Can a shade tree mechanic have TOO MANY SOCKETS ?!!

[theoldwizard1]

I have always kept my chrome sockets in the top of "upper box". 1/2" and 3/8" drive SAE and Metric, standard and deep. No real room for ratchets and extensions !

I finally admitted to myself, the days of me doing any repairs that require 1/2" drive have passed (or are far and few between). I moved all of the 1/2" drive stuff to the back of my impact drawer in the bottom cabinet. Now that drawer is FULL ! In addition to 1/2" and 3/8" drive SAE and Metric, standard and deep impact sockets I also have my over sized (1" to 1-1/2") chrome sockets and a few large "axle nut" impact sockets.


Newbies, skip the 1/2" drive stuff unless you plan on working on 1/2 to 1 ton pickups. You just don't need it, except for lug nuts !

Oh, and don't waste your money on 3/8" impacts unless you are going to get one of those Milwaukee super stubby impacts ! Chrome is fine.

 

[KBigg]

I feel the same as a self proclaimed shade tree. But on the other hand id rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Sometimes bolts get seized and I prefer not to break a ratchet or socket if I can prevent it. My trust hf breaker bar has been called for duty more than once.

 

[sberry]

They don't need to spend big money but 1/2 sockets are part of most decent tool sets. I would feel less than manly without them, a ratchet and breaker bar.

 

[Jtels85]

I don’t know how big some of you guys are, but 1/2” chrome 6 point are a necessity for me. I’m 5’8 and 160 lbs. and don’t have a lot of upper body strength due to my size. I often times need to reach for a 1/2” chrome socket and a breaker bar when working on a car because a 3/8” drive socket or a wrench don’t cut it.

 

[DFB]

Its been said many times lately that a set of impacts will cover the base needs of 1/2 drive for a lot of people.

I have full sets of most everything from 1/4" to 1/2" shallow and deep both 6 pt and 12pt in chrome except for 6pt 1/2" drive deep where I have always only had impact grade.

Also have a series of x large 6pt sockets both MM and SAE in a mix of chrome and impact, shallow and deeps and drives sizes of both 3/4" and 1/2"

There is no uniform consensus to what an individual needs

All depends what you work on really.

Probably MY least use stuff is 1/4" drive go figure hey

For some others its their go to

 

[Seanny]

“Can a shade tree mechanic have too many sockets ?!!”

-Nope

Disclaimer: pretty sure I have some kind of tool fetish


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[BDT/NWMN]

Hedge or bush mechanics may not need 1/2" drive, but shade tree mechanics should not be without them.

But, some would be better classified as hoarders, rather than mechanics.

 

[bonneyman]

You only need as many tools as the job at hand requires!

Of course nobody knows what job will land in their hand next.

 

[KBigg]

Disclaimer: pretty sure I have some kind of tool fetish


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Wait.. I thought thats why we were here....

 

[CJM8515]

I use 1/2" drive all the time, Im not sure how you couldnt need it. SAE might as well be worthless however.

 

[Farmall450]

"Too many tools" is a social construct.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I use 3/8 drive the most followed by 1/2. I could probably do without a 1/4 drive set. My 3/8 does down to 1/4 and 6 mm.

I was tightening down head bolts a on 466 Deere and cracked a socket. I grabbed an impact socket and realized it was too thick to reach a few bolts. Luckily I had a spare 13/16 chrome socket with me and didn't have to leave where I was working to track down another socket.

 

[speed bump]

I would probably skip 1/2" chrome sockets but I use 1/2" drive pretty regularly on cars

I cracked enough chrome 3/8" sockets on my 3/8" battery impact that I almost never grab 3/8 chrome sockets unless I don't have the impact handy.

Just be honest about what your needs are and don't buy everything just because you think you will need it when all you do is change oil and tighten bolts on your lawn mower.

 

[PFSard]

No. Yes. Is this a trick question?

 

[CR888]

While I could do 95% of the stuff I do with about 50 sockets, I have over 900 & still could do with some more to be complete. I hate it when you run into a situation when your not armed with the right tool. Besides, there are so many specialty sockets like swivel, impact swivel, crows, deep, short, medium, 6/12pt, impact, chrome, and while you don't need 'everything' in every drive size its perfectly reasonable to have 1/4"-3/4" drive sizes to be well covered. Then there is all the accessories, adapters, extensions in both chrome & impact in standard, locking & swivel. Universals, breaker bars in multiple lengths in each drive size. Then ratchets in flex, roto, short, long, spark plug handle, comfort grip....the list goes on. There is sooo much stuff to get you will go insane if you don't have a plan on when/where to stop. And then there is the problem of having doubles from buying sets that include accessories. Of my roughly 1000 sockets I could drop 250 of them without loosing capability. I try now to only buy higher end hand tools when good deals pop up.

