[dataway]

Pretty easy to make your own calibration checker. I built one, gave my wrenches a tune up to the sweet spot I wanted ... took half a turn or so on the adjuster to get them where I wanted.

Pretty easy since 50 lbs handing on a 2 foot lever produces exactly 100 ft/lbs. Small calibrators just use a system of springs, levers, load-cells etc. to make it more compact and a whole lot lighter than 50+ lbs

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

I sent my old all metal Craftsman into a company that checks them in CA unfortunately was no longer accurate, better built than the new ones. He said the Harbor freight are actually pretty accurate

The older Craftsman are definitely great, and shame they stopped making them (or changed to cheaper ones). I had an old one, and at some pointed decided I wanted a newer one, went up to Sears and grabbed on. Someone commented that the new ones aren't as accurate, tested it on a tool truck, it was off, and tried to return it. No go. That's when I stopped buying the Craftsman ones. I have that same one still today, and use it only for a breaker bar, or for wheel lugs.

Someone else along the way mentioned the Harbor Freight ones are pretty good. Also, someone mentioned that the cheap pointer/beam style are accurate. In a test, I checked a couple (on a Snap-On truck), and sure enough, they are very close, within a percent or two. I lost $20 on that bet.

Still prefer a clicker. And personally, I don't like digital ones either.

.

[mgarblik]

The digital ones take some getting used to. The advantage is you can predict by watching the numbers when you are close to the number you want. It's pretty easy to overrun a click type if your not careful. The biggest pain for me is you must remove the batteries every time you are done using them. If you don't, within a month, they will be dead every time which is a real pain. I am used to it now. The big extra advantage is the digital ones with angle built in are very fast and accurate for the torque angle fasteners on modern engines. Poster was also correct that the old cheap beam type are accurate. The issue with them is you have to have a good line of site to use them and see the scale. A good click type is certainly convenient.

[GRX]

Good job bringing up calibration. Unloading the wrench before storage is always key. Brought my old Sunnen from home & had it checked when I worked for CAT. Was almost dead on - closer than my co-worker's Snaps. Really like the feel of this swing arm style over clickers.

[goatman65]

When not in use do you set it to zero? I have a NAPA one that goes to 250.
It only gets used once in a great while.

[Will]

Do Mac and Snap On have service centers you can send your torque wrenches to? Chasing down trucks would be a major hassle.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Will

Do Mac and Snap On have service centers you can send your torque wrenches to? Chasing down trucks would be a major hassle.

Good question. I've sent mine to an aviation instrument shop for calibration for years, but that shop is now closed.

[TedRamAirII]

Originally Posted by Will

Do Mac and Snap On have service centers you can send your torque wrenches to? Chasing down trucks would be a major hassle.

Go to any auto repair shop and ask when the tool truck shows up. I would ask them if he has a checker. A older, good dealer will have a checker , a lot of these newer, small time dealers only keep what sells, and make weekly orders.

[Skip Fix]

Harbor Freight also has a digital adapter to turn your breaker bar into a torque wrench.

Car Craft had an article on this a few years ago.

[dataway]

Would be cool to have a dedicated topic for tools since we use so many of them.

Recently I've gotten into the habit of buying some vintage mics and such on ebay. Fractions of what they would cost new ... and so far, everyone of them has been spot on. Great for when you need an usual mic and don't want to pay a gazillion dollars for a new.

That old torque wrench looks great ... might have to find me one of those.

[Will]

Originally Posted by TedRamAirII

Go to any auto repair shop and ask when the tool truck shows up. I would ask them if he has a checker. A older, good dealer will have a checker , a lot of these newer, small time dealers only keep what sells, and make weekly orders.

Warning - somewhat snarky response to illustrate the dilemma below:

Should I expect them to deal with getting the wrenches calibrated for me too, or do I just take a day off work for that?

[Will]

Originally Posted by dataway

Would be cool to have a dedicated topic for tools since we use so many of them.

Agreed!

Originally Posted by dataway

Recently I've gotten into the habit of buying some vintage mics and such on ebay. Fractions of what they would cost new ... and so far, everyone of them has been spot on. Great for when you need an usual mic and don't want to pay a gazillion dollars for a new.

This, and pawn shops, is how I acquired all of my Starrett and Mitutoyo mics. Would much rather buy a used high quality tool than some new Harbor Freight junk.

[GRX]

Originally Posted by dataway

That old torque wrench looks great ... might have to find me one of those.

If referring to the Sunnen, 1/2" is # PN-50 and the 3/8" is PN-40. Nearly foolproof design. Would have to try pretty hard to over torque with it. Read somewhere they were popular in the aircraft industry.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by GRX

If referring to the Sunnen, 1/2" is # PN-50 and the 3/8" is PN-40. Nearly foolproof design. Would have to try pretty hard to over torque with it. Read somewhere they were popular in the aircraft industry.

In twenty plus years in aviation, I never saw a Sunnen torque wrench EVER used. Most were Proto, Cornwell, MAC, Bonney and Snap-On "click stop" wrenches that were certified every six months. I'm not sure what the majors use, but considering most airline mechanics began their careers in general and corporate aviation I would have to assume they're using the same torque wrenches they purchased while working in GA and corporate aviation. BTW...when I was working at JET, our torque wrenches were checked and calibrated every week.

