Best Price for Hansen Tray Set
- Thread starter Bull
- Start date
I believe Tooltopia is about the cheapest around.
dodge610
Well-known member
Let me go out on a limb here HF has tray sets like that I know there not Hansen but they are the cheapest. Everyone likes to save a few dollars were they can.
dodge610
Well-known member
Hf has sets on sale for $7.99 should be able to use 20% off coupon on them on top of it. Just a thought.
Pep Boys has the Gearhead brand version that are cheap too, not sure if as low as HF though.
Did they ever fix the issue where the Bigger sockets wouldnt fit as you filled the Tray? I tried some of there Trays a couple years ago and as the Tray filled up there wasnt enough room for the bigger sizes to fit. I know they came out with a Newer stye since then, But i havent tried them. Personally i thought the Hansen trays would be Awesome... And if i didnt have to move them from Job to Job they probably are Great, I ended up selling mine.
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dodge610
Well-known member
I have 3 or 4 sets of them with no issues so far I dont have 2in. sockets on them just the standard sizes. Not sure how big you might have been going with.
Shipfittin
Well-known member
I have the HF versions, both metric and standard. I didn't have any problem filling mine, so they must have fixed it.
IRC, It was Standard sockets and Craftsman branded. Again.. This was a couple years ago and there where multiple threads on this same problem.
dodge610
Well-known member
Must of fixed the problem then as you said no issue any longer Thats what I have on mine craftsman and Matco.
purplezr2
Well-known member
If you need alot of them you can buy them at Northern Tool on line and use the 20 off 100 coupon. Not sure if they have a store near you. They sell them in two packs for 20 each.
Ed_EOD
Well-known member
Be careful with some of the cheaper ones. I have a 1/2 tray that won't close in one of my drawers without hitting (no idea of brand, but not Hansen). I got it free and was going to shave it down a few mm, but then I just tossed it and got a real Hansen.
JASTECH
Well-known member
I went with Hansen, Ernst and MTS. I won't do HF or the like. As many have stated they are real close looking to Hansen. Well you know China breaks the US Patend laws and don't give a hoot! So you are buying fogeries correct? The importers don't care and neither does HF, Lowes, Murdoch's ect. otherwise they would'nt be ordering them eh? My Dad and I just talked about this, I hadn't given it much thought before, but now I wonder what these stores that buy pat. infrenged stuff think about us? Our economy? Jobs for our kids? It seems as though they don't care about us, so why should we support them and buy the China stuff? Sorry for long thought guys but it was bothering me and you guys are good to talk to.
dodge610
Well-known member
Now that you put it that way guess I will get back to buying USA before I look back and say hindsight is 20/20 very good point Jastech.
Dave.. I might recommend just buying a couple and trying it out. Unless you know the size of Every fastener your gonna need during a Project i found them annoying.. They are appealing to the Eye while sitting in the Tool box but i found that moving them from site to site was iffy at best. I really like the SK Socket sets that come in the Plastic Green cases, I simply bring the Entire set with me and ive got everything i need.
Steve, I have my sockets in those gray plastic Craftsman organizers, with the holes cut out to place each socket in. It takes two drawers on my new Lista box to contain all my sockets. I reckon that with the Hansens, I'd only need one drawer. My garage isn't that big, so I'd just go to the drawer to get sockets rather than bringing the whole tray with me. I do have small carry-kits for mobile jobs.
But I just thought of something. The C-man organizers do have spaces for both 6 and 12pt for each socket. I'd actually need to buy two complete sets of Hansens to have both 6 and 12 pt, wouldn't I?
Steve, I have my sockets in those gray plastic Craftsman organizers, with the holes cut out to place each socket in. It takes two drawers on my new Lista box to contain all my sockets. I reckon that with the Hansens, I'd only need one drawer. My garage isn't that big, so I'd just go to the drawer to get sockets rather than bringing the whole tray with me. I do have small carry-kits for mobile jobs.
But I just thought of something. The C-man organizers do have spaces for both 6 and 12pt for each socket. I'd actually need to buy two complete sets of Hansens to have both 6 and 12 pt, wouldn't I?
I suppose if your comparing those Craftsman Drawer holders to the Hansen its a No Brainer, They take up alot of Real estate.
Super Sport
Well-known member
Make sure you want the trays before you spend the $$ on Hansens. I was considering it but after much consideration I like to be able to take a set of sockets out of my drawer at a time, and opted for rails instead. That way if I grab the wrong socket I don't have to go back over to the box.
