Would you loan your woodsplitter to your neighbor?

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I'd loan a Hydo splitter out, no problem. It's not like there's much on there that's breakable.

Chainsaw and my SuperSplit I won't loan out, but I'll come over and operate them if needed. Chainsaw for obvious reasons, SS because people seem to be too stupid to understand the concept of the gear drive. Nobody ever seems to fully understand that you have to jerk the handle to keep from grinding gears, and pushing down on the handle does't make the ram retract. I've stopped explaining it at this point.
 
Well, I did it. I let a buddy borrow my splitter. I was hesitant, but as soon as he called I knew what he wanted. He dont call me much and when he does, he usually wants something. Told me had some wood he couldnt split, can he borrow my splitter. Well, I he hawed around a bit about the machine needing gas, and probably needs some hydraulic oil and told him make sure you fill everything and come get it. Now the whole time my mind was turning trying to figure out how to make this work to my advantage and it hit me, He is also buddies with the guy I took the load of firewood to. Hmm, he is always taking him some wood too, sooooo. I had just taken another load of whiteoak logs to my older buddy, and that wood needed bucking and of course split. I kinda knew it was going to be up to me to do the bucking and splitting. My old mind being devilish as it is, I suggested to my borrowing buddy that he just take the splitter over to our other buddies house when he got done. Ideal worked perfectly. I knew he would endup helping my other buddy buck his wood, and with the splitter so handy right there, might as well split a little bit while they are at it. I think I managed to do my good deed for the day and saved myself a ton of work to boot. Now, I had took my buddy over 2 full cords of whiteoak and mixed junkwood and I know they didnt get it all done today, but I expect by the time I get my splitter back, all the wood will be worked up. Since I am cutting my 2017-18 wood now, 2015 an 16 already in the shed, I aint in a real hurry to get the splitter back.
 
The last time I loaned out my splitter, it was to my friend's dad and younger brother to use at their house in trade for storing it there. My friends brother & girlfriend were renting the house from his parents (they had bought another house 1 1/2 hrs. away and took their splitter with them) and it had a OWB to heat the house and hot water. The dad was only there couple days a week for one of his jobs and would help out whenever he could. At that time the splitter had a slow hydraulic fluid leak and I told them about it. The dad would check it but when his other job kept him busy the better part of the year and his younger son cut and split a bunch of wood on his own during that time he "forgot" about the leak and nearly ran the splitter out of hydraulic fluid when I came to take and use it elsewhere later that year. His dad told me how much the splitter had been used and to check all the fluids on it as that son, even though he is mechanically inclined, has a habit of forgetting to do routine maintaince. Now if someone else needs it, I go and help them out and it comes back with me.
 
Well my little good deed is paying off. My buddy called and said he had to put two gallons of hyd oil in the machine, which means he checked it. Bitched about the tank leaking, but I reminded him hes the one that built the tank, that kind of shut him up. Bitched about the wood being green, not burning good, asked him what did he expect, I just cut it Monday. He's having a sawing and splitting party tomorrow, Going to have a few of his other buddies come and buck the wood. I plan on showing up around 2 oclock, they should be about done by then. I dont want to get there to early.
 
I try not to get into the loaning or borrowing thing. I have most everything I need and I use what I have quite a bit. It doesn't take long for me to need something I may loan out. Loaning out stuff is rare and borrowing stuff is even more rare. I'm not materialistic, I just refuse to replace or fix my stuff because someone else didn't do the right thing. I am way too busy and backlogged helping others without the borrowing thing going on.
 
I wouldn't let just anybody use my splitter but I would let certain people use it. I leave it at my brothers for the most part, he uses it to split wood for his outside wood burner. I don't need it for a while.
 
No. I'm batting 1000 with my luck with neighbors.
  • let one neighbor borrow my garden cart ... got it back with latch broken and parts missing
  • let one neighbor borrow an electric drill ... he left it out in the rain ... got it back with taped over power cord and oil covered rust on all the metal parts
  • let one neighbor borrow $300 ... got back check that bounced ... got back second check that I held for about 4 months until the day his account had sufficient funds and I cashed it; must have shocked him that I finally got my money back :)
I would prefer to split it for them. On second thought, I could lend them a maul and wedges! :laugh:
 
Nope. Most people don't have any mechanical sympathy, so they have no idea about looking after equipment. I would go with the machine; he can handle the wood, I would drive the splitter. I would lend it to my best mate, he is absolutely anal about looking after things.
 
when I was looking for an 044... I noticed one close by on C.L. $150.00. seller said didn't have too many hours on it, mostly used in the father's/son remodeling business from time to time. but... their friend needed to use a chain saw to cut some wood. so they loaned it. and for their courtesy, the borrower ran it w/o oil in the gasoline... seized right up. still ran, but hard to start, etc when warm. I was going to buy it, but they decided to keep it.

heck, I worry if I am operating my saws correctly, lol... so I would have to say: " no, but 'heck' NO!

but for those who do offer a loaner saw... think that is really nice.
 
Nope. Most people don't have any mechanical sympathy, so they have no idea about looking after equipment. I would go with the machine; he can handle the wood, I would drive the splitter. I would lend it to my best mate, he is absolutely anal about looking after things.

- Most people don't have any mechanical sympathy, -

that is the whole issue! couldn't agree with you more. it's what they are lacking... that mechanical sympathy! gotta have a handle on that mechanical sympathy!! :)
 
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