Oddball socket sizes?? Keep or not??

[MatBirch]

Giving my shop a thorough clean and re-org, and getting ready for a yard sale and ensuing donation run. Over the years, like most of us, I’ve acquired a billion extra sockets (of course no 10mm ). I’ve got a good handle on the good sets to keep, and gotten a bunch of new trays to organize everything.
Among my collection is a set that isn’t really “extras”. They are 1/2” drive standard, but with nearly every in bewtween to **/32. I’ve never used any of em, and my trays don’t hold them.
I’m just an average shade tree guy. Keep em or send em along?

 

[The Cobbler]

if you keep them you will never use them. if you get rid of them, you're bound to need at least 3 of them within the next 30 days!

 

[rustbucket5]

i like to keep them as seal drivers

 

[Empty Pockets]

They don't eat much, don't need refrigeration and won't soil the shop floor. I'd keep them

 

[victor252]

There's a cost to clutter and benefit to outsmarting Murphy's Law.

You have to decide where that balance is. If it was me, I'd keep one in every size (shallow and deep) and starting giving away stuff that was totally redundant. Like you I am not a professional. If a socket breaks while I'm using it and the shallow/deep alternative won't fit, I guess I'm going to the store.

 

[jfrey123]

Most of my tools were given to me when my grandpa moved off his 10 acre property with a huge detached metal shop. Multiple repeats of sockets and combo wrenches, ranging from USA made Craftsmans older than me and SK tools and Ace Hardware stuff down through China made truck stop sockets (he was a owner/operator for most his life).

After building out one each of short and deep sockets in all drives, combo wrenches in SAE and metric, building a toolbox for my 4x4, etc., etc., I had a pile of cheap and misc made whatevers that didn’t match. I left them purposely in my way on my bench for 3 months I still couldn’t persuade myself to trash or donate them. They’re now in an oil box, marked as “old tools”, and tucked away in the highest out of sight spot in my garage. Doubt I’ll ever need them, but his old depression era ways probably rubbed off on me and I can’r part with them. And someday he’ll be gone, and just laughing at the fact he owned (7) 3/8’s short 1/2” sockets, because I know he would just drive to buy another one when he wanted it and couldn’t find it in his mess o’ tools.

TL;DR I’m a sentimental packrat and vote you should store your extra up and away until one day 79 months from now when you might need one.

 

[Bob P1]

I'm with cobbler, as soon as you get rid of them, you'll need them! If the stuff is good quality American made tools, there is always a market. If it is cheap china/taiwan junk, toss it and be happy. Probably going to break when you need it anyway.

 

[DadsTools]

Definitely keep the set in 32nd inch increments. Don't sell them at a yard sale cause you'll get zilch for them. Get a cheap socket rail to put them on and stuff it somewhere under the bench or in a cabinet. If they're USA made and all match, and you still want to dump them, message me.

 

[JRC3]

I have a similar situation with sockets and wrenches.

I've considered Ebay but not sure if it's worth the effort. Shame it's not all metric. I figure some sizes would go quick while others would just sit there. Without a ton of research, it's hard to price the sizes without asking too much for ones nobody needs, and vice versa for the ones in demand.

 

[DadsTools]

I have a similar situation with sockets and wrenches.

I've considered Ebay but not sure if it's worth the effort. Shame it's not all metric. I figure some sizes would go quick while others would just sit there. Without a ton of research, it's hard to price the sizes without asking too much for ones nobody needs, and vice versa for the ones in demand.

I like these pics. A lot.

You're right about the eBay path. If it's Snap-on, folks will buy even pictures of them. Other than that, it's hit or miss. Because of the time and effort setting an auction up and the resulting fees if you sell it, individual sockets aren't worth posting unless they start getting into the larger sizes like 1"+ or if they are very rare vintage and highly collectible. Wrenches fair better. With individual sizes, you're looking for the one fellow who needs that particular wrench to complete a set or for a special application. You may wait a very long time, but when you find that buyer, both parties are quite happy.

