Socket Organizer From Butcher Block

If you want to organize any number of loose sockets and have some excess wood for use(I used butcher block for appearance, but any wood will work) this is a great way to aesthetically organize those sockets.

Any number of loose sockets

A piece of large flat wood, minimum 1 inch thick, or 2 pieces of plywood glued together

Forstner drill bits

(optional oil finish)

To start, the best way to organize the grid pattern of the sockets is to use CAD software like Fusion 360, OnShape, or SolidWorks. If you have multiple sockets of the same size, you can create a multi-row grid as I did. The rows represent a set of sockets, and the columns represent the socket sizes. To better manage space on the wood, I recommend increasing the distance between each column as the socket size grows, as shown in the image. To determine the Forstner bit size, measure the maximum outer diameter of the socket, then round up to the nearest bit size. This system guarantees functional tolerances. Once the CAD is laid out, print the design with a 1-to-1 scale to provide a physical template.

Once the template is made, lay it out on the wood and secure it firmly with tape. Use an Awl or any pointy stick to transfer the hole marks from the template to indents in the wood. Once all marks are transferred, remove the template and drill holes(preferably with a drill press and drill stop for uniform depth) in accordance with the Forstner sizes in the CAD. I recommend going a minimum of 1/2 inch depth. The process can be finished here, but if you want, you can add a simple stain like boiled linseed oil for a final finish