[dataway]

Originally Posted by GRX

If referring to the Sunnen, 1/2" is # PN-50 and the 3/8" is PN-40. Nearly foolproof design. Would have to try pretty hard to over torque with it. Read somewhere they were popular in the aircraft industry.

Yes, I was thinking about the Sunnen or similar design. From what I've seen you can go wrong with vintage US made or Japanese from the 80's and 90's, good stuff.

[HWYSTR455]

Regarding how to store a torque wrench, my understanding is no, you don't completely unload it, you should leave it at like 2-4% of total value. Like, if it's a 150ft lbs wrench, you leave it at like 5-10 ft lbs setting when you put it back in the box.

If someone knows the correct procedure, please comment, but that was told to me by an old-timer aircraft mech. Would be nice if someone could reference printed material, but that might be asking a lot.

Ok, typed that, and then searched, and found this:

https://www1.snapon.com/display/231/...ueWrench08.pdf

"9. If using a click-type torque wrench, always store it at the lowest level on the scale."

Another point worth mentioning (same article):

"3. Do not exceed the recommended working range of the torque wrench. Reliable measurements are based on a percentage of the working range. In general, most mechanical wrenches have a useable range from 20% to 100% of full scale. Most electronic wrenches have a useable range from 10% to 100% of full scale."

As for checking, yeah, the tool truck is what I and my friends use, and that's what I do, go to the shop and hang out the days the Snap-On guy comes.

Calibration, I know there's shops that specialize in that, but I personally would give it to the truck guy. It goes back to the factory to my knowledge, takes a couple weeks, but you know it's right. Comes back with a sheet that shows values. You could ask a machine shop, they send stuff out for calibration regularly, sure they would know.

I bought my Snap-On torque wrenches as a set, they had a deal on them a few years ago, and got 3 for $500 I think. Two are 1/2 drive, one is 3/8 drive. One 1/2 drive goes to 160, other to 250, and the 3/8 I think goes to 120. They are the classic click type, not digital. I should have bought 2 sets.

I like the idea of a section dedicated to tools, I know there's a few areas I would suggest stickies too. Timing lights for example is one that comes to mind.

.

[TedRamAirII]

Originally Posted by Will

Warning - somewhat snarky response to illustrate the dilemma below:

Should I expect them to deal with getting the wrenches calibrated for me too, or do I just take a day off work for that?

Well, that may be a touchy subject. These dealers are "independent" which means they can choose to help you or not. If you are not a "customer", sometimes they dont want or need your business. Most dealers meet DIY types whenever they want a tool warrantied, they make $ZERO money for doing so, and some wont even do it. You may be better to have a guy at the shop, take it in to have it checked. I'm sure some dealers can adjust it, or they may just be able to check it, and if its off, send it off to be calibrated, depends on the dealer. My Snap-on dealer can check and adjust them, but he is an exception, I believe. ; )

[GRX]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

In twenty plus years in aviation, I never saw a Sunnen torque wrench EVER used. ....

Figured you would respond when I used the "A" word. Thanks for the info. It was something I read in a tooling forum. This was inherited from my father upon his passing. Figured he acquired the wrench during his stint as a machinist for Boeing.

Far as storage - always thought it was torque wrench 101 to unload a spring type before storage unless manufacturer instructions said specifically not to do so. For many of the larger ones this means down to the 20-lb setting to prevent the ball can fall out of the detent. Does not apply to newer digital electronic types of course.

[Will]

Originally Posted by TedRamAirII

Well, that may be a touchy subject. These dealers are "independent" which means they can choose to help you or not. If you are not a "customer", sometimes they dont want or need your business. Most dealers meet DIY types whenever they want a tool warrantied, they make $ZERO money for doing so, and some wont even do it. You may be better to have a guy at the shop, take it in to have it checked. I'm sure some dealers can adjust it, or they may just be able to check it, and if its off, send it off to be calibrated, depends on the dealer. My Snap-on dealer can check and adjust them, but he is an exception, I believe. ; )

Well that's the thing - I wouldn't expect some mechanic at a busy shop to deal with getting my wrench calibrated for me and I'm not going to take a day off work so I can hang around and wait for the tool truck.

So, I'm hoping there's somewhere that I can ship the wrench off to. Putting it in a box, dropping it off at the UPS store and having it arrive on my porch some days later would be the ideal situation. I don't mind paying a little for this service if its offered.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Will

I'm hoping there's somewhere that I can ship the wrench off to. Putting it in a box, dropping it off at the UPS store and having it arrive on my porch some days later would be the ideal situation. I don't mind paying a little for this service if its offered.

There's a bunch of places that do exactly that...although I'm fairly sure it's going to take more than "some days" later.

All my stuff is going to Bismarck, ND next time...which will be pretty soon. About $50 per torque wrench (up to 250 ft/lbs.)

http://www.teamtorque.com/service_repair.html

I've also used a company in W. Virginia, although it was many years ago. Angle Repair.

http://anglerepair.com/