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Here is an instructable about how to make a wrench organizer. I bought one of these once and liked it but have more than one wrench set to organize. I didn't feel like spending whatever these things cost for each of my wrench sets so I decided to make one. I like the ones I made better than the one I bought. Mine is more comfortable for me to use and is more flexible in how it works. See it standing up in the image below. Oh yeah these work great for storing files too.
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Signing UpStep 1Assemble your materials
Get together a set of wrenches, or files that you want to keep together and organized. Lay them out how you wish them arranged. Now get a scrap piece of 2x4 wood that is long enough to cover your set you want to hold.
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For something on the go I would recommend the "Tool Keep" found on ebay. Easy to find by typing wrench holder tool keep or coping and pasting: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wrench-Holders-Tool-Keep-6-8-Set-/120788419500?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr&hash=item1c1f8d03ac
These stainless steel wrench carriers are designed to hold and arrange box end wrenches and other tools are possible (screw drivers as seen on picture). The 6 inch carrier will hold a small set of box end wrenches, ¼” to ¾” and the 8 inch carrier will hold a larger set from ¼” to 1 ¼”. They are made out of 3/16” round stainless steel rod for durability and strength. They are strong enough to keep tools organized wherever stored. They are easy to unlatch and will stay locked because of the spring action on the fasteners. They uses are only limited to one’s imagination. These product are made in a uniform manner with a CNC machine and made out of high tensile stainless steel so they will not bend or rust or break.
They help organize your tools, make locating your tools easy, convenience of handling many tools, makes great gifts. They don't break and get ruined like the plastic and rusty metal wrench holders. They work for more than just wrenches. Used by mechanics, farmers, handy-men and wives!
I met the inventory and patent owner and thought this was cool but wondered why they were sold everywhere.
They place just the "correct" amount of magnetization to the tools to pick up some metallic dirt and release it at the slightest shock, exactly where it fall and will cause the most damage! (Murphy's Law in action!) Not only files get a mess with magnetization, but other tools as well. When assembling engines for amateur racing (one of my hobbies), ANY metallic particle inside the engine is going to cause some damage, thus you will never see any kind of magnetic holder in use in truly professional teams!
BUT the proposed wood organizer (and several commercial ones made from plastics, like those from Sears Craftsman) present a limitation being one-piece organizers, which are unable to "hold" the wrenches in place, because the wood or plastic "fingers" are too rigid or too flexible to keep the proper grasp of the wrench, which is either too free to slide to either side, or even fall if the carrier, holder or organizer is handled quickly; or too rigid to allow easy wrench insertion with only one hand. The Craftsman one is my favorite example of bad design: it has three too-wide slots and two that are too-tight! (so much for their "good" engineering)...
Thus my solution was to make the "separator-fingers" as sliding ones!
My wrench carrier has a frame made of wood, in which a pair of routed slots
where the wooden separator "fingers" can slide up and down. A long piece of flexible spring is installed at both sides of the fingers, where is is attached to every "finger" with an staple, after pulling the spring just enought to keep a reasonable tension, which allows one to push the pair of fingers away the others easily and insert the wrench with one hand. The "fingers" have a small beveled edge to make it easier to find the separation by feel, even when not looking directly at the contraption.
Finally, I bought a can of "liquid plastic called "plastisol", which was sold by Permatex to renew the rubbery plastic coating on well used tool handles, like pliers to improve the grip and handling. I don't know if they still sell it, because with the present day economic crisis in Mexico vendors are reducing the available inventory of everything, and only carry the very basic items! (Bahhh!)...
I'm sorry of not being capable of attaching any pictures, but my Digital SLR is in the repair shop, where good technicians are still deciding if it is repairable or not (thanks to "modern" design and assembly techniques, which put robot assembly and fabrication above human work, which places repairability at the very end of the list... even my old Canon A1 35mm film camera was much more repairable and still works after more than 25 years). Enough rant! good luck everybody.
1) Materials: free (just use scrap 2x4)
2) Time: Just a few minutes (let's call it 30 min for those who like to plan)
3) Usefulness: Can be custom-made to whatever tool/material/space needs you have, but there may be an upper limit as to weight of tool (although I have one that holds a 20-lb sledge)
Buy magnetic holder off eBay:
1) Materials: $8 (US) or more (cheapest I found that looked useful was $0.99 current auction + $7.50 s&h)
2) Time: a couple of minutes (if you hit the Buy It Now price) to several hours (waiting for the auction to end), then several days to several weeks waiting for it in the mail
3) Usefulness: Can only be used with ferrometallic tools (ie, those that can stick to a magnet)