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Socket Extensions: How Many?

Bull

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Dec 12, 2005
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How many socket extensions do you keep in your box, ready to go? The organization of these frustrates me because they are just awkward to store efficiently. I just have them laying in the box side-by-side, separated by drive size. But that takes up too may inches in width.

I then began to consider that I have too many. In each drive size, I have more than 1 of each length, with some gaps. I also have a few wobbles, but need more.

I got to thinking, though...maybe I just have too many extensions. You people out there would know. Do you have three 6" 3/8 extensions, for example, or just one 6"?
 
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DSLTRK

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I have three of each, up to 10 inch. One 20 inch 3/8, one 24 inch 1/2. You never know when you need 'em.
 

metaleltr

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Western Ohio
Yeah, I think extensions are one of those things you can never have too many of, You never know when you will need to tighten a bolt 8' away in a 3" tube.
 

kornjulio

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Jun 25, 2006
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I have at least a dozen between the various drive sizes, chrome, impact, etc. My favorites are the SK wobble extensions. That few degrees of play it allows for has really helped on many fasteners!
 
OP
B

Bull

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Damn...I don't even have impact extensions yet...will need those in three drive sizes as well.

You guys aren't helping me here! All of these extensions are going to take up too much damn room. I looked through some old threads on here about organizing them and didn't see any methods that I loved. I am currently toying with the idea of trying:

a) wrench racks
b) tool rolls
c) a small top box dedicated exclusively to extensions
 

battlegraduate09

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Feb 25, 2012
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abingdon va
like the others, i have many many extensions in 1/4-1/2 drive sizes. Only a couple in 3/4

the extensions i reach for the most are the snap on wobble plus. i was hesitant about them but the price was right and i absolutely love them. Push down the socket all the way for a regular extension, pull the socket up a bit and locks into place as a wobble extension.

to the OP, how i store mine are in the top drawer (full length 50 some inch drawer) Where i keep my sockets (mostly in the hanson type socket organizers.) This way i leave a few inches in the back of the drawer to seperate the sockets, and the front i have all extensions laid long ways. i have a seperate drawer for all 1/4 drive stuff.

if that helps or not..
 

96snma

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Mar 4, 2012
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Calgary ab/saskatoon sk
In my main tool box I've got one each of 1/2 (10,6,3) 3/8 (10,6,3) and 1/4 (6,3) that are laid out and shadowed with foam along with the ratchets. This keeps them from rolling and they are easily found and grabbed. As I ususally only need one to do the job I dont find myself lacking to often. Then in my secondary box I've got numerous others in a dollar store basket all together. This is good to keep them together as I've only needed to make a 24'' extension a handful of times. This applies to lots of other tools too. primary and often used in one box then spares in another.

I should add I'm not a tech
 
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TheCarbideRat

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Sep 25, 2009
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a laundromat
In the back on the left side you will see my 1/2" extensions in a red bin. Got them from Schaller, just google 'Schaller bins'.

If your toolbox drawers are deep enough you can stand up the shorter extensions on socket rails.

You're welcome ;)
 

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kossuth

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Yeah, I think extensions are one of those things you can never have too many of, You never know when you will need to tighten a bolt 8' away in a 3" tube.
Agreed. Think of how many you could possibly ever need, and get 2 more.
 

neonnblack

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Jun 7, 2010
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Reno, NV
bull, get bar magnets, the tool holder magnets at HF are great for this, glue or screw or however you want to attach them to the lid of your top box, i epoxied mine. like so.
20121113_181647.jpg

Sometimes they roll a bit but they have never really fallen off unless i slam the lid. ymmv
 

yost69

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Jul 30, 2011
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WV
Yeah, I think extensions are one of those things you can never have too many of, You never know when you will need to tighten a bolt 8' away in a 3" tube.

:tantrum2: I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants dam it. :bounce:
 

cide1

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Jul 6, 2011
Messages
508
I have 2 stacks of boxes, each 26" wide. Extensions get their own drawer laid out by drive size, then long to short. I keep many of the popular sizes. I have quite a few ratchets, so I can have a ratchet, extension, and socket for each fastener size I'm using. Not having to switch up tools speeds up the work tremendously.
 

vga

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Nov 21, 2011
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I have a few and store then side by side with my ratchets.
 

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Outlawmws

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How many socket extensions do you keep in your box, ready to go? The organization of these frustrates me because they are just awkward to store efficiently. I just have them laying in the box side-by-side, separated by drive size. But that takes up too may inches in width.

