Hansen Trays

[CWP1616L]

The GearWrench socket rails are really nice. They don't tell you the size, but they allow you to remove the socket real easy.

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

I went with the westling aluminum trays. saved me a lot of room...





http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=176613&highlight=westling

we had a few threads on them a while back and a group buy on the first of the year... Great product...

 

[4x4gearhead]

I have a socket tray that holds all of my 3/8" stuff and the rest are on socket rails, I like being able to take a set of sockets out in the yard without having to worry about knocking them over. Im not a big fan of the cost vs what you get out of them.

 

[SignalZero]

I really like the craftsman socket organizer where the socket sits flush in the tray.

But they are far both 6 AND 12 point.

I have these and like them also. But as others have pointed out, they take up a lot of real estate. I got them when I first got out on my own and started my tool collection and they still currently work for me.

My problem is my USA Craftsman 13/16 deep drive 3/8 socket doesn't fit (see pic). Odd since this is THEIR organizer. Just gonna have to open it up with my dremel.
Also, they don't hold the 1/4 deep drive sockets in place at all. I had to put those in another drawer, which is fine since there isn't a place for a 2nd set of metric 1/4 sockets anyways.

Depends on your priorities. I'd prefer to help a small US company than to support the Chinese knock offs. Sure the HF/Lowes sets will do largely the same thing for 1/3 the price but that's not the point.

I buy USA made when possible, but my priority is the amount of money left in MY bank accounts.
My paychecks are funded by taxes (including my own). I didn't see any American workers volunteering to pay more taxes so I could get a raise the 4 years I went without one. On the flip side, the Chinese workers didn't elect the Governor that cut my retirement benefits after 4 years of no raise.

It's every man for himself, I guess. If the Chinese plastic is as good as the American plastic, guess which one I'm buying!

 

[dclassical]

I really like the Hansen trays, I use them for Metric and I bought the Harbor Freight trays for my SAE sockets which I use very very rarely. They are both great.

And I am OCD but not for socket trays, it does not bother me to see empty pegs. If I don't need a tool, I don't buy it (saves money for my other hobbies). But I can see how it can be tempting to some.

 

[DrunkSmurf]

I'm with Givl Reggin. I'm perfectly happy with simple rails, they take up less space and work just as well if not better than the trays IMO.

If you prefer the tray look, just mount the number of rails you want in whatever length you wish to some aluminum. You can customize to whatever size you want really, and no empty peg syndrome. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Canadian Charlie]

Hansen trays are the best

 

[Tack]

I have the kobolt tray. They are just like the hansens except way cheaper. I have a full set for my sockets and my impacts.

 

[toolstools]

I have the kobolt tray. They are just like the hansens except way cheaper. I have a full set for my sockets and my impacts.

They do the same job, but are pretty different. The size us on the leg, instead of across the base, the pegs are longer on the Hansen and how our put them on the tray is opposite.

 

[GTA Matt]

I have 15 of them. Would never go back to anything else.

Here's my 15 racks. They do take up a bit of space, but I would have trouble keeping track of them all at a glance if they were on rails. No empty spots on the sae's and just missing deep 3/8 6&7mm and maybe 1 or 2 larger metric sockets.

 

[Skin]

I buy USA made when possible, but my priority is the amount of money left in MY bank accounts.
My paychecks are funded by taxes (including my own). I didn't see any American workers volunteering to pay more taxes so I could get a raise the 4 years I went without one. On the flip side, the Chinese workers didn't elect the Governor that cut my retirement benefits after 4 years of no raise.

It's every man for himself, I guess. If the Chinese plastic is as good as the American plastic, guess which one I'm buying!

All you're doing is enabling. Seems rather hypocritical to complain about not getting a raise but you'll support overseas products without a second thought. If all your clients/consumers acted like you do you wouldn't be missing just a raise, you'd be out of a job.

In my case, with just a little patience and shopping around, the difference between the two was about $15/ each 6pc set so yea I definitely think its worth supporting said small company that brought the idea to market over a knock off. If that paltry sum is going to push your financial situation to the edge you probably shouldn't be buying the things to begin with no matter who made them.

 

[MikeF2316]

Go to Lowes , and quick and get all 6 for $20. Or harbor freight. But like I said don't get them if your ocd. I kinda regret buying mine.

For Canadians, Princess Auto has their copy of Hansen trays on sale for $3.99, 4.99 & 6.99 for the 3 sizes, both Metric and SAE. That's $30 plus tax for all 6!

