We all use and love the Hansen socket organizers. I was wondering though if anyone has used the Ernst socket organizers? I love their 40 piece wrench rail organizer, and I use the screwdriver organizer as well for both screwdrivers and nut drivers. What I like about the Hansen socket organizers is they are easy to use both with visibility and just dropping the socket in. What I don't like is they aren't really portable as you can spill them easily, and they take up quite a bit of room.
Hansen Socket Organizers vs Ernst Socket Organizers
- Thread starter MrKriez
- Start date
RAYJAY
Well-known member
also the harbor freight holders have them at work and in the home shop great item really cheap
shockwave
Well-known member
Also look at vim they make some nice mag rails and a new I believe whilsker a new American company that I saw earlier on here
KPSquared
Well-known member
Westling Machine. . .spendy compared to the plastic stuff but Made in USA and **** as hell. . . There's a thread or two on here.
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kngelv
Well-known member
I own Hansen and Ernst. I recently picked up a set of the Westling. I'd go Westling. I like the Ernst too. Not a fan of Hansen.
James
mdnelson86
Well-known member
i still prefer the ernst myself. I like the fact that they stay put, I can pick up a rail and take it with me to whatever I'm working on, and most importantly, I can change the width between sockets to suit whatever size I want to put on the rail. That greatly increases the versatility of my tool storage design.
Only thing I don't like is that sometimes I have a little trouble getting very small 1/4" drive sockets off the ernst clips. The 1/4 turn design would probably help that though.
Only thing I don't like is that sometimes I have a little trouble getting very small 1/4" drive sockets off the ernst clips. The 1/4 turn design would probably help that though.
djkeev
Well-known member
Well, I honestly didn't know what Ernst organizers were, so Google being my friend and all........ Images....
https://www.google.com/search?q=ern...SB0QHqo4GoAw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=672
Screenshot.......
Off the top of my head, it's a different animal than the Hansen's. these are rails which enable spill free transport to the work site.
Hansen's are an in the box organizational system........
Apples and Oranges really.
Having an extensive collection of Hansen's, I do at times, although the occassions are rare, desire portability for a given task.
I'd use (and do use rails) these for my travel box, they look like they would keep every socket in its place be the box upright, sideways or knocked over.
My travel box is actually a repurposed Stanley Fat Max organizer box. The individual trays can be removed, the cover locks the contents in each tray and you can carry it like a suitcase!
I've had a LOT of travel type tool boxes over almost half a century of tool love, but this setup I now use is head and shoulders above them all!
Oooops off topic! Hansen or Ernst? Depends upon your need and intended use, in my opinion.
Dave
https://www.google.com/search?q=ern...SB0QHqo4GoAw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=672
Screenshot.......
Off the top of my head, it's a different animal than the Hansen's. these are rails which enable spill free transport to the work site.
Hansen's are an in the box organizational system........
Apples and Oranges really.
Having an extensive collection of Hansen's, I do at times, although the occassions are rare, desire portability for a given task.
I'd use (and do use rails) these for my travel box, they look like they would keep every socket in its place be the box upright, sideways or knocked over.
My travel box is actually a repurposed Stanley Fat Max organizer box. The individual trays can be removed, the cover locks the contents in each tray and you can carry it like a suitcase!
I've had a LOT of travel type tool boxes over almost half a century of tool love, but this setup I now use is head and shoulders above them all!
Oooops off topic! Hansen or Ernst? Depends upon your need and intended use, in my opinion.
Dave
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
Uhhhhhhhh...no. Not me.
I think they **** donkey ****.
They are for ADD riddled fools with bad eyesight.
Socket boards, socket rails and Westlings for me.
Hansens. Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
djkeev
Well-known member
Uhhhhhhhh...no. Not me.
I think they **** donkey ****.
They are for ADD riddled fools with bad eyesight.
Socket boards, socket rails and Westlings for me.
