Socket rail help please

[Chadwilliam1]

Hello, I have been using craftsman socket rails in my tool box for some time now. Picture below of how I use them. Well I ordered a bunch of 1/4 drive hex and torx bits for my other box in my basement . Well buying the 1/4 drive adapters for these railss on ebay is 10 dollars for 5. I need like 30. So I am looking at a buying a different style rail.

What I am looking for
1.I am looking for something that isn't twist lock
2. It can be screwed down to a board
3. You can mix and match sizes on each rail.
So some 1/4 some 3/8 and some 1/2 on one rail.
4. Something around 15 inches long. Since that is how deep my drawer is.
Is there any recommendations when I looked on different websites there was so many options.

Thank you

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Bogie1632]

Lots of options available.

Check out Olsa or Ares socket organizers. Might have to trim the rails to get a good fit in your drawers but that's easy.

V/R
Bogie

 

[BK13]

I don't know the complete ins and outs of their catalog, but I seem to remember that Napa Carlyle has fairly inexpensive rails and you can mix-and-match the socket clips.

 

[65k10]

If you want to stick with your Craftsman rails, Cripe Distributing has a 3 pack of 1/4" Kobalt rails (which I think are the same) for $7.75+shipping. That should get you 30 1/4" clips for a much lower price.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kobalt-229...cs-Bulk-USA-/333285719662?hash=item4d99607e6e

 

[Chadwilliam1]

If you want to stick with your Craftsman rails, Cripe Distributing has a 3 pack of 1/4" Kobalt rails (which I think are the same) for $7.75+shipping. That should get you 30 1/4" clips for a much lower price.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kobalt-229...cs-Bulk-USA-/333285719662?hash=item4d99607e6e

You saved the day. Perfect

 

[65k10]

You saved the day. Perfect

You're welcome. I'm fairly sure they are the same. I only have one or two Craftsman rails and a ton of the Kobalt ones, but the clips seem to be the same and interchange just fine.

 

[619DioFan]

All my sockets are on the 99 cent spring clip style rails from HF. more than a few rails have different drive sizes on them. like being able to take the entire rail to the project so they are not screwed down in the drawer. they work for me.

 

[Rinspeed]

If you want to stick with your Craftsman rails, Cripe Distributing has a 3 pack of 1/4" Kobalt rails (which I think are the same) for $7.75+shipping. That should get you 30 1/4" clips for a much lower price.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kobalt-229...cs-Bulk-USA-/333285719662?hash=item4d99607e6e

Thanks for the link, those look like they are pretty decent quality.

 

[Gummi Bear]

All my sockets are on the 99 cent spring clip style rails from HF. more than a few rails have different drive sizes on them. like being able to take the entire rail to the project so they are not screwed down in the drawer. they work for me.

Same here. I found this idea watching YouTube videos of tool chest organizing ideas.

I have roughly $3 in each rail. 99¢ rail from HF, I bought bulk cabinet pulls from Amazon, and the Poplar 1x2” boards, plus a couple of #8 screws to fasten the rail to the board.

I can mix and match the socket springs as I choose.




By themselves, the rails really do ****. They twist and drop sockets off and are difficult to store neatly. Fastened to the board, they work really well. I just grab the rail I want, and throw it on my work cart when I start a new task.



I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[B.S.A. (ret.)]

Just as an added note to the above ideas, I have found that my Kobalt plastic socket holder clips are a perfect fit on the metal socket rails that Gummi Bear shows photos of.
I needed to fit my 1/2" drive deep sockets in a drawer and this was the only way I could get it to work. Just sayin'...

 

[bob15]

If you want to stick with your Craftsman rails, Cripe Distributing has a 3 pack of 1/4" Kobalt rails (which I think are the same) for $7.75+shipping. That should get you 30 1/4" clips for a much lower price.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kobalt-229...cs-Bulk-USA-/333285719662?hash=item4d99607e6e

You saved the day. Perfect

Those rails are made by VIM (https://cloud1.shopsite.com/donofish/page18.html), who also makes them for other companies besides Kobalt:

This list below was "borrowed" from this thread are the same rails, also in different colors:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391205
Armstrong
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 10" or 15"
Replacement Studs
- 16-844 (1/4" x15)
- 16-846 (3/8" x15)
- 16-848 (1/2" x15)

Craftsman
Color: Black or Grey
Length: 14"
Rails
- 9-41843 (Black, 1/4" Studs x10)
- 9-41844 (Black, 3/8" Studs x10)
- 9-41845 (Black, 1/2" Studs x10)
- 9-41829 (Grey 3 pc with studs)
- 9-41849 (Black 3 pc with studs)
Replacement Studs
- 9-41846 (1/4" x5)
- 9-41847 (3/8" x5)
- 9-41848 (1/2" x5)

Kobalt
Color: Black
Length: 11.25"
Rails:
- 22969 (1/4" Studs x10)
- 22970 (3/8" Studs x10)
- 22971 (1/2" Studs x10)

*Note: Discontinued.

