Socket Organization

[Cyrus28]

These are all the sockets I currently own. Some are newer, some are very old. The clumps are all different brands, Craftsman, Proto, Crecent, etc. There are very few complete sets throughout. Whats the most effective way to organize them? I have a box with organizers, but should I mix the brands to make complete sets, or keep them separate?

 

[ecotec]

If you do not want to stick with the clump method… the most basic method is socket trays.

There are other less common. I like these lock together strips.

 

[Rod N]

I don't think brand matters.
What does matter is metric, imperial, length, drive size and number of points.
I'd separate them by those.
Actually I'd go nuts with an assortment like what you have. lol

 

[gleman]

I don't know how you work but I wasted way too much time rooting through my tool piles and decided to organize them.

I did rails for my sockets.



Relatively cheap and adjustable to suit how you want them.

 

[ecotec]

I have a mixture of socket trays, lock together strips, rails, some just set in the drawer.

This is my metric (plus 3 SAE 8pt sockets) drawer.

 

[VolksWomble]

these are clip type rails, mounted to a piece of 10mm aluminium plate. Sockets are sorted into drive, type and length, metric on the LHS of the picture and imperial (SAE) on the right. I prefer posts to clips as they are easier to just pick up and use, but this is working well at the moment.

 

[Cyrus28]

I have one drawer with rails like that, which I like, but I have to figure out how to better arrange them. And get more rails for another drawer, because the ones I have aren't enough now that I've wrangled up all the escapees! I also think I'll steal the plate idea, that seems like it would work a lot better than just having them free floating!

 

[Cyrus28]

these are clip type rails, mounted to a piece of 10mm aluminium plate. Sockets are sorted into drive, type and length, metric on the LHS of the picture and imperial (SAE) on the right. I prefer posts to clips as they are easier to just pick up and use, but this is working well at the moment.

I have one drawer with rails like that, which I like, but I have to figure out how to better arrange them. And get more rails for another drawer, because the ones I have aren't enough now that I've wrangled up all the escapees! I also think I'll steal the plate idea, that seems like it would work a lot better than just having them free floating!

 

[VolksWomble]

You are welcome to the idea I had loose rails for years and it just annoyed the hell out of me that I couldn’t just pick up one socket off the rail without picking the whole rail up. Several kilos of plate solves that problem!

 

[housewolf]

I don't think brand matters.
What does matter is metric, imperial, length, drive size and number of points.
I'd separate them by those.
Actually I'd go nuts with an assortment like what you have. lol

This is the methodology I use. Here is a pic of the top of my cart I keep pretty much loaded for work on the one car I work on most. Until not too long ago I used the OPs method. Never knew what I had or didn’t, and when I was finished, I had no way of quickly & positively knowing everything was returned to the drawer. I think if you’re a tool collector and care about the aesthetics the peg type trays look the nicest. That wouldn’t work for me because I’m likely missing some sockets I never need and don’t care about getting them. I have several different brand sockets in here. Some I’ve probably had 30+ years. I like the Earns/Tekton trays because I can put however many sockets in a tray (as long as they fit) I want. I can put 1/2” sockets in some leftover space on a rail filled with 1/4”. Everything is easy to find and since I can add & remove clips, I can tell at a glance if something didn’t find it’s way home.

I keep sockets, wrenches, etc.. that I don’t use, (SAE, pliers, hammers, and larger stuff) on that car in a cabinet nearby. It works for me, mostly.

Probably 90% of what I do is with 4 or 5 of these sockets and a couple of wrenches

 

[mr.speaker]

My sockets are all mixed up too since most sets I’ve purchased have always skipped sizes ; Craftsman,harbor freight , snap on, Astro, proto, kobalt, blackhawk,Matco..

I’ve had good luck with the newer harbor freight peg organizers ..

$25 gets you 3 trays in 1/4”,3/8”, and 1/2” peg style . They’re the green ones in this photo

 

[mogandave]

These are all the sockets I currently own. Some are newer, some are very old. The clumps are all different brands, Craftsman, Proto, Crecent, etc. There are very few complete sets throughout. Whats the most effective way to organize them? I have a box with organizers, but should I mix the brands to make complete sets, or keep them separate?

If you're going to use them, mix the brands to get complete sets.

 

[mogandave]

these are clip type rails, mounted to a piece of 10mm aluminium plate.

The rails are separate pieces? It looks like there are four rails to a plate in a single extrusion.

They look great, are they Snap-On?

 

[Cyrus28]

If you're going to use them, mix the brands to get complete sets.

