To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Socket holders

Happyshooter

Active member
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
40
Location
America
Socket holders.

My father liked the sheetmetal holders with the flip up rail on them. I like the magnet holders that I bought from sears when they were on super sale.

What works best for you?
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

48548

Well-known member
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
4,015
Location
Phoenix
This works for me, but seriously I do have the sears craftsman twist and lock magnetic ones that stick on the side of my box, they are great but at 20 a piece they were expensive.

IMG_4286.jpg
 

crewchief888

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
13,741
Location
NW indiana
Socket holders.

My father liked the sheetmetal holders with the flip up rail on them. I like the magnet holders that I bought from sears when they were on super sale.

What works best for you?

i have trays, metal rails/clips, upright magnetic holders, and flat magetic holders.
whatever suited my needs and purpose at the time.
i cant say that i prefer one over the other, but the only thing i use metal rails and clips for are seldom used stuff
to each his own :thumbup:
 

Cryptic1911

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2008
Messages
2,884
Location
Willimantic, CT
I like the .99c Harbor Freight rails. I made a quick channel for them to go into with some thin sheetmetal, and it worked well, so I'm going to be re-doing it with angle iron so that it doesnt flex

web.jpg


Kylefitz already used my idea with the angle iron, and it worked out well:

IMG00240.jpg
 

PCO6

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Messages
4,573
Location
Newmarket, Ontario
This is the type I use. They are stable and easy to remove for adjusting or cleaning. They cost $20 for the large ones and $10 for the small ones (CDN $ at Princess Auto).
 

Attachments

  • Socket Holder - 1.jpg
    Socket Holder - 1.jpg
    146.3 KB · Views: 757
  • Socket Holder - 2.jpg
    Socket Holder - 2.jpg
    150 KB · Views: 345

DewittMotorsports

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
292
Location
MA
This is the type I use. They are stable and easy to remove for adjusting or cleaning. They cost $20 for the large ones and $10 for the small ones (CDN $ at Princess Auto).
Whats the name of those? Cant find them on their web site
 

alberto

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
756
This is the type I use. They are stable and easy to remove for adjusting or cleaning. They cost $20 for the large ones and $10 for the small ones (CDN $ at Princess Auto).

Never seen those before. Is there a source in the US that sells them?
 

PCO6

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Messages
4,573
Location
Newmarket, Ontario
They are labelled as "Power Fist" - Princess Auto's "house brand". Here's a picture of the box. You could make them quite easily. The base is about 20 guage sheet metal and the "rails" are the standard type that have been around forever (3 or 4 bucks each). The larger one is 17 1/4" long and the smaller one is 9" long. The width is 6" and the rails are riveted to the base at 1 7/16" on centre. You could make them to any dimensions that you want of course.
 

Attachments

  • Socket Holder - 4.jpg
    Socket Holder - 4.jpg
    143.9 KB · Views: 259

glenmore

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 18, 2008
Messages
1,351
Location
Los Angeles
Ebay has them and the fancier more expensive Lock-A-Socket version also.

Search "socket tray -hansen" to cut down the number of results a bit.
 

Diesel_Crawler

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
1,267
Location
Canada, NB
I like the hansen trays, I lose some space put makes it easier to grab in a hurry. I keep everything else on the snap on rails.
PS sorry took the photos with a blackberry.

1GetAttachmentaspx.jpg

2GetAttachmentaspx.jpg
 

PCO6

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Messages
4,573
Location
Newmarket, Ontario
Never seen those before. Is there a source in the US that sells them?
I'm not sure but glenmore suggests it would be good to check out e-bay. As mentioned above, they would be very easy to make and to customize for your particular use.
 

Scout Driver

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Messages
4,284
Location
South Dakota
I really like the sheetmetal trays with the flip-up handle. Wish there was a retail source for them. Otherwise I use the rails that come with the sockets. In my junkyard box, I use the plastic Craftsman rails. The kind that have the square fitting with the retainer ball. They work great. My junkyard box gets hauled around everywhere and the C-man rails really keep the sockets together. Even the deep-well impacts.

Scott
 

Griff93

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
1,121
Location
Huntsville, AL
If you guys get these off ebay, don't buy them from MyDealsDirect. I ordered some magnetic rails from them that weren't what was shown in the ad at all. They wouldn't make it right either.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Flathead Red

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
648
Location
Gulf Coast of Florida
I started out with the gray plastic trays that sears has but they take up to much room. Changed over to HF and the .99 cent rail but wasn't happy with them either. I just got my blue and black Hansen trays in the mail today and they are perfect for me. I love it. I now have all my sockets in one drawer.

Flathead red
 

crbnfbr

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
439
Location
SC
I really like the sheetmetal trays with the flip-up handle. Wish there was a retail source for them. Otherwise I use the rails that come with the sockets. In my junkyard box, I use the plastic Craftsman rails. The kind that have the square fitting with the retainer ball. They work great. My junkyard box gets hauled around everywhere and the C-man rails really keep the sockets together. Even the deep-well impacts.

