Hi World -
Many of you know I'm a self-professed "tool whore". I've been fortunate enough to be able to treat myself to some neat-o tools that I find quite helpful and that I believe many of you would find really helpful - but that you wouldn't necessarily want to spring for, particularly if you were only going to use it once or twice. So.

I'm thinking I'd like to start a Tool Loaner Program. Others may wish to join in and I'd be happy if that were the case. There are some things yet to work out but I think it might work something like this:

- You request a tool and commit to a "loaner time window". I'm not loaning jack stands, after all...
- Once it's verified as available and in proper working order, you send a security deposit - 100% refundable upon return of the tool in the same shape as when you got it
- You cover shipping, both ways
- I ship it to you
- I can provide phone/facetime support, if needed
- You use the tool and ship it back to me
- I inspect it and, assuming all's well, refund 100% of your security deposit

IMO, this has to be a "you break or otherwise damage it/lose it, you bought it" sort of deal, hence the security deposit.

Of course, if you're local, you're always welcome to come by the Red Barn and use /have me use whatever's in the shop: plasma table, bender, cold saw, etc. etc.

To put a bit more meat on the bone, below are some of the tools I think may be of interest.

Let me know what you think. I don't have much of an ego around this so please suggest ideas, poke holes, etc. Thanks in advance for your input.

Chris

Pneumatic seam sealer spray gun
You can essentially duplicate the factory seam sealer look, spray sound deadener or just squirt it on your friends!

Telwin spot welder with assortment of ends. 220V
This isn't a Harbor Freight special. This thing kicks ass. Ask @markhoward
That second pic is the result of using this when I replaced my outer long. Almost factory and a million times better than drilling/plug welding/grinding.
After fitting, it took about 2 minutes to weld that entire panel on. OK, maybe 5, letting things cool every few welds.

Spitznagel tram gauge.
Awesome for verifying chassis/suspension dimensions ahead of and after welding!
I used this to install my Tangerine Racing rear pick up point kit. Made it dead easy to get thing perfectly square. Extends to 129" and can square items that are out of plane with one another.

A rivet fan!
If you're building a race car or otherwise looking to drill a bunch of holes and want them evenly spaced, this is your tool!

Tatco rivet squeezer.
I use this with the pictured dies to make the indents for the tapered head screws that secure the dash bezel. Not sure it'd be useful to many but it's a great example of an odd ball tool that you REALLY don't want to buy to use once.

3M epoxy gun.
Twin piston for use with most of the 2-part epoxies.

Excellent Idea. In all my 17 YEARS on the world I have run across very few bad actors. I might suggest a deposit fee just to keep everyone honest. I would want full disclosure of name, address and phone number. The other stipulation is the length of usage. GO FOR IT

I, personally could use the seam sealer gun some point in the near future

I should have some tools that I can lend out too.

@914Sixer - Yep, I suspect the seam sealer gun will be the #1 loaner!

Very Cool

Chris - this is such a magnanimous gesture . . .and typical of the quality of members here on The World.

Thank you for your support, Sir!

This is great, thank you for the offering. Make sure you cover your costs to manage this service.

I did this recently with a guy on Pelican and my stomski chain tensioner socket. Same things applied, he covered shipping both ways and I got a deposit for the tool to replace. Everything went smoothly.

I think this is a great thing you are doing.

Right back at you. Don’t be afraid to ask for something from me. If I have it, you’re welcome to use it.

I have been thinking along the same lines just need to figure out the details. I have a DJet tester that could help folks troubleshoot their FI. The concern is that these are basically irreplaceable, and also that I need to charge enough so that it comes back to me. Is it reasonable to charge a refundable deposit of something like $800 or $900 + a small use fee of $50 and insured shipping both ways?

@JeffBowlsby Jeff, that what I'm talking about. Sizeable security deposit that's refunded when it's returned, insured, etc. In your case, I can see charging a fee, what with it being irreplaceable. For my stuff, that's not the case so I'm good with no charge. It should be a program that's flexible depending on what we're talking about. Thanks for jumping in.

Great idea, but being irreplaceable, ....

I probably would never lend such a valuable piece. If it was damaged, it could be repaired but at what cost?

Very cool gesture. I have greatly benefitted from the use of other's special tools when I wasn't in a place to buy them.

LOVE that spot welder.

FANTASTIC idea...for the community. Not so much for you.

I like the idea, and I would likely participate. However, I suggest you will quickly tire of managing all this with no reimbursement to you except the personal satisfaction (which I admire).

And don't forget that cash transfer systems will take a cut of each transaction, front and back, for deposits and shipping. Plus you will be subject to 1099-K reporting to the IRS for all these cash transfers and I'm not clear how that's going to be managed.

I hate to be the Debbie Downer, but I'd rather everyone understand the realities up front so that it doesn't sour anyone within the community.

But if you do it...sweet.

Don't underestimate the power of USPS, UPS, and FedEx to lose and/or damage packages and then refuse to honor insurance. Having done this once with UPS, they basically stated that shipment wasn't adequately packed by the sender and refused the claim. I ended up out the money and with a broken part.

Without some sort of hard case for the tools or standardized boxing for return shipment you'll be gambling on each trip it makes.

I'll also say - your tools are definitely well taken care of. My Wurth seam sealer gun doesn't look that sparkling clean. How do you keep some Jamoke like me from filling it with Cheese Wiz and using it to shoot cheese on my Nachos? Wonder if I could use it to pump Bondo

I applaud the community spirit though! I spent most of my career around UAW union mechanics. If you earned enough trust for one of them to let you borrow his Snap-On screwdriver for 5 minutes , you knew you had really earned their trust!

In the case of @JeffBowlsby 's D-jet tester -- I beg you Jeff . . . don't trust anyone with it. I have two ECU's that I eventually need to send you . . . keep it safe until then! Will happily pay a fee for your time and expertise to test it.

I would request that a "signed" agreement be required AND open to members with a minimum of "XX" posts. Very, very generous of you Chris. Here is wishing you the best in this venture.

Good suggestions all, thanks for chiming in.
@superhawk996 - I was planning on making cases that would withstand potential mistreatment.

@GregAmy - Great points! In the end, I don't have so many tools that managing it would be a problem. At least that's my story now.
And if the demand is such that there's a waiting list, maybe part of the deal is agreeing to "drop ship" to the next person in line and that next person repays the previous borrower's deposit directly to them - a deposit swap, if you will. That way, the finance thing is distributed across the list with each person only dealing with one transaction.
Yes, if there's a time gap in the demand and the tool comes home, I'll end up with more transactions but I'm OK dealing with that.
This does mean that we also distribute assessing the condition of the tool after each use. This may actually help since multiple people care about things staying in good shape.

@76-914 Kent - Another good suggestion. X number of posts, or time as a member, a build thread... And of course the most important requirement: suck up/adoring comments on my build threads!

In my corporate career as an IT Program Manager, I always advocated a pilot program/proof of concept when we implemented new tools or processes. I'll do the same here:
Someone ask to borrow something, tell me how much you like the latest thing I did on my car and let's see how it goes.

Valiant, honourable and generous idea.

My thought would be... don't do it.

It just takes one unsavoury event to ruin everything and this is far from an ideal world.


Many years ago, before battery powered tools, a cottage neighbour asked to borrow a drill with a spade bit to drill holes in some joists in his cottage. A day latter he returned the drill with the bit. The motor was burnt out (dead) and the shank of the bit was spun and scored so badly it was unusable. He didn't even offer to replace it - the drill or the bit. He just handed it to me and walked away leaving me blinking in disbelief.

My brother-in-law did something similar, returned a brand new sledge hammer with the handle so battered that one more strike would have had the head flying off (not a big deal since I despised him anyway and it just confirmed my thinking about him).


If it were me, I would replace anything I damaged with new and add a bottle of Tito's vodka as a sorry. Problem is others are seldom like you and I vowed to myself to never loan my tools without my presence.

Just my 2 cents...

We had a big sign in my father's Exxon service station that read:

"NO TOOLS LOANED"

50 years later I am still able to use the same high quality tools my father used in his business because there were no tools loaned. Never underestimate the bad behavior of humankind.

I believe you can refund the pp deposit in full and not be on the hook for taxes and pp fees.

I lend tools back and forth to my two neighbors. When I damage or break something, I replace it with new or better in a timely fashion. We have an open door policy and know the codes to each other’s houses. It’s not something that works in a large scale since there will always be that “one person” but we trust and look out for each other.

You will be surprised by how often people forget to return things.

The spot welder is something else! Really made a difference on Smoggy’s lower firewall replacement. I too have borrowed and loaned tools on Pelican before using the deposit = replacement cost method with success. Turnaround was quick in every case. Have most of the stuff necessary to rebuild a 911 engine and would be willing to be part of this program. Great idea Chris!

Funny how that works. I have several of my tools from the '60's and '70's, but many have been loaned and ????

Many mechanics (of any trade) will equate their tools to extensions of their hands, and simply put - buy your own.

All great comments. Definitely would get a hard case, exremely well padded, which increases its value. Require insurance for a reasonable value for all shipments. I have a several differnet D-Jet testers...the one I am considering lending out is very capable, but not my only tester.

Amazingly generous idea, Chris. Totally emblematic of the guy you are and the community this is. Interested in hearing how the pilot program goes.

If you guys are going to do this, which is admirable, maybe Andy can create a 'Tool Bin' page or something where folks needing to borrow tools can quickly access it? - just a thought

Awesome team spirit Chris. Seeing tools that I didn't know existed. That spot welder is just too cool. Top quality welds at top speed.

I'm feeling so fortunate to be able to provide in person cash deposits and curb side pick up and return.

Oh so I could use a couple more AN wrench sizes ....running across some fuel line fittings with -AN12 or 10 nuts. Better up my deposit for the -AN16 wrench currently on loan.

Engine dismantling coming along.

This is a great idea, certain stats to get access to forum, bad review by lender and you’re booted…

I have been doing this on a small scale here in the DFW area. If I know you, I won't hesitate to lend you a tool. But if you break it, lose it or just decide not to give it back, I won't ever let you borrow anything again. I am still trying to find out who still has my modified crescent wrench for doing the rear trunk torsion bars.



I would add a caveat to this... If the borrower damages a tool, and makes good on it's replacement, then they don't get booted.


I have things like the cam wrenches for both early and late 911 engines, 911 dial indicators and mounts for valve timing, rear 914 wheel bearing puller, cutaway transmission case for aligning the shift forks, dog teeth replacement tools, front ball joint socket, the factory tool for the rear trunk torsion bars, among other tools.


Clay

tygaboy that is very generous. I rent out the transmission tools for the first time but offer them for free if needed again. It does take some time to manage the whole process. That said, thank you for your great support to our 914 world. Mark

Im om the fence, In agreement with most.. a magnanimous gesture & would be a cool addition to the (USA based) community. But also see a potential headache when the inevitable loss/breakage scenario rears its head.
I see trans tools as being popular items, although most of those pieces aren't expensive items (vs that spot welder)
Perhaps you might consider a pilot program to see how smooth or bumpy & how much time might need be applied to oversee?