If you don't mind netting a small amount on the sale and would like to get these into the hands of someone who will appreciate them, AND if they're USA, you can make socket and wrench sets up with mixed makers for folks wanting a backup set, some beaters, or a set for the car or truck. Those who want quality tools for this purpose but don't want to buy new USA prices will thank you for it. Solves a real need out there.

 

[shoe1]

I would put them on a rail and keep them they are getting kind of hard to find. I have a lot of proto half in drive in 32s and have close to a full set. I don't need them very often but once in a while they come in handy. Seem henry ford liked odd sizes lol. working on old equipment is about the only time I need them. Kind of like 8 point sockets when I was younger thought why have them but older I get the more I use them and put them back when I find them.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I have a rail full of 32nds in the "odd" drawer.

Last time I used a 25/32 was on an old Armstrong chain wrench (the 4' long one).

Like others said, they don't eat much and there are easy to keep around.

 

[PFSard]

I'd keep them if they aren't taking up much space. It depends on how many.

Here's another option for getting rid of them, if you so decide.

The OFFICIAL "FREE SOCKET" thread! : NOT a "wanted" thread!!!
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172529

 

[bwringer]

I've got a similar pile "aging" in a box.

I kept what I might conceivably need, put together all the complete sets I could in baggies and put them in the box, but there's a lot of leftover oddballs, crappy cheap Indian and Chinese pliers and screwdrivers, etc. I tossed the broken and bent stuff and the stripped screwdrivers.

I've already filled in the tool kit in my wife's car. We'll drag the pile to a relative and fill in any gaps he has, then the rest will go to Habitat Restore to delight some future GJ poster.

It's VERY nice to have the **** out of the way -- much easier to find what I need, so I can work a lot faster.

 

[quattroman]

If you have space I would keep them, as round bits of metal rather than sockets, so ideal for drifts, seal driver, bush tool etc. Can also be welded onto things. Depends whether you do stuff like that or not. My scrap pile has saved *** when I am trying to fix something at midnight to use the next day.

 

[oldwino]

Another option if you are really bent on getting rid of spares and oddballs and you are sure you won’t need them in the future Is to donate to Habatat for Humanity or similar organization and take a tax deduction (problbly wouldn’t get much anyway considering the effort of selling) and you may be helping someone else that needs them

 

[Musicinabottle]

if you keep them you will never use them. if you get rid of them, you're bound to need at least 3 of them within the next 30 days!

Fock around, ain't that the truth! So many times, I've been there. My **/32 sockets don't take up any room so I keep them. It insures that I'll never need them!

 

[bob15]

Keep them. The x/32 sizes sometimes fit on rusty bolts/nuts. Better to have than to wish you had.

 

[leg17]

If you are determined to get rid of them, post them for sale here. You could get more than scrap value.

 

[Toomanytools?]

Keep them we all need excess amounts of stuff, plus gives the loved ones stuff to do when your gone.

 

[johninct]

If you do real mechanical work on older stuff, sometimes an odd socket will fit better than the nominal correct size. Also, some of those 1/32" sizes will fit a metric bolt. Sometimes a bolt head/ nut will be worn so the nominal correct socket is sloppy.

 

[MatBirch]

Thanks guys. My buddy is a hot rod guy and mentioned the old rusty, worn bolt aspect.
I just assumed that’s what a crescent hammer, vise grips and a pipe wrench were for!
I’m certainly not determined to sell them, just determined to get organized. They are nothing fancy, but they work. Years ago from Costco, I bought a big Crescent brand “mechanic’s toolset”. The big one! The box was like 80lbs!
I still have most of it, and it’s been good to me for my uses.

 

[Tallpilot]

They don't eat much, don't need refrigeration and won't soil the shop floor. I'd keep them

This is it...unless they are complete junk AND duplicates it really doesn't make sense to get rid of tools. Keep them.