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Ham Lake, Minnesota

A neighbor came over to say hi after he got off work. He saw I was out with the pitchfork and my rear tine tiller which is recently new. After a quick starter comment he jumped right to asking "is that your cultivator?" I said yes that I had just recently bought it and had just used it a bit to test it out. He goes right into "well it's nice to know you have that". He adds "I've got to till up my entire backyard and plan to lay down new sod. Good to know you have that". WTF? I tried my best to brush off his comments and talk about the nice weather and how much I'm looking forward to this year. My better half steps over to chat as well. He pulls the same thing to her looking for a better answer. He says his greetings then goes into the same thing "I was just telling him it's nice to know he has that cultivator because I have a big project coming up, I was going to rent a sod cutter 'cause there is lots of old grass and weeds but that (tiller) should do the trick". Heather just does the quick "yeah, how about this weather!" and soon after he moseys back over to his side of the alley.
After he was gone and we went back in, I was left wondering when did I ever offer it's use to warrant his comments? Heather let him use our snow thrower this past winter once when his was broken but I don't recall that being an open invitation to everything I have. When I put a pruning blade in the sawzall next week will he be over to say hes planning on borrowing that too? I want to keep our neighborly friendship positive, but I feel like I'm the dirty one to have to slap his fingers when he comes a knockin. I'm not stuck up about the tiller, I barely know the guy and I don't need it getting worked to death and busted up on rocks n' roots when it's spanking new. So my question of this story to you is- What to you think of this situation and what would ya tell him?

3/28/2007 6:37:06 PM

Oz

Make your wife tell him no!
She started this crap!
Get a card from a local rental company,glue it to your tiller.
I never loan out special tools.
Except to one person.
When dudes are worthy and have helped you,
then you kick it up a notch.
Wife types(nice ones),do not understand this.
Would you let him borrow your car to go to a road rally?
Only if you drove!
Becides,,he wants to grow cow food!!
NO PUMPKINS/NO TILLER!

3/28/2007 6:51:20 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

I agree Don't loan tools. Since I am in the landscaping buisness, all my friends think they can borrow my equipment for free. HEll NO. I am the wrong guy to ask. I agree, if you don't know em, they have to earn your trust. But nly family borrows. then its under rules.

It's like loaning my truck out. NO unless your family.

I always give horror stories about people using my equipment and distorying it. like the time an ex loaned a guy my tiller and totally screwed it up. Then blamed me(really happened)
I have found that if you say, sorry but I have had a several people ask and it's too many people to loan it out too. But offer to help him if he helps you. this way you look like the good guy,

I have notes on my equipment that say, if you asked my girlfriend or family. you asked the wrong people. If you value your life you will be a man and ask me . Not a coward and go behind my back." this ussally works...

But expect him to ask your wife when your gone(THIS HAPPENS)
tell her, "honey, have him talk to me."
I have chained up equipment also,


But this issue pisses me off, because if I don't loan it I look like the bad guy. So I am the bad guy. oh well

My two cents
Capt.

3/28/2007 8:20:00 PM

Ohio

Stormrat, you never mentioned what kind of tiller it was and where is it that you live again?

3/28/2007 8:39:19 PM

Ca

Tell him he can use it if he pays your tiller deposit fee. Cash only! I'm sure the look on his face would be priceless. lol

In any event it sounds like you have what is commonly known as a neighbor borrow buddy.

3/28/2007 8:47:35 PM

Ham Lake, Minnesota

Thanks for the responses, I don't want to be the bad guy but it's true I'd like to tell him "I never offered" but I don't want to offend. Extra information maybe better left unsaid is he has a hard time parking his huge truck in his tiny garage and ends up damaging his own truck, heh like I want him using my tools. Brooks! The tiller is a Troy-Bilt Super Bronco, and I'm in Minneapolis, inner-city north-side. You may understand that I didn't add what kind of tiller I bought because it will likely now become part of the discussion! I have found for man to co-exist on internet forums peacefully you must not talk about three things; politics, religion, and what kind of tiller you have!!!!

3/28/2007 9:05:02 PM

Lexington, Ky

Perhaps the neighbor still plans on renting something but thinks your "cultivator" might be the better piece to rent and may have been looking for your advice? Or, perhaps he might have been "feeling" you out to see if he could hire you to get the job done cheaper?

Hey, he's got a big truck! Never know when you might need to borrow it...but you gotta be the driver!

Any chance that your neighbors' name is Tubby? LOL! (Inside joke)

Regards;

Jamie from Kentucky...basketball fan....

3/28/2007 9:52:11 PM

Montoursville, PA

I borrowed a tiller one time for half an hour. It froze up from having no oil. Sadly not in the neighbors patch while he was using it fifteen minutes earlier. Yep....I fixed the sucker for a sum that would have rented one for a couple of years. Never more do I borrow and never again will I loan any power equipment to others. If the conditions were right I might go with my power equipment and help someone out in a pinch.

3/28/2007 10:16:01 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Storm, offer him seeds!!!! LOL Peace, Wayne

3/28/2007 10:45:51 PM

Bethlehem CT

Same thing with me, I don't loan out equipment especially a big item like a troy bilt. (I have an 8 horse troy-bilt) I have been in this situation before. Usually I will offer to do it myself, BUT this particular job sounds like a huge one that would take a lot of time for you to do. You are not the bad guy,if he can afford to buy sod he can afford to rent a tiller. Tell him to rent a counter-rotating tined tiller which is designed for chopping up lawns. Troy-bilts are standard rotating and would not be as efficient.

