What to do w misc sockets?

[jake00]

Back in the 90’s I would buy giant lots of craftsman sockets on eBay, make sets out of them, and re sell. Eventually I ended up with a couple drawers of totally random sockets 1/4 and 3/8 mm and sae. Fast forward to today, I’ve got a couple SK sets that I use for 99% of my needs.

Cleaning up my old craftsman chest and
I haven’t touched these drawers since I moved into my current house 15 years ago.

What should I do with them? Donate? Pawn?

 

[Professional Tool User]

I would either keep the sockets and make improvised tools as needed or give them away.

 

[wafrederick]

Sell or give them to someone that is starting out

 

[lardy1]

I was selling off old tools at my local auction until they shut down. I wasn't getting much for them but I only handled them one more time and I got money I didn't have prior.

 

[Legion Prime]

I take any that are marked "india", "china" or are otherwise unidentifiable beyond size and put them in a bag. That's my loaner bag, if you ask me to loan you a tool that's what I give you. Alternatively you could take some twine, make a bola and terrorize the neighborhood strays.

 

[Sunset_Z28]

I was in a similar situation a while back. I stuffed small flat rate USPS boxes with sockets and then listed them on EBay as just that. I didn’t make a ton of money but it was something.

 

[bonneyman]

If they're usable and metric, I'd keep them. Others I'd donate to a young kid starting out. I remember how tight money was when I started as a mechanic in the early 80's - and it's a lot worse nowadays.

Worn out or chinesium sockets I use for pressing bearings in and out, use 'em to remove rounded nuts, backstops for driving out pins and rivets, etc.

 

[PhantomEB]

No brand...it got tossed.

Built a full set for not only here but got enough for a basic set at the folks for the honey dos they ask me to do over there. Sometimes here and there I will grab one or two at the store to fill the empty ones. I have noticed now I have a dedicated socket drawer organized up, I rarely lose any any more. Helps now I decluttering a lot of the floor space.

Extras go into 1 of 3 jars and put away in a cupboard.

 

[VolvoRyan]

I have some spare socket rails for older metric and ALL SAE stuff, those go into a tote. Old sockets have a million uses as drifts and press tools.

-Ryan

 

[Millwrong]

I keep a couple of coffee cans full of the misc loner sockets. I use them to replace lost ones in sets, and for building all kinds of specialty tools and other stuff. Often I need a drift or pusher piece for the press of a very specific size, and I always find what I'm looking for in one of those cans...