Loose or destroy one socket, what do you do.......................

[cherokee]

What do you do, go in and buy just one socket, while looking at the price of an entire set and thinking well heck, for just "a little more" I could have all of them. But you don't "need" all of them you just need the one, and the one is always more inexpensive then the entire set. What to do what to do.

Me I always buy an entire set.

 

[Lucid Moments]

I buy the one socket. One of the reason I like Tekton is that they sell singles of just about everything they sell.

 

[nadogail]

I know of no law that mandates all the sockets on any given set need to be from the same manufacturer.

Many of mine have their own unique history.

 

[CoogarXR]

I haven't broken a socket since sears was still doing warranty swaps, lol. If I broke one now, I would probably just get on ebay and find a replacement of the single.

 

[JradM]

What kind of price disparity are we talking about? I just do the math and might change my answer if my sockets were worn.

E.g. I misplaced my 3/8-inch drive, shallow, 13mm Williams 6pt socket recently. I have a 12pt Williams set too, so it's no panic to replace it. A replacement socket is $8, the smallest "set" that includes that missing socket is about $50. I don't need a new set, so I'll buy the single.

My shop is due for a clean-up though, so in my case I'm waiting for that to be done in case my single 13mm shows back up - or I think of more tools to order at the same time.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I go to my favorite pawn shop. They have thousands of sockets. As much as is practical, they have sorted the main brands into bins. I have never been disappointed. I often leave with more than I came for. Oh well This may have contributed to my having over 200 Pedersen Vise grips.
I remember one visit to the pawn shop. I came outside to my Harley and it was laying in its side. The kickstand had sunk through the asphalt. Two Harley guys were passing, in a pickup. These two guys stopped and helped me set the bike up. No damage.

 

[cgrutt]

Ha I just went through this decision process and wound up buying two complete sets! In fairness your post reminded me I have to return one of them. Friend of mine recently asked me to change his brakes on his Land Rover. I'm not a pro just a DYIer so researched his brakes on YouTube and discovered I needed two 12-pt sockets that I didn't have. Went to Autozone and the individual sockets were about $8 each or $29 for the full set so I bought the full set. They were chrome though and wanted impact for my gun (I would have used the Chrome with impact gun but preferred the impact sockets. Stopped by HF and found a set of Pittsburgh impact sockets so bought that set as well. It turns out that I just needed another one of those 12 pt sockets this past weekend on my wife's car (Aftermarket CV axles came with new bolts that had a 12-pt head) so buying set turned out to be good decision.

 

[RTM]

dig a spare out of my box o extra sockets, and move on.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

I have quite strong OCD when it comes to my tools and the idea of mismatched sockets really bothered me for a while until this week, I cleaned up my socket drawer, re-organized on VIM magrails and I realized I wasn’t bothered by the forced mismatching.

I run Proto as my main toolline but Proto doesn’t make a few size sockets, such as 1/8” deep, which I have an SK US-made one.

I realized I had a few choices. Remove the mismatched ones and only have Proto. That would mean my socket drawer would be diminished. But then I’d also have missing spaces since I have long 1/4” drive sockets for everything except 1/8” if I remove the SK ******* socket. Proto also doesn’t make 37mm chrome 1/2” drive which I have a single Tekton.

I realized nothing is perfect, it hardly looks different or mismatched by opening the drawer. And I’d rather have the functionality than have a perfectly matched set with missing sizes.

Also I realized even if I did diminish myself to just Proto sockets, in 20 years I may lose or break one and Proto may not even be in business or if they are, they might he outsourced to Pakistan, or if they are made in US still the laser etching may be different. There’s no such thing as perfect.

 

[Kurt4440]

What do you do, go in and buy just one socket, while looking at the price of an entire set and thinking well heck, for just "a little more" I could have all of them. But you don't "need" all of them you just need the one, and the one is always more inexpensive then the entire set. What to do what to do.

Me I always buy an entire set.

Come on now.
You have been on this forum long enough to know that there is only one correct answer. Buy the individual socket and the extra set as a backup.

 

[bbrins]

I have enough duplication and overlap in my sets that one socket getting lost or broken doesn't usually cause enough of an emergency that I need to go out and buy one right this second. I'll just go look on Amazon, Zoro, ebay, etc to find a matching socket, or something close. I'm not as OCD about sockets matching each other exactly as I am about skips. I'm not buying a whole set of I just need one socket.

