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forget sockets, how do you store ratchets?

a52-830

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north of boston, massachusetts
there are as many ways to store sockets as there are brands of sockets. magnetic lay down trays, stand up trays, rails, magnetic rails, blocks, both magnetic and not.

but what about the ratchets? do you just leave them to roll around? the only ratchet storage technology i have seen are small plastic side cards for rails, intended to hold a ratchet and am extension.

assuming i didn't want to do the whole "shadowbox" thing, what are my options?
 
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Infinia

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Kept in the ratchet drawer using non-skid liner arranged in line with the axis of drawer opening action. E.g. low torque on movement. (little to zero" rolling around" ) But only have ~1/2 dozen drives & I'm not that creative use just common sense and 'what works'.
Now the drive extensions do roll around, keep those in a separate compartments. Look at plastic bins at the dollar store cooking section?
 
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unslow1

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Illinois
Three drawers on the right side of tool box. One is marked 1/4 ratchets. Next one down 3/8 ratchets. etc.
 

AntonLargiader

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Charlottesville, VA
Pretty much lying next to each other in the top drawer, pointing in/out (rather than side to side) so they don't roll around. I try to keep the 1/2" stuff on the left and the 1/4" stuff on the right but it's sort of mixed up at any given time.

IOW, nothing very systematic. They're just there in the drawer.
 

Fedwrench

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On my tool cart, they're in the holes along the side. In the main rollaway, they're in the middle of the top long drawer 1/4 on the left, 3/8 in the middle, and 1/2 on the right. The ratchets/extensions/drive tools kind of separate the metric sockets on the left from the SAE stuff on the right. :lol:
 

Agentwho

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Baltimore
I've been rolling ideas around in my head how to best organize/ store ratchets and extensions too. A few of my 3/8" and 1/2" are kept with the pry bars in the side rack (Holes that you slide the tool into and store them vertically).

I think I'm going to make my own that spans the whole backside of the toolbox (bottom box) with the holes cut n spaced just as needed to hold all the ratchets, extensions, long screw driver and pry bars to my OCD hearts content lol.
 

KM223

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I place all my ratchets drive down and leaning on an edge. I also organize them from 1/2" to 3/8" to 1/4" drive. Same goes for my torque wrenches, breaker bars and extensions.

My current setup:

 

gdocktor3

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Whats there like $4-5000 dollars worth of stuff in that one drawer? About an average of $100 each ratchet, $120 for extensions, and I have no idea what the torque wrenches cost. $2-300 each?
 

siklops

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Sacramento, CA
My current set-up, but always looking for different ideas. My torque wrenches are in cases in a separate drawer because I ran out of room.
 

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Deej

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Colorado
I use some kitchen drawer organizers for ratchets and extensions
 

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LXCam

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Whats there like $4-5000 dollars worth of stuff in that one drawer? About an average of $100 each ratchet, $120 for extensions, and I have no idea what the torque wrenches cost. $2-300 each?

Tech angles are almost double that. I have three, but they stay in their cases. :)


Nice collection of rats bud, you got everything covered even a few times over in some cases. :rocker:
 
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djdaredevil

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Apr 13, 2013
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GH Michigan
I set my ratchets up like km223 does though mine arent as nice looking. I use plano fishing organizers like THESE ONES for my extensions because you can kind of custom fit them.
 

jonti48310

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Nov 11, 2013
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Still have yet to find a way to organize them that I like.
 

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devoncoolman

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quakertown pa
I place all my ratchets drive down and leaning on an edge. I also organize them from 1/2" to 3/8" to 1/4" drive. Same goes for my torque wrenches, breaker bars and extensions.

My current setup:


Your in good company brother. I have a ratchet problem too.
I store mine just laying down acording to drive size. Idk havent found a better way.
 

bigjeff94

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USA
The craftsman trays I use make it easy. My extra ratchets are in the small pockets in the trays or next to them.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

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DynoDale

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Pittsburgh, PA
Mine are side by side in a drawer. Just make sure you have enough to fill the drawer. That way there isn't any room for them to roll around.

Coach

I agree:
Snap-onratchets002.jpg
 

mcmtech

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New Orleans, La
My matco box has the divider/stiffener in it, so all ratchets and extensions are in the front area.
 

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LXCam

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Actually, looks Photochopped.


:lol:

Well I can't stand my set up and since this picture I've added maybe another half dozen rats.

Ha, just realized something. There's probably 20 ratchets in there, but you can only see 4-5. That's a good sized drawer, but no where near bid enough for what I'm trying to stuff in it.

5F28B428-994F-4C8B-B031-D408A2826914_zpstamr0qnw.jpg
 
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gdocktor3

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LXCAM - you need to get rid of those dividers. You probably have extensions buried you haven't used in months. Also, do I see 1/4" and 1/2" extensions in the same bay?
 

PhantomEB

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I only leave one of each size laying on its back sandwiched in between the socket trays, right next to its corresponding size. Spares are in a ziplock bag up in a cupboard. This keeps clutter down to a minimum and I don't go losing much for long. I am sure the more organized I get the more likely I will be able to downsize from my 42 to a 27 or 30...a 36 would be perfect.
 

LXCam

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LXCAM - you need to get rid of those dividers. You probably have extensions buried you haven't used in months. Also, do I see 1/4" and 1/2" extensions in the same bay?


That's crazy talk doc, ditch the dividers.....lol. But I do admit I have two compartments with mixed sizes since they are too long to dedicate a space too. But last night as I was looking at my pictures, I think I got an idea to clean all this up. ;)
 

gdocktor3

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That's crazy talk doc, ditch the dividers.....lol. But I do admit I have two compartments with mixed sizes since they are too long to dedicate a space too. But last night as I was looking at my pictures, I think I got an idea to clean all this up. ;)

Yea donate 1/2 of them to goodwill... or me... :beer:
 
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