Show me your sockets!!

[Pucman1]

Looking for the best way to organize my socket/drivers drawer! I have seen a couple ideas but not sure what is best! show me what you got!

 

[sanddan]

I just got a set of socket holders to try out.

Hansen Global 92000 SAE & Metric Socket Storage Trays - 6 Piece Set,


I have been using the standard metal ones that are narrow and fall over if not screwed down. These do hold the sockets without falling over when opening the drawer but they take up a lot of space. Ok if you don't have a lot of tools but not good if space is a premium.

 

[ryan20021982]

I like the Hansen's posted above but some don't

View media item 65428

 

[Local]

Don't know how much the Hansen's cost but harbor freight does have some black ones similar to them.

 

[Westozfixer]

Westling machine make the best but they aren't cheap.

 

[Buster21]

Another Hansen user.

 

[KM223]

Hansen for all shallow/deep sets and Gearwrench rails for set that don't allow posts

 

[M6erfan]

VIM Magrail TL

 

[GTA Matt]

I have 18 hansen trays, so I guess I'm partial to them, then a mix of matco/gearwrench plastic rails and vim mag rails

 

[gdocktor3]

Just do a Google search. Same results, but in .002 seconds.

 

[KM223]

Just do a Google search. Same results, but in .002 seconds.

 

[fastbike02]

im little ocd about keeping them in order

 

[CrashmanS]

I use these. I've had them forever and fit in a thin drawer.

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[afazz]

I have a combination of Hansen trays, Westling trays, VIM Magrails, Snap-on magnetic trays, Craftsman plastic rails. All of them are cut to fit the range of sockets I have and the space I have to put them in. I prefer the Hansen trays for sockets, but they can't hold everything.

 

[Moose97]

I bought the plastic ones from HF. They work fine for me. I haven't seen the Hanson treys. The HF ones are somewhat sloppy as in not a tight fit. If that bothers you, you might want to look at something else.

 

[Pitalplace]

I like the Hansen trays but I also have a couple of the ones I got at Menards. They work better for socket sets that don't fit the Hansen's.
https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...reg-1-2-drive-socket-tray/p-1444421228594.htm

 

[Tonellin]

Why you would need anything beyond the cheapo HF trays is beyond me.

 

[Pho20]

Hf plastic rails

 

[Pucman1]

So I picked up a couple of the Hansen trays, they are very nice/ Where do you recommend going to pick up individual sockets. I am missing a few.

 

[3TV]

Ernst twist lock for impact sockets, Matco socket rails for the rest.

I wanted to use Hansen, but they didn't have post for the larger sizes, so I would have been left with several loose sockets in the drawer.

 

[LXCam]

Why you would need anything beyond the cheapo HF trays is beyond me.

Because for anything more than a basic socket set they don't work. Then there's the OCD ordeal for those of us that can't live with a open peg.

 

[Tonellin]

Because for anything more than a basic socket set they don't work. Then there's the OCD ordeal for those of us that can't live with a open peg.

ahh yes gotta have a peg for 20mm in 3/8 and 1/2 in short, standard and deep socket so my tool box looks pretty!

 

[ChrisPace]

I use tool foam from foam fit tools.com to organize my 299 piece craftsman USA set. I have yet to lose one in the last 5 years!






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[Empty Pockets]

Years ago, I was given the gray plastic socket organizers from Sears, with a cut out for every imaginable size. They take up way too much space, and I replaced them with Hansen trays and assorted rails

 

[ChrisPace]

Here's what I learned from the foam organizers above. When I bought the 299 piece set home for the first time they were in plastic bags unsorted so I dumped them into a 4" craftsman drawer. They wouldn't all fit and to be able to shut the drawers. However when I bought the foam organizers I realize that they can fit into 3-2" trays taking up just slightly more space than just emptying them out raw and unsorted into the same space single drawer. So there is only a slight loss of space but a huge improvement of time I would lose trying to find the tools I needed. Not a bad option if you look at it from the standpoint of just emptying the bags into a single drawer.


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[e015475]

Another vote for FoamFit.

Most professional mechanics would never tolerate this much wasted space, but for this amateur who needs tool control to bolster memory and organization, this is the most satisfactory system I've found. Threw out the rails, Hansen, home-made trays, and Sears socket organizers and never looked back.

View media item 44573
I sent FoamFit an Excel spreadsheet of all my metric and SAE socket' diameters (my sockets are all 'dogs and cats' of different brands) and the interior dimensions of the top drawer of my HF 44".

FoamFit sent back a pdf of their design layout to approve. I printed it out and overlaid all my sockets on it in the drawer to make sure what I wanted. About a week later the FoamFit organizer was at my doorstep.

 

[sberry]

Sorted by size not drive. All that stuff is way too tedious for me.

 

[Rf80]

1/4 and 3/8 ready to go.

 

[DynoDale]

Mechanics time savers, Hansen

 

[R_einan]

Here's the metric side of the socket drawer. Love everything about VIM Magrails, except the price... Need to get a few more to finish up the organizing.

 

[DaleJR88Fan]

Has anybody had experience with these rails that Lee Valley is selling?
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,44047&p=75462&WT.mc_id=2325_3&WT.tsrc=Email


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[jobo1004]

Has anybody had experience with these rails that Lee Valley is selling?
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,44047&p=75462&WT.mc_id=2325_3&WT.tsrc=Email


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No experience, but they look a lot like the Ernst socket boss trays.
http://www.ernstmfg.com/Socket-Organizer-Trays-Socket-Boss.aspx

 

[3TV]

Here's mine. Deep impact sockets are Sunex, shallow impact sockets are Matco ADV, both mounted on Ernst socket rails. Chrome 1/2 drive sockets in the middle of the drawer are Williams USA, and chrome 3/8 and 1/4 drive sockets on the left side are Matco Silver Eagle, all mounted on Matco socket rails. Ratchets are a combination of Matco and Snap On.

 

[smuro04]

It really depends on your box.

These are the top drawers in my Husky 52 bottom chests w/ the Harbor Freight socket trays:





I also have 1/2", 3/8", and 1/4" sets in the top of my Harbor Freight 4 drawer tool cart w/ Hanson socket trays. Just have to figure out how you plan to lay it all out.




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[bobcatdan]

Magnetic plates.

 

[bobcatdan]

I use Hansen in another box.

 

[CutterFarms]

My tool cart sockets are on rails riveted to a aluminum sheet

 

[CutterFarms]

My toolbox is a mixture of magnetic trays, plastic trays, and a few rails. Considering going to all mechanics time saver magnetic trays. I like to pick up a whole set and stick it on whatever I am working on.

 

[BreeStephany]

View media item 67815
I use Hansen organizers and filled in around them with Kaizen foam. I have a lot of empty spaces that I am slowly working on filling. Hoping to have it filled before I'm done with school.

 

[Duster346]

I seem to be the only one that uses these types of rails, but I really do like them. I feel you can fit more sockets with these than with the other types of trays or racks.

I buy them from Matco, item number 444A.

http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/444A/SOCKET-TRAY-RACK/