Tools Site

Free calculators
for the jobs people actually search.

Salt for the driveway, shoe sizes that actually fit, paint, lumber, gas money, car payments — plus straight-talk CDL guides on schools and the jobs that pay the most. No sign-up, no fluff. Pick a tool and get your answer.

Winter

Snow & ice season

Shoes & Boots

Sizes that fit the first time

DIY & Tools

Measure twice, buy once

Cars, Trucks & Gas

Know what the drive costs

CDL Career

Trucking school & the money

No tool matches that search. Try “salt”, “size”, “paint”, “gas”, or “CDL”.

Ice Melt Calculator

Tell it the size of the area and how bad the ice is. It figures the pounds you need and how many bags to buy — for rock salt, calcium chloride, or magnesium chloride.

Quick size:

Which ice melt should you buy?

ProductWorks down toGood to know
Rock salt~15–20°FCheapest and everywhere. Loses power in deep cold and is the hardest on concrete and plants.
Calcium chloride~−20°FFastest melt and works in real cold. Costs more, and you need less of it per pass.
Magnesium chloride~0–5°FGentler on concrete, plants, and pet paws. A good pick for newer driveways and steps.

Tips that save you money

  • Shovel first, then salt. Ice melt is made to break the bond under snow, not melt through inches of it. Salt on top of deep snow is wasted salt.
  • Pre-treat before the storm and you can use the light rate — it stops ice from bonding to the pavement in the first place.
  • More is not better. Piles of leftover salt in spring mean you over-applied. Spread it thin and even; a broadcast spreader beats handfuls.
  • Sweep up the excess after the melt — it keeps salt out of your lawn and off your floors.

Snow Shovel Finder

The wrong shovel turns a 20-minute job into a sore back. Tell it what you’re clearing and what kind of snow you get — it picks the blade, the handle, and tells you honestly when the job is really a snow blower job.

The three shovel types, in plain English

  • Pusher — wide, flatter blade (24–30″). You push snow off to the side like a plow instead of lifting it. Fastest for light snow on flat ground, and the easiest on your back.
  • Lifter / scoop — deeper curved blade (18–24″). Made for scooping and throwing heavy snow. Slower and harder work — and the size most people overfill.
  • Combo — mid-width blade shaped to push and lift. The one-shovel answer for most driveways, and the right first buy if you’re only buying one.

Shovel smarter, not harder

  • Push more than you lift. When you do lift, keep loads small — a full scoop of wet snow can weigh 20 lb or more.
  • Bend your knees, not your back, and don’t twist while throwing. Throw straight ahead.
  • Go out twice during a big storm instead of once at the end. Two light passes beat one brutal one.
  • Shovel first, then salt. Once the snow is off, run the Ice Melt Calculator on this site for exactly how much salt the bare pavement needs.

Shoe Size Converter

Convert between US, UK, and EU sizes — or measure your foot and get your size. Jordans and most Nike sneakers follow the men’s chart; grade-school (GS) pairs use the kids chart.

Measure heel to longest toe, standing, end of day.
Buying Jordans or sneakers online? Nike and Jordan Brand run true to the men’s chart above for adult pairs. Boots and work shoes often run big — many people go half a size down. Between sizes? Size up for winter boots with thick socks, and for running shoes.

Full size chart

Standard US/UK/EU conversions. Brands vary by half a size sometimes — when a brand posts its own chart, theirs wins.

Paint Calculator

One gallon of paint covers about 350 sq ft in one coat. Enter the room and this does the rest — doors, windows, ceiling, and extra coats included.

Check your can — most say 250–400.
Primer counts separately. New drywall, bare wood, or a big color change? Add a coat of primer first — one gallon of primer covers about the same area as paint.

Lumber & Board Feet Calculator

Hardwood is sold by the board foot. Enter the board size and the yard’s price per board foot to see exactly what your stack costs before you load it.