 

[yellowbox]

I don't have any "loose" sockets

 

[bbrins]

Oh, and I can assure you that if I am buying a single socket to replace one that went missing, the second I click it into it's spot on the socket rail, the missing one will turn up.

 

[dchawk81]

I know of no law that mandates all the sockets on any given set need to be from the same manufacturer.

Many of mine have their own unique history.

They do if they're lined up in a nice row to make your eye twitch every time you look at them.

 

[dnschmidt]

When I was selling TOPTUL I bought a box of each socket size so I'd just replace the offending socket. Problem is I've never broken a socket from TOPTUL or anybody else so I've got a lot of full boxes of sockets.

 

[dchawk81]

When I was selling TOPTUL I bought a box of each socket size so I'd just replace the offending socket. Problem is I've never broken a socket from TOPTUL or anybody else so I've got a lot of full boxes of sockets.

I'll take a pallet of 10mms. Estes liftgate delivery required. Thanks.

 

[Schurkey]

What do you do, go in and buy just one socket, while looking at the price of an entire set and thinking well heck, for just "a little more" I could have all of them.

If a set is "a little more" than a single, you're buying junk.

The last socket I genuinely broke was just over ten years ago. I've lost some since then, worn-out some swivels and Torx-bit sockets, but that was the last broken one. Lumina Euro 3.4, removing cylinder head bolts. Metric equivalent of 7/16 bolts, they go in with a torque/angle spec that comes out about 65 ft/lbs--as you'd expect from a ~7/16 head bolt. Problem is, they had zero lube on threads or under-head, took about 160 ft/lbs to break them loose. After this popped, I started using the 15mm 1/2" drive socket instead of 3/8" drive.

It was, of course, replaced by The Snap-On Man.

 

[Ilikeike]

I find another USA Made socket on eBay or some other online place. A new set would be costly.
Now some offshore socket, it may be worth an extra couple bucks for a new set.

 

[MovingAlong]

What do you do, go in and buy just one socket, while looking at the price of an entire set and thinking well heck, for just "a little more" I could have all of them. But you don't "need" all of them you just need the one, and the one is always more inexpensive then the entire set. What to do what to do.

Me I always buy an entire set.

How do you manage all the resulting duplicate pieces?

 

[finn]

Plenty of duplicates of each size, but not necessarily matching.

BFD if I break any one given socket and there’s no exact match, though, as long as I have have something equivalent to turn the fastener. If I see a reasonably priced replacement or if it’s one of the Snapons that breaks or goes missing, I will pick up a replacement, but as long as there’s a functional eq, I don’t worry about a “not matching” situation.

 

[roofdweller49]

When I was selling TOPTUL I bought a box of each socket size so I'd just replace the offending socket. Problem is I've never broken a socket from TOPTUL or anybody else so I've got a lot of full boxes of sockets.

I guess I'll look for you because I don't want to deal with cryer again (took a month to get some sockets, forgot the spares I bought, didn't email me an invoice, and still forgot the extra 10mm I ordered...)

 

[CoogarXR]

If a set is "a little more" than a single, you're buying junk.

The last socket I genuinely broke was just over ten years ago. I've lost some since then, worn-out some swivels and Torx-bit sockets, but that was the last broken one. Lumina Euro 3.4, removing cylinder head bolts. Metric equivalent of 7/16 bolts, they go in with a torque/angle spec that comes out about 65 ft/lbs--as you'd expect from a ~7/16 head bolt. Problem is, they had zero lube on threads or under-head, took about 160 ft/lbs to break them loose. After this popped, I started using the 15mm 1/2" drive socket instead of 3/8" drive.

It was, of course, replaced by The Snap-On Man.

Coincidentally, the only sockets I ever broke were on head bolts too. Small block Fords for me.

 

[dnschmidt]

I'll take a pallet of 10mms. Estes liftgate delivery required. Thanks.

I know what liftgate delivery is but what is Estes liftgate delivery? I've never heard that term before.

 

[dchawk81]

I know what liftgate delivery is but what is Estes liftgate delivery? I've never heard that term before.

Estes is just a trucking company. They delivered my scr.

 

[dnschmidt]

Estes is just a trucking company. They delivered my scr.

Dude you're killing me. To me a scr is a silicon controlled rectifier. When I ran the diffusion room at Westinghouse R&D Center we made tons of these some of which were large enough to switch power plants. You've got to stop with the acronyms.

 

[G-ManBart]

I don't have any "loose" sockets

Ewe cant no four shore!

