Best socket organizer. Ideas?

[n8n]

For socket rails I like the Craftsman plastic ones. I suspect that Ernst may be the same but I have two different Sears very close by so never tried them. I do not like the Harbor Freight ones, yeah they are cheaper but the studs don't hold the sockets as securely, plus Sears sells extra studs (which you desperately need with those things.)

For trays, have a look at this thread. This may be my next tool related but non tool purchase.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=242666

I've used both Hansen and Harbor Freight and both are OK however it looks like these are sturdier than either, and I also like the shorter posts for the deep sockets - I've experienced the exact issue that the reviewer was referring to about not being able to put the socket trays in the very back of a drawer before; also splitting the larger sizes into two trays makes organizing much more flexible and transferring to a cart etc. easier with less chance of dropping sockets.

 

[jdmstr]

Hansen trays are my tray of choice

 

[Monte]

 

[john w]

Magrail TL. I got mine from Tool Source.com. They're expensive initially, but they can be configured any which way you want. The magnets are really good at holding the sockets on, even upside down, but it's not hard to get the sockets off. Previously I used the Lisle magnetic trays, but found them to be not versatile enough - they hold only so many sockets and only up to a certain diameter. The Magrails come in 2 colors, red and blue - I use red for metrics and blue for the SAE's. Because of the price, I bought just a few to start with. After I got them, I knew they were right for me. Good luck!

 

[Alex in Canada]

For those in Canada, you can get cheap "Hansen" trays at Princess Auto. They sometimes go on sale for 60% off or so.

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Storage-Systems/1-4-in-dr-Metric-Socket-Holder/8272817.p

Fun Fact: When looking at a 2004 PA catalog, I found that they used to stock genuine Hansen Trays. Nowadays, their Hansen copies cannot be shipped outside of Canada

 

[Deception]

I use Hansen trays for all my regular sockets, all my SK's fit fine on them. I love them.

 

[sberry]

I like the pegs above,,, would fill it in with a lot but its a good idea.

I been working on a scheme, needs a couple minor tweaks but its one of those things where it worked so good really havnt fine tuned the last details. I seen most of it and this is so super easy to use a new hand cant miss. Toss back pickup, doesn't have to be fussy, get the right size. I marked the 13 mm and the 10's and eventually want to grind a little chrome and finish the color scheme.
I can explain how it works to a journeyman in a min. If it aint there you likely don't need it in this bay. If we are short on another cart its likely here.

 

[SkidooRider15]

HF's version of the Hansen trays --> http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-metric-socket-trayorganizer-68102.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-sae-socket-trayorganizer-68100.html

This is a good setup for a home/weekend warrior. Wanted to bring to the top for new comers looking to organize their box, like myself.

 

[LUKE221]

I use the harbor freight plastic rails and i cut them down and melt the end with a torch. Cheap crude but works

 

[LUKE221]

I also love the metal rails with the spring loaded socket holders from the Snap on truck but at 20 a pop ouch!!

 

[LordPsychon]

What I use is from Lowe's and unfortunately I can't seem to find it on their website. It looks similar to their aluminum magnetic rails but colored red and has one 1/4" rail, 2 3/8" rails, and 1 1/2" rail. I got two of them on special for $22.86 but I know the retail is around $25. These work really well - I keep a set in my car for emergencies and despite bumps and turns no sockets have popped off.

 

[michiganman18]

I like hansens trays/rails

 

[ChrisPace]

As an option, look at foamfittools.com. Love the stuff

 

[walkingdrunken]

As an option, look at foamfittools.com. Love the stuff

YES. ChrisPace. you've got it. I'm ordering 1 for my regular 6 & 12 point sockets and if I like it I'll get a custom one made for all of my impacts. So clean. so organized.

 

[02camaro86]

Hanson, easily my favorite. i dont like the steal rails unless im going out, i hate having to fight to get my socket off. i do have a nice sunex impact set in a blow mold case, i took the lid off and laid it in the drawer and it i love how easy it is to access things

 

[RiverRider]

Here are a couple of shots of what I've done in the last couple of days. I don't have or need near as many tools as lots of you other guys, I'm not a pro (but I'll probably end up with a little more than this before I'm through replacing what was stolen from me a couple of months ago).

I bought the FreeZone stuff from Lee Valley. Since my tool box drawers are not so large, I used thee of the tool boards and cut three-inch widths off of one to fill the drawer.

I'm not sure I will stay with the way things are arranged here, but I like this organization system. It's flexible and makes good use of space.

Metric stuff on the left, SAE on the right. All the 1/2" drive stuff is toward the front, 3/8" in the middle, and 1/4" is toward the back.

 

[TheModelAGuy]

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=71906&cat=1,43326
I had not heard of the Lee Valley tool organizer, here is a link.
Nice looking, any feed back on how it holds up?

 

[RiverRider]

Why sure. When I was a kid they used to say they could put me in a room with a steel ball and a rubber hammer for half an hour and there'd be nothing unbroken.

It held up long enough for me to do all the necessary fiddling to get it set up and into my box. It's gotta be at least somewhat durable.

 

[fearthebeard]

Mechanics time savers lock a socket trays! Best orginazation tool known to man. Have had the hf rails cm rails hansen socket trays and all the knock offs. Lock a socket trays are the cats meow. Theyre not cheap but worth every penny. For an auto mechanic you can put all of your relevant sockets on one tray

 

[Tejaas]

Another vote for the Westling trays.


~Tejaas~

 

[mrborohachi]

Those look like the Kobalt socket boards. I love them I only keep the sockets that I use on the rails so their limited space doesn't bother me.

Organized my sockets yesterday.

 

[Dookie2122]

Like the Lee Valley boards, just wish the clips weren't so expensive...I use the boards for 1/4" bits and they work great. Nice box and set-up.

 

[firworks]

Harbor Freight has a 3 piece socket rail that I use.... best bang for the buck. Only downside is that they kinda need to be secured down...I've heard others say they don't so your milage may very.

A pic of them in action.....

I really like the feel of those HF plastic socket trays, but I can't buy them... I went through every box in my local HF and they all had many with the ball bearing fallen out. I would have bought a few sets but not one of them was intact.

 

[Dookie2122]

I use the HF 3 Piece Socket Rail sets screwed down to a 36" board, fits perfectly in top drawer of my HF 44" cabinet, and the price is minimal.

 

[Juan A]

This is how I have my sockets organized at work. As you can see, there are several methods all being used at the same time, but my favorite is the Bluepoint tray that twist locks the sockets in place.

 

[sberry]

I thrive on duplication. I have some specialty stuff but don't need to give 300 sockets a free ride in a drawer every time I need something common, same for wrenches. I use a dozen sockets 95% of the time.
Same for odd wrenches, used a tubing wrench once last week and common combos 100 times. I don't want to shove 40# of **** back and forth every time I use a 1/2 or 9/16.

 

[dragrcr890]

Funny, I have Hansen trays in my box. I like the rails in the above posts by Mrborohachi with the red empty spaces. what kind of rails are those? I cant really tell. Side note: I drag race with Hansen. He lives in florida but travels to the Midwest sometimes. Nice guy, good racer and always has nice stuff I wondered why