Nominal vs. actual size: a store “2×4” really measures 1.5″ × 3.5″, and an 8 ft board is a true 8 ft. For board feet at a lumber yard, use the actual measured size of rough lumber, or the nominal size for surfaced boards — ask the yard which they bill by.

Torque Converter

The manual says 89 ft-lb, your wrench reads Nm. Enter a value in any unit and get all four at once.

Common specs: most car lug nuts torque to 80–100 ft-lb (check your manual), spark plugs usually 10–20 ft-lb, and oil drain plugs around 25 ft-lb. Always use the number in your vehicle or equipment manual — these are just ballparks.

Trip Gas Cost Calculator

The winnable version of “cheap gas”: know what the drive costs before you leave, and what a lower price per gallon actually saves you.

Not sure? Run the MPG calculator on this site.
Is driving across town for cheaper gas worth it? Saving 20¢ a gallon on a 12-gallon fill-up saves $2.40 — but a 10-mile round trip at 25 MPG burns about $1.25 of gas to get there. Cheap gas only pays when it’s on your way or the gap is big.

MPG Calculator

Your dash computer guesses. This is the real number: fill the tank, drive, fill it again, and enter both figures.

MPG dropped suddenly? Check tire pressure first — underinflated tires are the most common cause — then the air filter. A drop of 5+ MPG with no change in driving can be an early warning of a real problem.

Car Payment Calculator

The real monthly payment — with your down payment and trade-in figured in, plus the total interest you’ll hand the bank over the life of the loan.

Watch the term, not just the payment. Stretching a loan from 60 to 84 months drops the monthly number but can add thousands in interest — and you can owe more than the car is worth. Run both terms here and compare the “total interest” line.

Tire Size Converter

A size like 265/70R17 means: 265 mm wide, sidewall is 70% of that width, on a 17″ wheel. Enter your current size and the one you’re thinking about — see exactly what changes.

Current tire

New tire

Rule of thumb: keep the new overall diameter within about 3% of stock. Bigger than that and your speedometer, gearing, and clearance all start lying to you — and truck tires past that usually need a lift or trimming.

CDL School Finder & Comparison Guide

There’s no single “best” CDL school — there’s the best one for your money, your schedule, and the job you want after. Here’s how to compare them, what it really costs, and what to ask before you sign anything.

Step 1 — Class A or Class B?

Class A — the full license

Covers combination vehicles: tractor-trailers, semis, and anything Class B can drive too. Needed for over-the-road freight, tanker, heavy haul — most of the highest-paying jobs on this site. Typical school: 3–8 weeks, around 160 hours.

Class B — single vehicles

Covers straight trucks, dump trucks, box trucks, buses, and cement mixers. Shorter and cheaper to get, and the jobs are more often local and home-daily — but the pay ceiling is lower and it doesn’t open the semi jobs. Typical school: 2–4 weeks.

Short on cash but sure about trucking? Get the Class A. Upgrading from B to A later means paying for school twice — most drivers who start with B and want the big jobs end up back in a classroom.

Step 2 — The three ways to pay

Community college

$1,000–$4,000 typical tuition
Length
4–10 weeks (some are semester-paced)
Upside
Cheapest route, financial aid and grants often apply, no contract hanging over you
Trade-off
Classes fill up — waitlists are common, and schedules are less flexible

Private CDL school

$3,000–$10,000 typical tuition
Length
3–6 weeks, new classes start often
Upside
Fast start, lots of truck time, job placement help is the business model
Trade-off
Most expensive; quality varies a lot — the checklist below matters here

Company-paid training

$0 upfront
Length
3–5 weeks of school, then paid on-the-road training
Upside
No tuition bill and a driving job waiting when you finish
Trade-off
You sign a contract — usually about a year with that carrier. Quit early and you can owe the full tuition back

Step 3 — What it really costs you

Tuition is only part of it. School is full-time, so count the paychecks you’ll miss — then compare that against paid training.

