Oppo,
What do you say? I’ve spent several years working on an extensive bike tool collection. I work on bikes as a hobby for friends for a tiny income, typically just enough money to cover my own expenses or to purchase another tool for a job.
Is there a polite way to tell friends that you are unwilling to loan them things because you need or might need it for a job? How do you not offend them, yet kindly remind them that they’re asking to take an investment out of potential use for several days or weeks at a time?
I’m leaning towards something like “you can bring your project here and use the tool but I need to keep it around for an upcoming job.”