I then began to consider that I have too many. In each drive size, I have more than 1 of each length, with some gaps. I also have a few wobbles, but need more.

I got to thinking, though...maybe I just have too many extensions. You people out there would know. Do you have three 6" 3/8 extensions, for example, or just one 6"?

No, I have 6 in that size! :evil:

Total Extension count stands at 90; (45 ft, of them...)

Yes I do have a small problem! :spit: What of it? :lol:
 

davesnothere

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phoenix, az
I have at least 2 of each in 1/4 and 3/8 drive, just one complete set of 1/2 drive, a set of wobbles in 3/8, and some 3/8 wobble plus. I use them all.
 

Ray-CA

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Jan 6, 2007
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San Diego CA
I click mine together, making a long extension of the same drive size (3/8, 1/2 etc.) That way they stay together and seem to take up less space in the drawer. Lay them along the left side, front to back. The 1/4" ones get put on the socket rail.

Ray
 

RCStocker

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Aug 12, 2012
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Indiana, California, Australia
I must have 50 in all sizes and lengths. I have them 32 inches long and stubby ones. I have a bunch of impact extensions. I like the ones that lock onto the socket. I have all those in different sizes and lengths. I buy so man tool lots and shops out that I keep back everything I don't have and try it out. They my sons take what I don't want and the rest gets sold off. I even have a Snap-on 1/4" speed wrench that is 40 or so inches long. It is great for construction when screwing things over head. You never have enough extensions. Sometimes you need to stack different sizes to get a clearance.

Good ones are so cheap at the swap meets that everyone should have a pile of them. I pick them up for one or two dollars every week.
 
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ephotrod

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Jun 24, 2006
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Texas
You only begin to have enough extensions when you can put them together (each size separately) and reach from one end of your shop to the other. At which point you can stop buying extensions at full cost and start looking for the .25 cent deals.
 

uniballer

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Aug 6, 2012
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bedford, va
two drawers full, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2/ 1. last I counted when I got new box it was 103. I need them all and looking to get more, found one at auction that was 60", 15$ I bought it. I have it on the side of box.
 

jvitez

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Big Sky Country, Canada
Wow, and I thought I had enough by having one size in each drive (1/4, 3/8, 1/2) with a couple of 4" and 6" doubles in 3/8 drive.

Maybe not 8' in a 3" tube, but I did once have to remove the turbo-to-exhaust bolts on my previous 98 Dodge Ram Cummins by lying on a creeper with ratchet in hand , and every one of my then piddly selection of 3/8 extensions clicked together to reach about 3 ft. I kid you not.

I just put them side by size, sorted by drive size.
 

Burtonrider10022

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Oct 20, 2012
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695
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Chicago, IL
How many socket extensions do you keep in your box, ready to go? The organization of these frustrates me because they are just awkward to store efficiently. I just have them laying in the box side-by-side, separated by drive size. But that takes up too may inches in width.

I then began to consider that I have too many. In each drive size, I have more than 1 of each length, with some gaps. I also have a few wobbles, but need more.

I got to thinking, though...maybe I just have too many extensions. You people out there would know. Do you have three 6" 3/8 extensions, for example, or just one 6"?

448x249px-LL-3dd0d362_what-do-you-mean-you-people-tropic-thunder-movie-1309633407.jpg






I have a couple. All 3/8" I believe, but I'm starting to prefer 1/2" a lot more lately, and I will probably pick up a set of those soon. I like my HF pittsburgh "pro" impact extensions, because I don't actually use them on an impact gun lol. People have said that they're stronger than a regular extension, but still don't hold up to impact guns, so I just use them with hand wrenches and they work great, especially for 4 for $7.


In regard to your other reply about "oh great now I need to get impact extensions" just buy all of them as impact from now on. It's not like you can't use an impact extension on a standard driver. 1 tool, double duty, less wasted space :thumbup:
 

Geurt

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Jun 5, 2011
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284
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The Hague, Holland
Because of threads like these I hate the GJ. At most I own maybe 6 extensions, two sizes for each (1/4, 3/8, 1/2). They are easily stored next to the ratchets. Now I suddenly feel the need to buy more of them and create a possible storage problem.
 

Mr Ratchet

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Mar 3, 2011
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Michigan
I just partitioned off part of my socket/driver tool drawer.

I have one each of the following sizes.

