Organization of sockets?

Does anyone have a really good idea for organizing sockets? This...

...isn't working for me! I can never find the socket head I want. And sockets always fall off those silly spring-loaded holders.

No worries.

Albert Einstein's office in Princeton, NJ.

JDCAVE said:

Does anyone have a really good idea for organizing sockets? This...
View attachment 61406
...isn't working for me! I can never find the socket head I want. And sockets always fall off those silly spring-loaded holders.

Click to expand...

I use these:

Sears.com

Different sizes for different drives. Gray for SAE, black for metric... or maybe it's the other way around. Sockets loaded onto the holders in size order. Additional slides available, if your sockets exceed what will fit on the basic product.

Not sure if those are the holder you mean, but I've never had a socket voluntarily escape... in fact, it takes some work to pry one off...

-Chris

Greetings,
Mr. 42. Link doesn't work for me... Mr. JD. 1/4 in. dr SAE Magnetic Socket Holder | Princess Auto
That's for 1/4" drive but they do have for 3/8" drive as well evidently...I picked the Canadian equivalent of Harbor Freight for you...

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. 42. Link doesn't work for me... Mr. JD. 1/4 in. dr SAE Magnetic Socket Holder | Princess Auto
That's for 1/4" drive but they do have for 3/8" drive as well evidently...I picked the Canadian equivalent of Harbor Freight for you...

Click to expand...

Nice, but it's out of stock. Amazon has a similar one.

I agree this is a problem. Most socket sets come in an oversized case. I guess to make it seem like you're getting more for your money. Geez.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. 42. Link doesn't work for me...

Click to expand...

Hmmm... Works from here, so can't tell what's wrong with it.

The other way is to navigate to Sears.com, then search "socket holders".

-Chris

never found a socket holder that worked. Just use an open tray. Now maybe ill add some of that magnetic rubber strips to the tray so they wont spill.

Buy a cheap magnetic holder used to hold kitchen knives. Fix it on the wall and align your sockets by size. Quick and cheap.

I use those steel rails with the little clips. No photo at hand. The handles are pointless so I cut them off. Size them to hold the number of sockets desired. Have each one metric, one SAE in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2" drive. So a total of six. Others are loose.

What's wrong with the jumble.? That's the way a tool box is.

Actually, at home I use either the mfgr. supplied box or buy the spring type rail. Those rail springs must fit tight. If the fit is sloppy then it will drop the socket. Mine work at home and worked at work because the tool box never got swung or slammed around or upside down.

If you have the space get good quality rails, don't have to be expensive , to hold the sockets but I'll suggest they will not fit into the tool box so they then become another problem. Cut 'em to fit. Just deburr the end.

You could get a case and make holders out of foam cut to shape, or wood or any material that can be fitted. The lid though must fit tightly or those sockets will be waiting to ambush you.

You might consider a kit that a lot of mfgrs offer these days with blow molded
cases that contain all the sockets in pockets so they are organized AND you know if something is missing when you are cleaning up.

Nope, I don't have room so the sockets are simply in the box and I have to search..


When I am actually working??? on the boat I use a tool tray, Cluthe which is plastic, which keeps the tools I am using contained. If you can find an orange lor red one get it as the black in a confined area makes items such as dark parts hard to locate even when you know they are in the tray.

I am struggling with the same thing. I just bought some magnetic socket holders at a big box store the other day but haven't taken them down to the boat to see how they work. I have used the metal rail with the spring clips but find I don't like them very much. Maybe because I have cheap ones.

Ski in NC said:

I use those steel rails with the little clips. No photo at hand. The handles are pointless so I cut them off. Size them to hold the number of sockets desired. Have each one metric, one SAE in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2" drive. So a total of six. Others are loose.

Click to expand...

I had the same thing. They worked ok.
Mastercraft Socket Rack, 1/4-in | Canadian Tire

But I do like RTF's suggestion a lot.

I currently use these from Princess Auto and they are also available in all sizes, SAE and Metric
1/2 in. dr SAE Socket Holder | Princess Auto

Of course I have socket rails from when I used to work and they are all Proto or similar.
However, you could easily take a few sockets with you and try them on the rails. They should be tight and be a pain to get the socket on and off. It's not just a tight fit but the strength of the spring.

However, they are not foolproof. Jar them hard enough and sockets will come off. They should help.

Ski in NC said:

I use those steel rails with the little clips. No photo at hand. The handles are pointless so I cut them off. Size them to hold the number of sockets desired. Have each one metric, one SAE in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2" drive. So a total of six. Others are loose.

