Stupid Tax

[RICK]

Well, I just learned my lesson about loaning out my tools and equipment.

My mother-in-law had a tenant that needed to use a stick welder. I thought he was a nice enough guy with well behaved kids so why not.

In the middle of the night he and his family pulled up and took off. They did leave my welder but took both cables (about 50 ft) including the rod holder and ground clamp, my gloves, and the boxes of rod I let him use.

Now I have to go buy new stuff and I know that it's going to hurt since copper prices are up.

I've learned my lesson and will pay the "stupid tax".

[mramos]

Rick,

I am a nice guy and have 3 very well behaved kids. Got a AC tig or plasma cutter I can borrow for a couple days (I like red or blue colors, not picky what brand)?

Just kidding with you man. That does suck big time. If someone took my Oxy/A set I would be crushed.

What kind of welder was it? Timing is bad as copper and oil are up. I just spent $40 on Au rods and SS sticks yesterday.

I have maybe 3-4 people I would loan my good stuff too.. In the past I have lost a lot of tools. Look for tools at Harbor Freight, you will feel much better when they do not come back in 90% of the cases (price was low or the tool was not the best quality).

Best of luck getting a new one.

[Hammack_Welding]

Why not go pay him a visit and demand your stuff back or take out a warrant for him? people never learn if they keep getting away with stuff like this.

[Craig in Denver]

Chit like that didn't happen in the world I grew up in. Now they're drilling holes in fuel tanks to steal fuels instead of syphoning. They're using sawsalls to steal catalytic converters. And if I shoot them dead in my garage, I go to prison.

[gnm109]

I'm sorry to hear this. It makes you lose faith in human nature to a certain extent, doesn't it?

A friend of mine who lives up the road is a professional machinist and welder. He once lent his Econotig to a friiend and sort of forgot about it for a few months. He primarily uses a large Miller MIG and didn't really miss it.

When the machine was eventually returned it had a burned out board of some sort. The borrower said nothing about that and a month or so later when my friend tried to use it, He discovered that it no longer worked. It cost him about $300 for a replacement part.

It does make you wonder. It also makes you slow to lend stuff out. People tend to forget where they got things, at least in my experience.

[duaneb55]

Originally Posted by Craig in Denver

Chit like that didn't happen in the world I grew up in. Now they're drilling holes in fuel tanks to steal fuels instead of syphoning. They're using sawsalls to steal catalytic converters. And if I shoot them dead in my garage, I go to prison.

Move to Texas. No one should be in a rush to take a life but Texas is one state in this great nation where you still have the right to protect life and property. But then, this is a welding forum.
duaneb55

[Sandy]

I've learned my lesson and will pay the "stupid tax".

Similar thing 20 some years ago only it was a husband/wife thing. I loaned my buzz box and whole shebang to a casual acquaintance, I thought I knew the guy. In the middle of the night he loaded up everythig he could get in the back of his truck, hit the road and left her with the debts and bills.

Somewhere in your bag of resolve you have to dig out some more faith in your fellow man and keep on keepin on. Takes awhile tho.

[Burnit]

Man that sucks, have you looked into finding them? That might be kinda fun. Show up where he is now and politely ask for your stuff back.
Maybe he just forgot, but maybe he didnt and you would be standing there like, "yes I found you, now give me my **** back"

[denrep]

I'm with those who suggest a friendly visit, to collect your tax rebate; miles be damned.

[Me!]

I would go pay him a visit, look around and if you spot it call your local boys in blue.

[RICK]

We have no idea where he went. He just up and left in the middle of the night.

He told me that he was originally from Maine but that he didn't like it there.

I'm sure he'll get his come uppence in due course.

Thank you all for the comments.

[gnm109]

Originally Posted by RICK

We have no idea where he went. He just up and left in the middle of the night.

He told me that he was originally from Maine but that he didn't like it there.

I'm sure he'll get his come uppence in due course.

Thank you all for the comments.

He'll get his sooner or later on the theory that what goes around, comes around. This thread reminds me of a verse from the folk song often sung by the great Doic Watson, "A little Stream of Whiskey".


"His head fell back his eyes grew dim
He had sung his last refrain
His partner swiped his coat and hat
And hopped an Eastbound train."

[weldbead]

years ago my wife asked if her friends hisband could borrow a chain saw. i loaned him a nice short barred little mccullough that always started on the first pull and ran real well. he brings it back chain dull hangin loose, covered in sawdust and oil and says it wasnt running good so i tuned it up. it nevcer started again. i called him and he said hed come righover. 3 weeks later he comes by and tries to adjust some carb screws. it dont wanna run. he says its not his fault and it was fine when he returned it. i told him he could keep it. i picked it up and threw it about 75 feet and it landed as i hoped on the hood of his car. made a terrible dent. i told him get allthis junk out of my driveway, and i think he saw i was quite pissed and he drove off. my wife aint friends with his wife anymore.

[mramos]

Weldbead: Dude probably ran it on straight gas. I have had chainsaw loans more than once go bad. I can relate. Never thought about jumping on their car hood.. hahaahaha.. That is priceless. Good thing you did not have a plasma cutter near buy.

