I gotta tell you, sharing my shop with my brother in law is a test of character. Today he filled the DC half way up into the cyclone. He frequently uses the planer blades down to stumps and throws in a couple of nails now and then to boot. Last week he used an 1/8″ blade in the bandsaw and filled up the gullets with resin ’til it set off the smoke detectors. Can’t tell you the last time he bought a replacement blade for any of the machines.
Does anyone else have this problem? Would like some ideas on how you might handle this.
Replies
DNA tests on your prospective spouse? Remove all blade guards?
Scott
Edited 9/3/2002 10:51:08 PM ET by the rev
Who owns the tools ?
Quittin' Time
I own the tools and the shop is in my house. My wife seems to think its "cute" and discourages any confrontation.
TDF
He who owns the tools gets to make the rules.
Keep track of all the damage that is done. Keep good track of the cost. After a few months, show your wife what it is costing. See if she thinks the cost is cute as well.
: )Quittin' Time
It all depends how much you want your marriage to work. I would discuss with him the price of replacement tools and start and enforce a new policy on tool maintenance. He will clean and adj, maintain the tools whennhes finished using them or guess what...He cant use them...... Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
Yea man youre walking a fine line there. Slowly educate him on proper use and sharp items. Start taking him with you when you replace items so he sees the costs. If he cant clue in he is destined to be a mooch.
Uh, Ron, given his work habits, I wouldn't have him adjust or maintain it.
Perhaps put the dull blade on the saw/planer when he wants to use it (assuming it is still safe to use). When he complains about the cut, mention how he dulled the blade or that even in normal usage, blades get dull and have to be sharpened or replaced at $xx.xx.
Another excuse could be that the machine is unavailable since it is being serviced. Remove a cover or something to make it look real. On second thought that may be against your morals (lying?). In that case, tell it like it is. He abused the machine last time and now you would be glad to make the cuts for him, using the appropriate techniques and blades (and explain why the technique or blade is proper). Training can pay off.
- les
I do think diplomacy is a great thing in certain situations. In this one however i think blunt and to the point would possibly work better.
On jobsites if someone is abusing my gear I tell them so in very direct terms. I then show them the correct way ( if they are interested ). If the same thing happens again, they get told to #### off. End of problem. Having expensive equipment ruined just to save the sensibilities of someone who might not care is no bargain.
Wood Hoon
Tom:
Can we say Federal Witness Protection Program!!??
sarge..jt
Tom, my advice would be to leave your wife out of it. She's in a no-win situation (and obviously doesn't understand anyway). It's between you and the BIL, and trying to recruit the wife to run interference with her brother is counter-productive.
How in the world did you end up in this situation? Does he live with you and your wife? Gotta tell ya, it would drive me nuts. My sweetie is absolute death on tools, and I won't let him anywhere near anything more expensive than my Makita drill, and yes he did manage to break it once.
Depending on how well you two get along outside the shop, you could take him out for lunch or a beer or something, have a nice heart-to-heart and work out an agreement. I agree with "he who owns the tools makes the rules."
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Tom,
This won't work. You might as well face it and deal with it head on. I would tell him it's aggrevating you, and the list of rules would be too long and maybe even ridiculous (form his perspective) for it to work. You don't want it to effect or destroy your relationship and it will unless he stops using your space. Perhaps you can claim your euipment is not of the quality required to support multiple users.
Its either that or develop your hamstring flexibility...so you can kiss your wallet (ahem!)goodby.
I had that problem ONCE. My BIL borrowed a 3/4" chishel to mortise out a couple of hinges for a door.He gave it back to me a few days later. The blade had big nicks in it and there was no edge. It was a sharp as a butter knife and I said something right on the spot. "Sharpen it right now or never borrow a tool off me again." Need I say he learned that day to sharpen a chishel. He's borrowed a few tools since and always brought them back in better condition then they left the shop.
To F_G and everyone on the West Coast. Thank you for thr rain, it rained Saturday night and all day Sunday. The grass is actually green now and it grew to the point it needs cutting.
Dave in Pa.
Tom: I think Forrest Girl is right dont get wife into this or you will be sorry, and Luca is right there your tools time to lay down the ground rules in your shop, thank god that my brother in laws are the unhandy types..
good luck....ToolDoc
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