How do you store your socket sets?

[IndyIan]

The ones that came in blow molded cases stay in them. My main set was a great large craftsman set that my wife, fiancée at the time, gave me as a gift.

All the rest are on metal rails. Not the biggest fan, but I can stack them and drop them in a drawer a drawer or bag, and keep lots of stuff together. Those flat organization trays are nice if you have endless space or want to keep it flat. Not helpful if I want to take stuff from my basement to driveway or garages.

So I find the metal rails to be the best. Not fancy or pretty. Just useful.

For my 3 drawer portable tool box, the blow mold socket case was pretty much the same size as the drawers, so I just cut out the inside of the blow mold case and dropped it in the drawer. Easy to see where everything goes and what's missing.

 

[Bullet]

I bought some of the OEM magnetic socket holders and found they take a lot of room which is fine if you have a lot of draw space. In my roller round HF box I used the peg (popo stick) type. For miscellaneous sockets or other items I use the above make up trays from Amazon. You have get gray trays from Target for like $2.00 each.
miscellaneous

 

[weaponoffreedom]

in trays, in a large rolling cabinet

 

[Freischneider]

Hansen socket trays.

 

[D60]

Hansen socket trays.

The Harbor Freight offerings seem every bit as nice (maybe even less brittle?) and are arguably more accessible for many.

 

[Freischneider]

The Harbor Freight offerings seem every bit as nice (maybe even less brittle?) and are arguably more accessible for many.

But they're not made in the USA.

 

[fortyeightjake]

I have quite a few of both the Hansens and HF version. I personally think the plastic is much nicer on the Hansens. And I like the color options.

 

[mr_boring]

I have rails I got from Sears a few decades ago. They were mostly ok until you slipped a socket on/off a few times. Now all of my common ones are tossed in the tray alongside the ones I never use which are still on rails.....

 

[Oliveoil2]

Socket rails. I know what size I need and separate 1/4,3/8,1/2 and metric from SAE. Otherwise Atikovi ‘s system seems the best.

 

[Pablo]

I have some spring stainless and plastic rails for 3/8" and 1/2" sockets that are absolute rubbish - these both came with the sets, brand names don't matter. Oh they hang on to the sockets. Can't get them off, then the holder nub comes off the rail (both the steel and plastic do this) and I have to punch or prise the nub out. Crazy waste of time. Really silly, to the point of laughing!

I am looking these, any experience? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZJ43J2L/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza?th=1

 

[rekit]

Walmarts rails are good, they have the spring loaded ball and the spacing is adjustible. Ez on and off, but hold well.

 

[MStarmer]

I use the Ernst plastic rails with the twist off holders. Labeled and you can put sizes wherever you need. I didn't like having them in a drawer so I moved them to the top of my HF cart.

 

[Pablo]

How tall are the drawers people are using? 3”??

 

[RyanY]

I have some spring stainless and plastic rails for 3/8" and 1/2" sockets that are absolute rubbish - these both came with the sets, brand names don't matter. Oh they hang on to the sockets. Can't get them off, then the holder nub comes off the rail (both the steel and plastic do this) and I have to punch or prise the nub out. Crazy waste of time. Really silly, to the point of laughing!

I am looking these, any experience? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZJ43J2L/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza?th=1

That is the truth! I had those sh!tty metal rails for years before finally switching to the spring loaded ball type rails (see my post earlier in this thread). The ones you linked should be fine. The ones from Walmart that @rekit mentioned are also good; I use these for my extra sockets that don't have a place in the Kobalt racks.

 

[GreasyElroy]

in trays

 

[Traction]

Funny that I think I saw a couple of posts with the 10mm socket missing!

 

[Insertcoolname]

on some nights i stick it under my pillow to help carry the weight of my enormous skull.
idk why but sometimes this works with the little craftsman mechanic set in the hard case. lol

 

[paulo57509]

I first tried those spring rails but I couldn't remove the sockets with oily fingers.

Then I tried these Hansen trays. I used them for a few days and didn't care for them. They required putting them in the deep drawers at the bottom of the roll-away and I tired of frequent bending over for something that I use all the time (I get bent over enough in my life and I don't need another reason to get bent). They're still NIB someplace.

I settled on these Craftsman peg boards because they can be configured to what ever size and number of sockets I have and they fit in the top chest drawers. Some of the deep sockets wobble around a bit but surprisingly they don't fall over.

I don't often need to bring all the sockets to the work, I pretty much know what tools I'm going to need ahead of time. If need be, I just roll the whole sha-bang-a-bang to the job.

 

[RyanY]

in trays

I love those trays with the flip-down guard! My dad has stored his Craftsman sockets in those for 40+ years!

 

[Pablo]

Gonna post up my before pics