Toolmongers with feet that would impress a yeti know the pain of trying to find a good pair of work boots. Wide-footed individuals the world over have leaned towards New Balance products for ages, but New Balance doesn’t make work boots, do they?  Well, sort of:  Rockport Works, a work shoe manufacturer, contracts with New Balance to design their foot beds and toe caps, leaving the uppers, tongue, and lace arrangement for themselves, at least according to Moe at Harry’s Army Surplus.

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If you need a portable or temporary ramp but don’t have the room to store it, maybe you should check out the Roll-A-Ramp, a lightweight and portable ramp system made from 6061 Anodized Aluminum that can be used in many applications. When you’re done with it you can just roll it up for easy storage.

Roll-A-Ramps come in 36″, 30″, and 26″ widths or in 12″ wide pairs. Each section or link connects to the next section with two bolts so you can add or subtract links to get the perfect-sized ramp. Depending on the configuration and how the weight is distributed they can support from 1,000 to 2,000 lbs. Special end links are tapered to make it easy to roll on and off the ramp, and all ramps have a built-in safety rail.

The fixed length ramps listed on Amazon and Northern Tool sites run somewhere between $500 and $1,600 depending on the width and length. You can also purchase custom-length ramps from a local dealer.

Roll-A-Ramp [Corporate Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Here’s an interesting concept from Sommerfeld: a featherboard that doubles as a bit guard — or is it a bit guard that doubles as a featherboard? They claim that it works great for large work pieces like plywood or raised panel doors.

As a featherboard, the Featherguard can hold the workpiece with over 50lbs of pressure, and as a bit guard, it completely covers the bit when installed correctly.

There are few disconcerting things about this accessory — you can’t see the bit through the completely opaque plastic and you need to locate the featherboard directly over the bit rather than in front the bit where you’d normally locate it. That said, it could be a time-saver to only have to position one accessory rather than two.

Sommerfeld includes all knobs and hardware needed to attach the Feathergaurd to your router or table saw. It appears that the Feathergaurd is only available on their website for $25 before shipping charges.

Featherguard [Sommerfeld Tools]

While sports-themed, bike-themed, and just plain girly hardhats have been spotted before, they all take second fiddle to Smith and Wesson’s hardhat. It comes with a four-point nylon ratchet suspension, a wide brim for protection against harmful UV rays, and is in compliance with ANSI Z89.1-2003 (Class G electrical-low voltage).

Fashioned after the classic ten-gallon Stetson, this one will hold remarkably less, but after a day or two on site, you probably shouldn’t drink out of it anyway.

The Smith and Wesson hardhat will fit head sizes from 6½ to 8, and will set you back $29, partner.

Street pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

When a storm is about to hit, the last thing you want to do is waste time screwing plywood over your windows.  PLYLOX window clips let you quickly cover windows with plywood without installing any hardware or modifying your window casings.

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If you don’t own a surge suppressor for your whole house or building, the next best thing might be surge suppressors built right into key outlets around your home or office.  There’s less clutter without the power strips, and you’re protected even if you plug your electronics right into the wall.

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The Addalock adds an extra layer of security to most properly installed inward-swinging doors, even if there’s no lock on the door.  It installs and removes quickly, so you can use it both at home and when you travel.

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The creator of the Hook-Um Dano ladder lock must have been a fan of Hawaii Five-O, but then, who isn’t? We’re not exactly sure how this product relates to a cop show set in Hawaii — what it does do is secure one or two extension or step ladders to your ladder or roof rack, quickly and without tools.

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While your buddy might get bored steadying the ladder and go off in search of a cold one, the Ladder Lock never will.  Designed to prevent serious accidents, it connects to any standard-size extension ladder on either the right or left side, and its wishbone clamp secures the ladder to gutters, roofs, framing, or railings to hold it steady.

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This innocuous little starfish will keep sliding glass doors from opening too far, especially ones where the door slides on the outside and you can’t use a bar to secure it.  The SecureIt can also keep windows from being opened too far, much like a window lock.

If you choose to hang stuff from the SecureIt, the 3-3/8″ suction cup can hold 50 pounds.  You can affix the 4″-diameter, 2″-thick SecureIt to any smooth, clean, and dry surface.  If you need to remove it, simply pull the tab.

Available in Sky, Sea Mist Green, and Clear, a pack of two SecureIts goes for $20.

SecureIt [Corporate Site]
SecureIt [Improvements]

Unlike many fire starters, the BlastMatch from Ultimate Survival Technologies allows you to start fires using only one hand.  You might not think this is an important feature until you’re alone in the wilderness with an injured hand.

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How often does this happen to you:  You’re lying in bed and the wife asks, “Honey, did you close the garage door when you came in?”  You can’t remember, so you get out of bed to check.  You can avoid this whole scenario if you install Xceltronix’s Autocloser.

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These inexpensive little locks will secure a sliding window while it’s open, much like putting a nail in the sash keeps a double-hung window from opening far enough for someone to enter.  Unlike a nail though, you can easily remove, replace, change their position, or even use them to keep the window shut.

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I can think of a dozen times when, in the heat of a home construction project, I’ve whacked my head on something.  It was just a matter of time before I did something really bad, so I’ve started wearing a hard hat more often. Now that my wife likes to help out with the projects, I supposed she’ll need to gear up as well, and you know she won’t want to use my nasty old brain-bucket — luckily GirlGear makes a hard hat that’ll protect her head without cramping her style.

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Sure, putting the vehicle in park and setting the emergency brake are supposed to keep it from rolling, but nothing gives you that warm secure feeling while you work under the vehicle like chocking the tires.  These portable wheel chocks fold to just 1″ high so you can take them with you in the trunk or under the seat.

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You may not think that getting in and out of the shower or tub safely is a big deal — but if you’re injured, or have small kids, or take care of elderly parents, then it becomes a serious matter.  If you can’t install grab bars where you need them most, you can position this tub-gripping grab bar from Moen in just the right location on just about any bathtub.

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As the snow starts to melt, you notice that the snowplow driver took some liberty guessing where the road ended and your yard began.  Don’t be too hard on him — it’s pretty tough to tell at 2 in the morning.  Next time give him a break and mark your driveway or curb with a lighted solar driveway marker from SunForce.

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