Socket Organizer

[Walkin Horse]

Does anybody have any good ideas for socket organizers. They are a mess and hard to keep up with. The rails I have them on are hard to get off and most times the sizes are turned to where I can't see them. Homemade or store bought would work. I have posted the picture of my end wrenches to show that I do have some neatness. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Toddao]

This?

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[JFoy]

Harbor Freight has "Socket Organizers" Search results for: 'socket'

 

[stuckmotor]

I've had the same trouble as you with metal rails. Once I bought a set of 4 sockets (hex keys, I think) on a short plastic rail. The rail had thumb activated levers on each socket that made it a joy to remove the sockets. I've searched in vein for longer rails like that. If anyone knows where they can be bought, please let me know. Aside from those unattainable rails the best thing I've found is the formed plastic case that my Stanley sockes came in, they were bought at Walmart. There's a hole for each socket in logical order the case is nearly as valuable to me as the sockets.

 

[carmedic310]

Pittsburgh 68100 3 Piece SAE Socket Tray/Organizer
3 Pc SAE Socket Tray/Organizer

Rated #1 in performance
Truckin' Magazine
Pittsburgh - Item#68100

Read 57 ReviewsWrite A Review
Organize your sockets for quick and easy identification

comp at $19.97 Sale: $9.99
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3 Pc SAE Socket Tray/Organizer 68100 alternate photo #1 3 Pc SAE Socket Tray/Organizer 68100 alternate photo #2

 

[Ed of all trades]

I have a holder that came with my SK sockets. It has a grove for each socket to lay in and the size written by each one. Don't know where to get one and don't know of anything better. If I set up another box I will ether buy or make the same thing. Ed

 

[JRobyn]

The HF rail and sliding socket "clips" are a pretty poor imitation of the real thing. They work, but the "clips" are kinda flimsy and sometimes very hard to force a socket down onto. And then they sometimes just spring off. Plus they have sharp corners. Still, for the price, I use 3 or 4 of them.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

Craftsman also makes one that works well. I would suggest Google socket organizer and click on the images tab. You will see examples of many different kinds.

 

[motownbrowne]

View attachment 466009

This?

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I'd love to have a 72" or so box with deep top drawer. Deep enough to have all my sockets on these racks standing up. Unfortunately it's not in the cards right now. I use the metal rails and they work okay, but they're not as easy to select the appropriate socket from. It's also more difficult to replace the socket onto the rail than one of these racks.

 

[Clint S]

socket organizer tray - Bing images

I use one like this. Works good.

 

[Walkin Horse]

Thanks for all the ideas. One of my problems is I have 2 or 3 sets of the same thing. So I will nee something that is customizable. Plus I would like to buy some more. This weekend I found a need for some deep well impact sockets.

 

[Ford850]

These look very nice, and would probably last longer than the sockets: Billet Aluminum Socket Organizing Trays
And here's a reviewer's video of those that shows how well sockets stay on the simple pegs: Westling Socket Organizer Review
Also, they are made in the USA.

 

[3930dave]

Just a thought.....

Make a wooden base in the length you want, and attach long tool-strip magnets. You can organize the socket sets the way you want - just add your own labels if you want to see what's missing....

Rgds, D.

 

[DFB]

Just a thought.....

Make a wooden base in the length you want, and attach long tool-strip magnets. You can organize the socket sets the way you want - just add your own labels if you want to see what's missing....

Rgds, D.

How about nails for posts


For the OP I use the chrome clip rails mostly and have for years. I like the clip rails and it lets me take a set of secured sockets right to where I'm working if need be without making a bunch of trips back and forth.

Most sockets I have are first put on rails and then cut to the length needed. Plus I add other attachments like short extensions bars and drive adapters etc. I also have attached a magnetic strip on the bottom of the rails in the past, helped keep them in place in the tool tray.

There is a big difference in quality with some of the cheap rails though most are cheap ones. I have had many different brand names over the years and some clips can be pretty sloppy fitting straight out the package and need a little tweaking.

I do have set of the of the 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch red SAE Hanson post rails on my work bench that I got for dirt cheap at the flea mkt. They are nice I like them, and work ok on chrome sockets but they don't always work right with a lot of my impact sockets. (3/8" drive mostly) And it was the impacts is what I wanted them for mainly.


And I also have one of the big square drawer inserts with holes for every size drive socket of both Metric and SAE.

Some guy just gave it to me at the flea mkt when I was looking at it. He said just take it! Was not happy with it and said it didn't work for him for every time he shut the drawer the sockets would all bounce loose. :confused2:

He recommended gluing strips of wood to bottom to increase the holding depth.

I don't use its just sitting on the shelf about my garage desk. :laughing:

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just keep mine in the carry case that they came in. I do have some spares that I just keep in a Tupperware container in one drawer of my tool cabinet. By keeping them in the carry case, I can just grab the carry case and I know I have all the sockets and ratchets that I need to do the job which is great when the job is not in the shop.
I tried those bars where the sockets snap in and I still have a couple in my home garage tool box which mostly contains a few wrenches and tools for fixing things that break or need attention in the house. I don't like the socket bars because it is impossible to get the sockets off when your hands are greasy and unless you pay attention when putting the socket back on, you sometimes cant read the size of the socket. With all the Cons about them, they are still a little better than just having the sockets thrown into a drawer loose.

 

[sleepybozo]

Take a piece of soft foam, as thick as the drawer is deep, and cut it just slightly bigger than the drawer. Put it in the drawer, arrange the tools on the foam as you want them, then start cutting holes with a very sharp knife or a razor blade. Socket sets can use one long tapered hole the the length of the set lined up side by side, the longer of the short sides would be slightly shorter then the biggest socket, the other end slightly shorter than the smallest socket. Wrenches just require just a slit the length of the wrench. The tools are held very securely, the foam will keep them in place even in the back of the truck on a rough road. It's obvious if any are missing or out of place. It's very customizable when you first set it up, not so much if you want to add tools. Best set up I've ever had.

 

[PeteinMilton]

I like these from Princess Auto in Canada
1/2 in. dr Metric Aluminum Socket Rail | Princess Auto
They have 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 this is just one example the rail is anodized aluminum Red for SAE??? Blue for metric?????

 

[Sawyer Rob]

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The ones I saw like that, were something like $19 bucks each...

I like the design, bit I think i'll just make some instead...as I'm long since sick of the ones I have now, that have little clips that hold each socket and slide on a rail.

SR

 

[montero1dfw]

These magnetic holders are great, and they are on sale. They have 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 available.

This Month Red Hot Deals at Vimtools

 

[newbury]

I've got many of the containers my sockets came in but I'm transitioning to used Zip Loc bags. SWMBO uses several size zip loc bags routinely for food storage and preparation. Some can be reused for food, like refilling oatmeal bags, but generally if the food has a sauce or is meat we consider it not worth it or safe washing for reuse. However my sockets don't care so we just rinse off the bags and I tend to use them for all my tools that don't puncture the bags.

On the aspect of labeling the sockets I've many different brands of sockets, some have a nice little black label, most just have the stamping. I've found that a quick spray of something to clean them, like a safe brake cleaner, then wipe on some white paint. It rubs off during use except where the stamping is.