Scott

Cornwell sells them separately. Unfortunately they don't have pictures of them, but if you look at the socket sets that comes with them you can match up the part #. For example the 11pc 1/2" deep socket set comes with the ST33 socket tray.

http://www.cornwelltools.com/webcat/categories.php?category=Master-Sets-%26-Tool-Storage/Accessories&page=1&sort=featured
 

Griff93

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
1,121
Location
Huntsville, AL
The MIT lock a socket rails work very well. I have the tray with 5 rails made into it and two of the individual rails. I have used them daily for almost 4 years without a single failure. The only thing I don't like about them is if you have impact sockets that have only one hole in them you have to line them up if you want to lock them on. I don't normally lock mine on so its not a big deal to me but may annoy some.
 

Mugen AP1

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
252
Location
Toronto
This is the type I use. They are stable and easy to remove for adjusting or cleaning. They cost $20 for the large ones and $10 for the small ones (CDN $ at Princess Auto).

Nice man! I use those exact same socket holders. i have 4 of the long ones in my box right now. They are one of the best things i ever bought for my toolbox. I have had them for 4 years now and they are still in perfect working order....

Side note(to PCO6) i live 30 minutes away form Newmarket.
 

Wayne02

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2005
Messages
13
Location
WA
I'm just a home shop guy and I have tried the cman flat socket holder deal that takes up the entire drawer, the standard clips on a rail system, and for the last several years I have been using these magnetic holders.

What I like about them is they are easy to grab and go. The magnet is very strong and holds the sockets securely even when banged around a bit. Where they really shine is the ability to throw them under a vehicle when you know you will need some sockets for a job, and they stay organized and together in one place.

What I don't like about them is they take up a bit of room in the shallow chest drawers. This means I have three or four of the shallow drawers with just these socket set holders. The other thing that is a bit difficult is my vision is not so good anymore and my sockets are all the older type with difficult to read markings, and there are no markings on the socket places on these magnetic holders.

I've decided to maybe try a different approach. I usually keep my go-to socket sets (1/4 & 3/8 sae and metric 6pt) in the little mobile tool cart so I'll leave them in the magnetic holders since they are most likely to get used frequently and in different locations/applications. Maybe I can use a permanent marker on the plastic to put the sizes on there to help with the vision thing.

Yesterday I purchased one of the Hansen holders to try out for the remaining socket sets that live in the big roll-around/chest. This will allow me to put them in the top of the chest where they don't have to take up precious drawer space and are easy to see and access. I like that the hansen has clear size markings on the post and that the sockets are easy to lift off of the holder without much drama. However, because the sockets go open end down I can't tell from a glance whether it is a 6, 8, or 12pt set.

110121_lg.jpg
 

ihredo4

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
1,575
Location
100 miles W of Daileyville in Idiotnois
im in the process of converting over to these.. love them!

110121_lg.jpg


best price i have found so far ...
http://www.tooltopia.com/search.aspx?find=lisle+socket+holder

I have several of those. Now I am switching to the Hansens. Problems with each of them though. Hansens are not portable where the Lisle trays are. Problem with the Lisle trays is that they are brittle. Especially when cold. I have had several of them just shatter from being hit by another tool when it is cold out. Now I use both of them. Stationary in cabinet is the Hansens and the Lisles to carry out to the job.
 

Rickstir

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
Messages
557
Location
Close by the Elk Fork of the Salt River, in MO
I just yesterday got mine at Harbor Freight. A 3-piece set for 1/4. 3/8 and 1/2. So far they fit in one drawer of my standing roll a bout. Put about half o f my 1/2 sockets in ane they look like they will work just fine. Going to organize all fo them tomorrow and see how many sockets I am needing to buy! :) Oh yeah, $9.89 for the set
 

Rickster

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 26, 2005
Messages
6,218
Location
SE PA
I never knew I had a socket organization problem until I found this website. I had problems with the HF trays; larger sized sockets wouldn't fit next to each other and having to wiggle them off the pegs was as irritating as using the spring clips. I have the flat magnetic holders above in my cart they work well for the smaller height drawers. I cut the handle off though to make more room in the drawer. I just picked up some of theose Mechanics Time Savers in a plastic block for the sockets on my cart. I haven't had a chance to put that together yet. For the toolbox it's all about the Hanson trays, best solution I've found if you have the drawer height.
 

PassnThru

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
6,510
Location
Bowling Green KY
Another vote for the Hansens.

The lisle magnetics are good too, but they take up alot more space.

I've been looking at these. This may be a stupid question but do the magnetic trays magnetize your sockets any? If so, I would worry about getting a nut out of a deep well. I would assume that it does to some extent but maybe not enough to notice.
 

Matt_C

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2014
Messages
218
Location
London, UK
I have very little space, and I have to lay my sockets flat, so I have to stick with rails;

ratchets_zps924baa00.jpg


I'd like some magnetic holders, but I haven't found any that are minimal enough to work in my drawer
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom