to resort to such methods, but the lender is not the
> person who should suffer from his gracious deeds.
>
> Andre
>
How many times has the borrower had the tools that long,that he swears
blind that he owns them ?????ive had them for years ???.
my neighbour borrowed my jig saw on 4/1/ he keeps saying he will bring
it back .He wont be bringing anymore tools back co's i wont be lending
him any more .
just Me.
On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 10:56:07 -0500, "Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show him
>some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay tables).
>While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a while comes
>to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on. I always
>get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but it's
>usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
>neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one of
>my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung across
>his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a few days
>ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
>I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
>over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
>hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
>is going to come to a stop.
>
>Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
>that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor? I'm
>already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them now,
>not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit that he
>always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot. I
>figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do you
>keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
>borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
>Thanks for any advice.
>
It's very easy without pissing anyone off.
Go get your tools back when he isn't home and flirt with his wife.
Nope, I'm not kidding.
A) He won't like you coming over when he isn't home and he will think twice about
borrowing next time.
B) His wife won't like you coming over unannounced and tell him to stop borrowing
your tools.
C) She flirts back and you have wild sex on his shop bench. Then you start offering
him MORE tools so you have an excuse to go back over.
In all three cases it's WIN WIN WIN. <g>
BTW I'm experienced A&C personally...years ago....
On 26 Jan 2007 12:09:42 -0800, "bf" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>On Jan 25, 1:27 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>>>.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.
>
>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.
"John L. Poole" wrote in message
> would certainly look at your sternly and tell you that you must not loan
> your tools to anyone as it exposes you to potential liability. From a
> liability standpoint you were duly cautioned by your agent to adopt a
> policy of no loan of tools, which from a neighbor's standpoint is
> regrettable, but understandable... right?
>
> (Actually, loaning a ladder or any power tool that can do serious bodily
> injury is asking for trouble, friends quickly turn into claimants when
> there is an accident and you have good coverage.)
Insurance companies buying off politicians, and politician-in-training
lawyers, dictating life in good old NA, (once) land of the free.
A pox on all three.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/06/07
"Darrin" wrote
> 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.
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.
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" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show
>him some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay
>tables). While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a
>while comes to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on.
>I always get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but
>it's usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
>neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one
>of my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung
>across his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a
>few days ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools
> now that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
> I'm already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them
> now, not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit
> that he always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot.
> I figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do
> you keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants
> to borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
In article <[email protected]>,
Darrin <[email protected]> wrote:
<...snipped...>
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one of
>my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung across
>his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a few days
>ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
<...snipped...>
Loaning out tools is always a tough call. I've turned down requests with
the simple statement that I needed to use the tool myself and couldn't
loan it out right now. If you have a Harbor Freight in your area,
you might try mentioning to your neighbor how cheap
inexpensive their tools are, maybe even accompany him on a trip there.
--
For every complicated, difficult problem, there is a simple, easy
solution that does not work.
Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf.lonestar.org
Connor Aston wrote:
> First shoot him and then use the tablesaw to cut him into small bits
> and then mix the mulch with your wood dust. They will never find him .
> . .
>
> On 22 Jan, 15:56, "Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>> garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>
Be sure you put the blade on backwards first:-)
Joe
Thanks for the suggestions. I did tell him when he needed my level that
I was using it and couldn't loan it out, he said he would wait on his
project until I was done with mine. There's nothing like taking turns with
my own tools. He has made the comment that when I'm working on a chair
it's a good time to borrow my fish tape, and wire stripping tools as he
knows then I won't be using them. But to me my tools are like my
toothbrush, some I got from my grandfather who was a master carpenter, some
from my Dad, some as birthday/father's day/Christmas gifts. I don't like
loaning out gifts, which is what my ladder was, only to see it out in a snow
storm. I think I've been trying to be more friendly than practical.
I'm still learning my skills and sometimes not exactly sure which tool I
might end up needing, especially when I screw something up and need to fix
it.
