Torque wrenches

[json]

I have a craftsman beam torque wrench. I think I was $30 or so. It's a cheaper one, but it works better than no torque wrench. I've used it on almost every bolt on my bike (including the top end a few months ago) and nothing has stripped or broken. It might not be 100% dead on accurate, but I guess it's close enough. It's easy to calibrate too.

[cowboyona426]

I use and old school beam style Craftsman torque wrench that was given to me as a gift by a fellow ATM'er. Not the fanciest thing out there, but it has served me well so far.

[kschilk]

Originally Posted by Woody_393

When it comes to tools, I think the adage "You get what you pay for" applies. I know it has for me.

Sometimes. I have a 3/8 to 1/4 socket adapter that I got with a free socket set, when I purchased a mail-order mc repair course...this was back in like...'71. I still have it. I've stripped three 1/4 ratchets and one 3/8 while using that thing and it's never broken. I've had Mac and Snap-Ons that lasted one or two uses. I've got lots of Snap-On tools and gadgets, they're good but I could've gotten the same or better for less....but then I couldn't stroll through the pits, with my cool and "free" Snap-On jacket, t-shirt, hat & zippo....not to mention the cool li'l die-cast cars you get, when you buy a $30 tool for $500.

[Woody_393]

Ha ha, I can't disagree with that. I have bought plenty of crappy tools in my day, and some of them have worked well. Others not so well. Torque wrenches though I stick to a good brand. You are obviously free to use what you want.

[Mainjet2001]

One more time......

Originally Posted by Mainjet2001

I work in a small 30 man aircraft assembly shop in which we use a bunch of torque wrenches. They run from .1 in/oz to 1000 ft/lbs. They are all calibrated and very in type (clicker, beam, torque watches & electronic). We have cheap ones and expensive ones and have bought a bunch off EBay.
We also have been schooled by Boeing and Parker Hannifin on the use of torque applications.
Having said that don't assume the cheap ones are less accurate. All the ones we bought off EBay only 1 clicker was bad. Yes, maybe we were lucky...
The schools will tell you that the beam wrench is the most accurate if you require dead accuracy. Does not mean the clickers are not accurate and I use them a lot on aircraft parts.

There is a lot of info out there if you Google Torque wrenches and calibration.

[kschilk]

I've got a few beam types and two clickers (a Proto 150 ft. lb. & an off-brand inch lb.) but these two Snap-On dialers are my favorites....



The 5 footer is a 1000 ft. lb. and shorty is a 50 ft. lb. Personally, I won't use beams anymore and the clickers seem to go out of calibration pretty quick, even if zeroed-out every time. My Proto will now only calibrate for right-hand, can't use it on lefties anymore but it's about 30 years old or so....got my money's worth out of it. The jury's still out on the digitals, I have a hard time trusting anything digital.

[Woody_393]

This brings up a good question, how do you calibrate a torque wrench? Do I need to take it somewhere if I want it checked?

[kschilk]

Originally Posted by Woody_393

This brings up a good question, how do you calibrate a torque wrench? Do I need to take it somewhere if I want it checked?

I sent my Proto in to the mfgr for calibration, same with the Snap-Ons. Other than that, an independent calibration lab would probably have to do it.
The only calibration unit I ever saw, was in a local CPT (Chicago Pneumatic Tool) plant...they did their own calibration. It was a huge metal frame, about 6ft. tall and had a large, weighted pendulum-looking thing, hanging from an axle at the top of the frame. The wrench was applied to the pendulum and as it swung upward, a scale and pointer on the pendulum and frame indicated the actual torque.

[Woody_393]

cool, thanks. I recently found my torque wrench had been used and left @ 80ft/lbs for a month or so, so I was a bit worried about it being messed up since it was at that torque spec for so long. It seemed to work fine as I made sure to test it on some stuff that was already torqued to spec and it clicked just like it was supposed to.

In stead of sending it off, I think I'll just continue to check in periodically since I'm too cheap.

[kschilk]

Yeah, as long as you have a way to check it, I wouldn't sweat calibration. Unfortunately, I'm not the sole user of my torque wrenches and I've found my clickers had been left at a 100+ ft. lbs. setting, for up to several weeks at a time and on several occasions. I sent both for calibration a few times and no adjustments ever had to be made, 'til the last time...the Proto won't calibrate to the left anymore. It's now right hand only but I can't recall ever using it for a leftie, anyway.

[Woody_393]

Thanks, that's good to know... Yeah, I can't imagine many of us run into left hand threads very often. I suppose it would be nice to have if you did need it. But the only left handers I can recall ever using are pedals on a bicycle, which I don't torque anyway

[Mainjet2001]

Originally Posted by kschilk

I'm not the sole user of my torque wrenches and I've found my clickers had been left at a 100+ ft. lbs. setting, for up to several weeks at a time and on several occasions. I sent both for calibration a few times and no adjustments ever had to be made,

Had the same experience in the shop and not lost a clicker in 6 years.
They all get calibrated once a year.

[Flash393]

Originally Posted by Mainjet2001

Had the same experience in the shop and not lost a clicker in 6 years.
They all get calibrated once a year.

Heck I calibrate mine all the time, when it gets out of spec I just push on the pointer till it gets back on zero...

[kschilk]

Originally Posted by Flash393

Heck I calibrate mine all the time, when it gets out of spec I just push on the pointer till it gets back on zero...

Aww man, you'll ruin it if you push the pointer back....ya' gotta' use a 2# maul.

[Mainjet2001]

Originally Posted by kschilk

Aww man, you'll ruin it if you push the pointer back....ya' gotta' use a 2# maul.

With the maul pointy end?