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Space Efficient Wrench Organizer

71firebird400

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
142
I'm running out of room in my two wrench drawers and am looking for ways to minimize the footprint of the wrench sets. I don't particularly like the current wrench organizers I have as they take up a lot of room.

What's out there that'll stack my wrenches in a more condensed fashion?
 

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Citation

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Joined
Jan 20, 2016
Messages
3,212
Location
Indy
I did the coiled wire. Saves a lot of space, can't easily read sizes but I think some hand made labels would solve that. I've thought about adding paint marker to say the 10, 12 and 14mm wrenches. I don't care too much since I don't get paid to wrench and it can afford to grab the wrong wrench.
 

JR 42

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Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
966
Location
Sunny Seattle
I use plastic socket rails with 1/4" clips- puts the wrenches on edge, so you can't see sizes, but takes up less space (= more wrenches) than the foam or plastic racks I tried. Pardon the mess, it's a work in progress.
 

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dtnel

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Joined
May 17, 2018
Messages
34
Location
Attached to my house as most are.... Lol
Toolbox widget is the way to go. They also have little label things or plastic pieces with numbers on them. Watched them from when they came out and they've evolved with more products to be coming down the line.

You can sign up on their website or if you watch some channels YouTube such as JRC54 , McBake, RustbeltMechanic and others toolboxwidget works with to promote their product. MY guess it's discounted product.

I bought about $350-$400 worth of stuff as I have probably 15-20 wrench sets and that don't include anything above 1" . I've got large large wrenches from when I worked on semi trucks 25+ yrs ago and still use some of them every now and then. They were the cheap, heavy metal Chinese ones but never broke one.

Just google search toolbox widget and watch some of the videos on YouTube. I've seen people gain anywhere from a 1/3 to a 1/2 drawer to add extra wrench sets in.

I keep 2 sets separate in a "go box" for mobile diagnostics, personal if I'm going somewhere and don't want to put a box of tools together.

Same box I've had 20+ yrs that I'd take trucking with me from 97 to 2010 when Med issues took me off the road with my back and a bum back surgery that almost killed me. That's a whole different story there itself.

Go with the widgets if you like them after watching some videos.

It's a veteran owned company which is one reason I support him. Yeah he's a small guy and last I knew he did this in addition to a full time job trying to get his feet off the ground.

They're magnetic, customizable, able to be labeled (w/optional purchased tags) so I can't ask for much more myself.

Read some of the reviews that are on the website and also look at the photos of some of the reviews where it has the before and after along with little mods people have did. I've added some photos below as well.

The widgets also have a missing indicator meaning if you forgot a wrench or whatever just merely looking in the rack you'll see it missing quickly as it has a bright orange indicator, smart move in my opinion.

Each time he's did a production run he generally sells out sooner than he expects but I'd think now that he's on his feet things are coming regularly from his supplier which I believe is in China as it took awhile to get the last order they did but I think that was a first full order so it was all new to them.

https://toolboxwidget.com/7593ddfa8fc8ed2185866824a46a24a5.jpg

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iamrfixit

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
141
Location
Iowa
I tried several organizers, hard to beat the density I got with tool grid. It gets expensive if you piece it out and buy off the tool truck. I found it online, bought 2 panels ($34 ea) and 2 "wrench bundles" about ($65 ea).

Right at $200 to do this drawer and still have enough fixtures leftover to mount 3-4 more sets of wrenches. Approx 120 wrenches in this drawer now, they're solid and don't move at all.

Tried toolbox widget, wrenches moved around more than I wanted and it was hard to read the sizes. Widget magnets don't stick at all with thicker liners, even using one holder per wrench the price adds up fast. Even on sale I spent $60 and only had enough for 30 wrenches.

a>
 

thickhead

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Joined
Apr 4, 2014
Messages
817
Location
Connecticut
I had a couple cheap 1/2” sockets rails sitting around, so I did this. Super glued the clips in place and glued small magnets on the bottom of the rails so they dont slide around. Works really well and the ball detents on the clips hold each wrench snug.
 

