How do you organize your sockets?

[meissen]

Curious what others have done. My dad took a piece of plywood, drilled holes in it, used wooden dowel pegs and made his own socket storage in the top area of his Craftsman toolbox but of course once that was done the lid wouldn't close. I grew up with that setup and now that I'm in my own house with my own toolbox I find myself deeply missing that type of organization. I bought a plastic socket holder off e-bay that has holes for each socket but I find it to be extremely lacking. No option for deep sockets or even 1/2" drive metric under 22mm.

So let's see your socket organization skills!

Here's the organizer I bought and don't recommend:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Socket-Organizer-/280476272075?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0#ht_500wt_878

 

[csp]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70809&highlight=socket+organizers

 

[09-JK]

Smallest to largest

 

[meissen]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70809&highlight=socket+organizers

Thanks - that's a great thread!

 

[Chadro]

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-sae-socket-tray-organizer-95595.html

AND

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-metric-socket-tray-organizer-95783.html

Or you can just get the .99 socket rails they sell. I don't care what anyone says, the HF socket organizers /trays are perfectly fine.

 

[csp]

I don't care what anyone says, the HF socket organizers /trays are perfectly fine if your sockets fit in the holes and you don't mind wasting a lot of drawer space.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[mrholeshot]

I mostly use rails

 

[Indy_500]

I use a mix of socket rails and trays

 

[Chadro]

Fixed it for ya.

lol, well you do have a point. My sockets always fit on the pegs but they are some big Mothers.

 

[blue dog]

this is how i do it.

 

[BigEd]

Organize???

 

[chopper1]

My go to sockets are on HF socket trays in the top section of my box. The 'extra's' are stored on rails.

 

[Elroy]

Curious what others have done.

So let's see your socket organization skills!

OK, Elroy likes his custom Stainless Steel Trays:

After seeing the custom built trays, Elroy started to Jones for some real socket trays. Took some measurements and sketched up a tray. Ran it out of 20 Ga. stainless on a Vipros 357 CNC during a production run at work.

These didn't come off the truck. They came off the Cincinnati Form Master.

Note there is some additional information at the above thread

 

[Simz144]

Like this, with plywood and wood dowel (1/4, 3/8. 1/2) a custom layout. Made This on like, 6 years ago. at 16 years old... realy love it.

 

[supertooljunkie]

I used socket rails for years, and still do. I did buy a few of the Hanson trays and like them. They are expensive. I have several of the HF trays and like them, but they are quite large, plus they skip so many sizes. I have been buying up any and all of the metal trays I find at pawnshops, etc.

 

[Fubar]

I don't...

 

[plinker]

1/4 drive: Gearwrench rails Hold sockets much better than steel rails w/ clips. Pricey but worth it. I may eventully upgrade 3/8 & 1/2 drive with these.

3/8 & 1/2 drive: metal rails w/ clips

3/4 drive: 2x6 with 11/16" dowel rods for pegs. This is not portable and stays at home anyway.

Everything else is in my portable box to go anywhere.

 

[nisreo]

I like they lay down holders myself, never have to worry if the sockets clear the drawers

 

[D9H 90V]

Socket rails all the way for me, when I buy a new set of sockets off the truck I have my dealer throw away the plastic storage tray and put them on a rail

 

[tellis84]

I use Hansen trays for 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 sockets, and Think they work well, the price was kinda high for a piece of plastic though. For my extensions and other oddball sockets i just put them on craftsman plastic rails.

 

[quattrojon]

OK, Elroy likes his custom Stainless Steel Trays:

Those are the nicest socket trays i've ever laid eyes on.

 

[jethro29]

rails are the only way i've ever stored them. they lay flat and you can just grab the whole set and take it with ya.

 

[Quint]

Craftsman trays for standard sockets
1 drawer has SAE, another drawer has metric. I love them because I'm a sucker for organization. Since 90% of my sockets are Cman, they fit nicely, and are all labeled.

Deep wells are on Craftsman handle strips (technical name? lol)
I'd post pics, but Photobucket is down right now.

 

[Quint]

Deep well drawer also has my impacts in the black boxes.

 

[nisreo]

had those for a while, then i was running out of room so i swapped to the snappy lay down magnet holders. Im pretty sure craftsman makes the same ones now though.

 

[speed bump]

I don't, they just get thrown in a box and I dig frantically when I need one.

 

[crewchief888]

i mainly use hansen at home, some sockets in the original blow molded boxes, some on steel rail & clips.

in my service truck most are still in the original metal trays, some in MTS, a few on metal rail & clips
1/4" dr set on a flat magnetic tray stored in another blowmolded box with ratchets & extentions
3/4"dr in a couple of acrobins in another compartment in the truck

 

[rayzor32]

I just keep them in the snap on plastic they came in... too cheap to buy holders.

 

[jaysonb]

Made these a few weeks ago. They hold the sockets well, and only cost a buck!

 

[alberto]

Made by you from wood base with wood dowels?

 

[tcianci]

I attached the rails right into the top of the box with steel stud framing screws. The screw heads sit into the rail and allow the clips to slide as needed.

 

[Indy_500]

I attached the rails right into the top of the box with steel stud framing screws. The screw heads sit into the rail and allow the clips to slide as needed.

i used to screw all my rails onto a chunk of plywood but i took them off since i change my layout once a week trying to find something that works best

 

[meissen]

Gotta love parents - my dad made me this awesome socket organizer tray.



Unfortunately my toolbox is only 9.5" deep by 19.5" wide so he couldn't fit 1/4 drive sockets in there.

 

[hydramatic]

I`m with tellis84...Hansen, it only costs a nickel more to go first class !!! look for them on e-bay, and Barter with the guy..you and 4 friends go in and get a load of them...they`ll come down on the price...

 

[Garage_Mahal]

The 17 inch Magna Tray from Mechanic's Time Saver is on sale all over the net.

I got mine for $18 plus shipping at Amazon. It has a very powerful magnet and big gripping handles. It's very easy to organize my odds and ends sockets that don't fit in my standard socket organizer. I could probably fit close to 100 3/8 sockets on it.

 

[meissen]

Wow nice! I just ordered one. Thanks for the tip!