Socket Set Organizer

[coopns]

Looking for a inexpensive socket set organizer. I seem to have some given to me, some lost, now I have them all in a bucket. Would like to organize them but don't want to blow the bank. Also have a lot of (not sure of the name) a wrench type tool with a six point on one end and a open ended 3 or 4 sided pocket on the other.

Thanks.

 

[dparm]

Go to Sears and you can buy the metal wands with the little clips. Buy however many as you want to start. I was able to do about 80 sockets for <$40.

 

[scurvy]

Socket rail for the sockets. Wrench organizer for the wrench type tools. Get thee to thy local Sears.

 

[dparm]

Thanks scurvy, couldn't think of the name of the rail.

 

[musicmanbass]

Harbor freight has super cheap rails in all 3 sizes for a buck a piece. That's about all they're worth, too. Howerever, they also have a nice plastic tray set that is labeled and all for 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch sockets for $6-7 a set. You'll need an SAE and a Metric set. Love mine. I may take a pics of mine in use and upload it tomorrow.

Sears has a similar tray. FOR FLIPPIN' $15 EACH!!!!!! Stupid dumb crazy to pay that for ONE tray, IMHO. The sets at HF are $6-7 for THREE trays!! That mean you pay SIX TIMES AS MUCH at Sears! Ridiculous! Way outta line.

 

[ComfyShorts]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Go to Sears and you can buy the metal wands with the little clips. Buy however many as you want to start. I was able to do about 80 sockets for div>



Those are terrible. As a tech in field I have to work fast and my toolbox can quickly get messy of different sockets. For me you have to be able to quickly drop a socket into its designated spot and grab a new one, no time to mess with metal clips. Personally for chrome 3/8 and 1/4 sockets I use an organizer similar to:

Purely for reason I don't need to waste time "clipping" sockets into rails. And I can quickly see if I'm missing any sockets and what size. (Has size printed on top of every socket post)

For 1/2 and 3/8 impact sockets I use following design

it has a magnetic strip that divides the deep and shallow sockets, keeps sockets in place and also would take less space in box if used a similar organizer from first picture due to size/width of sockets.

To each his own but I'm really against using any socket organizer where it takes time to attach the sockets to the organizer.

 

[paulo57509]

I have tried those full drawer trays with the labeled holes (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00965165000P?mv=rr); not enough holes for all the sockets I have.

I've tried those Hansen trays (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00933932000P?mv=rr); they're too tall for the drawer I want my sockets in.

I HATE those metal rail things with the clips. At times it's hard to get the sockets off when your hands are oily.

I finally settled on this: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00965287000P?mv=rr

They're low profile, you can arrange the little pegs wherever on the base, there's enough pegs for all the sockets I have (or will end up with) and they fit in the drawer.

Some of my deep sockets tend to wobble on the pegs a bit, but they do stay upright. They hold my universal sockets too. They might not work very well if your universals are on the loose side.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: ComfyShorts
Originally Posted By: dparm
Go to Sears and you can buy [socket rails].


Those are terrible. As a tech in field I have to work fast and my toolbox can quickly get messy of different sockets. For me you have to be able to quickly drop a socket into its designated spot and grab a new one, no time to mess with metal clips.


For my home use, socket rails are much better than the drop-on organizers. The Sears ones are nicer to use than the standard cheapo metal ones as they've got some dimension to the socket retainers. Socket rails also let you carry all of your sockets out to the fastener in question if you don't know what size it is.

But I don't have to be pit-crew fast when it comes to picking sockets.

I do like those magnetic ones for impact sockets.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: paulo57509
I have tried those full drawer trays with the labeled holes (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00965165000P?mv=rr); not enough holes for all the sockets I have.

I've tried those Hansen trays (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00933932000P?mv=rr); they're too tall for the drawer I want my sockets in.

I HATE those metal rail things with the clips. At times it's hard to get the sockets off when your hands are oily.

I finally settled on this: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00965287000P?mv=rr

They're low profile, you can arrange the little pegs wherever on the base, there's enough pegs for all the sockets I have (or will end up with) and they fit in the drawer.

Some of my deep sockets tend to wobble on the pegs a bit, but they do stay upright. They hold my universal sockets too. They might not work very well if your universals are on the loose side.


I agree with all of the above. I tried the rails, and didn't like those. I have a organizer tray similar to the Craftsman peg one, but I got it at Northern Tool for much cheaper. However, it doesn't allow you to move the pegs where you want them, and I like the movable peg design better.

This is the exact product I have:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200371125_200371125

 

[Merkava_4]

I like those Hansen organizers, but I think they charge too much for them. $10
for just a piece of plastic. I'm assuming they're making a huge profit on them.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Has anyone found anything new on this or is this a pretty stagnant market? I liked the organizer to which I linked above, but I've come into some more sockets and now need more storage. I'm thinking the Sears solution with the movable pegs might be the best solution for me (for a socket organizer in a sliding drawer). If you have a tool drawer socket organization system of which you're particularly proud to show off, please post a picture!

 

[Jimmy9190]

Back when I was in the car audio installation business I always wanted some of the Mechanic's Helper brand of magnetic socket holders the tool guys sold on their tool trucks. The holders were very expensive, and I had a lot of sockets to store. One day when it was slow in the shop, I thought up a few ideas, got out my paddle bit set and made my own socket holders out of a few scrap pieces of mdf. The holders are not magnetic, but I did try adding magnets to the bottom sides of the holders. That did not work well so I just used some thin double sided tape to hold them stationary in my tool box drawer. The socket holders I made are about 12 or 13 years old now, maybe a little older and still doing fine..Here's a couple pics of what I made and how it works out in my box:

They are not fancy but they work great and did not cost me anything.

I bought some metal magnetic rail type holders for my half inch socket sets. I believe I got those at either Lowe's or Sears, but it has been a long time since I got them. They are in the back of my socket drawer. They work great too.

 

[Eddie]

Really neat jimmy.