Yea, I think that what I'm going to have to do. I can make two complete sets of Craftsman, I think. But after that it's all gonna be a mix of Snapon, SK, Proto, etc. Which I don't mind, it just won't look as nice in my opinion. But I don't have enough of any of those to make full individual sets so It doesn't really matter.

 

[Cyrus28]

N

I don't think brand matters.
What does matter is metric, imperial, length, drive size and number of points.
I'd separate them by those.
Actually I'd go nuts with an assortment like what you have. lol

Nuts in a good way or a bad way?

 

[VolksWomble]

The rails are separate pieces? It looks like there are four rails to a plate in a single extrusion.

They look great, are they Snap-On?

I hunted for so somethibg sufficiently flexible to take my weird selection of socketry - types, sizes and manufacturers - that also would not put me at several hundred £ of investment, These came out the best overall compromise.

They are Teng ALU450 - I used 3 of them, drilled and bolted down to a piece of 10mm aluminium plate that I found in the scrap (local metal recycling place - lets me buy stuff at roughly scrap value). I think I also used an additional single rail (another teng ALU code) to fill a gap. I also added some extra clips I think.

 

[mogandave]

I hunted for so somethibg sufficiently flexible to take my weird selection of socketry - types, sizes and manufacturers - that also would not put me at several hundred £ of investment, These came out the best overall compromise.

They are Teng ALU450 - I used 3 of them, drilled and bolted down to a piece of 10mm aluminium plate that I found in the scrap (local metal recycling place - lets me buy stuff at roughly scrap value). I think I also used an additional single rail (another teng ALU code) to fill a gap. I also added some extra clips I think.

Nice!

 

[ecotec]

I am, absolutely, a huge fan of this style of lock together socket strips.

I have mentioned them in a bunch of other threads… so some people are probably sick of hearing about them…

They were made, I would guess. In the late 80’s-1990’s-ish. At least a couple different companies made them. I buy any that I can find in any drive size (I even have some 3/4” drive) or color… and I still don’t have anywhere near the amount that I want. About half of my Metric drawer is done with these strips. I would love to do the rest of my Metric drawer… then my SAE drawer… then my cart…

If you know of any websites that sell these strips… send me a private message.

 

[75' forty]

I'm using some magnetic trays currently for all of my metric sockets (majority of everything I work on is metric). Slapped these on the side of my cabinets and keeps them convenient to access, easy to move without them falling out, easy to remove but out of the way.

 

[Wyoming09]

Another Ernst rail fan here. Work well and the price is right. Summit Racing has good prices on the Ernst items they carry.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

I used to have a ton of random sockets that I put together to make sets. I would definitely go rails, something that has pegs that move around so you can put them all together in the way you want. I really like my Ernst rails because I can mix and match brands, sizes, and everything else. Plus they are pretty affordable and if you don’t want the black trays, you can just use the rails and shove even more sets in a drawer.

 

[Kaline74]

I am a hobbyist who works on his cars as time allows. For the past 30 years, I am used individual socket rails to organize my sockets in order of increasing size. that has worked well with me as I like to take a rail with me to find the proper socket, and my old toolbox had small drawers. An image of that is below.



I recently purchased new toolbox where I can stand the socket rails up in the top drawer of the lower chest. Obviously, rails with deep sockets do not stand up on their own. I’m considering trying some of the plastic tray organizers. Is there a particular brand that people on this forum works best?

 

[VolksWomble]

I hunted for so somethibg sufficiently flexible to take my weird selection of socketry - types, sizes and manufacturers - that also would not put me at several hundred £ of investment, These came out the best overall compromise.

They are Teng ALU450 - I used 3 of them, drilled and bolted down to a piece of 10mm aluminium plate that I found in the scrap (local metal recycling place - lets me buy stuff at roughly scrap value). I think I also used an additional single rail (another teng ALU code) to fill a gap. I also added some extra clips I think.

Thought I should add a picture of the finished arrangement…

 

[tyyost]

I really like the Hanson Peg style racks for how I work. I used to use craftsman rails prior laying down and would never go back to shallow drawers with sockets for how I work. I’m not a grab a rail or rack guy, I grab specific sockets, load my tray or cart, and then return them (hopefully) to the rack when done.

I’m not bothered by missing sockets or an urge to fill every one up. I do like to see what I’m gabbing and the peg style is great for that. Rails always leave me trying to read sockets and hoping they were put back in order. Lots of great examples, and good news is that HF and Amazon let you try some styles cheap before going all ma grails or mechanics time savers racks.