Matco
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 7.5", 10.5", 15" or 18"
Rails
- SKTRL8 (Red 7.5")
- SKTRL10 (Red 10.5")
- SKTRL15 (Red 15")
- SKTRL18 (Red 18")
- SKTRL8M (Blue 7.5")
- SKTRL10M (Blue 10.5")
- SKTRL15M (Blue 15")
- SKTRL18M (Blue 18")
Replacement Studs
- STD2518 (1/4" x25)
- STD2512 (3/8" x25)
- STD2516 (1/2" x25)

McMaster Carr
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 8.25", 11.25" or 14"
Replacement Studs
- 4940A31 (1/4" x5)
- 4940A32 (3/8" x5)
- 4940A33 (1/2" x5)

SK
Color: Green

*Note: Called "Suregrip" Rails; I have only seen these included in socket sets.

VIM
Color: Red
Length: 14"
Rails
- V520 (1/4" Studs x10)
- V521 (3/8" Studs x10)
- V522 (1/2" Studs x10)
- V523 (3 pc with studs)
Replacement Studs
- V520S (1/4" x5)
- V521S (3/8" x5)
- V522S (1/2" x5)

*Note: Add "BG" to stud part numbers (ex: V520SBG) for a quantity of 100.

Wright
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 8", 10" or 13"
Replacement Studs
- W2 (1/4" x1)
- W3 (3/8" x1)
- W4 (1/2" x1)

 

[Minnesota Steve]

Lots of options available.

Check out Olsa or Ares socket organizers. Might have to trim the rails to get a good fit in your drawers but that's easy.

V/R
Bogie

I bought the Olsa organizers for my craftsman sockets... I like that I can mix and match. So I bought one blue 1/4 and a red 3/8, then swapped the pieces and put all metric low profile on one, and sae low profile on the other. And they also sell additional end caps and such in the event you want to cut rails in half.

They hold the sockets well. I don't know if I'd trust them in a tool bag, but they've never fallen off closing the drawer or carrying them around.

My tekton out in the garage I still have in the blow mold cases, still debating that one as I like being able to grab and go but the metric aren't secured, and the sae are hard to pull out... so sometimes I'm not happy like if I open the case upside down.

 

[magtl]

Those rails are made by VIM (https://cloud1.shopsite.com/donofish/page18.html), who also makes them for other companies besides Kobalt:

This list below was "borrowed" from this thread are the same rails, also in different colors:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391205
Armstrong
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 10" or 15"
Replacement Studs
- 16-844 (1/4" x15)
- 16-846 (3/8" x15)
- 16-848 (1/2" x15)

Craftsman
Color: Black or Grey
Length: 14"
Rails
- 9-41843 (Black, 1/4" Studs x10)
- 9-41844 (Black, 3/8" Studs x10)
- 9-41845 (Black, 1/2" Studs x10)
- 9-41829 (Grey 3 pc with studs)
- 9-41849 (Black 3 pc with studs)
Replacement Studs
- 9-41846 (1/4" x5)
- 9-41847 (3/8" x5)
- 9-41848 (1/2" x5)

Kobalt
Color: Black
Length: 11.25"
Rails:
- 22969 (1/4" Studs x10)
- 22970 (3/8" Studs x10)
- 22971 (1/2" Studs x10)

*Note: Discontinued.

Matco
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 7.5", 10.5", 15" or 18"
Rails
- SKTRL8 (Red 7.5")
- SKTRL10 (Red 10.5")
- SKTRL15 (Red 15")
- SKTRL18 (Red 18")
- SKTRL8M (Blue 7.5")
- SKTRL10M (Blue 10.5")
- SKTRL15M (Blue 15")
- SKTRL18M (Blue 18")
Replacement Studs
- STD2518 (1/4" x25)
- STD2512 (3/8" x25)
- STD2516 (1/2" x25)

McMaster Carr
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 8.25", 11.25" or 14"
Replacement Studs
- 4940A31 (1/4" x5)
- 4940A32 (3/8" x5)
- 4940A33 (1/2" x5)

SK
Color: Green

*Note: Called "Suregrip" Rails; I have only seen these included in socket sets.

VIM
Color: Red
Length: 14"
Rails
- V520 (1/4" Studs x10)
- V521 (3/8" Studs x10)
- V522 (1/2" Studs x10)
- V523 (3 pc with studs)
Replacement Studs
- V520S (1/4" x5)
- V521S (3/8" x5)
- V522S (1/2" x5)

*Note: Add "BG" to stud part numbers (ex: V520SBG) for a quantity of 100.

Wright
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 8", 10" or 13"
Replacement Studs
- W2 (1/4" x1)
- W3 (3/8" x1)
- W4 (1/2" x1)

Have you considered a Magrail TL Bob?
Ron

 

[magtl]

Hello, I have been using craftsman socket rails in my tool box for some time now. Picture below of how I use them. Well I ordered a bunch of 1/4 drive hex and torx bits for my other box in my basement . Well buying the 1/4 drive adapters for these railss on ebay is 10 dollars for 5. I need like 30. So I am looking at a buying a different style rail.

What I am looking for
1.I am looking for something that isn't twist lock
2. It can be screwed down to a board
3. You can mix and match sizes on each rail.
So some 1/4 some 3/8 and some 1/2 on one rail.
4. Something around 15 inches long. Since that is how deep my drawer is.
Is there any recommendations when I looked on different websites there was so many options.

Thank you

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Try a Magrail TL from Vim tools . On sale right now on there web site. It will do everything you ask and you don't have to screw it down. It will attach magnetlically through your drawer liner. Or can drill each end and attach to wood.