Thanks guys.
"Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show
>him some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay
>tables). While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a
>while comes to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on.
>I always get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but
>it's usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
>neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one
>of my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung
>across his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a
>few days ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools
> now that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
> I'm already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them
> now, not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit
> that he always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot.
> I figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do
> you keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants
> to borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
> Thanks for any advice.
>
On 23 Jan 2007 12:13:28 -0800, "Charlie Self" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>
>On Jan 23, 3:030m, "Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "Robatoy" wrote in message
>> > I think I just figured out why Swingman's views (and others') mesh with
>> > mine as much as they do. Good dads go a long way, right Watson?
>>
>> > (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
>> > conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
>> > motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
>>
>> > Never shy, I remain,LOL. Even if you did let a fat girl take you, sometimes you gotta dance with
>> who brung you!
>>
>> Besides, I would just a cheerfully jail a politician on general principles
>> as to look at him ... ANY politician.
>
>I may start a movement: all politicians, once elected, immediately
>serve a prison sentence, the length and severity of said sentence
>depending on the damage the position allows them to do. A minimum of
>three months (local office), maximum of 15 years, say, though that
>sounds a touch low for the damage some presidents do.
But they'd just vote themselves a special prison with hot and cold
running hookers and whatever other conveniences they thought
appropriate and use it as an excuse to party.
On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 10:56:07 -0500, "Darrin"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>How do you
>keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
>borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
>
>Thanks for any advice.
My $.02- a guy that doesn't understand why you might not want to loan
your tools to him isn't a guy that should be allowed to use them.
Those kind of people, I don't worry about pissing off.
There are cases where a guy has already got a shop full of tools, and
knows how to take care of them. Everyone finds they need some widget
they don't happen to have from time to time, and in those cases, I'm
happy to lend a tool- but not if they don't have and maintain their
own shop. I'm not a free rental outfit for weekend warriors!
On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:00:08 -0500, Dave Hall <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:48:48 -0500, "Darrin"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>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.
>
>Damn! They must be paying pretty well at Home Dept these days.
>
>Dave Hall
His friend must be the *owner* of Home Depot. I believe he just got a
nice golden handshake.
On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:54:14 -0600, George Max
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:22:45 GMT, Lew Hodgett
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Charlie Self wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > dusk to dawn lights.
>> >
>> > I know a lot of people who use those things to light their yards,
>> > shops, garages, etc. Sort of like saying, "Here are the goodies. Come
>> > and get them."
>> >
>>
>>Actually, security lighting is a very good deterrent against vandals
>>and thieves.
>>
>>Think you will find the insurance companies will give you a break if
>>you have security lighting.
>
>Interesting. Good points on both sides. It provides illumination
>while thieves to work at opening the door/window while also
>illuminating themselves doing it, and hopefully causing law
>enforcement to be summoned.
>
>Are there statistics on this? Number of break-ins broken down by
>places with and places without lighting?
You might find <http://calgary.rasc.ca/lp/crime.html> to be of
interest. There are links and references to several studies.
Please note though that the axe they are grinding is "light pollution"
so take it with a large dose of salt.
In article <[email protected]>, Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Robatoy" wrote in message
>
> > (What makes thing difficult is when you're a dyed-in-the-wool
> > conservative but know that Bush is an asshole. Just watch the
> > motherfarker squirm at the SOTU tonight.)
>
>Remember the political cartoon after the 2004 election showing a
>picture of Uncle Sam with the caption below.
>
>"Elect him once, shame on me"
>"Elect him twice, shame on you"
Seems to me that first appeared mid-November 1996...
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
"Darrin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need a bit of advice. I recently moved into a new house with a big
>garage that I've made into my workshop. My next door neighbor is a really
>good guy and comes over to shoot the bull every now and again and I show
>him some of the new things I've made (adirondack chairs and tile inlay
>tables). While he's there I'm sure he scopes out what I have and after a
>while comes to ask if he can borrow my tools for a project he's working on.