Ernst makes some excellent rail systems, but you can also buy individual rails from just about anywhere. You also don't have to worry about having additional/not enough sockets to fill up the trays completely.
Ernst makes some excellent rail systems, but you can also buy individual rails from just about anywhere. You also don't have to worry about having additional/not enough sockets to fill up the trays completely.
I agree and its not political at this level its moral. I am pretty cheap but I do not see how the cost of the US made holders is cost prohibitive for anybody with a full set up of tools. I get how the new Snap-On tool boxes are for most people, I just do not get how spending $50 to 100 on holders for sockets is. I would never send $5 to 10K on a tool box. I guess everbody has to make up their own minds, I would just hope most people think out where and how they spend their money.
The moral issue I speak about is the patents and blantant disregard for our intellectual property.
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shampoop
Well-known member
I originally bought the HF trays, but quickly realized they were retarded and skipped many sizes, they also included sizes that were way too large for that particular drive size. I ended up giving them away and bought the hansen sets. Much better design with the numbers on top of the sticks, and all of the sizes are perfect. They're worth the extra money.
cderalow
Well-known member
I've got a slightly used set for sale in the classifieds.
I'm going the foam route soon so I do t need them.
I'm going the foam route soon so I do t need them.
I grew up hating socket rails. My dad had/gave as gifts C-man branded ones, I think. They seemed to bend easily, the retaining clips would fall off, you had to push hard to get a socket on, and pull hard to get one off. Perhaps advances have been made in rail technology?
I'll look at the Ernst rails that you mentioned.
Hansen trays sure do look nice in a drawer, all filled up, don't they?
PM sent!
dodge610
Well-known member
Bull I will second the ernst also I have some of there rails also seem to be very nice. And right with you on the craftsman branded ones mom use to get those for me and Dad at christmas. For stocking stuffers I also grew to hate those darn things.
Mr Ratchet
Well-known member
I bought my set about a year ago from Tooltopia through Amazon. I think they were just over $50.00 for the set. I love em and wish I had them years ago. My sockets have never been so organized. It also motivated me to fill in all the size gaps I had, that I have put off for years.
I also like them when doing projects. I just throw the whole rack or several of them in my cart so I have all the sizes I may need and less tips back to the box. Sometimes I just take a rack in one hand and place an extension or two in the middle and a ratchet or breaker bar in the other hand. I also like how fast it is to find the right size when I need a socket.
The Lowes and HF racks are not a patten infringement. They are different enough from the Hansen trays so that no laws are broken. Depending on the product, you need to have X amount of differences to avoid patten rights.
I also like them when doing projects. I just throw the whole rack or several of them in my cart so I have all the sizes I may need and less tips back to the box. Sometimes I just take a rack in one hand and place an extension or two in the middle and a ratchet or breaker bar in the other hand. I also like how fast it is to find the right size when I need a socket.
The Lowes and HF racks are not a patten infringement. They are different enough from the Hansen trays so that no laws are broken. Depending on the product, you need to have X amount of differences to avoid patten rights.
scott37300
Well-known member
I have a few sets of the HF ones and really like them. One set at work and two sets at home. For 7.99 minus twenty percentn for a set of 3 you just can't go wrong. I like to support USA when ever I can but for 60 bucks for 6 vs. about 12 bucks plus two free flashlights it really makes it tough.
I bought my first set of HF a few years back and I think I got the same ones Steven did. Sizes were skipped and didn't sockets didn't fit. Fast forward a few years and they had new designed ones. I bought a set and it didn't skip sizes and all the sockets fit.
I bought my first set of HF a few years back and I think I got the same ones Steven did. Sizes were skipped and didn't sockets didn't fit. Fast forward a few years and they had new designed ones. I bought a set and it didn't skip sizes and all the sockets fit.
Any chance for a pic of your set?
Although, I sort of don't want to be talked out of a USA purchase!
djkeev
Well-known member
I purchased the Hansen's for about $14.00 each. I then saw them at Sears for $11+ just last week.
I added a Kobalt tray on Friday for about $8.
I like the Hansen's better with the size on the top of each post.
If you want nice socket rails, go to Lowes an look at he Kobalt magnetic rails. Plastic clips, but quality, on a nice extruded aluminum rail an a very strong magnet.
My impacts in the photo are on the Kobalt units.
Dave
I added a Kobalt tray on Friday for about $8.
I like the Hansen's better with the size on the top of each post.
If you want nice socket rails, go to Lowes an look at he Kobalt magnetic rails. Plastic clips, but quality, on a nice extruded aluminum rail an a very strong magnet.
My impacts in the photo are on the Kobalt units.
Dave
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