 

[firebox40dash5]

I tried the Kobalt ones. They're cheap alright, in more than one way IMO. They went right back the same day. They didn't fit worth squat. I stuck with my Hansens.

Wouldn't mind trying either the Westling ones, or riveting the CM/Matco/whatever plastic rails to a base. The latter I'd probably keep down to a pair a la Hansens, so they're portable but hold sockets better.

 

[cgutierrez22]

The only thing I don't like about the Hansen trays is that you can't see if the sockets are 6 or 12 pt, since the business end is pointing down. I do like the aluminum Westling trays, but would have to find a way to label the socket sizes on the trays that matched exactly. Though I am not as OCD as ADD, so that would be another project I would start and not finish.

 

[Super Sport]

All you're doing is enabling. Seems rather hypocritical to complain about not getting a raise but you'll support overseas products without a second thought. If all your clients/consumers acted like you do you wouldn't be missing just a raise, you'd be out of a job.

In my case, with just a little patience and shopping around, the difference between the two was about $15/ each 6pc set so yea I definitely think its worth supporting said small company that brought the idea to market over a knock off. If that paltry sum is going to push your financial situation to the edge you probably shouldn't be buying the things to begin with no matter who made them.

^I'm with this guy. I have a hard time buying a Chinese knockoff when there's a USA-made alternative that pioneered the idea.

I use plastic Craftsman rails, which I'm extremely happy with, but if I were to buy trays they would be Hansens.

 

[ijroorda]

The only thing I don't like about the Hansen trays is that you can't see if the sockets are 6 or 12 pt, since the business end is pointing down.

This is getting pretty picky, but I do like that the Harbor Freight trays have the fastener end up so I can see whether I am grabbing 6pt or 12pt. The other side of the coin is that you have to make sure the square drive is lined up with the peg when you put them back.

 

[SantaAna12]

Looking Good Merchant Marine!

 

[Strouty]

The trays like the hansens drive me crazy. Not only am I OCD, but I like to see the working end of my sockets. Especially when guessing a size. If they stored them so the square drive was at the bottom, I could live with the sizes printed on the sticks. I am going to buy Westlings.

 

[Farmall450]

Here's my 15 racks. They do take up a bit of space, but I would have trouble keeping track of them all at a glance if they were on rails. No empty spots on the sae's and just missing deep 3/8 6&7mm and maybe 1 or 2 larger metric sockets.

My dream socket drawer. Very impressive I will say!

 

[ATC]

I use 'em. I bought the HF trays when they were on sale ($18 for all 6) and used them for a while. They work fine, however my OCD does not like the open end of the sockets facing up. Also, you have to take time to line up the drive end onto the square base in the tray.

I am slowly switching them over to the Hansen's. Only the 1/2" trays to go:

 

[firebox40dash5]

This is getting pretty picky, but I do like that the Harbor Freight trays have the fastener end up so I can see whether I am grabbing 6pt or 12pt. The other side of the coin is that you have to make sure the square drive is lined up with the peg when you put them back.

You can always buy Hansens in blue/grey and red/black to tell between 6 and 12, just like metric and SAE.

 

[ijroorda]

You can always buy Hansens in blue/grey and red/black to tell between 6 and 12, just like metric and SAE.

Huh, I though they only came in red for SAE and gray for metric. Good to know!

 

[ATC]

Huh, I though they only came in red for SAE and gray for metric. Good to know!

Funny. The only ones I've seen are Black/SAE and Gray/Metric

I've never seen the Hansen's in Blue/Red

 

[firebox40dash5]

Funny. The only ones I've seen are Black/SAE and Gray/Metric

I've never seen the Hansen's in Blue/Red

Looks like new SAE ones are red. I swear I've seen the metrics in blue (maybe on the Matco truck?) but all I can find is black, grey, and red.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Another Hansen user here. I like them better than any others. At work, I only use those for big sets and the magnetic mechanics time saver for small specialty sets....
I was really disappointed when I bought those Lowes POS's for the home tool box......

 

[toolstools]

I don't see where everyone thinks the kobalt ones are so bad. They're the same grade plastic!!!!!! At that the Hansen trays have a thinner peg then kobalt trays. I swear some of you are programmed to think something is better grade just because of a name or coo, or think something is **** because of the same reasons.

But, to each their own.

 

[firebox40dash5]

I don't see where everyone thinks the kobalt ones are so bad. They're the same grade plastic!!!!!! At that the Hansen trays have a thinner peg then kobalt trays. I swear some of you are programmed to think something is better grade just because of a name or coo, or think something is **** because of the same reasons.

