NORBAR Torque Wrenches

[superautobacs]

very nice stuff there!

In addition to Wera, Beta was another company that used Norbar in their torque tool lineup...IIRC, since the 1990's. Makes sense...Beta supplied the ratcheting heads and Norbar for the torque wrench...nice collaboration.

Here's one in Wera livery:

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[Kwikasfaki]

The way to keep them within calibration is to make sure you back them off to zero after use.

 

[dutchgray]

The way to keep them within calibration is to make sure you back them off to zero after use.

Norbar actually tested this with some of their torque wrenches, found it didn't matter, there was a piece on it on their website a couple years back, don't know if its still there.

 

[Qualitytools]

In the included instructions that came with the wrench they reference bringing the setting back to the lowest setting, besides the calibration certificate. When I get a chance I will post it.

 

[Qualitytools]

Here are some NORBAR TIPS I found:

And this one for the TTI model

 

[richfinn]

I've got 3 Norbar torque wrenches, really good quality and very common in UK, I prefer them to my SnapOn clicker as its easier to see the setting in the window.

They do have some plastic components but I haven't ever broken one or failed calibration in 20 years of use

 

[dutchgray]

In the included instructions that came with the wrench they reference bringing the setting back to the lowest setting, besides the calibration certificate. When I get a chance I will post it.

https://www.norbar.com/Portals/0/Sh... zero after use.pdf?ver=2018-11-28-150329-347

This downloads a single page PDF, makes interesting reading. The accepted wisdom and the instructions may not be necessary.
I do tend to wind mine back to a low value as I am an infrequent user, but If I was in the bottom third of its useable range I probably wouldn't bother.

 

[superautobacs]

Thanks for the pdf link, Dutchgray.

What Norbar saw with their own torque wrenches may not be the same with cheaper alternatives where the quality control in the heat treatment and tolerances of the coil spring is questionable.

FWIW, Hazet has a new line of torque wrenches that explicitly states that you do NOT have to wind back the coil spring.

If it's not a digital, my preference has been for split-beam type torque wrenches (Precision Instruments or Stahlwille) as one of the key features was that you don't have to spend the time/effort to wind a coil spring, and as a result does not require "zero'ing" after use.

 

[roofdweller49]

I'm guessing Norbar and Beta still makes parts for each other?

I just picked up a 10-50nm Norbar that uses has 16mm spigot. Instead of spending the $100 for a Norbar ratchet head, I paid $40 for the beta one off Zoro. If it's the same head, pro torque tools says it's made in England, but the Zoro site says the beta head is made in Italy...

Then you have this

Beta - 666N/5-Click-Type Torque Wrenches (6660005) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D58VDGI?tag=atomicindus08-20

Which looks like a bargain, but the listing is a mess (666n/5 is a 3/8 10-50nm wrench, but the pics show a 1/2", and it lists China as country of origin)

 

[richfinn]

Hi, I am in the market for a couple of Norbar torque click type wrenches in the lower end of the torques scale such as around 1-60 nm or so.

They are both available in 3/8, one is not sold in the US but available in the UK it is the TTI 20 13640, this one goes from 1-20 nm. The other one is the 13010 and it goes from 8-60 nm. I like the fact that they have a tolerance of +or-3% vs. the usual standard of 4% and they are within my budget.

Is there anyone here that owns this brand or have these wrenches that can comment on them or does anyone own something similar they can suggest in either 3/8 or 1/4. I prefer the 3/8 since the majority of my sockets are 3/8 but would be open to 1/4 drive also.

Thanks

I've got two 3/8" drive Norbar's in those ranges (at least 25 years old, the smallest of which is a non ratcheting fixed head) and I've had a couple of 1/2" drive up to 350nm issued by my employer.

You won't find better for the money, they have pretty much dominated the pro Torque Wrench market in the UK for decades (hence the Snap-on buy out).

They tend to use plastics in the handles a lot compared to USA brands, but don't let that put you off, they are very robust, they also supplied other UK tool brands like Sykes Pickavant with rebadged versions.

Solid reliable kit and very easy to read with magnifying windows for the scale on most models