Spent $40 on a magnetic parts tray and it paid for itself in one job

I was working on a condenser tube bundle at the plant last Tuesday and dropped a 1/2 inch socket into the mud. That $40 magnetic tray caught everything else I fumbled, so I didn't lose another tool. Has anyone else had a cheap tool save them a headache like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_mila21d ago

Magnetic trays are the unsung heroes of any shop, lol. Money well spent for sure.

diana_black21d ago

Magnetic trays are overrated if you ask me. Nothing worse than dropping a screw and watching a handful of washers and nuts jump up and stick to the side of the tray instead. Don't get me wrong they have their place but I'd take a good old fashioned cardboard box any day.

umar5921d ago

@diana_black brings up a good point about the chaos factor with magnetic trays. The real issue nobody talks about is how magnetic trays can actually damage sensitive electronics or tools if you're not careful. I've seen guys throw a screwdriver with a steel tip on one and watch it magnetize the whole tool. Once a tool picks up that residual magnetism it starts attracting metal shavings and dust like crazy, making precision work a nightmare. Cardboard boxes don't have that problem at all. They absorb vibration better too, so things don't bounce around as much when you drop something. Got any tricks for keeping magnetic trays from ruining your tools?