Dial/Click Torque Wrench

[proporsche]

yelcab..i hear you ..i have fixed that problem-the Snap On is a little better then Craftsman- but as you i prefer the click, it sounds better to my ears;-)

Ivan

[RWebb]

I bought 1/2 & 3/8 Snappy TechWrenches used for about $50 each - no nut counters tho.

The original versions had an issue with the cap and drained batteries, wouldn't work right etc. IIRC, I modified one cap and paid Snap Off $80 to CMA the other one.

You can also find out the real manf. that Snap Off buys from on an old thread - a lot less $$

[aoncurly]

There are many factors which affect torque values in bolts - faying surfaces oily or not, material and bolt properties being clamped, temperature, washers, number of washers, gasketing material, etc. Torquing is really a measure of the clamping force of the bolt being tightened, or tension in the bolt. My point in this is that any torque wrench is only as good as the last time it was calibrated and that torqued values can vary wildly.

As an engineer, I used to get in arguments all the time with ironworkers who used torque wrenches to torque structural building bolts. Building codes require a certain minimum tension value in the shank of a bolt, not a torque. This is the most accurate way to ensure a specific minimum clamping force. This is done by calibrating torque wrenches (sometimes daily) with a device that measures clamping force. In my experience, this value would vary by as much as 15%. One day it might be 200 ft-pounds for a certain bolt size, and the next day it might be 220 ft-pounds using the same torque wrench.

I am not advocating buying a cheap or expensive torque wrench. But I think pricing may depend more on longevity (or quality) of the tool, accuracy tolerances, and the tool maintaining a calibrated amount.

[adias]

Originally Posted by aoncurly

There are many factors which affect torque values in bolts - faying surfaces oily or not, material and bolt properties being clamped, temperature, washers, number of washers, gasketing material, etc. Torquing is really a measure of the clamping force of the bolt being tightened, or tension in the bolt. My point in this is that any torque wrench is only as good as the last time it was calibrated and that torqued values can vary wildly.

As an engineer, I used to get in arguments all the time with ironworkers who used torque wrenches to torque structural building bolts. Building codes require a certain minimum tension value in the shank of a bolt, not a torque. This is the most accurate way to ensure a specific minimum clamping force. This is done by calibrating torque wrenches (sometimes daily) with a device that measures clamping force. In my experience, this value would vary by as much as 15%. One day it might be 200 ft-pounds for a certain bolt size, and the next day it might be 220 ft-pounds using the same torque wrench.

I am not advocating buying a cheap or expensive torque wrench. But I think pricing may depend more on longevity (or quality) of the tool, accuracy tolerances, and the tool maintaining a calibrated amount.

Agree! Now I see a rush in the forum to go out and get a torque calibrator based on clamping force and calls to PAG asking Weissach for the correct clamping force at 20C.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by aoncurly

There are many factors which affect torque values in bolts - faying surfaces oily or not, material and bolt properties being clamped, temperature, washers, number of washers, gasketing material, etc. Torquing is really a measure of the clamping force of the bolt being tightened, or tension in the bolt. My point in this is that any torque wrench is only as good as the last time it was calibrated and that torqued values can vary wildly.

As an engineer, I used to get in arguments all the time with ironworkers who used torque wrenches to torque structural building bolts. Building codes require a certain minimum tension value in the shank of a bolt, not a torque. This is the most accurate way to ensure a specific minimum clamping force. This is done by calibrating torque wrenches (sometimes daily) with a device that measures clamping force. In my experience, this value would vary by as much as 15%. One day it might be 200 ft-pounds for a certain bolt size, and the next day it might be 220 ft-pounds using the same torque wrench.

I am not advocating buying a cheap or expensive torque wrench. But I think pricing may depend more on longevity (or quality) of the tool, accuracy tolerances, and the tool maintaining a calibrated amount.

An interestingly I note that often for construction of bolted connections, I see a requirement to snug the bolt and then turn a specified amount. Turns out to work pretty well and does not require a wrench that can be damaged when dropped or banged about.