Click to expand...

They do work great.
I dropped an entire full set of 1/2 drive Craftsman sockets on one of those into the slip water.
They stayed down there 2 days, then I retrieved with magnet and a net. All the sockets stayed on tight. I could see them in the water shining, if I could not see them, I don't think I could have gotten them back.

Ski in NC said:

I use those steel rails with the little clips. No photo at hand. The handles are pointless so I cut them off. Size them to hold the number of sockets desired. Have each one metric, one SAE in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2" drive. So a total of six. Others are loose.

Click to expand...

Wow....exactly what I did.

For others....yes some fall off...but the majority stays ....depends on how much the get bumped around.

Haven't found anything better yet that compact.

I keep mine in zip lock bags. Separate bags for metric and standard, also drive size. Not that great of an "organization" technique, but very compact and I spray a bit of tool protectant into the bags from time to time.


I don't really have room for strips or boxes on the boat.

After trying most all methods both at my shop at home and on the boat, I've come to like the pegs the most. It might be what's intended in teh sears link, but I doesn't go to anything for me either.

The pegs are available in short and long pegs for short and deep sockets, and are labeled with the size. Available for 1/2" and 3/8" drive sockets. One style that I like the best has an elevated a base circle that matches the size of the socket so only the correct size socket will drop down over it. Those are my favorite so far.

The only down side is that the pegs only cover whatever sizes the manufacturer decided to cover. So I have one or two empty pegs, and a handful of sockets that are too small or too large. For those I just have a misc drawer or bin.

Oh, the other down side is that since the sockets stand up on end, if you are keeping them in a drawer, the drawer needs to be deeper than many in typical tool boxes.

Always had a kit/box to hold the fittings it came with. Jee wiz.

Mine came in a set in a box, and they are graduated in size in the box. Maybe make a wooden box with dividers to accommodate them. Failing that, you just have to ferret about in that container you use.

ranger42c said:

I use these:

Sears.com

Different sizes for different drives. Gray for SAE, black for metric... or maybe it's the other way around. Sockets loaded onto the holders in size order. Additional slides available, if your sockets exceed what will fit on the basic product.

Not sure if those are the holder you mean, but I've never had a socket voluntarily escape... in fact, it takes some work to pry one off...

-Chris

Click to expand...

+1 ^

Search results for: '225'

Coupon down to $99. Done.
Add a 20" adjustable, big channel locks, hammer, multimeter and a 6 piece cordless set.
If I can't fix it with that, I can't fix it.

The PIA with the jumble is finding the socket you need.

NAPA will sell you a paint pen , to put the sizes on easily.

Different color for metric if needed.

Lasts longer than a majic marker.

The kits they come in dont work well because I always have to add additional sizes.
Rarely used sizes and shapes get stored in their factory holders but the frequently used and unusual shapes are in a jumble.

The new ones with color codes and large print sizes sure are a help

my 3/8 kit has SAE 6 pt, 12pt, deepwells, swivel sockets, Everything duplicated in metric plus larger than normal sizes. a universal swivel, knurled thumb drives and many extensions and racket sizes. 1/4" set is similar. 1/2" less complex but many sizes.

All these accumulated over years of wrenching and doing my own repairs. Nice neat orginization has always eluded me. I rationalize that a neat orderly kit is rarely used.

I'm not seeing a problem here. Looks fairly routine.

The best I've come up with so far is something similar to this, one each for metric and SAE.


I keep them in a plastic shoebox-size tote with a some loose sockets and extensions. Not really what I want, but it does keep things together and somewhat accessible.

The ideal would be a comprehensive kit that stows in a small space. As I said, the manufacturers want a big, impressive display. They're not motivated to make their product look small.

We use this Montezuma on our service truck. Best tool box I've ever seen. I have a smaller version in my pickup.

Ok... So I use a Craftsman portable tool kit like this:

https://www.craftsman.com/products/craftsman-108-pc-mechanics-tools-set?taxon_id=1878

I wonder if you can get an empty box from someone on eBay or something.

I looked: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CRAFTSMAN-S...5gNx8EteWwMQ4w&item=281847618063&var=&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-1...:g:kSUAAOSwa~BYWBKi&item=332067154057&vxp=mtr

Search results: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...ty+box.TRS0&_nkw=craftsman+empty+box&_sacat=0

I use reusable tie wraps looped thru the sockets or a string with clips on both ends. keeps em in order and they don't fall off of anything