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Seen these plastic socket rails anywhere?

TNToy

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Oct 11, 2006
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West Tennessee
socketrails.jpg


Matco sells these for, um, too much. I've got 2 of them, and really like them. I'd like to get about 20 more for use at the house and at work in all 3 drive sizes... But the price would kill me.

Anyone seen these sold cheaper, by the guys who actually make them? I haven't hand any luck on the usual tool websites.
 
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Fedwrench

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Dec 9, 2007
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Valley of the sun
try www.ernstmfg.com for a very similiar rail in different lengths, red or blue and 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drives. You can also find 15 inch long ones in Black or grey at Sears and Chinese knockoffs in grey at Harbor Freight.
 
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TNToy

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Thanks. At 1/3 the price of the VIM/Matco ones, I think this is one thing I'll be picking up at Sears. Especially since I want a TON of them.
 

Jeeper

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Dec 25, 2006
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Round Rock, TX
Buy as many of those 3-in-a-set ones as you can. They are much cheaper buying in triples then buying in singles. I think i have 15 or so holding my socket. actually used some coupons to buy some more pegs.
 

dirty old man

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Aug 28, 2007
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Portland, OR
Does anyone know where I could find a plastic socket rail that's longer than the Craftsman one? I have a set of sockets that's too much for one of those rails and I don't want to split them up.
 

Rockhouse

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Dec 11, 2007
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Freeland, MI
I've bought 5 sets of the CMans (w/ $5 coupon). They come in sets of 3 (1/4, 3/8 & 1/2) or in individual rails. They work great.

I did see the south-side China version at HF also. you might check there. I have not tried the $5 coupon at HF, but would not surprised if they took it. Worth a shot anyway.
 
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number9

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Aug 31, 2006
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So do you guys stand the socket rails up when loaded or lay them on the side? I was thinking that with deep sockets or small 1/4 sockets they'd just fall over when openeing the drawers.


..
 

Notwerk

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May 11, 2011
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329
Sorry to necromancer and old post, but does anyone know where SK sourced the ratchet holders seen here?

It rides on the same rail used by Craftsman and Matco, but I haven't been able to find them anywhere. All I know is that these rails were used by a lot of different tool manufacturers (including Kobalt USA, as well as the others listed above), and that all of them seem to be USA-made. They don't quite look like the Ernst ones, though.
 

UncleJoe

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Dec 2, 2008
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New Bern NC
I bought those at Advanced Autoparts and if you order on line and use a coupon, well you know the rest of the story.
 

Greatbear

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Jan 17, 2008
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Columbia/Fulton, MD
The new Kobalt rails Lowes sells are longer, and the rails themselves are made of extruded aluminum rather than plastic. The socket clips are still plastic.
 

05CarbonDRZ

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May 21, 2011
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Cottage Grove,WI
So is there a 22" Rail? I am looking for the longest 3/8" socket rail available.I am trying to fit 21 3/8" sockets on 1 rail if possible.
 

NewShockerGuy

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Oct 12, 2010
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Northern Virginia / DC
I actually picked up two of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/120pc-SOCKET-TR...504?pt=Tool_Boxes_Storage&hash=item3a67b31800

I really like them. Very heavy duty and it doesn't feel flimsy at all. Have all my loose sockets on them and couldn't be happier. I believe there is one that has more sizes than one if you needed 1/2 more or 3/8..etc.

Overall I'm very pleased with this. Comes with a handle so it's easy to carry around. None of the sockets are loose and it actually takes some force to get them off. They hold tighter than the new snap on rails I just bought..lol

-Nigel
 

Notwerk

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May 11, 2011
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329
Actually, what I was looking for was the studs that slide onto these rails that hold the ratchet, not the sockets.

SK used a ratchet holder on their version of these plastic rails. The rail itself is identical to the Craftsman/Matco/VIM-type rail, but the SK/Facom kits used a ratchet holder similar to what Ernst makes for their rails.

The socket studs themselves are easy to get at your local Sears, but the ratchet holder studs I've never seen anywhere. Couldn't turn anything up on Google, either.

In the end, the rail plus ratchet holder is too tall to fit in my particular handbox, but it would probably make a nice space saver for some folks out there.
 

speed bump

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May 28, 2008
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Butte Montana
Actually, what I was looking for was the studs that slide onto these rails that hold the ratchet, not the sockets.

SK used a ratchet holder on their version of these plastic rails. The rail itself is identical to the Craftsman/Matco/VIM-type rail, but the SK/Facom kits used a ratchet holder similar to what Ernst makes for their rails.

The socket studs themselves are easy to get at your local Sears, but the ratchet holder studs I've never seen anywhere. Couldn't turn anything up on Google, either.

In the end, the rail plus ratchet holder is too tall to fit in my particular handbox, but it would probably make a nice space saver for some folks out there.


http://ernstmfg.com/products_socket_accessories.php
 

CLee0507

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Nov 1, 2010
Messages
103
I've got the ones Harbor Freight sells. They work well, but for some reason on the 1/4" dr. rails I have had the retaining ball and springs pop out after little use. I just have extra clips so I replace them as needed, but it is a pain sometimes. The 3/8" and 1/2" have been fine even with impacts.
 

Yojinbo

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Feb 14, 2010
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628
Location
Oklahoma
The new Kobalt rails Lowes sells are longer, and the rails themselves are made of extruded aluminum rather than plastic. The socket clips are still plastic.

They are also (the $21 Lowes ones) magnetic. I looked at them tonight. Not bad, they would be a real steal on sale.
 
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