 

[rmsg0040]

I don’t know how big some of you guys are, but 1/2” chrome 6 point are a necessity for me. I’m 5’8 and 160 lbs. and don’t have a lot of upper body strength due to my size. I often times need to reach for a 1/2” chrome socket and a breaker bar when working on a car because a 3/8” drive socket or a wrench don’t cut it.

5'8 155 lbs here, its time to start putting in some work, a punching bag will turn you into a beast with time

 

[theoldwizard1]

My trusted HF breaker bar has been called for duty more than once.

I bought one last year. Better than the old water pipe on a smaller breaker bar !

 

[kb1982]

I could most absolutely do without my 1/2" chrome sockets because of the impact set i have. But back in the day, i didnt have a nice air compressor, and cordless impacts were not available. Therefore, chrome and a long breaker bar was the go to.

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[theoldwizard1]

They don't need to spend big money but 1/2" sockets are part of most decent tool sets. I would feel less than manly without them, a ratchet and breaker bar.

I must be low on testosterone. I feel no need, nor do I see one in the rest of my lifetime (remember, I am older than most of you guys) !

 

[shadetreeokie]

5'8 155 lbs here, its time to start putting in some work, a punching bag will turn you into a beast with time

No replacement for displacement lol

 

[General Geoff]

Newbies, skip the 1/2" drive stuff unless you plan on working on 1/2 to 1 ton pickups. You just don't need it, except for lug nuts !

1/2" drive is essential. Doubly so in the rust belt.

 

[PelicanPines]

Yea... can't happen.

Oh... most of my sockets are 1/2" and 1/4"... only a basic set of 3/8"

Oh... yea wrenches... I'm a collector... I have a serious wrench problem.

 

[Professional Tool User]

It depends on what you work on, but for larger vehicles, some of them have bigger fastener sizes than 19mm for stuff like suspension parts. Most 3/8 socket sets don't get you past 19mm and you also still need to remove lug nuts. Not to mention there aren't that many options for a decently long 3/8 dr breaker bar.

 

[Jtels85]

5'8 155 lbs here, its time to start putting in some work, a punching bag will turn you into a beast with time

I run 3-5 miles a day... more of a cardio guy. Living in an apartment for right now, I have nowhere to put a punching bag.

 

[derosa]

I don't have the space for an air compressor and don't really feel the need for one so I like my 1/2 chrome sockets and still have a need for them. Couple of 32mm axle nuts recently but easy to crack loose with a 1/2 chrome and breaker bar and a 5' extension that still required more pushing then I would have thought.
Learned today I actually don't have enough, had to put together a complete set of 3/8 SAE sockets for the wife and couldn't actually do so, what I gave her was a mix as well of old and new, 6 and 12 pt which means I must be missing some but no clue where. So I guess I need to buy more.

 

[MTNSleder]

Oh, and don't waste your money on 3/8" impacts unless you are going to get one of those Milwaukee super stubby impacts ! Chrome is fine.

I thought the same thing with my Milwaukee 3/8 impact I’ll just use the chrome sockets, until I started to destroy my 3/8 chrome sockets. so I bought 3/8 impact sockets, you definitely need impact sockets on the Milwaukee impacts

 

[Handyandy23]

I'm part of the "smaller man club" too, and I use 1/2" stuff as much or more than 3/8. I'll make it as easy as I possibly can on myself by using the longest breaker I can get away with.

That said though I agree there's very little need for both chrome and impact in 1/2 - I just keep impact in the top cabinet.

I'll also second the dwindling usefulness of SAE sizes. As I add more useful sockets and wrenches I've found I'm moving SAE stuff out of my main drawers. Pretty soon I think I'll move them to some kind of secondary box altogether.

 

[BigBoreFan]

I don't use 1/2 a lot, but I do use it. 1/2 Chrome is fine for my needs. 1/4 is my go to. I could really skip 3/8 it seems.

 

[Tallpilot]

I am mostly through building out my 3/4” drive set. What’s this about not needing 1/2”??

 

[General Geoff]

I don't use 1/2 a lot, but I do use it. 1/2 Chrome is fine for my needs. 1/4 is my go to. I could really skip 3/8 it seems.

Most of the times that I use 3/8" drive are for specialty sockets like oil filter or spark plug sockets that only come in 3/8" drive.

 

[Magnum440d100]

As a “shade tree” myself, I have about 6 well stocked tool boxes of duplicate tools. Yes. 6 (six). Mostly sockets.

