Socket Sets

[jmellc]

Our department has 3 socket sets, Westward brand. Large sets with odd sizes, etc. Good sets but carry cases are junk. Pick up by handle & lots of the smaller sockets dump out of place & can fall out when you open the case. I’ve been finding lost ones & putting them back together.

I found a website But it provides no way to contact the company. I e mailed Grainger, as they are the main dealer here for them.

I’m working on a fix. Watch out for this with any tool sets you consider buying. Expensive tools should have suitable containers.

 

[paulengr]

Sockets work best on rails. Sets always come with some useless blow molded case. Blow molded cases are bulky, the hinges break easy, and the layouts are terrible. Buying storage is a separate item. Ares makes good rails. I bought several socket rails before I found good ones.

 

[infinity]

I gave up on the metal socket style cases long ago. Now I just use a zipper bag and have each size socket color coded with marking tape to find the correct size quickly. One big advantage is that you end up putting the unused ones back in the case when you're done because it's very easy and it takes up a lot less room than one of those metal cases that the sets come in.

 

[jmellc]

I have seen decent plastic cases & these would be good with a little better design on the 1/4 socket nooks. Good plastic is lighter than metal & water resistant.
I had a roughly similar years ago with my Greenlee KO set. Gasps started losing their grip. Picked up case & it flew open. I got a new case for $45, much better gasps. I should have argued for a warranty replacement. But I’ve had new case for about 15 years & it does well.

 

[paulengr]

My cases are plastic (Toughsystem) which keeps the tools from rusting in coastal environment. The sockets themselves are on plastic rails with ball bearing and spring retainers so they don’t fall off and magnets on the back so you just drop it on the cabinet where you are working. I work for a motor shop so I have every size from 1/4” all the way to 3”. In metric and SAE, deep and shallow, plus a lot of specialty ones like square tap drives. A bag would be fine if I only needed say 3/8” to 3/4”. I keep an old spare Blackhawk set in a bag. It’s aggravating trying to find one when I can just go right to the socket I need. I’ve even seen guys store them on a rod with a nut on the end.

 

[Todd0x1]

Westward is Grainger's private label house brand. Like husky with big orange.

I haven't yet made the time, but I have been planning to make myself a good portable socket set with a foam tray and pelican case or flat milwaukee packout case. Couple hours in cad to design it then have it waterjetted or lasercut. Nice because its custom fit to its contents. Sockets sit in cutouts in the foam (and you can have a different color behind so you see right away if something is missing) and eggcrate foam in the lid keeps everything in place. Not a great choice if you are working in the rain or mud with the set though.

These guys make nice trays and rails that have the ball bearing clip https://olsatools.com/collections/tool-organizers

Here's a picture of a foam tray.

 

[tom baker]

I agree the blow molded cases with socket depressions are terrible, if it comes open all inside dump out. I found some open blow molded cases, put sockets on rails and stored in the case. Advantage of rails with clips its easy to see if socket is missing

 

[Besoeker3]

Socket set.
Just an a idle moment. I socket set here (UK) is metric.

 

[jmellc]

Westward is Grainger's private label house brand. Like husky with big orange.

I haven't yet made the time, but I have been planning to make myself a good portable socket set with a foam tray and pelican case or flat milwaukee packout case. Couple hours in cad to design it then have it waterjetted or lasercut. Nice because its custom fit to its contents. Sockets sit in cutouts in the foam (and you can have a different color behind so you see right away if something is missing) and eggcrate foam in the lid keeps everything in place. Not a great choice if you are working in the rain or mud with the set though.

These guys make nice trays and rails that have the ball bearing clip https://olsatools.com/collections/tool-organizers

Here's a picture of a foam tray.

I like that. Good job.

 

[Coppersmith]

Socket set.
Just an a idle moment. I socket set here (UK) is metric.

I carry both English and Metric socket sets in the truck. I don't have to use the Metric that often, but nice to have correct size when needed. Most of the English set is from Montgomery Ward, a department store that went out of business 20 years ago. Those sockets really hold up. I still have the original blow molded case (with repaired hinges).

 

[Todd0x1]

I like that. Good job.

That is not my tray, just a picture of something similar to show what I was talking about.

 

[masterinbama]

I carry both English and Metric socket sets in the truck. I don't have to use the Metric that often, but nice to have correct size when needed. Most of the English set is from Montgomery Ward, a department store that went out of business 20 years ago. Those sockets really hold up. I still have the original blow molded case (with repaired hinges).

I have a Monke Ward 1/2" drill my dad bought in 1960. Still works great and has enough torque to rip your arm off.

Sent from my LML211BL using Tapatalk

 

[Besoeker3]

I carry both English and Metric socket sets in the truck. I don't have to use the Metric that often, but nice to have correct size when needed. Most of the English set is from Montgomery Ward, a department store that went out of business 20 years ago. Those sockets really hold up. I still have the original blow molded case (with repaired hinges).

Blow moulded?

 

[Coppersmith]

Blow moulded?

Yes. I like them better. I heard everybody's complaints above, but I don't have issues with the sockets falling out, I don't have to tug to get them off a metal clip, and they are mostly in order by size which makes it easy to select.

 

[Besoeker3]

Blow moulded? View attachment 2552608 View attachment 2552608

I'm sorry. I don't know what saw moulded is.

 

[retirede]

Blow molded come in two varieties. The ones shown above do not grip the sockets and if the case opens inadvertently, they scatter.

There are blow molded cases in which the sockets lay on their side and are secured. I have one of those where it’s a pain to remove smaller sockets. It’s almost impossible to get them out without prying with a screwdriver.

 

[paulengr]

Yes. I like them better. I heard everybody's complaints above, but I don't have issues with the sockets falling out, I don't have to tug to get them off a metal clip, and they are mostly in order by size which makes it easy to select.

Get the ball-spring or quarter twist kind. The ball soring releases just like a socket wrench and the quarter twist kind almost falls off after a quarter twist then won’t budge when you twist on. It took me a few tries to find good rails.

 

[Besoeker3]

Blow molded come in two varieties. The ones shown above do not grip the sockets and if the case opens inadvertently, they scatter.

There are blow molded cases in which the sockets lay on their side and are secured. I have one of those where it’s a pain to remove smaller sockets. It’s almost impossible to get them out without prying with a screwdriver.

OK. The sockets we have are just simple sockets.

 

[Fred B]

"Snap-On" tools makes a very good socket rail system, a variety of lengths and drive sizes, and holds the sockets securely. Most of the time they will fit into original carry case socket came in. They aim to the professional mechanic and are for heavy duty use and abuse in a garage environment.

 

[Frank DuVal]

I am using Ernst socket rails with the quarter turn release version. They hold 1/2" deep impact socts on tight to carry the rail across the room. Does require twisting the socket a 1/4 turn to remove. Good for storage and portability, but not as easy to extract a socket as the trays with pins that holds the sockets in order but loose. The trays with pins are good for deep tool box drawers and workbenches.

Example:

18” Socket Organizer w/ (15) Twist Lock Clips - Red

18” Socket Organizer w/ (15) Twist Lock Clips - Red

www.ernstmfg.com

Blow Molded is a description of how the plastic case is made. Just like any foundry operation, a form is made, with an inner form (core). The plastic is melted and then blown onto the form in the void between the outer form and the inner form. Makes a thin plastic case. It is also how most every gallon milk bottle is made here in the US.