Include permit, DOT physical, drug test, and license fees if the school doesn’t.
Paid training math: a carrier program costs $0 upfront and starts paying during road training — but compare the first-year pay. If the contract carrier pays noticeably less per mile than you could earn as a free agent, the “free” school can cost more than tuition by the end of year one.

What to compare — school by school

  • On the federal registry. Since February 2022, new drivers must train with a provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry (the ELDT rule). If a school isn’t on it, its training doesn’t count toward your license. No exceptions.
  • Total price, in writing. Tuition plus permit fees, DOT medical card, drug screening, road-test fees, and retest fees if you fail the first try.
  • Students per truck. This is the big one. Four students sharing one truck means most of your day is watching. Ask for the ratio and how many hours are actually behind the wheel.
  • Manual or automatic trucks. Train and test on an automatic and your license gets an E restriction — no manual transmission trucks, ever, until you retest. Many higher-paying and smaller fleets still run manuals.
  • First-time pass rate for the state CDL skills test — and whether retests are free.
  • Job placement that’s real. Which carriers actually hire their graduates? Names, not promises. Good schools let you talk to recent grads.
  • Endorsements during school. Testing for hazmat (H), tanker (N), and doubles/triples (T) while you’re already there is cheaper and faster than going back later.
  • Schedule fit. Full-time day classes finish fastest; some private schools and colleges run evening/weekend tracks if you can’t quit your job yet.

Questions to ask before you sign

  1. Are you on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry?
  2. What is the total cost — every fee — and what’s the refund policy if I withdraw in week one?
  3. How many students per truck, and how many hours will I personally drive?
  4. Will I train and test on a manual, or does my license come with an automatic-only restriction?
  5. What’s your first-time pass rate on the state skills test? Are retests included?
  6. Which companies hired your last three graduating classes?
  7. Can I sit for my hazmat, tanker, and doubles endorsements while I’m enrolled?
  8. If I finance through the school, what’s the interest rate and the total I’ll actually repay?

Before-you-enroll checklist

  • Check your driving record. Recent DUIs, at-fault wrecks, or a stack of tickets can block hiring even with a fresh CDL — find out before you spend tuition money.
  • Get the DOT medical card. You must pass the DOT physical to drive commercially. Do it early so a surprise doesn’t end the plan after you’ve paid.
  • Study for the CLP. The commercial learner’s permit written test comes first — free state CDL manuals and practice tests cover it.
  • Verify the school on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.
  • Get the full price in writing — tuition, fees, retests, and refund terms.
  • Line up the money. Check financial aid, state workforce grants (many states pay CDL tuition for job seekers), and employer programs before taking a high-interest loan.
  • Decide Class A vs. B based on the job you want at the end — not just the cheaper class.
  • Plan your first job. Most top-paying jobs want 1–2 years of clean experience. Your first carrier is a stepping stone — pick one that keeps your record clean.

Costs and timelines are typical US ranges — they vary by state and school. Always confirm a school’s current price, registry status, and contract terms directly before enrolling.

Highest-Paying CDL Jobs

Regular dry-van freight is the floor, not the ceiling. The top money goes to drivers who haul what others can’t or won’t — hazmat, oversize, remote, or their own truck. Here’s what each path really pays and what it takes to get in.

Hazmat Tanker Driver

$75,000–$110,000+ / year
Endorsements
X endorsement (hazmat H + tanker N combined), TWIC card for ports/refineries
Experience
Usually 1–2 years, clean record, background check & fingerprinting for hazmat
Home time
Often regional or local — fuel and chemical hauling runs on routes, not cross-country
Trade-offs
Real responsibility: fuel, chemicals, and gases punish mistakes. Strict rules, no shortcuts

Oversize / Heavy Haul

$80,000–$130,000+ / year
Endorsements
Class A; doubles/triples (T) helps. Permits are per-load, handled by the carrier
Experience
2+ years, usually flatbed first. You earn your way up load by load
Home time
Varies — project-based, can be out for weeks on big moves
Trade-offs
Daylight-only and weather-restricted running in many states, route planning, escort vehicles, slow miles

