As a home hobbyist, you probably do not need to spend the extra money for that durability.
Eric
Where do you go to get your torque wrenches calibrated? Sears used to do it but they quit years ago, I believe.I'd just calibrate what you have and roll with it.
Where do you go to get your torque wrenches calibrated? Sears used to do it but they quit years ago, I believe.
Indeed there are... the simple-minded ones have you clamp the square drive in a vise and hang a known weight a known distance from the drive. Easy enough but doesn't work very well for a short wrench that you want to calibrate at a high torque (unless you happen to have a barbell set).I bet there are some interwebz articles about performing your own calibration.
... it's probably less expensive to get a new wrench ( unless you have a Snap-On or similar).
That's exactly what I did: checked the brand new HF wrench against the others (recently calibrated and they all agreed). Like I said the HF unit was WAY off, like 30%. It was relatively easy to disassemble and adjust, however.How about getting a HF unit....and see how close the 2 are.
I bet not that far out
after all you get a torque setting to use and most people will just assemble the unit put in a bolt and washer and tighten. Then another will add locktite, another will add copper grease, the next an oiled bolt etc - you got it every bolt will torque to a different clamping force - even if you used the same wrench.
So how accurate can the reference torque setting actually be?
Cliff,
When you have that sort of experience, I think you are doing it perfectly correctly. Better, as you say, than the nominal factory figure because you have a feel for the actual situation with all its variables. Most of us have some confidence, but would still look to a torque wrench for many assemblies.
I trust my ability to feel the "right" torque value, which may not be the factory spec setting to be honest. There are a lot of variable which affect what's right in one setting v. another that aren't capable of reflection in a static factory setting. I know that sounds a bit vague but after restoring cars with my own hands for 30+ years, and doing a fair bit of machine work too, I seem to have acquired my own sense of what's the right setting. Have never had anything let go or warp or strip or leak yet!