1/4" std: 1 1/2", 3", 6", 14". 1/4" wobble: 3". 1/4" flex: 4". 1/4" pass thu: 3" & 6".

3/8" std: 1 1/2", 3", 6", 10", 18". 3/8" wobble: 3" & 6". 3/8" pass thru: 3" & 6".

1/2" std: 3", 6", 10", 20". 3/8" wobble: 5".

3/4" std: 8"

1/4" hex: 12" locking


Extbig-1.jpg
 

mayhemman

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May 26, 2011
Messages
310
every job calls for something differn't.
i bouot a set of sk 3/8" extensions and it came up to 26" i think. that complimented my small assortment of craftsmans.

i just have them set up in the top of my box where if i need them i have em. i don't use them alot because i have the shorter ones in my other socket sets already, but when i need a long extension i don't worry no more. i think a person needs a decent set in each size rather then a ton of ones of like 3" ect. rather then linking 6 together you link two.

but then when it comes to mulitiple ratchets well that throws things off. but thats my thoughts.
 

Brad54

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Jun 13, 2006
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I was gonna reply, but after some of the replies already posted... I got nuthin.

-Brad
 

honcho

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Feb 2, 2011
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Near Sodom & Gommorah (aka Wash. DC)
I was trying to do a two person job by myself leveling a small shed using a bottle jack and a scissor jack. I needed a really long extension for the scissor jack so I put together all my extensions using various adapters to a 1/2 inch speeder. 4 different 1/2" extensions, a 1/2 female to 3/8 male adapter, a whole slew of 3/8" 3 and 6 inch extensions with a couple of 10 inch extensions, a 3/8 female to 1/4 male adapter and another pile of 1/4" extensions with a 1/4 female to 3/8 male adapter on the end to drive I think a 17mm socket to the scissor jack. I had to tape them together to prevent it from falling apart under the shed but it worked.

Moral: With enough extensions you can get it done.
 

Carla

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Nov 27, 2010
Messages
672
How many socket extensions do you keep in your box, ready to go? The organization of these frustrates me because they are just awkward to store efficiently. I just have them laying in the box side-by-side, separated by drive size. But that takes up too may inches in width.

I then began to consider that I have too many. In each drive size, I have more than 1 of each length, with some gaps. I also have a few wobbles, but need more.

I got to thinking, though...maybe I just have too many extensions. You people out there would know. Do you have three 6" 3/8 extensions, for example, or just one 6"?

Hi, Bull,

It all depends on the work you intend to do. Socket extensions are one of the type of tool you may not need very often, but when you do need one, or several, nothing else will do the job, at least do the job conveniently.

Its been only a very few times when I've needed to use a crow's foot wrench and a long string of extensions to turn a fastener which wasn't very 'wrench-access-friendly', to 'put it mildly'. The extensions, and the crow's foot wrenches, pay for themselves on that job, and having them on hand enables one to 'get the job out' without potentially costly delay.

This is one of the hard truths for those for whom making a living depends on pulling wrenches efficiently.........it can take a rather substantial investment in wrenches to have coverage for the unpredictable jobs which might come in.

As a generality, it makes sense to 'play safe' by having more variety of wrenches that would seem necessary, as losing time on a job when one hasn't the necessary tooling to get the job done efficiently can become a serious problem.

You just have to make your own personal evaluation of the capability you need to have ready to hand, v. the nature of potential work you may be asked to do.

Since you're asking, even tho its been many, many years since I've had to pull wrenches myself, other than for tinkering-up my own and friends' vehicles, but I've kept some thirty-odd socket extensions of various sizes, along with swivel sockets, the universal adaptors, and crow's-foot wrenches, as all of these have been necessary to get this or that job done, one time and another.

Put simply, you really can't have too many varieties of wrenches, within the size range of the work you plan to do. There can be any number of times when one has to modify an existing wrench or make up a special to access one or another fastener in a 'tight spot', so having spares on hand will save time.

cheers

Carla
 

xAZxE30x

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Jul 27, 2012
Messages
35
Location
Phoenix
What brands do you guys use for extensions?

Seems like you wouldn't necessarily need crazy expensive ones but I have twisted plenty or mess up my sockets to start maybe upgrading from the cheap stuff
 

thightower

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Jun 4, 2011
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oklahoma
I try to only buy Made in the USA. Never had good luck with the cheap stuff. Although I have broke the Made in USA stuff to. Just had better luck with the good stuff.
 
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