Checked out the tool library in Portland and saw a problem

I visited the Northeast Portland Tool Library last Saturday to borrow a tile saw. They had plenty of hammers and screwdrivers, but the power tool section was a mess. Half the drills had missing batteries and someone had returned a circular saw with a dull blade that should have been flagged. Do other tool libraries actually test and maintain their gear or is it just a pile of donated junk?

2 comments

2 Comments

miller.eva2d ago

Southeast Tool Library in Portland is way better about that. They check every power tool before it goes back on the shelf and flag anything busted immediately.

oliver_torres42d ago

Hold up, I gotta disagree a bit here. A tool library that's too strict about checking every single power tool probably ends up refusing a lot of stuff that's still totally usable, and that kind of defeats the whole point of sharing tools. Honestly, a little wear and tear like a dull blade is just part of the deal when you're borrowing gear for free, not a sign it's "junk.