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How rental ‘libraries of things’ have become the new way to save money
(www.theguardian.com)
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this post was submitted on 06 May 2024
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You cut the first piece, realize you actually need a different type of saw for the next cut, it's booked out, now your project is indefinitely delayed.
They are similar because in both cases you are sacrificing resiliency (multiple copies of a resource), for efficiency (a singular shared copy).
A tool library is still a great idea / resource for when you're doing a project and need one weird tool that youll never use again, but most people who do any real amount of DIY over their lives will want their own set of tools that cover most of the bases.
Counterpoint: You go to the store to buy the saw you think you'll need, come home, cut the first piece -- boom, same realization. Same time-sink to go back to the store. I don't think that's a concern unique to tool libs.
Well, yeah. We're talking more expensive things that you only need for one project, or maybe a couple of times. Not the screwdriver set that you use for everything from box-cutting to adjusting the screws on your cabinet doors when they seem wonky.
Yes, except that when your buying tools, that only happens once. The next project that happens you have that tool sitting there waiting for you.
By basic DIY tools I don't just mean screw driver, I mean probably something along the lines of: screwdriver set, socket set, hammer, wrench set, drill / driver, circular saw, multitool, jigsaw, tape measures, clamps, level, plus basic painting tools, basic drywalling tools, basic electrical tools.
If you're doing multiple projects where you need that same tool, that does tilt the scale towards buying. Rentals are best for one-off things.