The WoodRatchet
By Vince Bloom
Pounding things into submission with a sledgehammer can really work out your frustration, but that’s the only time it’s fun — repeatedly aligning walls with a sledge isn’t most carpenters’ idea of a good time. It definitely wasn’t Keith Kennedy’s favorite pastime, which is why he invented the WoodRatchet.
The WoodRatchet looks like a chain binder with two spiked plates in place of the hooks. You hammer one plate into the offending wall and the other into the floor — no additional screws or nails are needed. Then just crank the WoodRatchet until the wall is in place. Secure the wall with a few fasteners, and it’s off to the next wall. It’ll also work for pulling the crown out of joists.
This tool falls in the “why didn’t I think of that?” category. It’s simple, it’s a modification of an existing tool from an unrelated field, and it saves a lot of time. Kennedy Manufacturing sells the WoodRatchet direct for $70. For a professional framer, it’ll pay for itself in the first week. Based on the lumber I’ve seen lately, I suspect it wouldn’t take a very large project for the WoodRatchet to be worth the price for the DIY crowd as well.
WoodRatchet [Official Site]
November 3rd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Hazet (Germany) makes a forged timber-framing tool that looks quite a bit like this - but sell for about $200 more.