A couple of months ago, I learned about these Westling Machine Co. socket organizers from the Garage Journal forum. Being as into storage and organizer products as I am, I just had to give them a try.
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- CNC machined from billet aluminum
- Anodized for greater durability
- Color coded for inch-metric differentiation
- Gradated socket spacings and no labels for greater adaptability
- Made in the USA
- A la carte and set pricing options
Prior to receiving a sample set for review, I used Hansen socket trays for my 1/4″ and 3/8″ inch and metric sockets. My 1/2″ sockets were left in their retail trays.
Hansen socket trays, which are also made in the USA, have pegs that are only sized for specific sockets. If you don’t have a particular size in your tool set, then you’ll have to deal with staring at empty pegs.
While sockets are placed size-side-down on Hansen trays, Westling Co.’s socket organizers are made with identically-sized pegs that are shaped for 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ square drive sizes.
If you look closely, you’ll see that my Hansen socket trays have been collecting dust for some time. Here’s what my socket drawer looks like now:
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The drawer isn’t quite full, but it won’t stay this empty for long. I am still in the process of organizing my tools, and have a bunch of adapters and loose sockets that will soon call this drawer their home.
Drawer depth is about 3″. My 1/4″ and 3/8″ sockets, and even a 3/8″ universal joint, can stand tall without hitting the drawer above.
Who says a socket organizer can only be used for sockets? Since I’m not using the full width of the trays, I popped on a couple of duplicate-size Wera sockets and some of my more frequently used adapters and bit sockets.
These trays are available in 1/4″ sizes, with red being designed for inch sockets, and blue for metric.
Peg layout is thoughtful, with the peg separation increasing slightly from right to left.
The spacing appears to be gradated such that common socket sizes would be separated by a uniform gap. The gaps between socket sizes is large enough such that you can move everything down a peg or two to avoid gaps where you might be missing a particular size.
Over the years I have known a couple of mechanics and enthusiasts to purchase sockets they didn’t really have use for, just to fill in those spots. It might sound a little ridiculous, but I can definitely understand the temptation to fill in those gaps.
When first subbing these Westling socket organizers in for my Hansen trays, I wasn’t sure I would like them. My worries were fueled by two main concerns:
- Will socket retention be poor?
- Will I miss not having sizing labels?
Would my sockets flop and fall over the place when I open and close a drawer? Could I lift a tray out of the drawer and carry it to a different location without having my sockets fall over the place?
The short answer is that socket retention is actually quite good, even excellent. Sockets will not pop out off the pegs, even if the trays are shook or held at an angle. I tried to show this in the video above.
The lack of labels doesn’t really bother me, although I really thought it would. Regardless of application, I usually get the correct socket size on the first or second try. Even with Hansen trays I still had to do go/no-go size testing a lot of times.
When reaching for sockets to fit fasteners of known size, it didn’t take me very long to memorize the location of the sockets I use most and become accustomed to not having Hansen-style size labels.
The socket trays have to be Tetris-fit in my tool chest drawer, but I think I found a setup that works well. The empty gaps will be filled with adapters, bit sockets, and other tools, so there won’t be any wasted space.
One thing I should note is that I only put 1 each of the 1/2″ inch and metric socket trays into my drawer. A full set of 1/2″ trays is split with separate small and large size organizers to allow for easier layout in standard sized drawers. I don’t have 1/2″ deep sockets, and will likely fill in the extra rows with impact sockets if they fit the drawer’s 3″ height.
My tool chest has external dimensions of 26″ L x 16″ W and this drawer has internal dimensions of 22-1/4″ L x 14-1/8″ W x 3″ H. I can fit a complete set of 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ Westling socket trays in this drawer, with some room to spare.
Westling Machine Co. offers a number of purchase options. You can opt for separate standard and metric trays in each size, complete sets of standard or metric trays, or a complete set of standard and metric trays.
Pricing is actually reasonable at $99 for a complete set. A complete set of plastic Hansen trays costs about $60.
Pricing
- 1/4″ holders: $10 each
- 3/8″ holders: $15 each
- 1/2″ holders: $25 each for sets of 2
- Standard set: $49.50
- Metric set: $49.50
- Complete set: $99
Conclusion
I found these socket trays to be well designed and well built. To be honest, I thought I would be bothered by how the organizer design is completely opposite that of the Hansen trays I have used for so long. But in use, I found the organizers to be very flexible and practical.
