Loaning out stuff...

bgott · Jun 29, 2003

People operate on the three day rule around here...if they borrow it and you don't come get it back in three days, it's theirs! You loan something to them and they lend it to their brother- in -law, he pawns it for crack, it's not their fault! You are expected to take it up with the BIL. I have people want to borrow my 7 1/4 inch saw. I dig out the ugly but serviceable Skil saw someone left in a rent house when they moved. The borrower cops a crappy attitude because they want to borrow the Milwaulkee. I lent out my previous sewer machine. The one that disappeared, I think one of my "friends" "borrowed" it when I wasn't home and "forgot" to return it. Anyway, I lent it out and then didn't use it for six months. When I tried to use it again, I found out that the last person to use it had done it in reverse, unravelling and kinking the cable. I have yet to figure out how they managed to shove the cable back in the drum, I know I durn near couldn't get it back out. These are just a few examples of my loaning experiences. If someone needs a piece of my equipment now it's either "NO!" or I go use it for them.

Tractors4u · Jun 29, 2003

Funny thing about pressure washers is that that are a magnet for people who want to borrow things. I bought mine after a friend offered me the use of his. Now people want to borrow mine all the time. It now doesn't run good, has a leak, and 2 bad burns in the hose.
A guy at work wanted to borrow mine and while I was putting him off his neighbor bought one and he told me never mind that his neighbor had a bigger one he was going to use. Even after I warned him about being careful not to get the hose next to the muffler he did it anyway. The guy came back to work complaining because his neighbor hit him with a $50 bill for the expense of a new hose. Then he asked me if there was a way to fix the hose, I said sure but you should buy your neighbor a new one since you burnt his new one.

I only loan to those that I am sure that they know what they are doing.

CSAW · Jun 29, 2003

I don't like to borrow or loan my stuff, although sometimes it only makes sense.

If you loan someone something or borrow something make sure a third party knows about it. Several years ago I loaned a kid a couple of jack stands so he could work on his car. He ended up getting killed. (Nothing to do with car or jack stands) Please don't think I was more concerned with the stands than the kid. Just making a point. I'll be darned if I would go to his mother and ask for them back after that. Jack stands aren't that much and were not a big concern at a time like that, but, it could just as easily happen with a bigger item or a large amount of money.
My father and I were in business together and would always inform each other of deals we made with others just in case something happened.

BTW I loaned my pressure washer to my sister in law a while back to do a little job. Turned into a two solid days, entire house and part of driveway before it blew. Never checked the oil. It was a small cheapy, but I never had any trouble with it. I always checked the oil every couple of tanks of gas. I got it back with a locked up engine.

frank_f15 · Jun 29, 2003

it really comes down to an individual thing. what are u loaning and to whom? one guy i would lend my tractor to(he has one but if he needed it) and another guy i would not lend a dirt shovel to. it really is a decesion based on what u are lending and to whom. no set rules as i see it.

Gary_in_Indiana · Jun 30, 2003

The things I've found to be my biggest "borrower magnet" are my little F-450 dump trucks with the snow plows. In the winter, everyone wants to plow with them. In the summer it's hauling everything from trash to mulch to sand or gravel.

I'm amazed at how the most casual acquaintance will, upon learning I have something like this, rather assumptively say, "Really? I may want to borrow that sometime" as though it's a foregone conclusion I would loan it to them.

The good news with something like that is that it's easy to play what I call the 'insurance/liability card' with them. I simply say that my insurance won't cover something like that. I even had one guy go so far as to say his insurance would cover him in an effort to trump my excuse.

"Fine," I said. "Get me a binder showing $10 million liability coverage with zero deductable on comp and collision, $5,000 cash to cover any mechanical repairs and we're all set."

He must not need it yet. He hasn't asked me about it since. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SteveBenson · Jun 30, 2003

>I'm amazed at how the most casual acquaintance will, upon learning I have something like this, rather assumptively say, "Really? I may want to borrow that sometime" as though it's a foregone conclusion I would loan it to them.

It's the growing socialist attitude in this country /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Oops, that may have bordered on a political violation.