 

[tyyost]

I am a hobbyist who works on his cars as time allows. For the past 30 years, I am used individual socket rails to organize my sockets in order of increasing size. that has worked well with me as I like to take a rail with me to find the proper socket, and my own toolbox had small drawers. An image of that is below.



I recently purchased a large toolbox where I can stand the socket rails up in the top drawer of the lower chest. Obviously, ones with deep sockets do not stand up on their own. I’m considering trying some of the plastic tray organizers. Is there a particular brand that people on this forum works best?

Hanson were the original and are very good but the HF knockoffs seem to be very good as well. It’s small money for a big jump in organization!

 

[Badger 13]

I like, and use the Westling socket holders. Not the cheapest, but they work great for me, and made in the USA.

Socket Trays​

Westling USA
https://www.westlingusa.com › pages › socket-trays





View durable socket organizers by size, as well as frequently asked questions. Each socket organizer tray is made in the USA from quality billet aluminum to ...

‎Socket Tray Sets · ‎Metric Socket Trays · ‎Swivel Socket Trays

 

[Fly YX]

I have a couple different ones at work. This is from my main box there. Mostly Westling. I’m going to rearrange it soon. Just haven’t had the time.

 

[Walkers]

I swapped to VIM Magrails, they are the best I have ever used. The inventor is a member here, I chatted with him a few times, super nice guy.

 

[Madjik Man]

I swapped to VIM Magrails, they are the best I have ever used. The inventor is a member here, I chatted with him a few times, super nice guy.

They are the best period. And the price reflects that.

 

[gizardlizard]

I personally can’t stand sockets stuck to trays. I want to grab and go. Westling machine for me. You can shake the hell out of your drawer and they don’t fall off. Aluminum construction for base with hardened pins. Plus, they are cheap

 

[Zeus36]

I personally can’t stand sockets stuck to trays. I want to grab and go. Westling machine for me. You can shake the hell out of your drawer and they don’t fall off. Aluminum construction for base with hardened pins. Plus, they are cheap

Westling for me too....

 

[shakenfake]

I like ToolGrid as the fanciest, best looking solution for tool box org. However I am poor so I 3D printed my tool grid.
It is still a work in progress so no pictures.

Also I have my sockets split in to SAE and metric and then 12 pt. and 6 pt. I do not discriminate by brand. Here in a few months whenever I finish my top drawer I will be sending all my duplicate sockets to my father and then purchasing whatever sizes I am missing. Most of my sockets are Craftsmen, some Kobalt and Husky. All the missing pieces I will most likely buy from Wright tools I think.

 

[johninct]

I am thinking out loud and am not sure what I will/ should do for a grab and go set for my 3/8" Semi Deeps. I am mostly a SAE guy and only use a few metrics so I am thinking maybe 11 sockets total for my most used sockets. I do like blow molded cases, metal socket trays and metal boxes and now maybe a new style rail. I am currently using a Snap-On rail. I get too tired keep going back to my box and at the same time, I don't want to be taking half of my box to every job.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Tool grid vote

 

[AC-WC]

Most of mine are on the old style plastic craftsman rails from the 80's. Found a few more on ebay but those are really scarce. I still have some old school metal clips on a rail for some and the original strips that came with some of the newer sets I have.

 

[Shop-hound]

I like hansen trays for the sets that stay in the main box, and Ernst rails for grab and go like my semi-deeps and bit sockets. The Ernst rails are handy as you can mix and match them on the black trays and bring them to the work / load your cart/tool bag for specific job. I do a variety of jobs so like that flexibility ie. metric 1/4” interior, engine 3/8”, suspension 1/2”, or SAE for pipefitting/industrial work, older iron).

And gotta Color code. Green metric, orange SAE, and blue specialty torx, torx plus, e torx etc.

 

[nbpt100]

There are many ways to organize sockets. No right or wrong way. Just what works for you. I have all of mine on rails because I like to pick them up and walk to where I am working. Some are on peg boards some are in my tool box. The stuff I use the most I hang on the peg board. I keep the metric and SAE in different drawers. On the peg board, I separate the SAE from the Metric with a ratchet hanging between them. Impacts are in a separate drawer.

 

[gatewaysysop]

For a stationary main box, Hansen trays for me, all day every day. I have mixed and matched a few things to complete sets, since not all sizes are available from every manufacturer. I despise having to wrestle sockets off of rails, and it's so much easier to just pluck them off (and return them to) the pegs in the Hansen trays. I know that rails have their place, but for me as a hobbyist in the home garage I have never wanted for them.

 

[Balor]

Check this one.