How it works
A place where neighbors list and rent heavy equipment.
idle iron is the venue. Owners list machines they aren't using. Renters book them for a day, a week, or a month. You meet on a real jobsite and sign a real rental agreement. We make the introduction and handle the money.
Renting equipment
The renter side is simple. You don't need a contractor's license. You don't need to download anything. You need an account, a card on file, and a willingness to sign the owner's rental agreement.
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01
Find a machine
Browse by category and ZIP. Filter by date if you know when you need it. Tap a listing to see specs, photos, and the owner.
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02
Request to book
Pick your start and end dates. The price is shown up front: daily rate times days, plus a 10% service fee. You won't be charged yet.
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03
Sign the agreement
The owner sets the rental terms. You sign them digitally before the booking is confirmed. Read carefully. The agreement is between you and the owner directly.
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04
Pick up the machine
Coordinate pickup with the owner. Some owners offer delivery for a fee. Inspect the machine and document its condition before you take it.
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05
Return it on time
Bring it back clean and in the same condition. The owner confirms the return. The card on file gets charged for the rental, idle iron takes its 10%, and the rest goes to the owner.
Listing equipment
Free to list. No subscription. No setup fee. idle iron only earns when you do: 10% of each confirmed booking, deducted before payout.
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01
Post your machine
Photos, make and model, year and hours, daily and weekly rates, ZIP. Set who can rent it: any responsible adult, experienced operator, or verified contractor only.
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02
Approve requests
Renters request specific dates. You approve or decline. You're not committed until you approve.
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03
Meet the renter
You and the renter sign the rental agreement before pickup. Bring your own paperwork or use the template idle iron provides as a starting point. Either way, the contract is between you two.
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04
Get paid
When the rental is complete, payment moves from the renter's card to your bank through Stripe. idle iron retains its 10% service fee. The rest is yours.
What idle iron does and doesn't do
What we do
We host listings, take requests, process payments through Stripe, and provide a rental agreement template you can use or replace with your own. We verify identity for owners before payouts. We hold the card on file so renters can be charged after the rental.
What we don't do
We are not a party to your rental agreement. We don't insure the machine, the operator, or the jobsite. We don't mediate disputes unless evidence is clearly one-sided. We don't operate the equipment for you, and we don't verify whether a renter is qualified to operate any specific machine.
In short: idle iron is a venue, not an outfitter. Owners control their machines and their terms. Renters do the work. We make the introduction and handle the money.
Still have questions?
Most of the common ones are answered on the FAQ page. The specifics of pricing, taxes, and pickup logistics are on the Rental Terms page. For anything else, get in touch.