Rope Ratchet

I wanted to rig a single line of rope across the ceiling of my garage for a storage solution, but was concerned about getting the line tight enough to keep from sagging. Rather than tie up a come-along winch -- which requires a lot more hook up room and has a tendency to release quite hard -- I saw the Rope Ratchet and decided to give it a try; I'm glad I did. The contraption is basically a rope that's fed into and around a ratcheting wheel and bracket that holds the line and prevents backspin; you can release the line with a lever. It's quite simple, but I haven't seen anything quite like it. I'm using one to hold up a 70-lbs. tackle bag 6 feet off the floor of my garage and another holding about 80 lbs. of plastic lures on a rope stretched across hooks against the ceiling of my garage. I'm using the 1/4-inch Rope Ratchet that's rated for a working load of 150 lbs., but there are different sizes for different needs: the 1/8-inch will hold 75 lbs. up, while the 1/2-inch will hold 500 lbs. After a number of months, mine are holding strong with no sign of failure. -- Doug Mainor

Rope Ratchet $9 (1/4-inch, w/rope, pic above) Available from Carolina North Mfg. Or $12 from Amazon Other sizes available for $5 - $20 from Carolina North Mfg.