Hansens. Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
So, I'm going out on a limb here........... Let me clarify.......You do NOT like Hansen organizers?
Signed...
Sincerely ......A Donkey **** Sucking, ADD Blind Fool
Glad I can entertain..........
Question if I may........ Your age? 20/20 vision will become an issue for even you eventually.
Dave
purplezr2
Well-known member
Hansen is US made also, check out their site. They are located in Two Rivers WI, which is home of the Ice Cream Sundae(doesn't get more American then that does it?).
Uhhhhhhhh...no. Not me.
I think they **** donkey ****.
They are for ADD riddled fools with bad eyesight.
Socket boards, socket rails and Westlings for me.
Hansens. Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
I guess I'm a donkey **** sucking add riddled fool with bad eye site(part of the is correct, I was diagnosed with ADD, and I do have bad eyes)
I love the hansens, cheap easy to use, notice when a socket is missing. Some of you talk like you take your sockets with you places, mine stay in my box.
STGFordCrazy04
Well-known member
I have Kobalt in my toolbox and Hansen in my roll cart. I really have no opinion of which I like better except the 3pc Kobalt set was the same price as just 1 Hansen rack.
71goldss
Well-known member
I love my HF organizers and extremely inexpensive too! That size prong sticking up on the Hansens just seems cheap and flimsy to me, and way over priced!
kythri
Well-known member
Yeah, same here.
The Westling stuff looks fantastic, but it's too rich for my blood at the moment, as I'd need multiple sets, and there's other stuff that's more of a priority to me than uber-spiffy socket trays.
I bought 3 each of the 3-piece SAE and Metric Kobalt Hansen-style stuff when it was on sale for $10/each.
$60 invested covered my 6pt, 12pt and Impact stuff in all drive sizes. Only issue I had was with SAE 3/8" impact, and I had to move those up a peg and use my labelmaker to relabel the drive sizes on the front.
Oh,, I support Hansens because I think they are a quality USA product, absolutely.
But to me the edge goes to Westling.
The OP didn;t mention them and that's probably because the word has only started to get out about them, so I wanted to bring them up.
firebox40dash5
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2012
- Messages
- 4,185
I'm OK with Hansens. I'm not anywhere near blind, but I am ADD like a mofo (though I think you meant OCD, which could also apply sometimes 
). If I need to carry a bunch of sockets, I just grab the whole tray, throw it on my cart, and take it with me. I wouldn't do it with my 1/2" impact sockets, but I hardly ever use them outside of 17-22mm anyway. I wouldn't mind Westlings if I had a reason to buy again, and I'd only need $130 for my full set + extra 3/8" racks, which I don't think is too bad for what you get.
Ernst stuff does look pretty cool if you need to be able to tote your tools around more than just the shop. Though I would consider just buying the plastic rails from Sears and riveting them to a base material... they're cheap, plentiful, readily available, and actually work pretty well.
). If I need to carry a bunch of sockets, I just grab the whole tray, throw it on my cart, and take it with me. I wouldn't do it with my 1/2" impact sockets, but I hardly ever use them outside of 17-22mm anyway. I wouldn't mind Westlings if I had a reason to buy again, and I'd only need $130 for my full set + extra 3/8" racks, which I don't think is too bad for what you get.Ernst stuff does look pretty cool if you need to be able to tote your tools around more than just the shop. Though I would consider just buying the plastic rails from Sears and riveting them to a base material... they're cheap, plentiful, readily available, and actually work pretty well.
i've got a lot invested in ernst and like them, but don't love them. i had to stick to the 13" rails because the 18" rails couldn't support the weight of 1/2" sockets i suggested to them they put a steel rib in the center of the mold, but they haven't done it. they are great to carry to the work, and their base plate system keeps them standing up in the box even when its rolled over rough ground.
that said, if i was starting over, i'd probably go towards the gearwrench bits since they are so much cheaper and a 3/8" sheet of plywood could have slots routed out to keep them upright for a whole lot less than the cost of the ernst.
