DIY Wood Socket Tray

[hancock1701]

I recently saw a post in a tool box organization thread for sockets, and someone used a wood tray. So I decided to do the same thing with wood boards and forstner drill bits. I'm sorry I don't remember the name, but if that's you, the credit belongs to you [emoji1] . I used SketchUp to lay out and arrange the holes. Sockets are arranged into 1/2, 3/8, 1/4, and 1/2 impact, all metric. Here are the pics.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Would it have been easier to make a Hansen style tray with wood dial rods as pegs instead of the Fostner bit holes?

 

[hancock1701]

Maybe. I thought about it too. But I wasn't sure how to get all different sizes of rods for all 3 drive sizes. Or I could just use one size, but the bigger drive size sockets might wobble around too much. And then I'll kinda have to drill and install the pegs for every hole too.

 

[UserNameAttempt3]

I like this idea better than rods. Rods can possibly break. Looks very nice! YOu going to stain and seal them now?

 

[rapid robert]

Looks great!

 

[rslaback]

Here are some that I made for the school shop I used to teach at. I wanted to have a tray for 2 shallow and a deep for every size that we had. I used pegs on the drive side and there is no way they were getting broken off. You are seeing them after 8 years of shop use. A few years later I made some similar holders for impacts and specialty sets.

 

[MikeF2316]

Here are some that I made for the school shop I used to teach at. I wanted to have a tray for 2 shallow and a deep for every size that we had. I used pegs on the drive side and there is no way they were getting broken off. You are seeing them after 8 years of shop use. A few years later I made some similar holders for impacts and specialty sets.

How do you keep the wood so clean?

 

[srmofo]

Maybe. I thought about it too. But I wasn't sure how to get all different sizes of rods for all 3 drive sizes. Or I could just use one size, but the bigger drive size sockets might wobble around too much. And then I'll kinda have to drill and install the pegs for every hole too.

Lol, the size rods you need are 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2

 

[hancock1701]

Lol, the size rods you need are 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2

Thank you, captain obvious! What I meant was that maybe it would be hard to find readily-available rods with those sizes. But I just check online after you mentioned it, and I think Home Depot has them in their trim and moulding section, so now I know!

 

[hancock1701]

Would it have been easier to make a Hansen style tray with wood dial rods as pegs instead of the Fostner bit holes?

Another reason I went with the drilled holes is that either those Craftsman 1/2 are unreasonably tall, or my top drawer is not deep enough, so those 1/2 in. sockets sitting on 3/4 in. wouldn't fit.

 

[XxToolAholicxX]

Looks really nice... You did a good job and I like this better then the pegs... Thax for sharing.....
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I am a ToolAholic, Sometimes I regret it, Especially when the Toolman wont give me no credit....

 

[zr1nsx]

The wood socket trays do look nice, and I too have made some of these. I will add one bit of information. The wood I used did have some small percentage of moisture embedded in it and it caused some minor rust on the tools stored in them. Easy fix however. I simply put a coat of clean oil and rubbed it in. This small amount of moisture won't affect a chrome plated socket, but the black oxided impact sockets will rust.

 

[rslaback]

How do you keep the wood so clean?

Taught the kids to wipe down filthy tools before putting them back. We never really touched the wood with our hands when using them. The racks stayed on/in the cart in the tool crib.

 

[gi bro]

I just reviewed the hf plastic trays, but these homemade wood ones are awesome. Do you plan on making socket labels or pegs?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VJ1Ory3xNjs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[d.mcfarland]

Lol, the size rods you need are 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2

Never going to work. The rod will not make it through the socket like the Hansen style trays.

 

[nine4gmc]

Never going to work. The rod will not make it through the socket like the Hansen style trays.

Tell that to rslaback, did you see post #6?

 

[MikeF2316]

Taught the kids to wipe down filthy tools before putting them back. We never really touched the wood with our hands when using them. The racks stayed on/in the cart in the tool crib.

Impressive. Unused 2x4s in my storage rack don't stay that clean.

 

[hancock1701]

I like this idea better than rods. Rods can possibly break. Looks very nice! YOu going to stain and seal them now?

Didn't think about it, but that's a good idea.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Never going to work. The rod will not make it through the socket like the Hansen style trays.

Tell that to rslaback, did you see post #6?

"like the Hansen style trays" .... meaning through the entire socket out the top. His are like the Westling Machine trays, basically replicating the drive end of a tool. The Hansen style is a peg going through the entire socket to prevent tipping over.

 

[rslaback]

"like the Hansen style trays" .... meaning through the entire socket out the top. His are like the Westling Machine trays, basically replicating the drive end of a tool. The Hansen style is a peg going through the entire socket to prevent tipping over.

To be honest I never really understood the point of the Hansen trays inverting the sockets like that. A dowel of the right diameter and a depth which fills nearly the entire cavity makes it pretty hard to get these to fall over. If you were putting them in a service truck bouncing through a field then sure. But for normal use a peg is plenty sufficient in my opinion.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Pics to explain Hansen style.

All 1/4 drive. Metric on one side and SAE on the other.

 

[MikeF2316]

To be honest I never really understood the point of the Hansen trays inverting the sockets like that. A dowel of the right diameter and a depth which fills nearly the entire cavity makes it pretty hard to get these to fall over. If you were putting them in a service truck bouncing through a field then sure. But for normal use a peg is plenty sufficient in my opinion.

The peg sticks out the top of the Hansen style, with the socket size on the top of the peg. Makes it easy to grab the correct one. This feature is less necessary for the guys grabbing their sockets all day, every day.

 

[gi bro]

Oh I see, really smart design

 

[doan]

I think my post was the one the op referred too. I like drilling the holes that the socket fits into because it is very obvious that the socket is in the right location.