Best socket and wrench holders?

[Bennylava]

Which is the best socket holder? Which is the best wrench holder? And is there a no slip lining that actually works? I have this to hold my sockets in place:

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-socket-organizer-set/p-00965172000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

I have that for standard and metric, each in its own drawer. But it does have its shortcomings. Not all of my sockets fit their allotted holes, and thus I need to dremel out a few holes to be bigger. There is no second hole for deep sockets for 1/4" metric, the numbers aren't painted, and I need to glue them down or affix them in some way to the bottom of the drawer, cause they have a tendency to grab onto a socket when you're picking it up. And boy does that ****. You may end up having to resort all the sockets back into their holes. ALL of them. I have to say though, I don't like those old style metal socket holders. They're kind of a pain, you have to take them out of the drawer, stare at the sockets for a bit to finally find the right size, and then take the whole thing in both hands and pry the required socket out of its death grip. I don't know who would want those things lol. I guess what I'm looking for is maximum convenience. Speed and ease of use.

So I was hoping someone here might know of some better ones, that come with those 4 issues that I have with the craftsmans, already addressed. I suppose I could just rig those up properly, but its actually going to be more work and effort than I want to put into it. Especially if some much better ones can be had for a reasonable price. As for wrench holders I don't have any. Which one/s would you recommend? It would be nice if they're easy to read, don't have to be taken out of the drawer, and stick well to the bottom. Also, be easy enough to get the wrenches out of them.

 

[63mothership]

Socket trays-hansen, kobalt or the hf trays
Wrenchs-ernest wrench grippers.

 

[Bennylava]

Any pics or links? It looks like some of the hansen ones aren't labeled.

 

[SierraDenizen]

Which is the best socket holder? Which is the best wrench holder? And is there a no slip lining that actually works? I have this to hold my sockets in place:

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-socket-organizer-set/p-00965172000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

I just pulled out all of these and donated them to a local charity thrift store. They wasted way too much space for me. I am going to give Westling machine a try:

http://westlingmachine.com/ToolHolders.html

A YouTube review:

 

[Banjorear]

I had the Kobalts but switched to Hansens. I like how the size is at the end of the stalk/holder v. at the base.

 

[lightning02]

I love the Hansens trays and have them. Only thing you need to watch for is some sockets won't fit over the long shaft bc the pass thru hole in the sockets are diff sizes depending on brand and whatnot. It doesn't happen offten. Maybe 3 or 4 of my sockets had that problem out of all of them.

I do wish they made other trays that went to bigger sizes as well.

 

[Fedwrench]

Hansen trays ****, waste space, and don't allow you to tailor the set to meet your needs.
Socket rails are the way to go. The best and most expensive are Vim's magrail tls. Their strong magnets won't move once attached to a drawer or cart.
Next favorite rails would be the wright branded red or blue plastic rails Epstein's sell. Available in different lengths with pegs in three drive sizes.
As for wrench holders, the Snap on KRA15A trim to fit rails work best for me. They have a lower profile than other holders and can be trimmed to fit most drawers.

 

[G-Ram]

I am going to give Westling machine a try:



http://westlingmachine.com/ToolHolders.html

I love my Westling Machine socket holders, have been in my work box going on 3 years now. As for wrench holders, I have the Ernst 5061's, 4 of them. Each hold 16 wrenches, don't move an inch when opening and closing the drawers, and easy to see/grab whatever wrench you need.

 

[Ty.]

I just pulled out all of these and donated them to a local charity thrift store. They wasted way too much space for me. I am going to give Westling machine a try:

http://westlingmachine.com/ToolHolders.html

A YouTube review:

I'm about to do the same thing. I like the fact I can quickly find what I need, but it's not worth the wasted space as is right now.

To people who have the westling machine trays, is it worth it to get the full set even though I don't need all of the 1/2 or 1/4 inch trays? Are you better off buying the full set with fee shipping, or just getting what you need to get by?

