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what do you use for portable socket organizer

I use bailing wire strung through the sockets. It's curls up nice and compact.

I don't know about you but, I keep my Crown Royal in it's bag...
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party1:
 
Ever seen those push button things you use on draw strings, they use them on sleeping bag bags and such, push button with a string thru them ? Piece of good line with one on each end, remove one end, thread sockets on to line then put the lock thingy back on. Oh and put a fender washer on both ends so they don't beat the plastic push button things.
My son bought me a 117 piece Sears Craftsman tool set in a vacumn formed plastic atache case with a big sockets and such on one side and slots for wrenches on the other and a big pocket that I added sae and metric geared open box wrenches to as well as torx sockets and other stuff. I keep a big towel folded up inside to keep it from rattling around and pieces falling down.
The tool set was a kind of 'I'm sorry dad' from all the tools he's lost and misplaced for the last 15 years... which was very nice of him but I still keep it hidden under one of my computer benches... :D :D :D
 
Those are good ideas for storage but ... they are kind of lacking on the organization part. The strip is nice because you can stick the bolt head into the socket and pull out just that one, so that is kind of what I'm looking for. Maybe I need to get a block of foam rubber or something.
 
ehall said:
Those are good ideas for storage but ... they are kind of lacking on the organization part. The strip is nice because you can stick the bolt head into the socket and pull out just that one, so that is kind of what I'm looking for. Maybe I need to get a block of foam rubber or something.
Click to expand...

Sears has a big block with the sizes on tapered pins, the sockets are held upright. The blocks hold like 40 sockets and come in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 sae and metric, holds them upright so you need a thicker drawer once you get to the deep sockets. The spring loaded holders are handy for carrying to the work area, the string method I mentioned before is for 'on the road' .
 
At work we do a foam liner in each drawer. Lay a piece of red foam down, then make cut outs in black foam for each tool. Alla re kept secure, and if any are missing, its VERY obvious
 
I use the plastic strips from Sears. they are shorter than the metal type and they fit into my tool bags. They have held up to a few years of use, so far. For my combo wrenches I use the wire rings from HF.
 
We use two different things in different vehicles.

1: in the YJ I use a flexible stick magnet and just stick them in order and roll them into a canvas pouch. Works very well for sockets and wrenches alike pliers and screw drivers not so much

2: military surplus stores have compartmental bags that work really well for under the rear seat in a xj. not quite organized but I keep metric and standard separate and keep sockets on short locking clip strips that I found at napa in the bargan bin.
 
I use a Matco locking tray.

tray001.jpg


tray002.jpg





its got a bunch of 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" pegs

the main reason why i spent the money on it is the locking feature. take a look at the 2nd picture, the steel retaining ball in the upper right peg is pushed in and when you turn a peg clockwise you feel it "lock" at 90degrees. when locked the retaining ball become very hard to compress and holds my sockets in place.

when unlocked they slide on and off easily.
 
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they have the same deal at sears but they are indiviual strips vs. the matco tray. i loved mine so much i got my dad a set for fathers day, should make it a lil easier to find stuff in the race trailer
 
Try getting the metal strips from Sears, put the sockets you want on the bar, then cut the bar down and curl the edges up so the socket holders can't slide off the end. Without the handle and excess length on. the bar, a full set of 3/8 take up about 9 inches. The 1/2" drive set is over a foot, but the bar can be cut in half.
 
I bought a couple of strips here and there and the ones from Kobalt at Lowes seem to be the best. They are about 9" long so they fit in my bag easily, have spring-loaded retainer bearing balls that keep the sockets on but don't fight you (but don't lock like the Matco tray on page 1), the clips are removable so you can move them from one rail to another, etc.

I was not able to find the rails on Lowes web site (man that site sucks) but Google found the 1/2" rail so here is a picture

082171229718.jpg
 
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