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A guy at my hardware store asked why I keep buying tools I'll use once, and he had a point
I was at Fisher's Hardware in Boise last month buying a tile saw for a bathroom job, my third one in two years because I keep wearing them out or lending them to guys who never bring them back. The owner, Ray, watched me carry it to the counter and said, "You know the library on 5th has two of those, and they sharpen blades too." I laughed it off at first, but then I did the math on what I had spent on one-off tools over 18 months and it was over $1,100. So I joined, and I have borrowed a floor nailer and a tile saw twice since, and now I donate $20 a month to keep the place running. Has anyone else had a shop owner or neighbor point them toward a library like that?
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matthew70322h ago
The part about Ray saying "you know the library on 5th has two of those" really gets me, because that is a shop owner turning down a sale to help you out. That is rare. My question is how did the library handle the whole lending thing, like did you have to put down a deposit or show ID or anything, or was it just walk in and check it out like a book? I ask because a lot of people hear "tool library" and assume it is a hassle or that the tools are all junk. You said you borrowed a floor nailer and a tile saw twice, so it sounds like they actually keep decent stuff on the shelf. And the $20 a month thing, was that something they asked for or did you just decide on your own? I am curious how the money side works, because that seems to be what keeps these places alive.
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