I have bought or inherited over half a dozen socket wrench sets over the years but I go through the same frustrating steps time after time when trying to find the right wrench and socket for the job. Does anyone have any unique ways over organizing these things to make it efficient?
I use socket rails to organize my ratchet sockets; 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" drive, metric & imperial socket sizes; deep & standard sockets
socket holders
once clipped onto the rails, the sockets can be placed on a shelf or in a drawer
as for combination wrenches, I hang them from their box ends
cheers
I keep each socket wrench set in the case it came in. Then I have a tool box with the label (sockets) for oversized sockets and extensions I have purchased. So everything is in its case or in the tool box.
I also have other tool boxes labeled wrenches, screwdrivers/nut drivers/allen wrenches, plumbing, electrical, cutting/drilling tools, chainsaw, glues/sealants, etc.
This is great because I know where everything is. And if I need to go do work somewhere, very easy to grab the tool boxes I will need and I know everything is there.
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There ya' go... :)
Same idea here except I never bothered to label toolboxes as they're each different and I know what is in each, anyway.
I keep various socket sets in various places -- most complete in the shop, naturally, another pretty good complement of most things in the barn, another smaller assortment in the machine shed, etc., etc., ..., the pipe cutting tools, etc., in the old shop (because it has a better arrangement for long stuff wrt to the vice), ...
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unfortunately many of the sockets I inherited came to me in bags or just in boxes that if shaken will get disorganized. I was hoping there was some big giant flexible key ring type contraption where I can organize each socket by size then take them off without disturbing the order of another. Does anyone do something like this?
Joe wrote: ...
They make the snap-on (not brand, the clippy things) that sockets will fit onto, but I've never liked them. I far prefer them to simply be in a tray. I know sizes well enough that for SAE I can simply pick up the right one by looking at the opening--unfortunately, for the smaller metric they're too close together there are some that have to fumble for--7 and 8, 8 and 9, etc., ... :(
I would suggest going through the sets and selecting one socket of each size for each drive size and getting a case for them or a toolbox w/ tray that has the graduated divider and put them in it. There are any number of folks making cases (Craftsman has fairly inexpensive decent plastic boxes if one isn't a professional or has extremely hard usage requirements).
Or, if you have the room and are so inclined for the "high-priced spread" solution, a rolling chest w/ the non-slip pads is ok, but while I have them, they're not what keep the socket sets in except for some _very_ specialty attachments.
Being the farm, this is a high-abuse area so the boxes are all metal except for the sets that stay in the barn. They're all a minimum of 40, some are probably 80 or even older by now--I'm not sure when some of granddad's were obtained--most which came from Dad I remember when were obtained and I've not bought a new box since sometime in the 60s...so, a good metal box will last... :)
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I cut pieces of wood to fit the drawers of my tool chest - one drawer for each size - 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" drive. Then, I drilled the wood, inserted dowels in the holes, put the sockets on the dowels & wrote the size on the wood in front of each socket. Easy to find the socket I need, & easy to notice one missing.
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