 

[dchawk81]

Dude you're killing me. To me a scr is a silicon controlled rectifier. When I ran the diffusion room at Westinghouse R&D Center we made tons of these some of which were large enough to switch power plants. You've got to stop with the acronyms.

XYZ PDQ.

 

[cherokee]

dig a spare out of my box o extra sockets, and move on.

Where did those come from? Another part of the question that I did not toss in there but should have.

Are you on the look out for "stuff". Garage sales, wherever that good deal on (again for the sake of this thread) socket set that is missing the 1/2, but it is only $5. You don't "need" it, so why buy it?

In giving this more thought I think it is a me thing. I can't stand to have one odd duck on the rail. It will jump out at me every time I open the drawer.

HI ITS ME, THAT ONE OFF 13MM YOU BOUGHT TO REPLACE THAT ONE YOU LOST IN AN INNER FENDER. Shut up you. Into the "box o extra sockets" with the lot of you and a nice all matching new set in its place.

Guess I have some OCD in me after all.

 

[cherokee]

How do you manage all the resulting duplicate pieces?

There is a rotation.

It talking about this yesterday with a co worker, I went home and checked out the inventory and how I manage them.

In the front of the drawer is the stuff I use "every day". One deep one standard. Next to it is the pile of ratchets, yes pile is the right word, they are lined up but there are 6 3/8 ratchets ranging in size, some real close to each other. The next row back is another total set of deep and shallow, the shallow however are 6's. Back from that it gets a little messy, two rows of rails, and behind that loose sockets in fairly common sizes. Then there is the "junk drawer". This is a catch all, and where stuff comes from to be "modified" for this that or the other. I also have a screw driver drawer(s) that are just like this as well.

For some odd reason screwdrivers and I never have a long relationship. I loose them faster then I loose my hair.

When I am gone be sure to look up my house for the garage sale, there will be all kinds of stuff.

 

[Kent_B]

Years ago I split a Snap-on 14mm chrome deep socket. I didn't bother to warrant it because it was at least 30 years old and I don't have a Snap-on dealer anymore. I bought a box store socket and it has turned all the same fasteners a SO would. OCD didn't factor in.

 

[Garcky]

Hmm...I have multiples for most common sizes, and never misplace or break the uncommon ones, since I put them back on the rare occasions when I need them. Sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, ratchets, extensions. I'm not sure where all of the duplicates came from, but I have 'em. I don't keep sockets on rails, since my box never really moves. So, duplicates go alongside other sockets, in typical rows.

I'm not a tool brand person, really. Some of those duplicates came from random boxes of tools at garage sales ("How much for the box?). some have been found somewhere. Some I've bought, since I was a sucker for deep discount sales.

I have fewer now, but I have fewer of everything now. Downsizing is a good thing as you get older.

 

[dnschmidt]

XYZ PDQ. ?????

 

[RTM]

Where did those come from? Another part of the question that I did not toss in there but should have.

Are you on the look out for "stuff". Garage sales, wherever that good deal on (again for the sake of this thread) socket set that is missing the 1/2, but it is only $5. You don't "need" it, so why buy it?

I buy random loose sockets at garage sales, tool boxes full of random sockets, etc. Last box I bought had Snap-on, P&C, SK, Thorsen, Plomb etc. These fill out missing sets I am building, trade bait, disposable sockets, loaners to the neighbors etc.

Turns out the SK bits were pretty much a full set.

And I have no OCD about stuff matching. I'm the heretic who will put a SK socket on a Thorsen extension, and turn it with a snap-on ratchet, and hold the other side with a Herbrand wrench.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Autozone, Lowes, Home Depot, Napa for a single.

 

[Houdini5150]

I get a single if I can.

 

[TdK71]

Loose? as in doesn't fit properly or lose? As in I lost my socket.

 

[nicks78camaro]

Lost the 1/2" wrench from my SK stubby set. Waited for the longest time to order a replacement, hoping to find it.

Finally ordered one after at least two years. I found the missing wrench two weeks after I got the new one.

 

[mepstein]

I have Tekton sockets so it’s easy to just order up a single one and have it in a day or two. My buddy has snap-on. He usually just gets one off eBay.

 

[logixjock]

My SnapOn dealer either exchanges it and says "sorry about that", or he says "damn, you lost another one?" and sells me a replacement.

 

[woody 73]

LOL...Downsizing heck no, I just blew my money on 55 sockets or about $1.45 per socket. Herbrand,proto,wright,blackhawk,cornwell,bonney,etc. Sigh it is never ending like a drunk walking into a bar and asking for another cold one.