What do you organize your sockets with?

[Alex_OT]

Everyone loves to have organized sockets and there are so many options for keeping them organized, what do you use? Socket trays, portable, holders, rails, custom made something?

 

[JRC3]

I use these for quite a few. Loved it when there were free coupons.

 

[nadogail]

I use the steel spring strips from Horrible Freight or the metal trays from socket sets purchased before they started using plastic boxes.

 

[Black300zx]

I'm happy with my trays from Earnst. Photo is old from when I bought my first set (to make sure they fit OK). Price is reasonable as well

 

[555]

I'm using the WalMart Hypertough rails. They come in 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 sizes and hold 10 sockets. I've used them for about 3 years and so far they have been excellent.

 

[Bogie1632]

Here's a couple threads with some good ideas.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=438369

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=453200

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=438396

What ever you end up using post some pictures.

V/R
Bogie

 

[colin39]

Most of mine are ernst the 3/4 stuff is my own version of westling [emoji106]

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[Hack Fabrication]

Hansen socket organizers. Great deal on eBay from the factory.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I have bleachers in the top of my big box, so I can see all my sockets. SAE on the left, metric on the right.

 

[iamrfixit]

https://westlingmachine.com/

 

[bassbone52]

https://westlingmachine.com/

These are the ****. A little pricey, but they're indestructible.

 

[Cryptic1911]

Some hansen style trays, a few rails for oddball stuff, a plate with some rails for torx/triple squares/allens, and some others are in blowmold cases

 

[PelicanPines]

I like quality aluminum rails... I like to grab and go.

 

[Mthomas1686]

Mechanics time savers....love em! Wrenches aren't so grab n go tho.

 

[4 FN 27]

Custom Trays. Search Sockets and there are a whole host of Threads on the subject.

View media item 87379
View media item 86214

 

[Cryptic1911]

Can you guys post some pics of your westling tray setups? Kinda thinking of swapping to those. I saw they offer 2 and 3 row 1/4 rails as well. Also, do you like the engraved or non engraved ones? I like the marks on the hansen trays, but it's super annoying when you don't have a specific size that is on the tray

 

[Jon_E]

I use and like the Olsa socket rails from Amazon.

 

[cad70]

Somehow, a few years ago, I won the entire Westling set for sockets. I just finally put them to use in my new to me race trailer. I dont have a photo at the moment, but they are good enough that the sockets stay put while traveling to the races.

 

[unslow1]

Hansen and various other trays.

 

[RWorth]

I use these in my box in my home shop.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FMY5V62/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[oldwino]

Toss em all in a Homer Bucket. Easy to find the socket you want ‘cause its on the bottom.

 

[Canyon56]

These are the best! I use them for my impact and non impact sockets!

https://olsatools.com/collections/t...magnetic-socket-holder?variant=31122088853555

 

[Trapps]

Earnst/Tekton

 

[Jersey Drew]

I went with the westling machine ones.

 

[JJ99SS]

https://westlingmachine.com/

Yup, I love them. I have a lot of them.

I wish I had them engraved with the sizes. But I like the flexibility of not having them labeled more.

 

[iamrfixit]

Can you guys post some pics of your westling tray setups? Kinda thinking of swapping to those. I saw they offer 2 and 3 row 1/4 rails as well. Also, do you like the engraved or non engraved ones? I like the marks on the hansen trays, but it's super annoying when you don't have a specific size that is on the tray

About $300 in the westling trays in this pic. I have both the two and three row trays in 3/8 and 1/2, both metric and standard, a full set of the two row trays, plus three trays for the impact swivel sockets and torx drivers.

Mine are engraved and I like them but then of course it leaves empty pins where I don't have every size. I cut short pieces of hose to stick over the pins where I don't have a socket. Without the hose to mark the empty pins, I was searching around the vehicle or the shop, trying to find sockets that I never had.

 

[ecotec]

Hanson trays, Harbor Freight trays, different styles of rails, sheet metal trays, plastic molded trays, whatever you call the click together ones in the middle...

I change my layout every so often. I need to pull out more of my SAE out of my main drawer and move them to another. I have a lot more sockets that need to be in this drawer.

 

[banjopete]

I went diy.

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[Mirage]

I like the Olsa rails (on Wall Control pegboard) Need a couple more 3/8 and 1/2 rails to get rid of all the old craftsman clip rails I've been using

 

[Rarified27]

Toss em all in a Homer Bucket. Easy to find the socket you want ‘cause its on the bottom.

The 99 cent HF rails are ok, but unless the deep sockets are all 1/4" or there's no more than 7 or 8 the rails bend as you move them. 1/2" deep sockets fall right off.

These were my upgrade a few years ago. They're rock solid in a drawer.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Steel-Multiple-Drive-Socket-Storage/3381278

The link I posted above has limited 1/2" clips, but you can get cheap extras.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MQBPZGM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[ike]

I use the cheap plastic rails. Others are too expensive, waste too much space, or both. And anything with predetermined socket sizes on it is not an option, because I've never found one that works with the sockets I have. I either have too many or not enough, and i'm not buying more sockets to fill an organizer or setting some off to the side and then have to buy another organizer to supplement an organizer.

 

[setfocus]

I'm all over the place with socket organization. I like having things labeled when possible... so Hansen trays, some plastic original packaging that's labeled, and some rails of sets and rails of odd ball sockets. Also have a set of torx sockets in the blow molded case, in a bottom drawer



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[Toyo72]

Ernst SocketBoss rails, on sale at LeeValley right now 50% off:
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/workshop/storage/tool-storage/75462-socket-organizer-sets

 

[Kenstone1]

I use these for quite a few. Loved it when there were free coupons.

yep these mag strips
'cept mine are on a tool cart, I mounted them via angle brackets with the mag and sockets facing UP, more like a shelf.
The square/ratchet end contacts the mag for more contact, so the sockets never fall off when I roll the cart around.

 

[JRC3]

... with the mag and sockets facing UP...

I think that is the better way...But mine sits on a bottom box that a top drawer opens over. Maybe when I switch over to another box with deep drawers I'll 3M tape the mags to the drawer and stand the sockets up.

 

[Kenstone1]

I think that is the better way...But mine sits on a bottom box that a top drawer opens over. Maybe when I switch over to another box with deep drawers I'll 3M tape the mags to the drawer and stand the sockets up.

Thanks for reading/quoting my post

I had a roll-around tool "chest" at home but got tired of opening/closing drawers and the extra floor space those drawers took up.

I gave that chest away and built a vertical wall/tool cart with a small work area, as my tools didn't need to be locked-up in drawers in my home shop.

No more drawers for me,

 

[jsaw]

I made some

 

[unslow1]

I made some

I thought about doing that with my 3/4" and 1" sockets but neither set is complete so I never bothered.

 

[Gummi Bear]

I have posted mine a few times before.


It’s a cheap way to organize sockets.

The HF rails are basically **** on their own. Fasten them to a 1x2 and they hold sockets really well.



It’s a HF rail, a poplar 1x2 a 3” cabinet pull and a few screws

I hope to someday upgrade the 1x2 to either oak, or maybe some aluminum (which would be awesome)

I color code them wita piece of heat shrink. Blue = metric. Red = SAE. I also added a drive size. I like to do projects with my daughter and sometimes my wife, ao it makes identifying easy.



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

Henry David Thoreau

 

[pvcrisp]

Thanks for all the pictures and photos, I'm in need of some new organization as well!