How do you deal with broken latches on your socket set kits?

[Baz]

I'm working on a few ideas but was curious what some of you have done. Thanks!

[RANDY P]

Bungee cord

[oldE]

Steel boxes, trays and chests.

Best
Les

[masraum]

Originally Posted by oldE

Steel boxes, trays and chests.

Best
Les

Ding, ding, we have a winner.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

Bungee cord

What I do....flat rubber strap, though.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

That's gods way of telling you those plastic boxes are only meant for 'occasional use only' items. Items such as compression check set, tap and die tools, weird cam holders, etc.

Old E is right. Free those sockets from that container. They need to be in a real tool box, or up on a wall in plain reach/sight.

edit- although when this specific tab breakage occurs, I rip it off and pretend it never happened!

[pwd72s]

Sockets? All arranged on snap in organizational bars in a rollaway drawer. For 3/8" drive, 15 bars, a dozen or so sockets each. What do you want? Short, long, mid, metric, SAE, 6 point, 12 point, hex, star, triple square, swivel, etc? Every strip's handle has a label taped to it..like "Metric..mid..6 pt."

For 1/4" drive, a similar set up, but not as many sockets...

Mostly USA made "Craftsperson" brand...I'll leave $nap-on to the pros.

[billybek]

Duct tape.

[KFC911]

It's those damn 10mm sockets .... they always break the latch and escape

[herr_oberst]

This should be another entry into the old man thread, because a young man won't have time to fuss with this. That said, here is how I'd solve it.

• Cut off the old loop
• Use a blind rivet and attach a small hair elastic, or similar, to the box (green).
• A piece of gaffers tape or similar for a pull tab (red)
• You might need to use a heat gun and the end of a common screwdriver at the area shown at the blue arrow to increase the size of the "hook" needed in the plastic box in order to give the elastic something to catch.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

^ Heck, if you do that, use a piece of quality leather!

[MBAtarga]

Keep your eyes open on trash days! Sometimes people will throw those away and you might get lucky.

[JackDidley]

Ive had that same set for 50 years. Still use it all the time. The catch is broken on mine too. It stays inside a bigger box so its ok;

[Baz]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

This should be another entry into the old man thread, because a young man won't have time to fuss with this. That said, here is how I'd solve it.

• Cut off the old loop
• Use a blind rivet and attach a small hair elastic, or similar, to the box (green).
• A piece of gaffers tape or similar for a pull tab (red)
• You might need to use a heat gun and the end of a common screwdriver at the area shown at the blue arrow to increase the size of the "hook" needed in the plastic box in order to give the elastic something to catch.

GREAT idea!

Appreciate all the other suggestions but if possible I'd like to keep using these socket kit boxes. I like how everything is in one box and the sockets are in individual holders marked with their size.

I do have some socket holders for my 3/8" and 1/2" sockets but for the 1/4" I like these little boxes.

Thanks, Herr Oberst - will post a pic when I get the repairs done.

[A930Rocket]

Rack em and stack em….



New box.



Old box.

[island911]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

This should be another entry into the old man thread, because a young man won't have time to fuss with this. That said, here is how I'd solve it.

• Cut off the old loop
• Use a blind rivet and attach a small hair elastic, or similar, to the box (green).
• A piece of gaffers tape or similar for a pull tab (red)
• You might need to use a heat gun and the end of a common screwdriver at the area shown at the blue arrow to increase the size of the "hook" needed in the plastic box in order to give the elastic something to catch.

This is good. You could (maybe) skip the rivet and pass some shock-cord thru a couple holes and knot each end on the inside.

[Crowbob]

I would examine the box to see if there’s some place to put adhesive Velcro strips.

[island911]

My first thought was to cut some strips out of a milk jug and heat-stake that latch back into place.

But that would be ugly. herr_oberst's solution could look good.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Rack em and stack em….

I'm using the strips because I'm usually working elsewhere, and select the first size wrong...

10mm, 13mm, 17mm all get a stripe or two of nail polish or touch-up paint.
Writing numbers also works but the paint chips off.

[john70t]

Another idea besides a new latch is to dremel square holes and inlay/glue magnetic stoppers.

Blow-molded cases and parking lots are always designed wrong.grr