Date:         Sun, 25 Apr 2004 02:33:02 EDT
Reply-To:     THX0001@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Goff <THX0001@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: torque wrench info and need to know
Comments: To: DanielCRoberts@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 4/24/04 10:53:40 PM, danielcroberts@AOL.COM writes:

<< torque wrenches must be calibrated . . .   . . . I have a new torque
wrench and want
to know. >>

When we were THE industrial giant of the Free World, this was easy because
you were bound to know someone who worked in a plant with an instrumentation
department, so you just gave the tool to your buddy to have it calibrated at
work.  Even today, you might know someone who can have it done for you.  Or, just
check the Yellow Pages, but be prepared to pay more than you think such a
service should cost.

If you want to roll your own, you can hold the wrench horizontally in a bench
vise using a suitable adapter then hang a known weight a measured distance on
the wrench.  How accurately this is done and over what range is up to you.
If nothing else is at hand, using unopened bags of sugar or flour or bottles of
water (1L. weighs 1Kg / 1 Gal. weighs 8.33 lbs.) for the weight should get
you into the ballpark.

Another way is to compare you wrench to one with a recent calibration by
working the two against one another.  A double square (8 point) socket of the
proper size will serve to connect the two together.

With the fasteners on many mechanical assemblies the exact torque is not as
important as repeatability.

George