3/28/2007 10:59:40 PM

Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

Hey Alex, can I borrow your tiller? My Troy-Bilt is in the barn and it appears to be frozen. lol

Just say no!
Bill

3/28/2007 10:59:56 PM

[email protected]

If the mooch wants a new lawn tell him the truth. The correct tool is a SOD-CUTTER that he can rent at a rental center. If he uses a tiller to prepare his new lawn it'll take a month of Sundays raking to get it smooth enough.

If the mooch still wants your tiller tell him your lawyer will draw up the necessary papers for just a little more than the same rental center.

3/28/2007 11:28:33 PM

Napa Valley, CA

Be firm but polite to him and tell him that you don't lend out your tools because they are very valuable to you and you can't afford to replace them should something happen to them........and you don't want to burden him with the responsibility of costly replacement either.

If this upsets him, hes not much of a friend anyway.

3/29/2007 1:47:56 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

What borrow your tiller....be a man say NO with a firm voice. Next he will drink your last beer in the cooler. Invite himself over to watch football on your TV.

3/29/2007 7:58:00 AM

Wi

I agree with Tremor. Offer to do the tilling for him them sit back and have a cold one while you watch him rake the sod chunks out for 2 weeks...ha ha.

I've borrowed and loaned many tools in my (short) day. I make it a point to ALWAYS return tools in better shape than they were in when received. I expect the same.

3/29/2007 9:54:50 AM

Minnesota

Hi Alex, Just tell him that you have had bad experiences with loaning your stuff in the past and you dont want to do it. If he gets pissed then it was a good decision and he really wasnt your friend after all. And if he keeps making excuses or conversation to use it and dont get the point, do what Bill said, just say no,no,no,no,no,no until he gets it. I would help someone till a small area for their garden, but never let them use it. I will always run the tiller. and a tiller is the wrong thing for a yard anyways. Hope we can get together soon.

3/29/2007 12:10:58 PM

Spokane,WA

Stormrat,
I had a very close friend of mine borrow my tiller(not nearly as nice as yours) to til up his back yard. He killed it..Ive never recovered emotionally. I had to replace the engine, but my tiller is over 25 years old. Id only consider letting him use it if he brings in 30 yards of nicely aged cow manure and installs a sprinkler system. Plant pumpkins and then watch the friendship blossom. Good luck.

3/29/2007 1:11:19 PM

Hampshire, UK

Print out the page on the following link and give it to him saying sorry but this is why I DON'T LEND my tiller end of story. The picture is so shocking he will not know what to say.

**** DO NOT FOLLOW THIS LINK IF YOU ARE AT ALL SQUEAMISH ****

http://medind.nic.in/iad/t03/i3/iadt03i3p225.pdf

3/29/2007 1:44:16 PM

Minnesota

Nice Tiller!! Can I borrow it? Take it out to Hutchinson, Dull the blades, Use all the gas, Run the oil out and not return it for a while? Bill actually wants to use it and wanted me to ask since I live closer....Dean wants to test it out to. SHould have it back by mid August?

3/29/2007 2:07:47 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

I remember a man once toldme " be neither a borrower or a loaner be".

3/29/2007 4:38:28 PM

Oswego, New York

Tell him it is your mother-in-law's and ask her. he he he ha ha ha

3/29/2007 10:11:19 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

I never have a problem saying No lol Im usually the one my friends ask.

3/29/2007 10:20:34 PM

Whidbey Island

If you can't say "NO", then charge him about 3/4 of the commercial rate with the understanding he pays for any breakage.

3/29/2007 11:16:56 PM

Binghamton, NY

Not only do you have the right to say no, I'm not comfortable with that (notice, no apology), it is not the right equipment for the job. There are people as obsessed with their lawns as we are with pumpkins, and those in the know insist tilling is the worst thing you can do to prep for a new lawn. He needs to hire a box blade.

3/30/2007 11:35:56 AM

Ohio

ok Stormrat, Ill be over to get it and take it home for a couple days, sounds like a great running tiller! dont worry, Ill be carefull with it.

3/30/2007 7:00:34 PM

Ohio

LOL gotcha Storm! ha!

3/30/2007 7:01:00 PM

Ham Lake, Minnesota

I read some opinions on epinions.com that the tiller I bought took some people for a ride through their lawn and bucked them off. Compared to a front tine which is all I ever used before, this rear tine troy is so simple. Did those other people forget to lock in the drive wheels? Even set at a slow speed and a shallow till this gem was balls deep in no time. I'd sure recommend it. Thanks for the responses. If anyone here has an account on myspace.com look for the "Atlantic Giant Pumpkin Growers on Myspace" group. Currently two members and growing, LOL.

3/31/2007 12:56:59 AM

New Brunswick

stormrat16. Its good to help ones neighbours but, to get to the point. WHERE YOUR TILLER GOES,THE MASTER MUST FOLLOW.THE TWO MUST NOT BE SEPERATED.

3/31/2007 9:46:35 AM

Sloughhouse, CA

We have a tractor that some neighbors get to borrow. Rule #1. You brake it you fix it. #2. Bring it back full of diesel. The neighbor have upholstered a new seat. Fixed a flat and bought a headlight bulb. From one neighbor I get all the goat manure I want.The other friend that gets to borrower the tractor does all our welding. The other neighbor we would not let touch the tractor but did it for him. When he moved he gave us a riding lawnmower which didn't work. My husband turned it on the side an tangled the shirt he have caught in it. We used the mower for about 10 yrs.Be careful and know the neighbor.

4/1/2007 3:15:30 PM