Loaned tool predicament

[rnt80]

About a month ago I lucked out and stumbled upon a graco truecoat plus 2 at Home Depot for $65. It was on clearance, marked down from $260.  I used the gun the last month to spray all the crown and baseboard that I installed in our house and plan on using it for some other paint projects in the future.  Our neighbors are in the process of moving and they are replacing all the baseboard in their new home.  They had a crappy Wagner gun that frustrated them to no end so I let them borrow mine. I got the gun back today and while I don't keep my tools spotless, and I know it's a spray gun, it's a lot more messy than the condition it was in when I lent it. Additionally, the front casing is cracked where the cup screws in.  I don't know whether I should bring this up with my neighbors. They are pretty good friends of ours and while I really value the gun I only spent $65 on it.  I'd appreciate any advice you guys have, especially from those of you that have been in a similar situation.

 

[JCLP]

I make it a habit not to lend out any power tools or measuring devices, such as tapes and squares, to anyone. I have been telling all of my friends for years so I guess I have conditioned them not to ask. I will offer my services and/or loan out hand tools but I am the only one that uses my power tools. Now in your predicament, I would not say anything due to the fact that it was only $65.00. A friendship is priceless.

 

[RyanRoberts91]

I had this predicament last year with my ts55. I loaned it to a friend who is a carpenter as well. When I got it back there was a huge white scratch on the casing and the depth gauge lever is now really really stiff to adjust. I never said anything because like your case, he is a good friend of mine. I just vowed to myself to never lend out any tools again. Although a scratch is just cosmetic damage, like most of us, I take extra care and treat my festools like they are made of glass because they are my pride and joy. So scratches and chips/ dents etc are really annoying.

 

[Wooden Skye]

If it still works, I guess I wouldn't say anything, but if it won't work for your future projects, then I would say something, because then you would have to find a replacement. 

 

[them700project]

Ide say take it as a lesson. Its not worth ruining friendships over damaged tools. I wont lend anything with a gas motor or anything precision, and no shopvacs. Anything you lend out expect it to come back broken or in worse shape then you lent it. Usually people who borrow tools are not "tool" people and use it as if it was intended for single use.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Funny how everybody chooses to say nothing, I never consider it a healthy practice to keep quiet about things that bug me. If somebody breaks my stuff, I can forgive them and forgo any repair costs, but I will let them know they should be more careful next time.

I think you should let your neighbour know. Communication is always good. No need for any bad words that might jeopardise your friendship, just a request they pay a little more attention next time. If you don't speak about it, you yourself will not feel comfortable loaning or assisting them with anything in the future.

I lend my tools all the time from and to my neighbours, friends and family. In the rare case there is some damage we always manage to resolve it amicably.

 

[Sparky]

When I was growing up everyone wanted to borrow tools from my dad. He made sure we knew that if you ever borrow tools from someone you return it in better condition than you found it. If you are willing to borrow you better be willing to replace if something goes wrong. People don't seem to realize that I make my entire income from the tools I have bought over many many years.I have very few people I borrow tools 2 that being said I don't borrow my festools, but am willing to come help my good friends do something just to help them out and they are usually willing when I need a helping hand when building something and need help. Unless you are willing to have a conversation about the what if's before you let someone borrow it I wouldn't try to get anything out of it. Next time tell them homedepot has a rental place.

 

[TelcoRandy]

Loaning out tools is a big mistake, and it's still a mistake I still make from time to time. The thing I hate the most is how someone will come to your house to borrow something but they don't EVER have the decency to come back to return it. You have to chase them down, go to their home and tell them you need it now. I just loaned out some electronics to a friend, I told him I needed it back the next day and he never returned it and I forgot about it until one day I thought I needed it (it turns out I didn't). Now he's out of the country and when he comes back I'm going to go to his house, get my stuff and tell him I'm not loaning him anything else.

It's amazing how upset people look when you want your stuff back too, it's as if they thought you were gifting it to them because they had it for a few weeks. I have one friend I won't lend anything to anymore, he called me a few months ago asking to borrow my Ingersoll Rand 1/2" Impact Gun and I asked him why he thought I would even consider lending it to him. I even told him he's treated my hand tools like *@$&)%R&$@ in the past and even lost a few things of mine and that I'm not loaning out an impact gun that cost me over $600 to him. His lame response was "I didn't know it cost that much." Not "I'm sorry" or "I'll replace those tools I lost, I promise." This is a disease that effects everyone, it doesn't matter how nice a person seems, they turn into a douchebag once they start borrowing things.

 

[Sparktrician]

There are only three people to whom I am willing to loan tools; two I have known over 35 years, one I created 46 years ago.  All are reliable and are committed to bringing tools back in better condition than when they took them. 

 

[Kev]

As a rule I don't loan stuff. I've been generous and made the mistake many times in the past. Now my thinking is that I'd only loan something if I'm prepared to throw it away.

The trick really though is to set an expectation up front about when something will be returned and the conditioned it will be returned in. Still people see things differently and that "working" is good enough.

I do have friends that are exceptions to the rule .. the sort that'll borrow something and return in cleaned and serviced. But they are rare.

 

[Holmz]

Funny how everybody chooses to say nothing, I never consider it a healthy practice to keep quiet about things that bug me. If somebody breaks my stuff, I can forgive them and forgo any repair costs, but I will let them know they should be more careful next time.