 

[bob15]

Any pics or links? It looks like some of the hansen ones aren't labeled.

Why do you need them labeled? As you use them, you will learn their sizes by just looking at them.

 

[bob15]

Best socket rails out there are these:

They have a spring loaded detent ball that is good enough to hold 1/2 drive sockets upside down and not fall off. SK, Wright and Craftsman all use/list them. Can be gotten from Harry Epstein.

 

[bob from indiana]

I have some Tekton plastic socket holders from Meijers that work well for me.

 

[normie]

+1 for HF trays, work as good as anything , and @ $10 bucks for 3 , hard to beat @ that price.

 

[1970W-30]

Good reading for sockets...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55535

 

[wvrailroader]

For wrenches, I use the Ernst grippers. You can see the wrench size, plus they have a nice handle on them so you can take the whole rack with you if you need to. They are made in many different sizes as well, so you don't end up with extra slots that waste space in your drawer.

 

[akhappy]

I use 2 of the Mechanics Time Saver 5 Row Lock a Socket trays.....same as Snap On BPSSTRYLAS, but half price

 

[Outlander]

Socket trays-hansen, kobalt or the hf trays
Wrenchs-ernest wrench grippers.

I need to conserve some space and was thinking about the wrench drawer. The Ernest ones look good, but in my unheated northern climate garage I would worry and breaking the plastic. Anyone have such experience?

 

[Tenex]

I like my tools to retain their mobility so I don't care for socket trays. I've invested in the Ernst twist-lock socket rails. My Wright wrenches are in the denim pouch they came in and I'm going to see if I can get my friend to create a few more for the Gearwrench sets.

 

[canuckian]

I had mostly Ernst, tried the Westling machine ones and found that they either had too many or not enough pegs and couldn't fit large sockets so I went back to mostly Ernst. I do like the Westling design and still have a couple sets of sockets on them. I also have a couple sers still in the snap on magnetic trays they were bought in. For wrenches it's mostly snap on plastic rails or ernst rails. I have a couple sets that I can grab and bring with me in the gripper style holders as well.

So, for me, I use whatever works in a particular application.

 

[rapid robert]

I need to conserve some space and was thinking about the wrench drawer. The Ernest ones look good, but in my unheated northern climate garage I would worry and breaking the plastic. Anyone have such experience?

No problem with the cold. I have had all of my wrenches in Ernst gripper racks in my unheated garage in upstate NY for a couple of years now...they stay flexible regardless of the temperature. They are great wrench holders and I would recommend them without hesitation.

 

[unslow1]

I have Hansen and a couple of knockoffs. I wish I'd done it years ago. I pitched the ones in the OP's first post. Those things were worthless to me. I also pitched the socket rails.

 

[wvrailroader]

I need to conserve some space and was thinking about the wrench drawer. The Ernest ones look good, but in my unheated northern climate garage I would worry and breaking the plastic. Anyone have such experience?

The plastic on the Ernst grippers is fairly soft. I used the Craftsman ones back when I had an unheated garage and they never broke and the Ernst ones feel a lot better made, so I don't imagine you will have a problem with them.

 

[Outlander]

No problem with the cold. I have had all of my wrenches in Ernst gripper racks in my unheated garage in upstate NY for a couple of years now...they stay flexible regardless of the temperature. They are great wrench holders and I would recommend them without hesitation.

The plastic on the Ernst grippers is fairly soft. I used the Craftsman ones back when I had an unheated garage and they never broke and the Ernst ones feel a lot better made, so I don't imagine you will have a problem with them.

Thanks! I'll stop comparing and start shopping.

 

[Agentwho]

I went threw a few rail and punch socket holders until I found the Lisle magnetic racks. Took a sharpie and marked the sizes beside each slot making it super easy to grab what I need. The magnets make the socket just click into their slot but past 1/4 I wouldn't dare trust them to hold the sockets on while being carried sideways.