MikePA · Jun 30, 2003

Oops, that may have bordered on a political violation.
No 'bordered' about it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Let's keep the discussion on the topic of loaning stuff out and leave the hypothetical reasons why to another web site. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Mike The Moderator. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jhburke · Jun 30, 2003

As I have said in another post. There is some things that I will loan to others and there is only a few people I will loan them. The people I loan to are the same people I will occasionally borrow from. This is because we all believe the same. If you break it, you fix it or you repace it. I am now able to afford alot of things I couldn't as a young man. I now have alot of tools but I need physical help more often. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif So it works out.

jhburke · Jun 30, 2003

I use the trump often myself. What gets me is the ones who what to use tools that you make your living with and don't even consider the fact. That not only are they taking away the chance of income but taking away the tools to make an income.

Tractors4u · Jun 30, 2003

Your dump trucks sound like my dozer. Hey I need to borrow that dozer. Do you know how to run a dozer? No, can't be that hard! Sorry I don't have a trailer to get it there. I can drive it to my place!

Gary_in_Indiana · Jun 30, 2003

I know just what you mean. I actually had one guy want to use one of these to plow snow for profit. He did offer to give me something like $100 a day for each day he used it. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Gee, thanks...

Needless to say, I passed on this opportunity. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gary_in_Indiana · Jun 30, 2003

I had a need for some dozer work and looked into renting a D-3 from the local Cat dealer. Since I've had some truck engine work done there the service manager made sure I got a good deal on the rental. I could have it from Friday afternoon to Monday AM for $300. They even cut the delivery and pick up charge in half to $50.

I thought that was one heck of a good price. The problem is, I have never run a dozer and this would a learn on the job situation. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Understand I have enough ego to believe I could do this. Fortunately, I have enough sense not to try to learn how to do it next to my building. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I spoke with a friend of a friend about doing what I wanted done. He looked at it and said his professional, experienced operator could probably do it with his D-4 in "a day... maybe a few hours more depending on just how much (I) want(ed) done once he got there." He offered me $50 an hour for the whole deal (dozer and operator) based on dozer running time only.

He even offered to bring a load of stone for the drive just for the cost of the stone since he would "need to bring the (tri-axle) dump truck out to get the dozer there, anyhow."

Hmmm... Spend $350 and hours in the sun to end up with a job done by a first time amateur or spend $400 to maybe $600 for a professional job by someone insured and bonded and get 15-18 yards of stone delivery thrown in (saving my countless trips with my little F-450's)???

It didn't take me too long to make that choice. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Even if you offered to loan me your dozer for free and deliver it, too, I think I made the right choice. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Taylortractornut · Jun 30, 2003

I have a select few people ill loan stuff to. I once let a friend of mine fix a clutch in my dune buggy for him to use it a week got nearly home and it quit and he left it on the road and told me where it was. THat cured me right then . I think i was 17 at the time. Ive learned that folks dont care what happens to some one elses property. I have a Friend thats in his seventies ill loan any thing to because if its got the least thing wrong with it when he gets it comes back new. Hes a retired diesel mechanic and we trade stuff like that. I go weld something in the field for him or take the portable welder there for him and i use his C65 truck with a 5 ton boom. Right now he has my 500 dollar Ingersol Rand impact wrench. I know if it breaks with him it surely would have broke if i used it. But if it broke and him using it it would be fixed. He needed a load of top soil and had access to a pile and i lent him my F600 and he had a blow out that tore off my mud flap and a light. I told him not to worry i had some replacements. My truck came back with new lights and flaps, and the hydraulic leak was fixed. Now another fella out on the highway has a new trailer, and a backhoe he always comes to borrow my low trailer. I told him to lower his hitch so the other day he comes in with my trailer and his backhoe on it and the front tires off the ground. I sent him packing the otherday when he came to borrow my trailer and his hitch was still up in the air. He called the otherday wanting to borrow my gooesneck to haul his tractor and baler home from a big haying job, the last time he needed to use my trailer i thought it was for personal use moving his tractor but he was going around moving his tractor for his haying busness. When i went to get him to break a peice of sheetmetal he charged me 20 bucks. I went right then and got my trailer. Ive been called alot of things [censored] for one i reply this a hole has a nice trailer though. Dad loans his box blade and spreader to our nieghbors, the other day he loaned a trailer to a fella we lease a tractor from and he didnt block under the rear when unloading and made the the equalizers push down level with the springs a linkages, he pulled it hom and the axle was catty cornered, with a tire rubbing the fender That bothers dad a bit after we went to hook to it and had to fix it.
No real harm done but still bothered him. Its a touchy subject sometimes I hate it when ill tell some one that ill go dio it for them and they say oh i wanted to di it my self. Kinda makes ya wonder.