I have my main box that has ALL my sockets including specialty sockets, specialty tools, etc.

Then I have my road box for each vehicle I drive. My 72 d100 and 73 mark IV have a dedicated box each with tools for the most common repairs.

My 73 dodge power wagon is getting stocked with quite a bit larger selection of tools, ESPECIALLY 1/2” drive sockets. I’ve had to rebuild hubs before, and do other miscellaneous trailside repairs, so I want ALL tools available. 4x4 doesn’t mean you won’t get stuck. It just means if you get stuck or break down, it’s a longer walk out! Haha

I also have 2 boxes in my shop. One was my dads and one was my Grampa’s. Each is stocked with plenty of tools and sockets. Those don’t get used much, but if I’m in the shop doing repairs versus outside where my main box is, the either I use my Grampa’s tools or my dads tools. Whichever is easier at the time.

I do have 2 other boxes, but those don’t really count. One is my junkyard box and the other is stuff for sale...

If I had to wager, I’d bet I have at LEAST 10+ duplicates of most common socket sizes....

 

[Magnum440d100]

I use 1/2" drive all the time, Im not sure how you couldnt need it. SAE might as well be worthless however.

Depends on who you ask. Myself, I have vehicles that are pure SAE. 1968 dodge, 1972 dodge, 1973 dodge (x2), 1973 Lincoln.... So for ME, SAE is a must at home.

That being said, I DO have a 1997 Suzuki ls650 and a 2006 dodge magnum RT, so metrics do come in handy.

As for the vehicles I work on and sell, 99.9% are import, so yeah, in that sense, metrics are a necessity.

 

[unslow1]

I definitely have too many sockets. Many years I went with not enough, not correct or poor quality. Now that really isn't a problem very often. The space they take up is now the primary problem.

 

[CR888]

Nowadays pretty decent designed and made Taiwan sockets & hand tools can be had for such cheap prices compared of what it cost a 10+ years ago. A home tool chest can be better than ever with sockets/hand tools that could be used professionally for a small fraction of the cost of times past. I find it almost funny when folks use a magnifying glass to check perfect chrome & broaching and a rack of sockets they paid less money for than they would spend on a takeaway lunch....and expect the product to be warrantied for life with easy/convenient warranty replacement! Once upon a time you paid dearly for that privilege.

 

[CJM8515]

Depends on who you ask. Myself, I have vehicles that are pure SAE. 1968 dodge, 1972 dodge, 1973 dodge (x2), 1973 Lincoln.... So for ME, SAE is a must at home.



That being said, I DO have a 1997 Suzuki ls650 and a 2006 dodge magnum RT, so metrics do come in handy.



As for the vehicles I work on and sell, 99.9% are import, so yeah, in that sense, metrics are a necessity.

Indeed depends on what you are working on. I haven’t grabbed an SAE tool for anything in ages really

 

[GTO]

I hate these "too many " threads....of course you can never have too many of any tool.

 

[bonneyman]

I run 3-5 miles a day... more of a cardio guy. Living in an apartment for right now, I have nowhere to put a punching bag.

Just get a roommate!

 

[GirchyGirchy]

Skip 1/2" drive - huh? I use mine all the time for brakes, suspension, etc.

 

[CGT80]

Metric is just about useless for me and as another guy at 160lbs and 5'7" I will use my long cman flex head 1/2" ratchet to break loose the bigger fasteners or those in an awkward place. Caliper bolts on my 79 c20 truck and 88 K5 are good candidates for that. I do work in the construction trades but health conditions limit how hard I can push my body, and I don't need to add more wear and tear unnecessarily as I'm not young any more but not yet old either. Most 1/2" use is with my impact sockets, even on a ratchet as they are all deep. A usa made cman set goes to just over an inch and tekton sockets get me up to at least 1.5" with all the sizes covered. Many of my sockets are ac delco from a set my grandfather bought me 20 years ago. They are made in Taiwan and every bit as good as my usa cman sets that I have in 1/4 drive. Actually, on the delco 1/4 sockets they didn't form the notch to keep the sockets from falling off the extensions or ratchet, so I use Cman.

The 3/8 non fuel Milwaukee ratchet is great and a 3/8 12v impact is on my wish list, vit my IR 2135 ti gets the job done.

I don't need the most expensive tools, but they have to be quality, comfortable to use, and I must have the right tool for the job. My tools stay well organized and in very good condition. I'm ocd in a number of ways and also like to work efficiently.

Different strokes for different folks!

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[toddmorr]

agree with OP. I work on passenger cars and really only need a few of the smaller 1/2 guys. Would have been smarter to just buy some singletons.