But, to each their own.

Probably because when I tried them, half the square drives didn't fit on there, and my sockets were too fat to all fit, I had to put every other one on. No such problem with my Hansens.

But hey, if you wanna deal with that **** to save a few bucks, to each their own.

 

[toolstools]

Probably because when I tried them, half the square drives didn't fit on there, and my sockets were too fat to all fit, I had to put every other one on. No such problem with my Hansens.

But hey, if you wanna deal with that **** to save a few bucks, to each their own.

Lol, idk man. Mine fit snug, down on the peg good and all the stuff its supposed to do.

 

[SignalZero]

I don't see where everyone thinks the kobalt ones are so bad. They're the same grade plastic!!!!!! At that the Hansen trays have a thinner peg then kobalt trays. I swear some of you are programmed to think something is better grade just because of a name or coo, or think something is **** because of the same reasons.

But, to each their own.

Like I said, my priority is saving money. I'm not going to save money by having to re-buy cheap products that break. Nor will I save money by overpaying for an item, just to support someone else.

I buy American when possible/necessary. But a lot of people here seem to think the American worker is going to step in and help them pay their bills if they ever hit hard times.

In my profession(law enforcement), people who interact with us, generally don't like us, and people who never interact with us don't see our usefulness. We're (under)paid by taxes which people also like to ***** about. I never see anyone stepping up to the plate to try and get us the support we need. And I work for an agency law-abiding citizens actually like and support; as long as supporting us doesn't cost them money. So why should I care about factory workers? Like I said, every man for himself, I guess.

EDIT: I should also note, factories aren't a big industry in my county. So no, buying American-made will not positively affect our local economy/tax revenue.

 

[PAbronco]

I actually like the magnetic snap on one's that you get now when you buy a socket set. The my dealer sells them for about 8 bucks. The trick is finding one that fits your needs. Tell your dealer what sockets you need on it and he'll probably find a tray that will work.

 

[kustom53]

I have 6 Hansen trays and 3 Blue Point four row rails...I like the four row set up for my swivels and bit sockets...but I'm definitely a fan of Hansen. Just go to your local Sears like I did, they will match the Kobalt price. Atleast they did for me.

 

[Squankum]

I've got a load of Lowe's types. My sockets all fit square end down, no problem, in all sorts of sizes... except some of my 3/8" impacts, CMan and Grey, down in the smaller sizes.

They do gobble a bit of space. Nothing like that Sears panel of holes, though!

I don't mind a metal socket strip -- but it's got to be the cheap stuff. The quality kind, a la Craftsman, that want to fight you every mm of the way, socket on, or socket off, just drive me insane.

I find these trays to be so fast to identify socket, remove, and later, put back.

If you remove from toolbox and make portable, er, yeah, don't knock it over.

My OCD had me filling up my 1/4" metric and 95% of my 3/8" rails, and I'm glad I did, I've since wound up using sockets I purchased that year.

I used a miter saw to chop the last inch (last two small pegs off) my 3/8" metric chrome set's rack, said, Bah, if I need those, I'll be grabbing from the 1/4" rack, then I was at the junkyard one day, and much to my surprise I was touching a Honda, and waddayaknow, I needed something small from the one rack I brought (3/8"dr) and I didn't have it.

My 1/2" racks, you'd better lift them carefully if you have them loaded up. Long term, I plan to stiffen their bottom plate with a thin layer of luan wood underneath, then a stud/knob sticking up in between rows at the center of gravity. It won't take much to make these Just Right.

Also, when thick impact sockets collide and don't fit, you could always chop a stub and insert a bolt from underneath, staggered back a little from the line, esp, if you add a wooden base underneath.

Heck, once you get used to these, you realize, building your own custom ones out of wood wouldn't be so bad. 3/8" and 1/2" square "dowels" are even sold at the big box hardware store. (Not that your pegs need to be square, they just ****** don't.) Somebody here was making some out of wood for 3/4" drive sockets.

Go for it, give it a try with your most commonly used sockets (say, 3/8" chromes), see how you like it.

I found very little difference between my Lowe's and a Hansen I bought in 1/4".

 

[MikeF2316]

Lol, idk man. Mine fit snug, down on the peg good and all the stuff its supposed to do.

My Princess Auto versions all fit all my sockets just fine as well. I would assume that they're made in the same factory as all the other Hansen copies as sold by Harbor Freight etc.