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doityerself

Active member
Joined
Oct 7, 2016
Messages
25
Location
Deep South
I had a couple cheap 1/2” sockets rails sitting around, so I did this. Super glued the clips in place and glued small magnets on the bottom of the rails so they dont slide around. Works really well and the ball detents on the clips hold each wrench snug.
Looks like a great idea. What did you use to put the sizes on with? Nice and neat.
 

speed bump

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Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
6,317
Location
Butte Montana
Snap-on KRA15A or KRA22A. Best wrench rack solution out there IMO.

https://shop.snapon.com/categories/675979

I'm pretty sure those are Ernst wrench rails. I have them and Ernst racks and they are a decent solution.

Once winter comes back and I spend more time inside I may try 3d printing something specific to my wrenches and drawer though.
 

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PCMusicGuy

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Feb 15, 2009
Messages
851
Location
Houston, TX
At any price, it is tough to beat the Ernst wrench rails for density AND efficiency.

The green holder in the picture is one I 3D printed but I don't like it due to the fact that you cannot see the size on the wrench.
 

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LXCam

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Joined
Apr 23, 2013
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19,091
Location
AZ
At any price, it is tough to beat the Ernst wrench rails for density AND efficiency..

Yup, I’m pretty vested in Ernst stuff and am happy with it.


I’ve also been told I’m pretty dense too :headscrat

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M6erfan

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Dec 6, 2014
Messages
10,170
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'Merica!
I'm pretty sure those are Ernst wrench rails. I have them and Ernst racks and they are a decent solution.

AFAIK the Ernst are different than the S-o. The Ernst are 16" long vs S-o 24" and the S-o are lower profile. With my S-o rails I can fit a 27mm wrench in a 2" high drawer. That was a no-go with my Ernst wrench rack.
 
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M6erfan

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Dec 6, 2014
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'Merica!
Those look nice. Pretty expensive in my eyes though; especially for something so simple. I could 3D print a few sets in a variety of colors for less than a buck. You know what, I think I just found myself a project for this weekend.

If you have the equipment and knowledge that can make sense. For those of us that don't yet, <$20 on some nice wrench rails isn't out of line. :beer:
 

Tallpilot

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Joined
Jan 13, 2017
Messages
2,384
Location
Orlando
AFAIK the Ernst are different than the S-o. The Ernst are 16" long vs S-o 24" and the S-o are lower profile. With my S-o rails I can fit a 27mm wrench in a 2" high drawer. That was a no-go with my Ernst wrench rack.

Yep. I use Ernst for specialty wrenches that stop at 19 or 24mm. I have wrenches up to 39mm on a Snap-on rack in a shallow drawer.

The 41mm won't fit though so I guess I need a new box.
 

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71firebird400

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Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
142
Thanks for all the suggestions! The Ernst rails seem to be a solution that doesn't cost a fortune. Appreciate the responses.
 

OneDollarSaab

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Joined
Aug 19, 2018
Messages
155
Location
Hesperia, California
Thanks for all the suggestions! The Ernst rails seem to be a solution that doesn't cost a fortune. Appreciate the responses.

I use the Ernst rails as well, in a smaller cart. I think the central problem here, looking at other examples in this thread, is that I need a larger toolbox!
 

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chappys4life

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Joined
Apr 30, 2008
Messages
421
Those look nice. Pretty expensive in my eyes though; especially for something so simple. I could 3D print a few sets in a variety of colors for less than a buck. You know what, I think I just found myself a project for this weekend.

did you ever print them? have a 3d printer and sounds like a good project
 

4 FN 27

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Minnesnowta

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Moosefire

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Joined
Oct 26, 2018
Messages
754
Location
Detroit
Me too...

Pretty hard to beat Tool Widget and Ernst for out of the box density without building custom.

I resorted to the custom stuff about 20 years ago...lots of hours in design and they are all set specific...about to do another group of Holders for sets Tekton Wrenches for a Trailer Project.

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https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1033685&d=1595278125

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Wow, stuff looks great. I miss the old days of working in the machine shop and having guys make stuff like this all the time... I've never been smart enough to figure out that computer stuff, but it sure would be nice!

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