Lend out a saw ?

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Couple of years ago my middle son, about 16 years old, wanted to run a saw. I picked up an old homelite, its his saw. If the chain is dull, his problem.

Mine still work fine.
 
I agree. I very seldom borrow my tools and NEVER one of my saws. As stated above, if someone wants to borrow a saw it's because they don't have one and have no idea how to take care of one.

I have always had one or two saws around. Gotta have a back up, ya know?

Now I have CAD. :rock: Now I have back ups for my back ups. :bang: :bang: :bang:

Since I have come to terms with my case of CAD, I realize that it is not a bad thing.

I still don't borrow my saws. Mainly because my terms are, "Cash deposit in the amount of $(retail price of what ever new saw I want, currently MS461) of which only up to 50% will be refunded pending results of post-use teardown and inspection.
 
Why even have a loaner saw?? Im not gonna go buy a saw for someone else to use, like i said above i will only loan something out to my BIL everyone else just hears no, my saws pay my bills and put food on the table so i can't be without them, sure i have back up saws but thats not my point here.


I keep a less than desirable saw around for the occasional sacrificial unit for when I have jobs that require cutting through nails. I this summer had a job that had three trees in town that had grown around a fence on both sides. Customer was told they would be charged for the chains and I brought out the saw for that job that was less than important to me. This saw doubles as a loaner unit if the need should arise. I try to discourage it but on the flip side I have friends that lend my multi thousand dollar tractors so there has to be some give and take on that.

Sometimes you have to make things happen and customer satisfaction trumps equipment loss and the same could be said for being a good friend.
 
if i do loan a saw i don't ever expect it back. my buddy once told me that "don't lend nothing unless you don't expect to get it back. and if you get it back then you feel good and your ahead of the game"
 
...As stated above, if someone wants to borrow a saw it's because they don't have one and have no idea how to take care of one...

That is a ridiculous statement. Of the three people I loan saws to-

one lives in $400K house, one is retired RR, and my brother owns a successful business. Neighbor number owns a 250, but it has needed maintenance at inconvenient times. He opens his land to me, and I open my shop to him. He certainly can afford another saw, but there is no need for him to spend money on one. Neighbor number two cuts firewood to sell for fun. I have fixed his well-used 290 and 350. I got tired of seeing him working hard with his saws. He thought a 290 was really getting it done, he now knows better. I get to use his use of his tractors as needed. He obviously can take care of a saw (His saws have held up well considering the use they have seen), but a better saw makes his work easier. His FEL makes my life easier.

I own saws-they have other things to "trade." There's nothing there but a win-win for everyone. Are there people I won't loan a saw???? Absomolutely! But to say that anyone that needs to borrow a saw doesn't know how to take care of one is redunculus.
 
That is a ridiculous statement.

Not to rain on your parade but I see you have some "few people that I would help out in a pinch, a few very close friends." that I was refering to. The general population wouldnt even be able to start a saw if you handed it to them, let along run one. I don't want my saw to be the reason that an uneducated person kills themselves. That kinda makes you responsible, giving a saw to someone that doesn't know how to use it. I will however lend them the operator with the saw depending on who it is. I have way too much $$ tied up in saws to lend them out. As someone else stated dont lend it out if you expect it back in 1 piece.
 
Not to rain on your parade but I see you have some "few people that I would help out in a pinch, a few very close friends." that I was refering to. The general population wouldnt even be able to start a saw if you handed it to them, let along run one. I don't want my saw to be the reason that an uneducated person kills themselves. That kinda makes you responsible, giving a saw to someone that doesn't know how to use it. I will however lend them the operator with the saw depending on who it is. I have way too much $$ tied up in saws to lend them out. As someone else stated dont lend it out if you expect it back in 1 piece.

I'm not disagreeing with you.

I am a head tech at a new car dealer and I have the same philosophy with my tools at work as my tools at home, dont ask to borrow them cause your not getting it. If they have to ask to borrow a chainsaw its because they dont have one and are unfamiliar with them. Now that being said there are a few people that I would help out in a pinch, a few very close friends. They usually get the operator tho also.

I'm not disagreeing with this either...as a matter of fact, I tend to agree with this statement more than any other. I have three people that can borrow a saw, no questions asked, but I still prefer to go with the saw, not bc I don't trust them, but bc I LIKE to operate a saw!!

I agree. I very seldom borrow my tools and NEVER one of my saws. As stated above, if someone wants to borrow a saw it's because they don't have one and have no idea how to take care of one...

This absolute, blanket statement is the one raised my hackles. Maybe AFB meant in his circle of friends.
 
Yeah the blanket statement isn't for me either.

Like said, I have borrowed equipment that makes the cost of a saw seem quite insignificant at best.

But the list of "approved borrowers" is quite small.

Remember the old adage;

"Screw me once shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me"!
 
if i do loan a saw i don't ever expect it back. my buddy once told me that "don't lend nothing unless you don't expect to get it back. and if you get it back then you feel good and your ahead of the game"

This is the only way to loan out a saw! I recently loaned my brother my 141 Husky and don't really expect it back. His small Sthil won't run and I offered to give him the Husky, but he declined the offer, until he needed to work up the top of an oak. He's a GOATHEAD about most things, but he's still my brother.
 
Like said, I have borrowed equipment that makes the cost of a saw seem quite insignificant at best.

I have as well. Guy down the road lets me use his backhoe and plow truck when needed but I help him out with his business as payment for using the stuff. If I break it I would fix it, not many people would do that. Basically if someone calls and says I heard from a guy that knows a guy that is related to a guy that says he met you once and knows you have a few saws the answer is no.
 
Loan a saw?

As a rule I don't loan my saws. If you need something cut I'll come and help. But if I do loan you my saw you're getting my Homelite Bandit 33cc ($20?)...It smokes some, has little to no compression but runs quite well...I'm actually surprised (must be the Sea Foam in the gas)...With the provisio that if it dies you replace it. I'm kind of hoping it will. But the rare person I might lend it to would probably fix/repair/replace it anyways if something went sideways. Bigger job? Buy some beer, I'll be over. That way they'll never ask again and, sure, you can borrow a saw...once. The people I'd actually trust w/my saw have better saws than I do anyways and know I wouldn't ask to borrow theirs unless we're all cutting at the same time/place and I'm just trying it out.
 
This is what happened the last time I lent out a saw...

Started smoking pretty bad he says. But he figured he could finish the job since he was running out of daylight.

IMAG1653.jpg

IMAG1654.jpg


Even though it was "only a Husky 350"... as my buddy stated it... It was a really nice one.

Did he offer any cash for that mess?

That kind of mentality is pretty common with people. They KNOW something is going wrong, but they keep running it to finish what they are doing.
 
Chainsaws and Wives... They never come back the same.

I asked a neighbor Dad once while I was still in High School if I could borrow his saw.

At the time I was an unhappily displaced southern boy moved to Connecticut in my 9th grade and as such took to the woods with a double bit axe and my dog every chance I had to get away from these yankees, hahaha.

Neighbor Dad of course told me no, so that's when I went to the old Tractor Barn (saw and mower dealer, maybe woodstoves too IIRC) in town and bought myself that brand-spanking new Poulan 4400.

33 years later, still have the saw, and the axe. Sure miss that old dog.
 
Its funny isn't it, people you trust enough to actually lend them your equipment as a rule probably have that (or better) equipment.
 
Thank god for kind people lending saws. I am sawless right now, but just picked up a nice logging job. My awesome boss is letting me borrow a nice 372 for felling and bucking, without it I would be one starving pilgram.
 

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