HF socket trays - I'll admit I like them!

[Elroy]

 

I am too married to the old fashioned metal trays with bail handles like sets of old used to come in. I like being able to pluck out a set and run when need be. I also like that fact that they allow me to cram more stuff in less space taking advantage of every last square inch of drawer acreage I have.

I will say your sets look very nice and quite useable though. I can have a tougher time nailing down the size I need sometimes doing it my way.

 

Recent purchases encouraged Elroy to complete the fabrication work on these stainless steel socket trays. Channel 3 transfers may recall Elroy began this little project back in 2011 with the initial sheet steel fabrication.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/socket-organization.47412/page-4

 It only took Elroy eleven years to complete. That just might be a new procrastination record.

[Elroy]

You'll notice the the larger 1/2 drive trays are void the retention bail. Socket retention is achieved with internal socket rails. As you can plainly see, the sockets don't fall out.

[goodfellow]

I remember the initial build on these things Elroy. They were very well executed and a great design.

[Elroy]

I remember the initial build on these things Elroy. They were very well executed and a great design.

Too bad it took so dam long to finish them up. Guess better late than never.

Elroy likes them 

[fatfillup]

Is that a rivet that holds the handle on, with plastic washers on either side of the handle?

Looks great.

[Elroy]

Is that a rivet that holds the handle on, with plastic washers on either side of the handle?

Looks great.

YES, those are partially set stainless steel "pop rivets" with hard nylon washer to avoid galling. If those rivets were fully set to nail failure ( or "pop" ) the effort to fold  over the bail would be excessive.

[hickory n Steel]

Those look great, I like the idea of adding the rails inside them too.
I expected them to just be retained by that bail like old school socket holders used to be.


As for the Hf socket trays, I do not have them but I do have a set of the hansons.
On paper I do not like them or the general design here because the socket placement is determined by the factory, if your set doesn't have that size you're left with an empty space and for reasons I can no longer remember that was a big problem for me.
They are in the top of my box and working just fine, and my initial complaints have not really come up much or I'd remember exactly what they were.

I still would much rather switch to the ERNST socket boss, especially for 1/4" drive you can have a whole socket set right there with a ratchets extensions...ect if you get those clips that hold them to just grab and go.
I think I will probably get 1 to start with and put together a 1/4" set on it to see how I like them.
They're much more expensive, than even the HANSEN but might be worth it considering the modularity.

[wantedabiggergarage]

I remember looking at them, and between the cost, size issues, etc. they just didn't fit my needs.
The metal socket rails were OK, but I found the clips eventually became loose, bent and didn't hold as well.  Those old trays like Elroy's, didn't have socket rails and fit what came in them.  We used to have a place that had a bunch of them, but they didn't fit what I needed, and I didn't have metal to make any.

Then I found the plastic rails that have been made here and over there.  The USA ones I saw locally, were shorter then the ones at HF and they are only rails.  Kind of like the tool box thing, I would rather spend less on storage, and more on the tools.  The plastic ones tend to lock the sockets better, so I started with them in my portable/vehicle tool box.

[skfarmer]

nice work elroy!

[GreyOwl]

My OCD is kicking in on a couple of Elroy's six point sockets not being clocked like all the rest 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

I wound up buying these:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FMY5V62/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1  But did wind up modifying them, as my OCD got the better of me.  (I cut the ends off where there was considerable socket size overlap based on drive)   I'll take a pic when I get home tonight.

[fatfillup]

My OCD is kicking in on a couple of Elroy's six point sockets not being clocked like all the rest 

I am so glad I am not cursed with OCD.  I am just the opposite with ADD

I am getting a tad of OCD, likely contagious from spending too much time here, but it isn't bad

[hickory n Steel]

I wound up buying these:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FMY5V62/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1  But did wind up modifying them, as my OCD got the better of me.  (I cut the ends off where there was considerable socket size overlap based on drive)   I'll take a pic when I get home tonight.

That reminds me of my biggest problem with the hansen trays.
They go drive end up, so you can only put the sockets in the designated place.
If they were drive end down like the 1 generic 1/4" tray I have you have some flexibility with where sockets can go, you just have the spacing to deal with like every non adjustable socket holder.

[mdlbldrmatt135]

I wound up buying these:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FMY5V62/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1  But did wind up modifying them, as my OCD got the better of me.  (I cut the ends off where there was considerable socket size overlap based on drive)   I'll take a pic when I get home tonight.

That reminds me of my biggest problem with the hansen trays.
They go drive end up, so you can only put the sockets in the designated place.
If they were drive end down like the 1 generic 1/4" tray I have you have some flexibility with where sockets can go, you just have the spacing to deal with like every non adjustable socket holder.

Yep.  I there's a few sockets that don't fil all the way down on them... that's for sure.

[wantedabiggergarage]

My OCD is kicking in on a couple of Elroy's six point sockets not being clocked like all the rest 

I am so glad I am not cursed with OCD.  I am just the opposite with ADD

I am getting a tad of OCD, likely contagious from spending too much time here, but it isn't bad

If you were, you would be writing it as CDO!