Visited a maker space last week and their tool borrowing system started a huge argument

I stopped by this community maker space in Austin last Thursday and watched two guys go at it over how they loan out tools. One side says you should sign out each tool by name and serial number so nothing walks off. The other side says that's a waste of time and just hurts people grabbing what they need for a quick fix. The guy running the place told me they lose about $200 worth of stuff a month just from people forgetting to return things. But the people against tracking say it kills the trust and makes the space feel like a library with overdue fines. I honestly see both points since I've left a socket wrench at a friend's garage for three weeks myself. How does your crew handle tool sharing at your shop or space? Do you track everything or just trust the honor system?

2 comments

2 Comments

thompson.finley22d ago

Did you see the guy who checked out a belt sander and then moved to another state with it? That happened at a shop I used to go to and now they check everyone's ID before handing over anything over $50.

the_jade22d agoProlific Poster

Brought my own lock when I rented a floor sander from Home Depot last year. That whole thing about them checking IDs is smart honestly. I've had tools walk off from shared garage spaces before and it sucks. Now I take a pic of my rental receipt and the tool serial number before I even leave the parking lot. Also helps to ask if they have any tracking system on the expensive stuff some places hide airtags in the battery compartments now.