Any clever ways to organize your sockets in a toolbox.

[JohnnySpeed]

http://youtu.be/fb7NNZSOQZ4

I have been thinking of using this guys ideas. Looks good for no more money than he has spent. Looks like he bought every 3/8 socket harbor freight has and put them in on the rail.

[carboncrew]

buy these and be done forever. They don't break and they don't collect junk in the bottom.

http://westlingmachine.com/ToolHolders.html

[95 S_Trucker]

They aren't terribly expensive either. By the time you buy 6 Hansen trays, you'll have about $60 in them. 99 isn't too bad.

I use the Hansen trays. I've been careful and haven't broken any of them in the past 5 years.

[65Gregg]

I like the ones made by Mechanics Timesaver, have used them for years.

http://www.toolsource.com/mechanics-...r-m-13632.html

[e015475]

Here's another alternative

Been collecting sockets for 30 years and I could never find what I was looking for. Tried the stainless racks and the Sears plastic trays with holes for sockets but didn't find them very satisfactory. The problem was that the sockets I liked to use didn't conform very well to the commercially available racks.

Here's a custom made foam socket organizer - metric on the right, SAE on the left. I measured all my sockets diameters, put them on a spreadsheet and sent the file to FormFitTools. They are all dogs-and-cats: CM, Proto, Husky, Willams, etc. This is what it looks like-



People who wrench for a living look at it and say ' that sure has a lot of wasted space' I suppose I could of stuffed a lot more sockets/tools in there, but the idea was to be able to easily locate them, have to most frequently used in the front of the drawer and be able to tell when one was missing since I have a bad habit of misplacing them in engine bays. Here's the place the organizer came from-

[blazer2007]

I just made some with plywood and some wood dowelling,drilled the holes in the plywood and pounded the dowelling in

[T_Raven]

Floor mats from Harbor Freight.

Cheap when on sale, cut easy, look good, and they hold up well.

[In The Ten Ring]

All these cut out floor mats and foam pads look good, but they are going to be a pain to actually use. Here's my reasoning:

Have you ever not been exactly sure of the size socket you need? I sure have!

Would it be better to get out from under your engine, pick out 1 or two sockets, then have to get back out from under your engine, and repeat the socket selection? That's a lot of getting up and down.

If you take the little box they came in (I admit, not all socket sets come in metal boxes anymore) you've got them all right there with you.

I'm probably just a sucker, but I've bought up some vintage Proto and SK tools socket sets because they came in metal boxes. I now have 3/8 and 1/2 inch sets for my garage, truck, and car.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by JWall

My current box isn't tall enough for the stand up organizers so I'm using these.

(Hope you don't mind, I changed the photo to a smaller one)

Those are what I use, I LOATH the metal or plastic ones that the socket gets pushed onto like posted earlier. These Lisle ones http://www.lislecorp.com/search/ are the best in my opinion. The best part is you can grab one and walk away from the box with it.

You know I am going to have a "Basics of Basics" on tool organization don't you? LOL

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/new-...ls-150700.html

Here's my box.



I have had many people refer to it as "anal" and comments like "I'm too busy fixing cars to waste my time" are common when I post about tool box organization. All I can say to that is, where time is critical like on the battle field or in aircraft repair, or how about during a surgery, do they go rummaging through drawers looking for tools?

No, I have worked for YEARS with this tool box. The few hours spent organizing it was nothing!

Brian

[truckdude239]

I needs help toooo......

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by e015475

Here's another alternative

Been collecting sockets for 30 years and I could never find what I was looking for. Tried the stainless racks and the Sears plastic trays with holes for sockets but didn't find them very satisfactory. The problem was that the sockets I liked to use didn't conform very well to the commercially available racks.

Here's a custom made foam socket organizer - metric on the right, SAE on the left. I measured all my sockets diameters, put them on a spreadsheet and sent the file to FormFitTools. They are all dogs-and-cats: CM, Proto, Husky, Willams, etc. This is what it looks like-



People who wrench for a living look at it and say ' that sure has a lot of wasted space' I suppose I could of stuffed a lot more sockets/tools in there, but the idea was to be able to easily locate them, have to most frequently used in the front of the drawer and be able to tell when one was missing since I have a bad habit of misplacing them in engine bays. Here's the place the organizer came from-

Sexy

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by truckdude239

I needs help toooo......

your toolbox looks like it cost more than my truck, LOL, very nice

[truckdude239]

it might the box was like 9k i have about 35k sitting there with tools

[dirtyjim]

in my truck I just keep two tool bags with the sockets separated in zippered pouches. what ever i'm driving I just throw the two tool bags in just in case. I keep various tools in my garage but finally decided I want two full sets of hand tools, one for the garage and one for my trucks and I've been looking at the Hansen rack. you can get the full set on ebay for around $50, right now I have everything on ss strips in my garage box but I think $50 on a set of Hansen racks will be money well spent

[_Ogre]

i will say this...
if i spaced out my sockets and tools like this, i'd need to buy 4 more tool boxes to store my tools
i'd also have to build on to my barn so i could space my tool boxes out properly
it would sure help out with my weekly dusting and waxing of my tool box

[e015475]

Mr. Ogre-

I empathize with your situation completly - with eating people and generally being mean there's precious little time to wax your tools and dust the toolbox!

But if you'll stop hoarding so many tools and filling every conceivable nook and cranny with tools you only use once in a blue moon, you'd have more time for your favorite ogre activities and actually be able to find the tool you need! Might even be room for that ogre's vivisection tool drawer you've no doubt always wanted - it must be very frustrating looking for just the right tool with dinner writhing and screaming.

I'm sensing you'll need more convincing, so here's some additional pictures- wrenches first - metric on the left, SAE on the right.

Favorite ratchets and extensions - all 'cats-and-dogs'

Screwdrivers- one's missing

Hammers, dollys and spoons

Meters


Best regards,