 

[Jmac00]

For Canadians, Princess Auto has their copy of Hansen trays on sale for $3.99, 4.99 & 6.99 for the 3 sizes, both Metric and SAE. That's $30 plus tax for all 6!

Yup, i agree this is a good price, i'm buying a few more myself online (free shipping for June btw), but they go even cheaper at times when they sell all 3 in a set for 11.99...that is a GREAT deal IMO. So about $24 plus tax for all 6.

 

[Strouty]

I use 'em. I bought the HF trays when they were on sale ($18 for all 6) and used them for a while. They work fine, however my OCD does not like the open end of the sockets facing up. Also, you have to take time to line up the drive end onto the square base in the tray.

I like mine facing up, I know what size I am looking at before I read the pin. Plus no need to mark 12 and 6 point, you can see them clearly. I guess I will be selling my hansens. I do agree, that the lining up the square is a pain. I have some older ones that lock on with a quarter twist, they are nice, but I don't lug most of my sockets around in the trays anyways.

 

[PugetDude]

EDIT: I should also note, factories aren't a big industry in my county. So no, buying American-made will not positively affect our local economy/tax revenue.

Wow, what a shortsighted, cynical view... There are 3143 Counties in the US....many of which do have factories that employ hardworking taxpayers whom you view with such disdain. Hopefully the folks in Two Rivers, Wisconsin don't feel the same way about supporting your county! And here's a news flash for you- not all law enforcement funding is at county level- think FBI, US Marshals, DEA, ICE, Coast Guard, TSA, etc...all of whom provide services that do affect your little bitty slice of the great big USA. None of us live in a vacuum.


Hansen trays for me, especially after reading some of the snarky COO comments...YMMV.

 

[CWP1616L]

So why should I care about factory workers?

Because if the tables were turned, you'd appreciate it if the Police Officer helped you keep your job by buying products made in your factory.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Like I said, my priority is saving money. I'm not going to save money by having to re-buy cheap products that break.

The Kobalts are Lifetime Warranty. You can just walk into Lowes and trade them out, although I don't even know how you'd break those stubby mounts.

 

[SignalZero]

Wow, what a shortsighted, cynical view... There are 3143 Counties in the US....many of which do have factories that employ hardworking taxpayers whom you view with such disdain. Hopefully the folks in Two Rivers, Wisconsin don't feel the same way about supporting your county! And here's a news flash for you- not all law enforcement funding is at county level- think FBI, US Marshals, DEA, ICE, Coast Guard, TSA, etc...all of whom provide services that do affect your little bitty slice of the great big USA. None of us live in a vacuum.

How the hell does a federal agency receiving funding from counties outside of my state help me get a raise?
Even when my agency receives federal grants, our agency is required to spend the money on specific equipment, and it is stipulated the money cannot be used for the payroll.

If I hold taxpayers in disdain, it's because they demand more services, but won't step up to the plate to get us higher pay. After not receiving a pay raise for 4 years, our governor then tapped into our retirement fund and cut retirement benefits for emergency service personnel and teachers. He didn't do this because the retirement system was continually costing the state more money. He did it because all of the other state programs were running a deficit and he needed the money from the retirement program. The only people who complained were those affected. The taxpayers actually supported the cut saying our retirement benefits were too good anyways! They totally disregarded the fact that the benefits make up for the minimal pay we receive, if we live long enough to collect the benefits.

Because if the tables were turned, you'd appreciate it if the Police Officer helped you keep your job by buying products made in your factory.

Or I'd look at my paycheck and ***** about my taxes (see above).

The Kobalts are Lifetime Warranty. You can just walk into Lowes and trade them out, although I don't even know how you'd break those stubby mounts.

You missed my point, which was I will buy a product regardless of COO if the value is there. Kobalt is good for me b/c the quality is good and b/c of the warranty and the Lowes being 5 minutes from my house. In this case, I don't see the need for Hansen trays JUST BECAUSE they're USA made. Now if it were the Hansen trays vs. some POS plastic Chinese trays from the dollar store, then yea, I'd spend more money for the better quality Hansens.

Actually, the Kobalt tray 3-packs went on sale a few weeks and ago, and I bought the last SAE and Metric sets at my local store.

 

[Rickster]

I tossed my 3/8's Hanson's into a pile in a corner of the garage. I got fed up the empty pegs and not being able to sometimes have multiple of sockets sizes next to one another. Besides, who really uses a 5/16 or 1" in a 3/8dr?? I've been picking up those red Lisle magnetic socket holders from garage sales for the past year and finally had enough to use for my 3/8dr sockets.