business idea

[myntik1]

My buddy has been stringing me along for a couple of days now saying that he'll lend me his compressor and his framing gun.  After being blown off for the 2nd time I decide to purchase one.  Since I've gone 35 yrs w/o an air compressor I decide I'm going with a cordless one. Sticker shock, sticker shock, sticker shock.  I was expecting a couple of bills, but I was looking at 4 and some change.  I then stroll over to the home despot to see about renting one.  Since I'm flying solo 45/day doesn't seem like a good deal to me.  So it's back to screws for a couple of hours each night and then I might rent one for next weekend and hopefully be done with the framing

So I started thinking we all have that tool we purchased for 1 job and never used it again.  Wouldn't it be great if there was some type of tool consignment shop.  Some used tools would be for sale and others could be rented for a week at a cheaper cost than Taylor Rental and Home Depot.  Someone would drop off the tool and designate it either for purchase like a consignment shop or for rental.  Let's say the rental price was 100/wk, the store gets 60 and the owner of the tool gets 40.  There would be no carrying fees like a consignment shop would have.  I know it sounds crazy but I think it might work.  Although there seems to be a HD in every city, I recently found out that the one near my house has next to nothing for tool rentals.  I wind up traveling 30 minutes each way to rent a tool.  I always feel like when I get the rented tool home I have to work at breakneck speed to get it back in time before the store closes that day.  It would be nice if I could rent something longer than a day or two and not regret buying it outright when it's time to pay the bill.

[shardian]

They charge outrageous rates because a high # of the tools never come back. The same would happen to you, but worse.

[myntik1]

I don't have enough mechanical knowledge to even think about doing this.  If so someone wants to run with this feel free.  As for not returning tools. I thought that's why they ran your credit card.  If I failed to return that wallpaper steamer I assumed I would owe HD a cool quarter mill.

[BobbyG66]

What happens when the tool gets damaged.
The guy would say he got it like that and then who is responsible?

I was talking to a guy that owns a Taylor Rental and he got rid of alot of tools.
He said it cost him too much to keep repairing them.
Half of the poeple do not know how to use the tools or use them the wrong way.
People trat the stuff like a 'rented mule".

Good idea, just might not be profitable.

[ChadTower]

And when Joe Dumbass uses the tool wrong, chops off a body part, and sues your business.... good luck with that one.