Does this socket organizer exist?

[rslaback]

I just bought a couple sets of 3/8 drive swivel impact shallow sockets. They came in nice cases but I am more of an open organizer kind of guy. I'm searching for an organizer that has fixed spacing, grabs the sockets by the drive end since they are not hollow, and has only a single row of pegs. I really don't want to resort to a 3/8 adjustable rail as my OCD can't handle the sliding spacing.

Something like the Harbor freight units but only the front half.

 

[iamrfixit]

I just bought a couple sets of 3/8 drive swivel impact shallow sockets. They came in nice cases but I am more of an open organizer kind of guy. I'm searching for an organizer that has fixed spacing, grabs the sockets by the drive end since they are not hollow, and has only a single row of pegs. I really don't want to resort to a 3/8 adjustable rail as my OCD can't handle the sliding spacing.

Something like the Harbor freight units but only the front half.

Do you need socket retention?

If you don't, the Westling machine trays work great for organizing sockets in your box. Not so much if you want to throw a whole set in a go bag though. They're 100% billet aluminum, you can get them with or without size markings. The billet pins hold sockets great in the drawer, sockets stay put opening and closing drawers or rolling the box around. You can move filled trays, but the sockets simply set down over the pins and are only held by gravity. They offer numerous configurations and colors.

 

[shawhite]

Single row of pegs I think you are going to be limited to a rail of sorts. Maybe look at the vim magrails or the mts lockasocket rails.

 

[RPH]

Look at Tekton. It appears these can met spec.

 

[jonshonda]

I just had a dumb idea. Could you just buy bolts in the sizes you need, drill holes into a block of wood or even into an existing organizer. Mount the bolt to the organizer some how, and boom. Instant win!

 

[PCMusicGuy]

I don't believe anything like you want exists in the market. If you are really sure about it, you could always get someone to model/3d print exactly what you want.

 

[ecotec]

Or... you can just cut the tops off the pegs where they go from square to round.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Mechanics time savers makes a holder for them

 

[JradM]

Just FYI the Ernst rails (which are rebranded as Tekton) have grooved rails, so the sockets don't easily slide along it (i.e. its not hard, but takes intentional effort). Not sure if that's sufficient for your OCD though.

Alternatively, Triton makes really nice magnetic post rails.

 

[rslaback]

Now that I think about it, will a standard organizer even work? The sockets are a bit chonky in the swivel. I don't think any holder other than an adjustable or purpose built is going to account for the extra girth on the small sizes.

 

[mike93lx]

The center to center measurements for the pins on the HF tray measure 11/16 at the small end up to 1-1/16 at the big end. It's about 7/8 midway.

 

[ecotec]

My bad. I somehow missed that you need a tray for impact swivels.

 

[ecotec]

I wish that I had a real solution.

I use those 1990’s clip together strips with a peg for each socket. It took me 20 years to find the few strips that I have... I would buy so many more, if I could find them.

I would love to finish my metric drawer. If I ever did... I would keep trying to find more to do my cart and then my SAE drawer.

My pictures will give you an idea of what to look for. I buy whatever color I see. I do not care if it is red or black.

 

[Grokew]

Westling makes a tray for universal/swivel sockets.

3/8" Drive Swivel Socket Tray – Impact Swivel Organizer | Westling USA

Organize 3/8" drive impact swivel sockets with the Westling Swivel Tray. Wide pin spacing, billet aluminum, 16 or 20 pins. Made in the U.S.A.

www.westlingusa.com

 

[ChefRex]

I'll third the Westling, I am amazed how well they work!
There’s a few sets in there , lol

 

[LXCam]

Mechanics time savers makes a holder for them

No body ever pays attention to the simple comments eh Red

 

[jsaw]

I made some with a piece of board and pieces of dowel

 

[Grokew]

I made some with a piece of board and pieces of dowel

Honest question. Would the wood tannins affect the metal in any way? I have heard people say that wood makes metal rust, but at the same time, machinist use wooden tool chests, and most of their tools look well kept, and definitely not rusty. Plus wood may help with moisture control, until saturated.

 

[WWheeler]

Honest question. Would the wood tannins affect the metal in any way? I have heard people say that wood makes metal rust, but at the same time, machinist use wooden tool chests, and most of their tools look well kept, and definitely not rusty. Plus wood may help with moisture control, until saturated.

I've had no issues and I've been using homemade socket rails from wood & dowels for a couple decades now because, although I like the Hanson-style holders in that I can pick up and drop in sockets so quick and easy one-handed, it's just that they never made any that matched the sets of sockets I owned. They either had pegs for sizes I don't have or didn't have pegs for sizes I did, plus didn't like that they took up so much precious drawer real estate. So I've been making my own to match exactly what I have and take up as little space as necessary. FWIW the wood is stained and sealed so it's not like they are effected by moisture much.

Here's a post of mine from 2018...

[...] And don't know if this might work for you, but it does for me. I've been making Hansen-style holders, of sorts, out of wood. The black-stained wood holder with sockets on it is a test piece for the newer unfinished ones I've recently been working on. The wood stained one on the right is one of the first such sets I made back in the late 90s.

 

[Mas78]

In the toolbox I used to have at work I used some 11ga plate cut to the size I wanted. Drilled and tapped for 5/16 bolts on the layout I wanted for 3/8 drive sockets
After I tightened the bolts up I cut/ ground them flat on the bottom and cut off to height then sent them through paint.
Worked great for me.

 

[seber]

I too use wood dowels for the posts. But under that is a layer of flexible plastic magnet over a thin strip of wood. No rust problem for many years. If I were doing it today I might just buy the magnetic type but they were not available when I made mine.

 

[Grokew]

I've had no issues and I've been using homemade socket rails from wood & dowels for a couple decades now because, although I like the Hanson-style holders in that I can pick up and drop in sockets so quick and easy one-handed, it's just that they never made any that matched the sets of sockets I owned. They either had pegs for sizes I don't have or didn't have pegs for sizes I did, plus didn't like that they took up so much precious drawer real estate. So I've been making my own to match exactly what I have and take up as little space as necessary. FWIW the wood is stained and sealed so it's not like they are effected by moisture much.

Here's a post of mine from 2018...

Thank you!
They look great!

 

[jsaw]

Heres a couple of mine, made from some scrap pieces of birch plywood and dowels

 

[MJK]

Maybe I am overthinking this but if you want it just like what you posted, but just the front half...

cut off the back?

 

[ecotec]

Maybe I am overthinking this but if you want it just like what you posted, but just the front half...

cut off the back?

Impact swivel sockets do not fit on the HF socket trays.

 

[jsaw]

One of the ones I made was specifically for impact swivels

 

[jstroede]

When it doesn't exist, make your own. They aren't impact sockets, but I wanted trays for my craftsman flex sockets. I 3d printed matching ones to the regular hf trays. I'm very pleased.