Would You Loan It Out?

[Will S]

This is a good position, I hate lying or blaming it on insurance, but, calming reminding the dork he screwed you, and you remember, is a pretty defensible position.

Best,

ed

No need to lie. Just simply say no. No reason or explanation need be given. No is no.

 

[LFP57]

After he screwed you for the $50, you still loaned it to him??

 

[Deere Dude]

His tiller usage was not a one off deal. He will need to till gardens etc. every year for the forseable future. That would be enough to goad him into getting his own tiller.

 

[Zebrafive]

I know who he was referring to. Family members are usually the worst. They feel entitled to your stuff because you're family. If you do let them, you either never see it again, have to chase them down, or get it back broken.

Oddly, they usually never anything worth borrowing. If they do, they always have an excuse why you can't borrow it.

My brother had borrowed a trailer from my Dad. When he died (trailer still not returned), my Mom told everyone of us kids, return what you borrowed, there will be an auction, if you want it buy it. If you do not return it, I will consider you bought it and charge what we paid for it new. The trailer came back for the auction.

 

[Zebrafive]

Watch out for contracts that bill by "machine hour", especially if multiple machines are on the job. What happens is that all machines are started up at the beginning of the day and left running whether or not they are being used. So, if a bulldozer is never used, it's still billed at 8 hours for the day. That can get very expensive for very little work being done.

When my Mom's new house, a manufactured house, (came in two halves) was delivered and set on the basement. She was required to have a bulldozer on site to pull the crane (not off road crane) around and serve as an anchor for the crane. The bulldozer operator charged for the hours he was there, not machine hours, since he had a lot of "wait" time. Which I thought was fair.

 

[Jstpssng]

When my Mom's new house, a manufactured house, (came in two halves) was delivered and set on the basement. She was required to have a bulldozer on site to pull the crane (not off road crane) around and serve as an anchor for the crane. The bulldozer operator charged for the hours he was there, not machine hours, since he had a lot of "wait" time. Which I thought was fair.

In this situation I agree. If somebody had 3 pieces of equipment there and only one operator, I would only expect to pay for whatever machine was in use at the time

 

[panamaguy]

A neighbor who lives down the road from me, a neighbor who I've only met once or twice, finds out that I have a tiller. I have a Woods RT72.40 6ft tiller. Last spring, he "hired" me to till his garden plot, about a half acre. And by hired, I mean, I drove down the road about 10 minutes, tilled up the sod where he had marked, and drove home unpaid. He suddenly had to leave and never did pay the agreed amount of $50, which, in my opinion, was a steal. I really didn't care about the money, and didn't push for it.

This last weekend he calls me, first time I've spoken to him all year. He asked to borrow the tiller and informed me that he has recently purchased a new tractor.

Being the nice and helpful person I am, and realizing that this wont take much of my time, I reluctantly agreed. The tiller has been sitting all winter, so I brought it up to the shop, checked the gear oil, greased it, and slipped the slip clutch. I checked it all over for damage and set it next to my garage for an easy hook up to his tractor. He shows up in a small Branson 2400 21 HP at the PTO.... and backs up to my 6 foot wide tiller. Upon learning that his new tractor is only 24 engine HP, I advised that his tractor is simply not enough. I offered to use my tractor. He scoffed and said that he knows what he is doing, and he cannot afford my high prices! I left him to his work of hooking up to my tiller, hoping, at this point, that his 3 point wouldn't even lift it. But it did and he drove down the road.

He sends me a text message that afternoon: He said that the tiller worked very well. He was able to till at "15-1800 RPM, 1/1," and he needs to borrow it a bit longer. I needed clarification. Why so low of RPM? What is 1/1? Why does he need it longer?

Apparently, he is running as slow as the tractor could go: first gear, first range (1/1), and had to slow the RPM of the engine down to move slow enough across the ground, to do a good job. He needs it longer because he has decided to not only do the garden, but expand his garden, and also put in a big back yard.

My wife called me an idiot. Am I too nice? Too helpful? Would you have loaned your tiller (or other attachment) out to someone like this? He still has it, and I haven't heard anything back. I drove by his house this morning and I saw his garden is bigger, all tilled up, but couldn't see his back yard.

What kind of damage could I expect on my tiller of running it at low RPM on virgin soil? Its gear driven, so I assume the gears are taking a beating?

Your wife is correct on this. Get your tiller back hopefully before it is broken

 

[Bobrown14]

Here's what I would tell him.

I don't "lend" implements out.
Here's what WE can do.
its 50$ same as last year you still owe me. But since I'm neighborly I'll forgive last year and I will do whatever you need FOR you with MY tractor and MY implement for $50.

Show up at an agreed upon time when he is there to show you what needs to be done. Turn tractor off, jump down and ask for the 50$.

With cash in hand back on the tractor and get to work.

Remind him if he complains how much diesel cost these days and your implement was $3k, there's no free rides.

Never lend:
tools
books
tractors

The first 2 you wont get back, the tractor is for hire and I'm driving.

If you're my neighbor its usually free but I'm still driving.

 

[KubotaGirl001]

No way!!! I made this mistake before for a friend and ended up taking him to small claims court. Only good thing to come of it was a very valuable lesson.
Any kind of tractor gear is too expensive and it's too easy for things to go wrong. It's not being selfish to say no, especially to a scum bag like that. The world is FULL of ppl who would stab u in the back and then come back for your eyeballs after u croak. Screw them.

 

[Stu Cozza]

There are very few people (I can count them on the fingers of one hand) to whom I would loan any tools and equipment. They are at least as careful about taking care of stuff as am I. If the OP was stiffed for $50 the last time, that is an indication that things will not go well in the future. The best and safest way is to tell the person that none of the OP's stuff is loaned to anybod; if the "borrower" is a family member, the answer should be the same. If that borrower is offended by this, then it speaks for itself.