Just to be clear, I don’t think these are better than Hansen trays, but they are better for me. Tool organization can be a very subjective matter, and so I can’t make a blanket statement declaring these to be the end-all socket organizing solution.
These organizers have about the same footprint as Hansen and Hansen-clone organizers, at least with the 1/4″ and 3/8″ sizes I checked, so you should be able to swap them in without having to reorganize your drawers
I feel that these organizers offer a lot more flexibility in how my sockets are arranged. I don’t have any more empty pegs than I did with Hansen trays, but in this case I can at least fill in previously unused space with duplicate socket sizes and adapters. There are no gaps unless I want there to be.
Now, if only Westling made bit socket organizers… *nudge nudge hint hint*.
Buy Now(via Westling Machine Co.)
Thank you to Westline for providing the review sample unconditionally. Review samples are typically given away, donated, or retained for benchmark and comparison purposes. Since this particular sample will be kept for personal use, a full set will be purchased and given away to a randomly selected reader.
hangfire
If they are really milling each one from billet, they are doing it wrong- which would explain the price. Perhaps they are a small shop. The price might seem competitive compared to Hansen, but not to Harbor Freight’s plastic organizers, which are on sale right now for $7.99 for 3, so $99 compared to $16. While I am not a big fan of HF’s tools, and my socket drawer isn’t nearly as flashy as yours, it is organized just as well.
Daniel
Thanks for the review, had not heard of them until reading this. Definitely would like to be able to add adapters and other misc sockets that don’t need a pass through like the Hansen trays. I would definitely consider a full set but I like the size labeling on the Hansen trays. Just grab at a glance. I may pick up one or two for misc stuff anyways.
Nate Nagel
On Westling’s web site now there are labeled versions available. they’re called “engraved” but they appear to actually be silkscreened. Or you could make your own P-touch labels… anyway I’m with you that I would prefer labeled versions and by the time I discovered these they do exist.
Now do I really need these? No… but I really want them… (apologies to the late Tom Hnatiw)
Allen
Very nice but it seems there is a lot of wasted space. Does anyone make the tapered trays with the pivoting handle ? I like those better than any I’ve used.
Jerry Wyatt
I like these holders but the 1/2 inch drives look to small for the space, allowing for only 5 sockets really gets expensive. Right now I have the Hansen and snap on twist lock tray. And I must say I love the snap on one that I have. And money is alway the object but I really don’t spend anything on anything else just tools and kids toys, no 200 buck shoes, don’t have a car note, I don’t go to bars and spend hundreds of dollars. So if it’s something I can use I will get it if I can justify the purchase.
Andrew
I haven’t found anything better than this set from Kobalt:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_338551-22328-85923_0__
It seems pricey at $25 but you get 4 rows of socket holders (1/4″, 3/8″ and 1/2″ drive) and it makes them all mobile with a handle. I bought three – One for my ASE, one for my metric, and one for the odds and ends I had leftover from my craftsman 300+ piece i got for Christmas.
I was initially going to buy a similar one from Autozone online that I believe came with 5 rows and rubber feet to prevent marring surfaces as you moved it around but I think it was close to $50 and I would have ended up with a ton of extra rows I wouldn’t be using any time soon.
These things are great and the sockets really lock in there and i don’t really fear them falling out. Also, since I may be working in the garage or the shed in my back yard, being able to grab all the sockets I need that are nicely sorted makes a huge difference.
John S
I definitely like the idea of this…. How has it held up?
Andrew
Great so far.
I’m not a heavy duty user but I’d figure having to pull my deep sockets out would put the most stress on the rails and socket holders and it does just fine. I might add rubber feet like the ones from Advance Auto Parts that are found here:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PartSearchCmd?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&pageId=partTypeList&suggestion=&actionSrc=Form&langId=-1&searchTerm=lock-a-socket+tray&vehicleIdSearch=-1&searchedFrom=header
If you go with a set from AAP, make sure you get their 40% off coupons (Typically $40 off of $125) to make the prices much more competitve.
I can easily carry all 3 trays that I bought because of the handle, and the holders have great retention. Also, I believe the holders are universal and you can slide them off the very end (there is a tab that keeps them from sliding off on their own) and move them from row to row if you want.
John Sullivan
Commenter ‘hangfire’ above makes a compelling point, but there is a reason some people spend bigger bucks on Woodpeckers and Lee Valley/Veritas tools. I can see upgrading from the HFT cheapo organizers to something like this.