Far as RICK, sorry for the lose. I loaned my mc oxy/acet set out and it came back with a busted acet regulator. He is a very good friend so I did not mention it. But last time someone asked to borrow it, I went there and did the welding for them. It was copper pipe in a house, otherwise I would have told them to bring it to me.

I also notice, people will ask me to weld items and they never offer to pay (well my good friend does). But with my new weld, new argon bottle, consumables/rods. I think I might start holding my hand out. Stuff is not cheap or free.

[malich]

I have learned one thing in life and that was not from getting burnt myself, but from others getting burnt.

Never loan money or tools etc. to others. Especially friends unless you do not want to have a friendship anymore with that person.

If a friend wants to use a tool of mine, they can come here or I will go there and bring it home at the end of the day.

I am not saying all friends will screw you, but it happens quite a bit and I would rather keep my friends that lose them over something like money or tools. If they need some expensive power tool of yours, tell them to rent one and let the rental companies deal with the problems.

And if you really insist on loaning out your tools, then get a cash deposit for the total cost of a new one and right up a small damage / replacement contract. If they do not like that then just say no.

Just my .02 cents.

[tnjind]

I have always freely loaned my tools to my friends and nieghbors. Sure I have lost some items, but the act of sharing has been returned 10 fold, my friends and nieghbors have helped me out when the chips were down more then once.

[denrep]

I agree with tnjind; I loan freely to sincere people, and hold them harmless for loss or damage.
Can you think of a more revealing character reading, than to see how one handles borrowing an item?

However, I don't stomach thieves well. I believe that a reputation for going to extremes to track down a thief or scammer saves untold future losses; for yourself and others.

[Jonesy70]

Originally Posted by Sandy

Similar thing 20 some years ago only it was a husband/wife thing. I loaned my buzz box and whole shebang to a casual acquaintance, I thought I knew the guy. In the middle of the night he loaded up everythig he could get in the back of his truck, hit the road and left her with the debts and bills.

Somewhere in your bag of resolve you have to dig out some more faith in your fellow man and keep on keepin on. Takes awhile tho.

I wonder if this is the same guy that Ionce new...I had a real old lincoln on a trailer that I lent to a guy that I knew for about 10 yrs...He had it for about 3 months...I didn't need it at the time so I didn't think about it...So on a day that I needed it, I drove over to get it to find his wife there with his 1 yr old in a house that the water and electric had been shut off and she was out of food...I found my welder...with the generator burned up on it...vertually useless...but I could not believe that he left his wife that way...She didn't even have enough gas in her beat up car to get her to a family members house in the next town...His excuse was that he was going out of town for a week, 2 months ago...she was young and naieve...at the end of the week, her power and utilities and phone went off...but she waited on him anyway...To end the story...I took her and the child to her mom's house...helped her move her stuff out f the house...gave her alittle cash to get herself stuff for her kid...she later gave me two of his shot guns in payment of helping her out and for my welder that was now junk...her hubs never came back and that was that...I saw her around a few times...then she married another local jerk...and that was that!

[malich]

I do have one story of a neighbor and friend that would always come over for tools. He would slack on returning them and so when he was home I would go over and look in his garage and see them. When I asked for my tools back he said that one or this was was his and he did not borrow it from me. I did get some back but not all of them.

After that I purchased an engraver and put my initials on every single tool I had. Once again I went over to his house and into his garage and asked for my tools back he again said that was was his, bla, bla, bla. I then picked up the tool and asked him why my initials were on it and he then said oh, that must be yours then. That is when I realized I do not want to loan tools or equipment out anymore.

We never lost our friendship over it, but I was very careful what I loaned him after that and within a few days I always went back for my stuff instead of waiting for him to return.

[mramos]

I am like Jonesy. BUT if she marries another local jerk. He "will" not borrow my tools, but I would driver her and help her our again. Like any good person (and most of you probably would).

Oh BTW happy fathers day all (but the trans am girl), figure welders have kids

I feel worse for RICK now. I will never loan a welder again.

I get my tools back from neighbors and sometimes loose a popular size socket of a name brand. I have many. But it does tick me off big time and add up as they have no idea what a Matco, SK, etc. are It happened with my tap and die AND security bits as well.

Also, none of my help or loans have yielded me 10 fold. Maybe my neighborhood.

Amazing all the negative feeling/stories when people take tools from someone. So RICK taught some of us a lesson with his post.

[snoeproe]

I have learned my lessons the hard way.
Thats why i never lend my tools to anyone anymore.
I'll do the job here or there, but the tools are coming home with me at the end of the day, sorry.

[drivethruboy54]

The last time i had a buddy over to help me pull a motor out of a car, he dropped my 2135ti impact gun on the ground from waist level, along with a new SK ratchet. He also manged to lose a screwdriver, and a socket.

Now when buddies come over to help out, or have me help them with there cars, they work out of one box with all my chinese stuff, and i work out of another box with all my high end stuff.