i dislike the hansen style trays - not really portable-friendly IMO. the Westling stuff looks very nice, just very spendy. rather get more tools..
ahm
i suggested to them they put a steel rib in the center of the mold, but they haven't done it. they are great to carry to the work, and their base plate system keeps them standing up in the box even when its rolled over rough ground. that said, if i was starting over, i'd probably go towards the gearwrench bits since they are so much cheaper and a 3/8" sheet of plywood could have slots routed out to keep them upright for a whole lot less than the cost of the ernst.
i dislike the hansen style trays - not really portable-friendly IMO. the Westling stuff looks very nice, just very spendy. rather get more tools..
ahm
jjjrmx5
Well-known member
LOL. I never said any GJ member sucked anything.
Just the storage tray sucked IMHO. Hahahaha.And the only way you know a socket is missing on a hansen rack is if you fill them ALL. Thus the ADD comment. Which is true and you all know it.
If they made removeable pegs for socket sizes that were not used or not common and made them a bit more functionally portable, than the hansen idea is a neat one.
Add that they are space hogs , and given the two major drawbacks above (with the only major pro point being socket size recognition/readability) and they are not for me.
Buy them if you like them. I;m not here to pee on your parade.
Just to say that not EVERYONE loves them. And BTW, I'm waaaay over 20 y.o.
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I use a mix. Hansen trays for my main use sockets. That includes 1/4 metric, 3/8 metric, 1/4 SAE, and 3/8 SAE.
I don't like the 1/2 trays because they are huge, and have funny layouts. Instead I use the Cornwell version of these. I can do 10-24mm 1/2 impacts on one rail! Perfect. I'm sure I can apply the same idea to Ernst setups.
http://www.tooltopia.com/vim-v444.aspx
Yes Hansen trays take up more space, but as a blind ADD mechanic I like having everything easy to see, and grab.
I don't like the 1/2 trays because they are huge, and have funny layouts. Instead I use the Cornwell version of these. I can do 10-24mm 1/2 impacts on one rail! Perfect. I'm sure I can apply the same idea to Ernst setups.
http://www.tooltopia.com/vim-v444.aspx
Yes Hansen trays take up more space, but as a blind ADD mechanic I like having everything easy to see, and grab.
RAYJAY
Well-known member
Oooops off topic! Hansen or Ernst? Depends upon your need and intended use, in my opinion.
Dave
OMG i see a HF tool in there ...........
the red bit set ...........
I have a ton of Ernst socket rails and really like them. They offer the storage flexibility that Hansen, etc, just can't based on design differences. I have the twist style. I also have several styles of Ernst wrench racks.
The alum westlings are certainly nice, and I could see using them for some of my needs, but not replacing all my Ernst rails.
The alum westlings are certainly nice, and I could see using them for some of my needs, but not replacing all my Ernst rails.
djkeev
Well-known member
OMG i see a HF tool in there ...........
the red bit set ...........
Actually that's a no, but it wouldn't matter if it was HF.
That was purchased from Gumble Brothers Lumber Co. (Now locally closed) in Newfoundland Pennsylvania, circa 2003 +/-
Actually that little red bit case was my "odd" bit collection in the shop until it was replaced by this 148 pc Titan Bit assortment a few years ago......
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Wow lots of good information in here. I currently have all the Hansen ones and like using them as they are simple to use. Just drop the socket in there and it's good. What I don't like is like others have mentioned, they take up a lot of room, especially the 1/2" one. I work in a fabrication shop so my sockets aren't used daily. I was thinking about looking into something that A: takes up less room, and B: is a bit more portable. At the shop I have a 40" Craftsman box with the bottom, middle, and top. If I go on install jobs right now I just toss the tools I need the most into one of the Stanley Fat Max bags. I have been thinking about picking up one of the 5 drawer Harbor Freight service carts just for these jobs. I'll have to check out the other ones mentioned.