I currently use the Hansen organizers and have two big complaints: 1, the pegs will occasionally snap off, leaving you without a mount for a particular size.
2, if you have duplicates of some sizes, the Hansen organizers only allow you to stack a couple sockets of that size before you run out of room on the peg. Westling’s organizer seems to solve both of these problems.
[I’d also like to be first in line to become the “randomly selected reader” mentioned in the review sample disclaimer…]
hangfire
Yeah, if money were no object I’d upgrade in a heartbeat. Then pay a mechanic to do the work for me. 🙂
Andrew
Sorry, meant to say SAE sockets in my first post.
Also, there are no markings on the set I mentioned because the socket holders are made to slide according to how large your sockets are. Once you get a config down, though, you could easily do it yourself with a marker.
Seth
Wow, those sure look nice, but man are they on the expensive end!
The socket set I have going right now has 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2″ sockets in 6-point and 12-point, in both shallow and deep well, plus a smattering of 8-point and spark plug sockets. If I’m counting right, that means I’d need a full two sets of these Westling organizers to rack up all of the sockets – which would cost just about as much as all the sockets did in the first place!
Personally, I use the metal socket strips with handles (Great Neck or Craftsman) for my commonly-used 1/4″ and 3/8″ sockets so I can easily grab a rack to take next to the car or lawnmower when I need ’em. The oddball stuff goes onto cheaper ToolShop (http://www.menards.com/main/doors-windows/exterior-doors/garage-doors/garage-outdoor-organization/wall-mounted-storage/3-piece-tool-holder/p-1465819-c-12657.htm) strips that are screwed onto a plate so they can sit together in the box.
I just upgraded to a larger toolbox so I’ve been wanting to switch sorters so I can have each drive type in its own drawer, but even Hansen trays are out of my budget. Maybe one day I’ll knock up something similar using plywood and pegs.
Stuart
I used metal socket rails like those for a while before upgrading to Hansen trays and absolutely hated them! Hard to remove sockets, hard to get them back on.
Seth
I guess I don’t know any better, but the portability is nice. I can grab one rack, a ratchet, and a mug to put parts in and get to fixin’ whatever felt like breaking this week.
Albert
What is the wera rapidaptor that you have that has a socket at the other end rather than the standard bit size?
Thanks for the tip!
Stuart
It’s a Zylop adapter, 8784 B1. There look to be two versions, one with retail carding and one loose. I’m not sure why the retail carded version is $5 cheaper.
The socket version does not work quite the same way as the 1/4″ version. With the Rapidaptor socket, you have to pull up on the sleeve to insert a bit, whereas with the 1/4″ version it auto-locks. I also have the 1/4″ drive version as part of a small Zyklop driving set. They both work really well.
Harry
I picked the Westling holders up when they did a Garage Journal special. I like them almost as much as my Vim magrail tls. I’m hoping westling comes out with a wrench organizer soon. They may be expensive but, you’re supporting a US made business, worth it to me.
Roger
I just got a set of these last week. The trays are 1/4″ thick and my big 1/2″ impact sockets just clear. They didn’t with the lowes trays since the base is taller.
truckdriver
Another hint nudge hint for bit socket holders. I have some MTS for my bit sockets but would love some of these. I missed the GJ deal and regret it.
James
a bit off topic, but what brand/model is that orange colour tool chest in the pictures?
Stuart
Craftsman Griplatch, “Sunburst Metallic Orange,” circa 2010.
John
Hi Stuart,
I just bought and started organizing my sockets in a HF pit box. I bought the Kobalt socket organizer and the 1/2 deep sockets will not fit due to the raised base on the holder. The drawer depth w/ liner is 2 1/8″.
How deep is the drawer with the deep sockets?
Are able to store 1/2 deep sockets as well?
THX
John
Stuart
I have them in a 3″ drawer. The organizers have 1/4″ base plates and my 3/8″ deep sockets are 2-1/2″ long. I don’t have 1/2″ deep sockets.
Given 1/8″ matting, the 1/4″ socket tray plates, and a 3″ drawer height, I can fit sockets up to about 2-5/8″ tall. Slightly longer sockets might fit, as my drawers have a little extra clearance, but they is greater potential for longer sockets to catch and jam the drawer.
Jeff Laughlin
My metric impact 1/2″ drive are 11 to 32, will they fit on that tray?
Pete
I bought these units from Westling–delivered this past week–best purchase I have made in years—buy them–get them now–you will never look back…