Borrow tools
Drills, saws, ladders, sanders, a tile cutter and the rest. Reserve online, collect at the desk, bring it back within a week.
How borrowing works: Borrow tools
Lending desk: Wednesday 17:00 to 19:30, Saturday 10:00 to 14:00.
Borrow the tool. Keep the money.
Commonshed is a neighbourhood tool library run by volunteers: borrow a drill for the weekend, fix a lamp at the repair café, or learn to use a saw properly.
- Open
- Wednesday evenings and Saturdays
- Where
- The old bus depot, Canal Street
- Membership
- Pay what you can, from nothing
Borrow in three steps.
No deposit. Membership is pay what you can, from nothing.
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Step 1: Join at the desk
Bring proof of an address in the area and read the lending rules. It takes about five minutes, once.
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Step 2: Take up to three tools
A volunteer checks each tool with you, shows you anything tricky and lends the safety gear with it.
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Step 3: Bring it back in a week
Clean, within seven days. If something broke, tell us: there is no charge for honest accidents.
Every street owns ten drills and can't find a ladder.
Tools are bought for one job, used once, and stored for years. Meanwhile the people who need them most can't afford to buy them.
Buying for one job is expensive
A tile cutter or a carpet cleaner costs a lot for a single weekend. Borrowing one costs nothing.
Fixing is cheaper than replacing, if you know how
Most broken lamps, chairs and bikes need a part and twenty minutes. The repair café has both, and a volunteer to show you.
Skills aren't passed on any more
Skills nights pair people who know how with people who want to learn, in small groups with the right tools.
What we do
Four programmes, all free to members. Membership is pay what you can.
Repair café
Bring something broken. A volunteer fixer works on it with you, so next time you can fix it yourself.
Repair café details: Repair café
Skills nights
Small groups learn one thing properly: hanging shelves, sharpening, basic wiring safety, bike brakes.
Skills night topics: Skills nights
Garden tools
Spades, shears, wheelbarrows and a shredder for the allotments and the street's shared beds.
Garden tool lending: Garden toolsRun by the people who use it.
No staff, one shed, and a rota of volunteers.
Commonshed started when a few neighbours put their spare tools in one place. Now the old bus depot on Canal Street holds the collection, and volunteers keep the desk open twice a week.
Members pay what they can, from nothing. Donations and small grants cover rent, insurance, repairs and replacement tools. Every tool is checked and cleaned when it comes back.
- Volunteers run the desk, the repair café and skills nights
- A members' meeting decides what to buy next
- Accounts are published once a year
Questions
Anything else: [email protected]
How much does membership cost?
Pay what you can, from nothing. You'll need proof of address in the area and to read the lending rules.
What if I break something?
Tell us when you bring it back. Tools wear out; we don't charge for honest accidents. We do ask you to report it, so the next person is safe.
Can I donate tools?
Yes, if they're safe and working, or easy to fix. Bring them on a Saturday, or email us first for anything large.
Is it insured?
Yes. Our insurance covers members using tools for their own home and garden. It doesn't cover paid work.
Do I need experience to volunteer?
No. The lending desk needs friendly people more than skilled ones. Fixers and skills-night hosts are paired with someone experienced at first.
The desk needs two more volunteers on Saturdays.
Three hours, once a month, and we'll show you everything.