>I always get the "I'll bring it back in a couple of hours" statement, but
>it's usually the next couple of days. I've never lived anywhere where a
>neighbor needed any of my tools, so this loaning out of tools is new to me
>and I want to be neighborly. But now he has my level, palm sander, one
>of my two pipe clamps, and an extension cord that has now been strung
>across his backyard for a week in the rain. He brought back my ladder a
>few days ago that sat in a snow storm overnight.
>
> I just got a new cabinet saw and dust collector. Now that Christmas is
> over and my kids birthdays out of the way, I'm going to be working pretty
> hard getting my chairs made for spring-summer time, therefore, the loaning
> is going to come to a stop.
>
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools
> now that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
> I'm already going to have to ask for my other tools back since I need them
> now, not when he decides he can bring them back. It gets to me a bit
> that he always wants to borrow my tools since he works at Home Depot.
> I figure that some of you guys out there have gone through this. How do
> you keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants
> to borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
Treat him like an employee. Tell him that you are very particular with your
tools and you have noticed that he leaves your tools out in the weather.
Tell him that you do no mind him borrowing but he really needs to
concentrate on taking better care of YOUR tools and returning them in a
more timely manner.
If you are using your tools tell him that they are not available.
If he is not an idiot he should understand. If he is an idiot don't lend
them out any more and tell him why.
On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:24:32 GMT, Me <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>It seems like this problem is world wide and i bet it goes back to the
>cave man days .
:)
On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:22:45 GMT, Lew Hodgett
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Charlie Self wrote:
>
> >
> > dusk to dawn lights.
> >
> > I know a lot of people who use those things to light their yards,
> > shops, garages, etc. Sort of like saying, "Here are the goodies. Come
> > and get them."
> >
>
>Actually, security lighting is a very good deterrent against vandals
>and thieves.
>
>Think you will find the insurance companies will give you a break if
>you have security lighting.
>
>Lew
>
>
>
>Lew
Interesting. Good points on both sides. It provides illumination
while thieves to work at opening the door/window while also
illuminating themselves doing it, and hopefully causing law
enforcement to be summoned.
Are there statistics on this? Number of break-ins broken down by
places with and places without lighting?
"Darrin" wrote in message
> keep it under control? I know I can say "no" everytime he wants to
> borrow something, but won't that make for bad blood?
Basically, you must decide which is more important to you, his friendship,
or your tools ... nothing else will work all the time.
IOW, if you like the guy, and if he won't take a hint, you're gonna have to
live with it. But here are a couple of dodges that work for me:
"Sure you can, but I need it later, so no problem providing you can bring it
back by ..."
Or for the stubborn: "This are my "personal" favorite (tool)" and it's sorta
like my toothbrush/wife, but you can certainly use this:" pointing to an el
cheapo, or Harbor Fright version bought specifically for the purpose.
I know the latter works because I routinely use it.
That said, there are some folks who can borrow anything I own and I'll help
load it, and there are others that I wouldn't loan a used band aid ... their
friendship doesn't count anyway because it almost always has strings
attached.
Your decision ... good luck.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/06/07
"Darrin" <[email protected]> writes:
> Here's my question, is there a way to tell him I can't loan out my tools now
> that I'm going to be using them more without pissing off a neighbor?
Here's an approach.
Tell him that another friend borrowed a tool, and returned it in
terrible shape. (or lost it, or never returned it). It was a valuable
tool, and very hard to replace. But the problem is you, being a good
guy, had a hard time saying "No."
It was just to hard for you to say "yes" to some people and "no" to
others. It would only cause hurt feelings. It seems that no matter
what you do, someone will get upset. And if those that asked every
found out about the others, you would just get more grief.
Say this bothered you for a long time. Say that you therefore decided
to make it a policy to never lend tools to ANYONE. Say "I'm are sorry
to have to say that, but I hope you will understand my position."
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