Example
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002STSTY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

As for wrench racks I'm currently in love with the ERNST Manufacturing line. They have this rubbery plastic feel that is just flexible enough to hold the wrench firm but still durable and long lasting. I've had my tower for a couple of years now, use it everyday and minus a foot cap that went missing it is good as new. Prices aren't bad either.

Example
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SXIITUE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SLXM72W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007DOWL0I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

There are so many options out there, my best advice is to try out a couple of different styles until you find the one that works best for you.

 

[kythri]

Lowe's/Kobalt Hansen-style trays for the sockets, with Carlyle rails filling in for the leftover stuff.

Combination of Ernst 6014/6015 or Snap-on KRA15A/KRA22A rails for the wrenches.

Plyworx rack for pliers.

 

[Scout Driver]

Another vote for Ernst Gripper racks. Like others have stated, the cold doesn't bother them.

Scott

 

[Outlander]

I should have asked - do you guys prefer the GRIPPER or the rails? Not that I have a ton or wrenches, but I do have opportunity to store more efficiently.

 

[alpinewhite]

I don't use 80% of what I have on my socket trays. When I work on my Japanese cars, I grab the 10, 12, 14, 17, 19. When I wrench on my German car, I grab the 10, 13, 15, 17, 19. No other sizes get used. Once in a while I use the 8mm for nuts for the fuel pump connectors.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

For me:
- Westling socket trays
- Snap On KRA15A rails
- Harbor Freight solid liners (see below)


I aim for the highest density possible while still being able to easily identify and access everything, and for it all to stay put. I also don't like to use holders that 'grab' the tools unless it's for a mobile application. Here's what that looks like:
And here's the wrench drawer, though I haven't lined it with the HF liner yet:

 

[countryroad82]

As mentioned on post 24 I like the Liysle socket holders for my main set of sockets. I keep the rest on regular cheapie metal racks as most of those aren't used all that much.

For my wrenches it's a mix of wrench racks and holders that stay in the box.

 

[Bennylava]

As for wrench holders, the Snap on KRA15A trim to fit rails work best for me. They have a lower profile than other holders and can be trimmed to fit most drawers.

I like these. I could make my own little backing for them as well. Can you buy them from anywhere besides the snap on website? And how well do they hold on to the wrenches?

Why do you need them labeled? As you use them, you will learn their sizes by just looking at them.

I'm sure that's true but for now I think I just want to be able to read the size. I don't want there to be any consideration, just look at it and go. Maximum efficiency.

And thanks for the replies all, but looking at my options, I think I'll just be modifying my craftsmans. Silicon them down, sharpie or paint the raised sizes, drill bigger socket holes, and add socket holes that need to be there. They take up a lot of room, but they do what I need. I guess I was just hoping someone made a better version of what I already had. I like them somewhat spaced out and the labels on them easy to read. Pretty much all of the ones recommended here, cluster up the sockets to save space. In my case, that's just not what I'm looking for.

Unless maybe some other company makes a better version of these:

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-socket-organizer-set/p-00965172000P

If not, I may eventually use them as a template to make my own custom ones that are better.

 

[JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN]

I like Mechanics Time Saver socket organizers and Wrench Rack for wrench organizers. For big sets I like the wrench rails you stick down and cut to the desired length

 

[SierraDenizen]

As for wrench holders, the Snap on KRA15A trim to fit rails work best for me. They have a lower profile than other holders and can be trimmed to fit most drawers.

Fedwrench,
How do the KRA15A's stay in place in the drawer?

 

[kythri]

Fedwrench,
How do the KRA15A's stay in place in the drawer?

The KRA15A/KRA22A rails have adhesive backing.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

The KRA15A/KRA22A rails have adhesive backing.

They do, but it's hardly necessary. I left the adhesive covered. The weight of the wrenches holds them in place. I don't want to stick them down and then not be able to move them a little bit if the need arises. If you use the HF liners, they will eventually stick to the liner, which sticks to the drawer because it's so grippy.