Oilfield Driver

$70,000–$120,000 / year
Endorsements
Hazmat + tanker for crude and fuel work; water hauling may need tanker only
Experience
Some outfits hire at 6–12 months during booms; off-road driving is part of the job
Home time
Rotations like 2–3 weeks on / 1–2 off, often in remote areas (TX, ND, NM)
Trade-offs
Boom and bust. Pay is huge when oil is up and the first to vanish when it drops. Long hours, rough lease roads

Ice Road / Remote Haul

$60,000–$100,000+ / season
Endorsements
Class A; experience with heavy loads and extreme cold. Alaska & northern Canada routes
Experience
Several years of verifiable winter/heavy driving — beginners don’t get these seats
Home time
Gone for the whole season (roughly Jan–Mar), then months off
Trade-offs
The most dangerous driving on this list: frozen lakes, −40° cold, no help for miles. A season’s pay in ~2 months — if the ice holds

Team Driving

$90,000–$120,000 / year, per driver at top carriers
Endorsements
Hazmat and doubles/triples open the best-paying team freight
Experience
Some carriers hire new-grad teams; top pay after the first year
Home time
The least on this list — the truck runs nearly 24/7, home every few weeks
Trade-offs
You sleep in a moving truck and live in a cab with another person. Married/co-driver pairs who split one household income keep the most

Owner-Operator

$150,000–$350,000 gross / year — before expenses
Endorsements
Depends on your freight — hazmat/tanker and oversize gross the most
Experience
Most succeed with 2+ years as a company driver first, plus your own authority or a lease
Home time
Your call — but the truck payment isn’t. Parked trucks don’t earn
Trade-offs
Gross is not pay. Fuel, insurance, maintenance, tires, and taxes come out first — net is often company-driver money with business risk on top. The winners run it like a business, because it is one

LTL Linehaul

$80,000–$110,000 / year
Endorsements
Hazmat, tanker, and doubles/triples — LTL carriers want all three
Experience
1–2 years, clean record. Terminal-to-terminal night runs
Home time
Among the best in trucking — many linehaul drivers are home daily or every other day
Trade-offs
Nights and seniority systems: the best runs go to drivers who’ve been there longest. Dock work at some carriers

Private Fleet Driver

$95,000–$115,000+ / year at top fleets
Endorsements
Varies by company; tanker/hazmat needed for fuel and grocery fleets’ specialty work
Experience
The catch: top private fleets (like big retail chains) often require 30+ months of safe driving
Home time
Regular routes and schedules — the most predictable life in trucking
Trade-offs
Hard to get into and worth it: high pay, strong benefits, newer equipment — which is why seats rarely open

Car Hauling

$80,000–$120,000 / year
Endorsements
Class A; no special endorsement, but carriers train on loading racks
Experience
1–2 years; damage claims come out of your reputation, so carriers are picky
Home time
Regional routes common, out several nights a week
Trade-offs
Physical work in all weather — climbing racks, chaining vehicles, and every scratch on a new car is your problem

The pattern behind the pay

  • Endorsements are raises. Hazmat + tanker (the X endorsement) is the single cheapest pay upgrade in trucking — a test and a background check, and whole job boards open up.
  • Experience is the gate. Almost nothing on this page hires brand-new drivers. Plan on 1–2 years of clean, verifiable driving first — keeping your record spotless is the strategy.
  • Pay follows discomfort and risk. Nights, remote rotations, dangerous freight, and weeks from home are exactly what the extra money is buying. Pick the trade-off you can live with, not just the biggest number.
  • Compare total pay, not cents per mile. Accessorial pay (loading, detention, layover), benefits, and how many miles you actually run each week decide the real paycheck.

Pay ranges are typical US figures from carrier postings and industry surveys — actual pay varies by company, region, experience, and freight market. Verify current numbers on live job postings before making decisions.