herbenus · Jul 7, 2003

My wife loaned my 24 foot aluminum ladder to the single lady across the street once. Now you wouldn't think you could hurt a ladder. She helped her cut a limb out of a tree. The limb fell and bent one of the rungs. She now has that story to tell when she tells people my policy: I don't loan any tools out, period.

Mrwurm · Jul 16, 2003

( >I'm amazed at how the most casual acquaintance will, upon learning I have something like this, rather assumptively say, "Really? I may want to borrow that sometime" as though it's a foregone conclusion I would loan it to them.
)

Yep Steve, it happened to me today. A lady at work asked me if I had a live-catch trap. I said yes. She said, "good, I'm gonna need it." No question either asked or implied. She just assumes she is gonna use it. I don't really mind loaning out this particular item, but the method really irritates me.

Currmudgeon · Jul 16, 2003

( Friends don't loan stuff to friends if they want to remain friends ) )

A bunch of years ago, I lost a bunch of tools in a divorce. Some time later, I was bitching at a friend, "If you hadn't returned that wheelbarrow, I'd still have it." /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The things that scare me is stuff like chain saws. My ex used to work in the Emergency Room, and I've heard all the bstories.

With one exception (and he has his own saw) my answer would be, "No, but I'll come out and cut the stuff for you." That is assuming he's not going into the logging business. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

ultrarunner · Aug 26, 2022

I loaned out my log splitter to family... sweet little 22 ton multi-position split many logs.

I was not using much anymore so I let the person keep it over winter.

The wife decided the fluid looked dirty so she drained the 30 weight and refilled with gallons of John Deere Anti Freeze...

She mentioned to her husband the new fluid was Green... he said show me and sure enough...

They flushed it several times..

Time will tell.

Fuddyduddy1952 · Aug 26, 2022

I tell friends & neighbors I'll loan anything if I go with it. They want to borrow my tractor, bush hog, auger, backhoe, etc. I tell them I'll be happy doing what they want FOR FREE!
Some say ok, other's get pixxed which I'll never understand.
One neighbor takes advantage of me, which I may have to change that "free" policy!

Yander · Aug 26, 2022

This is a tricky one, I agree on not loaning to people who don't know how to use, I'll add respect, the equipment they are borrowing. There is one very good friend of mine who I have offered to loan my older tractor to but he has never taken me up on it and I'm actually glad. He is not mechanical and I could see him tearing something up but he is a good enough friend I would take that chance.

He loaned me his ZTR one year when mine was out of action. I not only took care of it, I serviced it for him oil, air filter and blades. He doesn't do that stuff himself so he was pretty happy.

I loan about anything to my boys and will just give them instructions that they respect and follow.

I loaned a small toyota pickup truck to a friend years ago who said he wanted to haul some rocks. Should have been a big red flag for me because people who don't understand trucks, payloads and weight limits on things shouldn't be hauling rocks in other people's vehicles. I had no idea he had no idea about those things but when I got my little toyota back it was jacked up, sat slightly at a tilt and was not the same after that. I wasn't happy but I learned an important lesson.

I would probably loan my tractor to some of you before I would loan it to some of my non tractor owning friends/neighbors. I do a little bit of free things for my neighbors but they are pretty good about not overasking.

ultrarunner · Aug 26, 2022

The rocks is a good one...

Let's say a group of high school kids were picking up free dirt with dad's pickup... no I was not one of them but got the call saying the truck wouldn't make it up the hill.

The load was heaped and the trailer ball nut had been dragging on the ground...

I don't know how they steered it!