Sent via homing pigeon using methamphetamines

 

[rodsnratfinks]

I like these. I could make my own little backing for them as well. Can you buy them from anywhere besides the snap on website? And how well do they hold on to the wrenches?



I'm sure that's true but for now I think I just want to be able to read the size. I don't want there to be any consideration, just look at it and go. Maximum efficiency.

And thanks for the replies all, but looking at my options, I think I'll just be modifying my craftsmans. Silicon them down, sharpie or paint the raised sizes, drill bigger socket holes, and add socket holes that need to be there. They take up a lot of room, but they do what I need. I guess I was just hoping someone made a better version of what I already had. I like them somewhat spaced out and the labels on them easy to read. Pretty much all of the ones recommended here, cluster up the sockets to save space. In my case, that's just not what I'm looking for.

Unless maybe some other company makes a better version of these:

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-socket-organizer-set/p-00965172000P

If not, I may eventually use them as a template to make my own custom ones that are better.

Why waste so much space, though? The craftsman trays don't do any one thing well.
They are not compact.
They do not retain well.
They are not durable.

Also, not having the trays marked doesn't slow you down any, ask any seasoned wrench.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I need to conserve some space and was thinking about the wrench drawer. The Ernest ones look good, but in my unheated northern climate garage I would worry and breaking the plastic. Anyone have such experience?

I have had no problems, only one that broke I'm not 100% sure was Ernest (it was an old SK rack that was similar but the plastic has hardened).

 

[senlow]

They do, but it's hardly necessary. I left the adhesive covered. The weight of the wrenches holds them in place. I don't want to stick them down and then not be able to move them a little bit if the need arises. If you use the HF liners, they will eventually stick to the liner, which sticks to the drawer because it's so grippy.

Sent via homing pigeon using methamphetamines

Agreed. The weight of the wrenches holds the rails in place quite well. I like to remove the PSA foam tape on the bottom of these rails. This way, the rails sit a touch lower in the drawer and the cover for the adhesive is a bit slippery.

 

[Ruahrc]

I saw some reviews on the Westling machine socket trays and picked them up. I think they are great my only complaint is it can be a little hard to pick up a full tray as it is a little heavy and there is no good way to grab them (I have had some success with just grabbing the sockets on one end and squeezing them together so that they don't come off the pegs and then I can lift the tray up and get my hand under the bottom to pick it up). Also the 3/8" metric tray is really long and does not fit in my tool drawer parallel to the drawer motion (the most stable configuration) as it is too shallow. Nevertheless I have no stability issues with the tray parallel to the drawer face.

Also it seems like there are better options out there if you are looking for maximum density. But IMHO too dense makes it hard to access the sockets, I think the westling machine are a good compromise.

For wrench holders I don't have any right now, I don't have a lot of tools compared to the amount of tool storage I have so I Just lay them flat on the drawer bottom. I bought a big roll of that Nu-Force toolbox liner (you can find some threads here about it, supposedly very similar to the OEM SO KRL liner) and it works very well to hold all my tools in place. It was night-and-day better than the default liners I got with my HF tool box and cart. Even the small wrenches like 6mm do not slide *at all* when slamming the drawer shut much harder than I would ever do normally. I put my wrenches pretty close to each other to fit them all in, only a couple mm between them at most, and there is no sliding/clanging of the wrenches whatsoever when I close/open the drawers. Really quite impressed with the liner and unless I run out of room and need to increase storage density, I don't see the need for a purpose-made wrench holder.

Ruahrc

 

[tremek]

I think they are great my only complaint is it can be a little hard to pick up a full tray as it is a little heavy and there is no good way to grab them (I have had some success with just grabbing the sockets on one end and squeezing them together so that they don't come off the pegs and then I can lift the tray up and get my hand under the bottom to pick it up).

in this video at 4:58 he shows you an easyway