Socket Organizer

thingiverse

Here's a DIY customizable socket organizer that can be tailored to fit your toolbox perfectly. I was dissatisfied with the organizers available at big box stores, which not only lacked customization options but also came with hefty price tags. This organizer utilizes standard 3/4" x 1/8" aluminum bar cut to length, allowing you to create a socket organizer that fits snugly in your toolbox and accommodates as many adapters as needed. The adapters were designed specifically for use with 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sockets. A solid ball detent and spring-loaded square drive work together to securely hold the socket in place, unlike other socket organizers on thingiverse that rely on an interference fit, which can lead to wear and tear after repeated uses. I purchased a single 36" strip of aluminum and created three versions: a 16", a 12", and an 8". The entire project cost less than $8 to build for all three, which translates to approximately one-third the price of buying the organizer in-store. **Bill of Materials (per organizer)** Printed Parts 1. End Cap / Quantity: 2 2. Quarter-Inch Adapter / Quantity: as needed 3. Three-Eighths Adapter / Quantity: as needed 4. Half-Inch Adapter / Quantity: as needed COTS Parts 5. Aluminum Strip - 3/4" x 1/8" x ## / Quantity: one per assembly 6. M5 Screw with 10mm thread length / Quantity: 2 **Instructions** 1. Print all the parts in PETG. PLA is not suitable for this build, as it has a tendency to creep. I printed these parts using 0.2mm layer height, 15% infill, and three perimeters, resulting in robust parts with no need for support or brim. 2. Cut the aluminum to length, place end caps on both sides, mark the center of the mounting hole, remove the end caps, drill a hole large enough for a clearance fit with the M5 bolt, clean up all aluminum chips, and take emery cloth to the aluminum surface to get it clean and shiny. 3. Place the end cap back on one end of the aluminum, thread in one M5 screw. The screw was sufficient interference to form threads without breaking the part in my experience. 4. Install all square drive adapters with sockets and install the other end cap, leaving 1/2" of wiggle room between the sockets for easy removal and reinstallation.