About Archway Tools

Free calculators and plain-English guides for the jobs people search for every day — no sign-up, no paywall, no fluff.

Who we are

Archway Tools is a free tools site by Archway Resale in St. Louis, Missouri, run by Vincent Haney.

Archway Resale is a small local resale shop — fragrance, custom t-shirts, sneakers, and everyday finds. Archway Tools grew out of the same idea: give people a straight, useful answer fast, without making them create an account or wade through a sales pitch first.

Every calculator on this site runs right in your browser. You type in your numbers, you get your answer, and that's it.

What you'll find here

  • Winter — an ice melt calculator that tells you how many pounds and bags of salt you actually need, and a snow shovel finder that matches the right blade and handle to your driveway, your snow, and your back.
  • Shoes & Boots — a US / UK / EU shoe size converter for men, women, and kids, with foot-length lookup for sneakers, Jordans, boots, and work shoes.
  • DIY & Tools — paint, lumber & board feet, and torque calculators for home projects and shop work.
  • Cars & Gas — trip gas cost, MPG, car payment, and tire size calculators so you know what a drive, a fill-up, or a loan really costs.
  • CDL Careers — a CDL school finder and comparison guide, plus a guide to the highest-paying CDL jobs — hazmat tanker, heavy haul, oilfield, team driving, owner-operator, and more — with pay ranges, endorsements, and trade-offs.

That's 12 tools and guides in total, all free to use as often as you need them.

How this site stays free

Archway Tools is free for visitors. The site is supported by advertising, which helps cover the cost of keeping the tools online. Ads never change a calculator's math or a guide's advice — the numbers you see are the numbers the formulas produce.

Have a question, a correction, or an idea for a new tool? Head to the — we'd like to hear it.

Archway Tools is operated by Archway Resale, St. Louis, MO.

Contact Us

Questions about a calculator, a number that looks off, or an idea for a tool we should build next — email is the best way to reach us.

Email us at

archwaystl25@gmail.com

Archway Tools · by Archway Resale · St. Louis, MO
Run by Vincent Haney

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We read every message and reply as soon as we can — usually within a couple of days. Please don't send passwords, payment details, or other sensitive personal information by email.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 15, 2026. This page explains what information Archway Tools does — and does not — collect when you use this site.

The short version

  • The tools run in your browser. The numbers you type into a calculator are calculated on your own device, right on the page.
  • No account is needed. There is no sign-up, no login, and no profile on this site.
  • We do not collect personal information through the tools themselves. We do not ask for your name, address, phone number, or payment information to use a calculator or read a guide.
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Information we collect

Information you enter into the tools

All 12 calculators and guides on Archway Tools run entirely in your web browser. The values you enter — for example a driveway size, a shoe size, a gas price, or a loan amount — are used only to calculate and display your result on the page. They are not sent to us, not stored in an account, and not sold.

Information you send us by email

If you contact us by email at archwaystl25@gmail.com, we will receive your email address and the contents of your message so we can reply. We use that information only to respond to you and do not sell it.

Basic technical information

Like most websites, the hosting and advertising services that deliver this site may automatically receive standard technical information from your browser, such as your device type, browser type, and approximate location based on IP address, in order to load the page, prevent abuse, and measure overall traffic. This is not information we ask you to type into the tools.

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Archway Tools is supported by advertising. We use — or plan to use — Google AdSense to show ads on this site.

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For more information about how Google uses data when you use sites that use its services, see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.

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This site links to other websites, including Archway Resale and Google's privacy and advertising pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those other sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies when you visit them.

Children's privacy

Archway Tools is a general-audience site with calculators and career guides. It is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time — for example, when we add an advertising or analytics service. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continuing to use the site after a change means you accept the updated policy.

Contact us about privacy

If you have a question about this Privacy Policy or how this site handles information, contact us at archwaystl25@gmail.com.

Archway Tools is operated by Archway Resale, St. Louis, MO, run by Vincent Haney.