[boatanchors]

was browsing around sears the other day and came across digital torque wrenches where all you have to do is look at the tiny little screen. i thought that sounded pretty simple and nice. then i got to thinking on how accurate that would be considering im sure there is some kind of sensor in the head of the wrench that makes it display the lbs on the screen, what if that got knocked around or was just a piece of crap to begin with? anyone have any experience with these or know if there is a very reliable brand that makes them? i dont want to buy this for a few hundred bucks and then have to follow up with my old one every time to make sure it is correct. actually im wanting cool stuff for christmas, just making sure this would be worth it.

[327NUT]

I still use my Craftsman click type, works great. If you google "digital torque wrench" you will get tons of info and prices on many different brands. I saw a Craftsman 25-250 digital for $125 on Northern Tools web site along with other brands. Good luck and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

[Rob Keller]

I will not buy another piece of Crapsman crap as long as I live their warrenty on Hand tools is not what its supposed to be.

I will spend more & get service, than have some young punk telling me my 3/8th~ 16 tap is no longer a hand tool.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpis...ench&Submit=Go

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/searc...orque%20wrench


R

[oldred]

My Craftsman clicker type torque wrench failed after only a few uses, I had however owned it for 2 years. I have no idea what happened but I took it out of the case and when I started to set the torque the handle was loose and would slide up and down on the shaft a couple of inches. I returned it to Sears and was informed it was no longer under warranty but they could send it off for repair, I asked for an estimate and it was only $8 less than the cost of just buying another! I too will never buy another Craftsman torque wrench, the only reason I had this one was it was on sale and I had let my torque wrenches go when I sold my shop. Craftsman tools are mostly OK but they have a far better reputation than they actually deserve IMO and are proof that good advertising works! If you are in the market for a new torque wrench the S&K can be had for about $20 more than a comparable Crapsman and it is 20 times better!

[SteveU]

The thing I would have against a digital torque wrench is having the battery dead & no spare when you went to use it. I have a mitutoyo 8" digimatic caliper and have had this happen a few times which is frustrating when you live 20 min out of town. I have a craftsman beam torque wrench I bought in the 80's, just hope I don't have to replace it because I don't think they make beam type anymore.

[Mr.NutCase]

Originally Posted by SteveU

The thing I would have against a digital torque wrench is having the battery dead & no spare when you went to use it. I have a mitutoyo 8" digimatic caliper and have had this happen a few times which is frustrating when you live 20 min out of town. I have a craftsman beam torque wrench I bought in the 80's, just hope I don't have to replace it because I don't think they make beam type anymore.

They still sell them, I bought one year ago
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...orque+Wrenches

[oldred]

There have been several threads here dealing with cheapo tools, mostly the Harbor freight variety, and I am all for checking out most economy tools for non pro work but torque wrenches is not one of them. On most of the HF type stuff you will know if a tools fails and thus it is usually nothing more than an annoyance when it happens but pro shop or not things like torque wrenches and maybe DVOMs should always be high quality, pro use or not. An economy air tool, welder, welding helmet, etc for occasional use may be a good candidate for saving a few bucks but you may not know a cheapo inaccurate torque wrench is bad until disaster strikes! Your torque wrench should always be brand name high quality, stored properly, used properly, checked for accuracy regularly and NEVER LOANED OUT!!!!


Too much depends on the torque wrench's accuracy so this is one tool you definitly don't want to scrimp on.

[boatanchors]

so you are saying i should or shouldnt buy one? im guessing nobody ever used one before?

[oldred]

I have used them and I am certain others here have also. I would have no qualms at all about using/trusting a digital torque wrench, if you don't care to spend the money on them they are a nice tool. My point is no matter if it is digital, dial, clicker or even a beam type a torque wrench is a very critical tool and probably more than any tool in your box it needs to be a good one. If you want to save money on tools that are only occasionally used that's fine with something like a grinder, welder, etc where if it fails you would be aware of it and not damage anything but this is not true with a torque wrench. If your torque wrench will not hold calibration or has poor repeatability it could lead to costly failure of whatever it is used on and you would not know it until the failure occurs. If you like that digital wrench and don't mind paying for a good one then go for it they are accurate and easy to use, at least the good ones are. Digital is fine but like I said before don't try to save money here too much depends on it being accurate.

[Rob Keller]

The Bottom line is :

You get what you pay for. no exceptions.




R

[grouch]

Originally Posted by Rob Keller

The Bottom line is :

You get what you pay for. no exceptions.




R

Except...

pot-luck picnics, a spouse, a barn raising, the US Interstate highway system, software, access to centuries of experience (like this bulletin board), the Internet, public school system, wild blackberries

and on the other end of the scale...

fast-food restaurants, Congress critters, EULA-based software, snake oil cures, SUVs, and lots and lots of 'after-market' automotive products (see lifts, toolboxes, performance enhancers, gas mileage enhancers, tools and pipe-organ speakers). Oh, yeah, and pet rocks.

There are lots of exceptions to that old saying, both good and bad. Any new thing for one owner that requires somebody expend real, new resources to produce just for that new owner is normally not going to be available for less than it costs to produce. Price alone can't tell you about value, though. That takes some research that often involves a discussion like this thread.

[schnitz]

Originally Posted by boatanchors

so you are saying i should or shouldnt buy one? im guessing nobody ever used one before?

I'm slightly torn on doing the "pro" recommendations for a digital wrench. Torn only because mine is a bit different, but was (and still is..) easy to set up for use. I have a Craftsman "Digi-torque" 1/2" drive, used it regular for a couple years, stored it at the "stop" mark like it said, and now it appears to be slightly off (checked it verses another wrench--mine was off almost 4 percent. I may need to make that calibration checking tool that I think Irelands Child asked about...). I see no reason to not have one, but you have do have to treat it as the precision tool it is. That includes re-calibrating it, setting it to the proper storage torque, and storing it where it will not be slammed around.

In a while, Chet.

[jetnow1]

Grouch forgot one- STREETBEASTS

[pepi]

Originally Posted by schnitz

I may need to make that calibration checking tool that I think Irelands Child asked about...).

In a while, Chet.

tell me more please..

[schnitz]

Originally Posted by pepi

tell me more please..

Sure. See post #4 in this thread for all the details on how to make the tool.


In a while, Chet.