Your best "I lent out my ???? story"

Old Ironmaker

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Dec 28, 2015
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3,050
Based on a recent thread from a fellow that was asked to lend a neighbor his newer truck I started thinking about all the horror stories I have about lending things out.

I had a small 15" gas chainsaw of an obscure Japanese make. Perfect for limbing bush and small trees, light and started on the 1st pull everytime. Buddy comes over and asks to borrow it. I didn't want to but he recently did me a huge favour. I get a call the next afternoon. He is in a dither telling me the saw won't start. I go to where he was and he is trying to cut down a 25' tree with this little saw. One pull and I know the gearbox is toast. He tells me to take it to the local small engine place and fix it. Yea right Kev. I get in my truck and head home with never repairable chainsaw. I get a call the next AM at 8:30 and he is flipping out because I didn't drop off MY chainsaw and pay for it's repair. Come to find out he was getting paid to cut down this tree. He was famous for borrowing and breaking. Maybe this former NFLer on a 6'4" frame and 400 lb body was how he got away with it. You are not to speak ill of the dead so in this case I won't verbalize my thoughts.

I know you all have a good story.
 

oldrem

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Nov 7, 2013
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2,002
Had a light weight appliance dolly for moving things around at my rentals. Friend borrowed it to move a "frig". Didn't tell me until he brought it back mangled and broken that it was a big double wide soda dispenser machine he was moving. Never got reimbursed and he left town shortly after.
 

harringtondav

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May 26, 2018
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Per my response on the truck post, I've been lucky. The few friends I share my tools with share theirs with me. They're mechanical and competent , so I don't worry. I've got a mental log of things that are still on loan that I only need once in a blue moon. These will be returned if I remember to ask, which is getting iffy. ...need to write that stuff down.

We all live by the code: Replace it in the condition you got it or better (new blades, etc), or replace it with a new one. I've got my pal's wet tile saw. The deal is I keep it until he loans it to someone else. He owns it, but doesn't want it cluttering his shop.
 

briangcc

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Jul 10, 2012
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2,089
My wife's best friend is a notorious borrower....with the lender being the repo person...

Borrowed my 10x10 pop up tent for a party they were throwing in their yard. Days after the party tent still isn't returned and massive storm coming through. Went over to their house, its still up, not anchored to anything and the canvas is ripped. Took it down to dry out in my garage. Hasn't been lent out since.

Same person borrowed my large marine cooler to hold drinks for a different party. Party comes and goes. Days later I went looking for it. It was left out on their deck, filled with dirty water. I drained it and had to clean it.

Same person borrowed my air compressor as they were working on their roof and needed one to complete the job late at night. A week later I finally got it back. It had sat out in the rain unprotected. **This is one of the few tools I have from my Grandfather so it has sentimental value.


Needless to say I've had a conversation with my admiral and there won't be any loaning going forward. I'll give out the phone number to the local rental shop first!




I was raised so that IF you borrowed something you treated it like yours and made darn sure when it was returned it was in working order and just like you found it. Has served me well over the years.
 

four winns 214

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Oct 25, 2008
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757
Had a neighbor and work colleague who borrowed my things. More than once, he came to my house to assist on a project. In the tool box he’d bring would be MY tool(s).
 

Old Ironmaker

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Dec 28, 2015
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3,050
Had a neighbor and work colleague who borrowed my things. More than once, he came to my house to assist on a project. In the tool box he’d bring would be MY tool(s).

And I love when you know they are yours but they insist they are theirs. I lent out my cheap elec. power washer to a guy. I needed it and he said he gave it to his brother and wasn't mine it was his and he told me when and where he got it and for how much. Call your brother and ask him what it says on the bottom. It says Stolen from Johnny D, yep. All my big tools and ladders etc. are marked somewhere on the stolen goods.
 

aspeck

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May 29, 2003
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18,588
Been fortunate ... my circle of friends are tool guys and value them so what gets loaned out gets returned in good shape. But then, we all have more tools than we need, so it is only specialty tools that are asked for, and usually come with the caveat, "Can I borrow xxx, and can you show me how to use it?" That is code for, can I borrow your knowledge while you use your tool. It works pretty well for all of us. And we respect other peoples' property enough to not ask for high dollar items. Now as we are talking about a need, others will offer their items, but no one asks for them. Just they way we roll. Anyone outside the circle doesn't get a chance to burn us.
 

ezbtr

Commander
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
2,954
My wife's best friend is a notorious borrower....with the lender being the repo person...

Borrowed my 10x10 pop up tent for a party they were throwing in their yard. Days after the party tent still isn't returned and massive storm coming through. Went over to their house, its still up, not anchored to anything and the canvas is ripped. Took it down to dry out in my garage. Hasn't been lent out since.

Same person borrowed my large marine cooler to hold drinks for a different party. Party comes and goes. Days later I went looking for it. It was left out on their deck, filled with dirty water. I drained it and had to clean it.

Same person borrowed my air compressor as they were working on their roof and needed one to complete the job late at night. A week later I finally got it back. It had sat out in the rain unprotected. **This is one of the few tools I have from my Grandfather so it has sentimental value.


Needless to say I've had a conversation with my admiral and there won't be any loaning going forward. I'll give out the phone number to the local rental shop first!




I was raised so that IF you borrowed something you treated it like yours and made darn sure when it was returned it was in working order and just like you found it. Has served me well over the years.

I agree! Especially when you know the borrower can't afford to replace it - "oh sorry" won't cut it, like my newer truck ;)
 

ezbtr

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May 1, 2002
Messages
2,954
I forgot, the same neighbor also asked to borrow my table saw - a few months later he mentioned he bought one, LOL :)
 
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