I think you should let your neighbour know. Communication is always good. No need for any bad words that might jeopardise your friendship, just a request they pay a little more attention next time. If you don't speak about it, you yourself will not feel comfortable loaning or assisting them with anything in the future.

I lend my tools all the time from and to my neighbours, friends and family. In the rare case there is some damage we always manage to resolve it amicably.

Alex - I like your style.

That is certainly much more straight forward than having excuses etc.

 

[DB10]

  Friend of mine wanted to borrow my Fein Multimaster, He is not a tool person and I knew he would mange to destroy my fein blades one way or another.
So I suggested that for what he wanted to use the tool for, he should take a look in Kmart as they sell very reasonable priced tools that are fine for occasional use, he picked up a cheap multi tool with accessories for less than one new Fein blade, he's now happy, as he said to me, if he knew they were so cheap in the. First place he would have bought one ages ago.

 

[sancho57]

That's why I don't loan or borrow tools. I would talk to him and see if he makes it right. If not, don't loan him anything.

The few times I have borrowed a tool it was either returned in better condition then I borrowed it or like once, I ended up buying my bud a new one.

Now I make it a point not to borrow or loan tools. When I am asked to loan a tool. I tell them I will do the work for them.
But I have almost all Festool now. They wouldn't pay the replacement price.

But yes talk to the Neighbor, give him the benefit of the doubt that he will make it right and if he doesn't then don't loan him anything again.
What you paid for the tool isn't the point . It isn't about cost, it's about responsibility honesty and trust.

 

[oldie]

Definitely have a chat with them imho. 
How are they to know otherwise - not everyone 'gets' it with tools, in my experience. 
If truly satisfied that damage is cosmetic, I would want to reinforce that part with some fibre glass 'filler', to strengthen that area, and, include the cost of any cleaning materials used to bring back to previous condition. 
Is your friendship worth that 'risk'?  Only you know that. 

Have been there and learnt my lesson many moons ago. 
What I tend to do for eg, if someone wants to borrow sander, is point that if pad is damaged it will be cost £xxx to replace, and, that they pay for abrasives used; that approach soon sorts the wheat from the chaff; usually get big gulp and somehow they're not so keen then.  Same goes for drill bits, sharpening blades etc etc...

With close friends / family, might do the job myself; with 'payment' being the pleasure of their company over a shared meal / booze - whatever.  [big grin]

Richard (UK)

 

[KP80]

Talk to him. If the friendship is important to you, all the more reason to get this out so you can both move forward. You don't need to be confrontational about it but do it soon.

On the lesson learned side of things I am absolutely in the camp of generally not loaning or borrowing. My son and my dad are the two exceptions; mostly because I completely trust both of them. My dad instilled personal responsibility in all of us and I like to think that I instilled that in my kids.

Good luck!

 

[lunchman]

You may value his friendship, but you have to ask yourself - how much does your neighbor value yours? He borrowed your tool, damaged it, returned it without saying anything about the damage. Did he think you wouldn't notice it? Or simply wouldn't say anything about it and let it go?

If he were any sort of friend he would have owned up to the damage, offered to pay for a new tool or a replacement part. You can't justify this by telling yourself you didn't pay that much for it so it doesn't matter. It does matter. It's your tool, he borrowed it and returned it in worse condition. It's not like these were overspray spots that he was reluctant to clean - this was due to dropping the tool. If you break something, you fix it - especially when it's not yours.

Confront him, tell him he needs to make this right. If he denies it or refuses, then it's time to question his friendship.

I know this is an odd thread for a first post, but it irks me when people act like this. He should have done the right thing in the first place.

-Dom

 

[Holzhacker]

First off don't lend tools out
Second only lend tools out to another close friend who actually uses tools to make his living
Third go hammer the crap out of the guy. You mess with my tools and I am not going to be nice about it. I don't care what the tool cost. He has it fixed or forks over the dough to replace it. That the $260 not the $65. Screw him.
Fourth you can be nice about it at first but if he gives you any BS hammer the SOB. You break my tools you take food off my table. That doesn't make me a happy camper.

 

[teocaf]

this issue has been discussed for ages, and should not have been a predicament had you paid attention in English class:

Polonius:
Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 75–77

I believe this was also covered in Algebra as well.  For example if:
a=you
b=neighbor "friend"
c=graco truecoat plus 2 sprayer obtained at home depot for $65
and
d=mosey on down to the store and find own clearance items to throw around from the ladder

then it's painfully obvious, even to the most indifferent of casual observers, that:    a=c and b=d and that b+c=0

It's academic--stay in school, kids...

 

[flair woodworks]

I second what Alex says - explain the situation but don't demand they replace it.

I generally don't lend out any precision tools, or my primary tools.  When I upgrade, I sometimes keep the old one, if it's not worth selling, as a loaner.

Edit:  In addition, the borrower is responsible for purchasing all consumables.

 

[TelcoRandy]

First off don't lend tools out
Second only lend tools out to another close friend who actually uses tools to make his living
Third go hammer the crap out of the guy. You mess with my tools and I am not going to be nice about it. I don't care what the tool cost. He has it fixed or forks over the dough to replace it. That the $260 not the $65. Screw him.
Fourth you can be nice about it at first but if he gives you any BS hammer the SOB. You break my tools you take food off my table. That doesn't make me a happy camper.

Well maybe this is an exception to your rule but a friend of mine that does home renovations still treats my tools like &()$@#. He's the guy I wouldn't lend my impact to in the story above. He treats his own stuff like $(&$(@ too. His renovations aren't that good either.