A Minimalist Way to Identify Metric Sockets

[rgsparber]

I can hear you now. Some will hate this approach to marking metric sockets. Hopefully, a few will at least give it a second thought.

My goal was to find a simple way to mark my metric sockets for quick access.

If you are interested, please, click here.


Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.


Thanks,

Rick

[mklotz]

Your approach has the obvious benefit of costing little to nothing. If one is willing to spend a bit, this is the solution I use...

https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Def...6JSFRGYD7NPMA5

Room for regular size and deep sockets, held in place magnetically so spill proof, can be picked up with one hand, and the magnetic base allows you to stick it to the side of your tool cabinet if so desired.

Given your EE background, an improvement to your scheme might be to color the rims of the sockets using the resistor color code. For your scheme only four colors would be needed - brown, red, orange, yellow. With the whole rim painted, it would be much easier to see and there would be no need to count dots.

Get a set of these or similar...

https://www.amazon.com/Anything-Perm...s%2C223&sr=8-5

and you'll never need to open a paint can when doing these small marking jobs. (Can you tell that I hate painting?)

[rgsparber]

Your approach has the obvious benefit of costing little to nothing. If one is willing to spend a bit, this is the solution I use...

https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Def...6JSFRGYD7NPMA5

Room for regular size and deep sockets, held in place magnetically so spill proof, can be picked up with one hand, and the magnetic base allows you to stick it to the side of your tool cabinet if so desired.

Given your EE background, an improvement to your scheme might be to color the rims of the sockets using the resistor color code. For your scheme only four colors would be needed - brown, red, orange, yellow. With the whole rim painted, it would be much easier to see and there would be no need to count dots.

Get a set of these or similar...

https://www.amazon.com/Anything-Perm...s%2C223&sr=8-5

and you'll never need to open a paint can when doing these small marking jobs. (Can you tell that I hate painting?)

Thanks Marv, I just placed my order for those markers. Rick

[madokie]

i just clean off all my metric tools and hit them with a light coat of GREEN...whats left is all American inch so it doesnt need marking..

[mbshop]

As I spent my whole career using metric sockets and wrenches, I had no issues, just knew them by sight. My issue is merican sizes. So I just paint the common sizes and hope for the best. Paint does wear off so at times I just forget to repaint them. But all my sockets have been on rails so I can just pick the rail up and take a quick look. But yea, some kind of mark could help.

[greenie]

Even easier way to go about it, just chuck that imperial garbage into the rubbish bin, then you'll just have Metric, easy as , eh. :-)

[NeiljohnUK]

I have multiple socket sets, Imperial sockets are kept in a separate tool box for working on old Brit bikes along with Imperial spanners and most are 3/8" hex drive Britool so won't fit any 'modern' socket driver, metric sockets, both single and bi-hex, are square drive for everything else meaning no need to mark, though I also have some Metrinch flank drive tools for damaged and odd size use hidden in the depths of my garage storage that I rescued from the scrap bin years ago when a new workshop manager had a pissy fit are threw the sets out.

[DIYer]

Thanks rgsparber! We've added your Socket Identification Method to our Storage and Organization category,
as well as to your builder page: rgsparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Socket Identification Method by rgsparber

tags: socket, storage

[rgsparber]

https://www.amazon.com/Anything-Perm...s%2C223&sr=8-5

and you'll never need to open a paint can when doing these small marking jobs. (Can you tell that I hate painting?)

Marv,

These oil based markers are great!

Thanks for the tip.

Rick

[rgsparber]

<!-- BEGIN /var/www/html/homemadetools/protected/modules/zeus/views/tool/postUpdate.php -->
Thanks rgsparber! We've added your Socket Identification Method to our Storage and Organization category,
as well as to your builder page: rgsparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-socket-identification-method"> <img src="/uploads/237021/homemade-socket-identification-method.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-socket-identification-method">Socket Identification Method</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/rgsparber">rgsparber</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/socket'>socket</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/storage'>storage</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
<!-- END /var/www/html/homemadetools/protected/modules/zeus/views/tool/postUpdate.php -->

If you are concerned about identifying sockets that are laying on their sides: