Huge socket set

[CumminsPower98]

I just wanted to let everyone know about a large 299 piece Craftsman socket set that includes all sockets they make in straight 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drives. I have been watching this deal for weeks now and the stock comes and goes and deals come and go to varying degrees. I got $91 off the normal price with a sale and an online discount on top of the sale. Mine are in the mail so I haven't seen them yet. Now I just need more storage since mine are full. If anyone is interested just keep watching the deal and you should come across another sale at some point.

 

[tolmsted]

Could you post a link to the sale for us so we could also check it out? Thanks-a-lot. Tom

 

[CumminsPower98]

Oh sorry about that. I completely forgot the link so here it is: Craftsman 299 pc. Easy Read Socket Set, Std. & Deep, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in. Dr. - Model 35299 at Sears.com



Like I said above the sales come and go and are not always the same. The sale I got ended on the 24th, the day I ordered. They went out of stock again on that same day but I'm sure they will come back.

 

[Russknh]

What is the best sale price you ever saw on this set--it sure is complete--be a great set to have in a remote location or in a large RV that maybe won't always be near a shop

 

[CumminsPower98]

I paid $388 plus shipping and tax, which came to $441. That was the lowest I ever saw it go in the weeks I watched so I grabbed it quick as I had the money at the same time.

 

[CumminsPower98]

I got the sockets today and did a time consuming inventory and all was in perfect order.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

Those easy to read sockets are nice, too. Especially for those of us that can't see.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Here are a few pictures after getting things organized: Picasa Web Albums - Mark - Projects

 

[RHestand]

Hey Mark, thanks for the great photos.

I love your custom plywood and dowel socket organizers. Is one metric and one SAE?

I don't know why I never thought of that. ??? I'll definately be using your ideas, and can't wait to get started. Finally, more room in my tool boxes!

Questions: What thickness plywood did you use, did you drill all the way through for the dowel holes, and what sizes are the smallest and largest sockets?

TIA, Ray

 

[Champane Flight]

Very nice

Don't forget to leave room for impact sockets. Figure out something for extensions, and breaker bars, mine are usually placed back where they belong, then end up all over my top drawer, or I have to dig through them!

 

[CumminsPower98]

Thanks! I looked and looked online and just couldn't find anything that I really liked. The spaces never were right or they were labeled and of course didn't always have the right ones or the right numbers so this idea hit me all of a sudden and I went for it. It was a very time consuming job but I'm really happy with how it came out. The top drawer is SAE and the lower metric. I tried to get the drawers next to each other by rearranging the drawer slides but the lock tabs at the back wouldn't allow this and I didn't want them both down near the bottom.

I used 1/2" AC plywood and drilled all the way through. since I don't have a drill press I didn't want to deal with trying to get all the depths the same so I just put a scrap under them and punched through. I started out trying a normal bit with pilot point but they grab the plywood and pull splinters up so I ended up using spade bits. Forstner type bits would probably be ideal for this but I don't have any. The pins are hardwood dowels from the hardware store in the drive sizes 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch. The 3/8 I got fit snug so the paint was a problem on the first one. I went real light on the 3/8 pin paint on the second one. The 1/4 and 1/2 were a little loose so the paint helped them. The sizes may vary slightly from store to store I don't know. I got mine at ACE.

Since the holes went clear through I put some paper sheets under the boards to keep from gluing them down to my work bench. I used a fast setting glue and put some heavy chunks of steel on there to make sure they stayed flat while gluing the pins in. I used a 1/4" round over bit in my dad's router on the edges of the plywood and the tops of the little divider strips at the front. That's pretty much it.

This should be the full list of what's in the set: Craftsman 299 pc. Easy Read Socket Set, Std. & Deep, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in. Dr. - Model 35299 at Sears.com

I know there are many I will probably never use but this was a cheap way to go since their individual sets are quite spendy. For example I payed something like $53 for 6 1/2" drive deep metrics a few years back (19mm through 24mm I think). The add doesn't say it but I'm guessing these might be seconds as the interior chroming isn't perfect and uniform on all sockets but I don't care. This is just a guess and might be normal now days. I haven't looked at them in the store recently.

 

[wlowe]

That is a nice, complete socket set but is probably overkill for most. A complete set of six point sockets is probably plenty for the average wrencher. I've accumulated a fairly complete set with some excellent buys off Ebay. My best bargain was a new Proto Professional 29 piece 1/2" drive large socket/ratchet set in metric. Retailed for $350 at Grainger, paid $70 off Ebay.



A lot of guys on Ebay buy large lots of new tools at liquidation sales then sell them individually on Ebay to turn a profit. Makes for some excellent buys.