Toolbox organization

[AreYaSerious]

How do you all organize your tools more specifically sockets. What's the best organizers on the market for sockets, pliers, ratchets etc?

 

[WWheeler]

Best is 'VIM Mag Rail TL' -> they are expensive though.

The creator is a member here:

This is a snap-on box. No holes drilled. Every tool held in place with Magrail TL's.

 

[Whoismiked]

My personal opinion is that when it comes to socket organization, the Ernst socket boss rails are hard to beat.

They look and function fantastic. They have twist lock clips so you give the sockets a small little turn to lock them in place. Each rail has a button to unlock that individual rail if you want to take a whole rail out. And they comes with tons of mini size stickers so you can label each clip with a size if you want.

Here is what they look like in my drawer. I absolutely love them.




Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[regguy1]

How do you all organize your tools more specifically sockets. What's the best organizers on the market for sockets, pliers, ratchets etc?

Here is my socket drawer, 1/2" piece of MDF under sockets (painted gray) HF $1.00 socket rails screwed to it. low cost and can layout to your liking.

 

[stickshift]

I'm just a DIY'er, so take with a grain of salt, but I'm really liking the HF socket trays.
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-pc-metric-socket-trayorganizer-68102.html

These are not meant to be moved, but in a tool box, they work great. No more fighting to take sockets off a rail or put them back on. Sockets are so easy to remove/replace, I replace them every time I change to another socket. Previously when I used rails that the sockets fit tightly onto, I'd just leave the used socket out until I was sure I didn't need it again because removing/replacing was too time consuming. With the trays, removing/replacing is so fast, I'd rather do that than waste a couple of seconds looking for where I left the socket I used a few minutes ago.

 

[PFSard]

I'm just a DIY'er, so take with a grain of salt, but I'm really liking the HF socket trays.
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-pc-metric-socket-trayorganizer-68102.html

Are these made in China?? Just kidding. How long have you been using these?

 

[stickshift]

Are these made in China?? Just kidding. How long have you been using these?

A week. Got them just before I started doing a timing belt job, but with this kind of job, there are lots of different size fasteners, so lots of switching sockets. Given the short time of use, I can't attest to durability, but because the square piece that the drive end of the socket sits on is smaller than the socket's drive, there really is no stress on the tray.

As mentioned earlier, this tray isn't meant to be moved. The sockets aren't held in place, they just loosely sit on the tray's plastic square "drive" bits, so the sockets would all fall out if the tray isn't horizontal. Also, the tray, especially the 1/2" tray, might break under the load.

Lots of reviews on HF site, and also quite a number of reviews of these on youtube. For a DIY'er who is just going to have the tray sit in a tool box, for $10 (less with coupon) for 3 trays, I don't see how you can go wrong. If you're doing this for a living, your needs for socket organization might be different/more demanding.

Another nice feature of these trays is they are labeled. So I no longer need to remove the socket and hold it at just the right angle to read the size. I just look at the tray's markings for the size I want. So simple. Using these trays is so much faster than what I experienced using more tight fitting, unmarked rails, I'll never go back. Give me HF socket trays or give me death!

 

[Tallpilot]

I like Westling machine for 1/2 and 3/8 drive. 6-22mm in 2 or 3 row 3/8 is awesome. On the 1/2 side you can do 10-32mm if you skip 26,28,29 and 31. I stuck with Hansen for 1/4.

Westling machine universals, large and bit socket trays will cover your other needs like axle sockets and hex/Torx. I use Olsa aluminum rails for 12pt, swivels and other oddballs.

I like the Ernst low profile wrench racks. You can get 6-25mm (20 total) wrenches in a tool cart drawer. If you have 22” drawers get the Snap-on rails (one large and one small) and cut them to fit.

The pliers rack is pretty good for pliers but if you have a ton you are better off with a modified spring or coat hanger fabrication.

 

[Wyoming09]

My personal opinion is that when it comes to socket organization, the Ernst socket boss rails are hard to beat.

They look and function fantastic. They have twist lock clips so you give the sockets a small little turn to lock them in place. Each rail has a button to unlock that individual rail if you want to take a whole rail out. And they comes with tons of mini size stickers so you can label each clip with a size if you want.

Here is what they look like in my drawer. I absolutely love them.




Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

+1 for the Ernst socket rails.

 

[Dimitriy]

I've tried Hanson and Westling trays, Ernst individual rails and old school metal rails. For me, Westling works best - anodized aluminum construction, choice to add labels or not, custom fitter for metric and SAE with multiple color options. They're also working on a three row tray for those that have regular, semi-deep and deep sockets.

 

[Ohmthis]

I, like stickshift, have the HF trays. I do remove them and take the whole tray to the job, if I know I will need several sockets. They do have sizes I’ll never need/use, but for the money I believe are great. I’ve had mine for a few years now. I wrench more than a typical DIY’er (12-15 hrs a week) and they have held up fine. I plan to buy more for my impacts and Allen/torx sockets.

 

[Tallpilot]

Density is important to save space but too dense slows down finding what you need.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

For sockets I like the Hansen trays the best. For bit sockets and E-torx I use cheap HF rails. Pass through (Vortex) on on home made rails on block. Drive tools are laid out for the best fit and extensions are in a sectioned off area.
<a href='https://postimg.cc/image/gqethzk6n/' target='_blank'><img src='https://s19.postimg.cc/d6svs6hgz/Soc_hold.jpg' border='0' alt='Soc_hold'/></a>

Pliers are in a home made rack made from wire shelving.
<a href='https://postimg.cc/image/5knng3o7z/' target='_blank'><img src='https://s19.postimg.cc/3suol74v7/Ply_drw.jpg' border='0' alt='Ply_drw'/></a>

Wrench racks are from Lowes. I like the Ernst ones better but, they are a little too tall from my drawer.
<a href='https://postimg.cc/image/fo4mzftnj/' target='_blank'><img src='https://s19.postimg.cc/qnpub1k2r/Wrch_hold.jpg' border='0' alt='Wrch_hold'/></a>

Screw drivers are just laid out next to one another.
<a href='https://postimg.cc/image/iykryfs4v/' target='_blank'><img src='https://s19.postimg.cc/econq36lv/image.jpg' border='0' alt='image'/></a>

 

[Spiffers]

Here is my socket drawer, 1/2" piece of MDF under sockets (painted gray) HF $1.00 socket rails screwed to it. low cost and can layout to your liking.

Love your dividers in that drawer.

 

[dclassical]

I have a mix and it works for me:

Hansen holders for metric sockets and some Tekton rails (for swivel sockets)
HF holders for SAE sockets (I cut the tab so I can put them next to each other).

 

[pl_silverado]

I like the Ernst racks. Finally got all my sockets swapped into the epiq.

 

[Cobradriver]

I like the Ernst racks. Finally got all my sockets swapped into the epiq.

pl_......

Did you buy the black trays with the holders or separate?

Are all those twist lock or are some heavy duty clips?

Lastly....did you have enough clips with the rails or did you purchase additional clips?

I have 25 year old Matco racks/rails in my box but they are finally worn to the
point it justifies replacing them....

Thanks!!!

Chris

 

[pl_silverado]

pl_......

Did you buy the black trays with the holders or separate?

Are all those twist lock or are some heavy duty clips?

Lastly....did you have enough clips with the rails or did you purchase additional clips?

I have 25 year old Matco racks/rails in my box but they are finally worn to the
point it justifies replacing them....

Thanks!!!

Chris

Yes I bought enough black trays with various size rails & clips to fill the drawer, did not have to purchase extra clips, although I have a couple extra rails laying around.

They are all twist lock.

It was a little pricey to do the whole drawer but worth it.