I need something like 30-150 inch-pounds. I do not need the top of the line, and prefer something not digital unless there's a warranty - a LONG one.
Are the beam type OK ? I don't have a problem with the ratcheting kind or a dial, but if I want pretty cheap is there someplace other than Harbor Freight?
I don't have a problem buying used, but is that risky ? Pawn shops around here have poor tools so that's not going to happen.
Any recommendations what style to get ?
What kind of prices are the cheaper ones?
Where is a good place to shop ....maybe $75 ? Is that too low a number?
I read somewhere that Armstrong is a USA that's a reasonable price.
I will only use this thing maybe 6 times.Will somebody please steer me to some tool web sites I should try. I would rather not buy Chicom but might have to.
Thank, John
John: you asked so hears my 2c
If you really have to only torque something that few times you should have someone you could borrow it from??!!
If you are a typical tool lover like me I can totally understand wanting one...LOL
So as much as I hate the place you can get a HF inch pounder for 9.99 on sale.
We have to check our wrenches each time before use so we have torque masters all around. We did a check on a couple HF units just for giggles and dang it if they didnt check out not bad. But with that said they are crude and I cant believe they would hold accuracy for long.
The bending beam torque wrenches believe it or not are extremely accurate and durable. But like Dial types they can be a pain when you have to get torques done fast at higher ranges especially. You have to tug on them and you start to loose your parallax view of the dial and scale so this can effect accuracy. trying to torque something upwards from say 100 ft lbs requires you to put some body English on her and can get hard to keep your sight square to the scale-dial.
With click types you have to be careful that its real easy to over torque as the snap of the wrench put some additional torque into the fastener. You need to pull it up slow and get it to just break.
Also be mindful that on a Dial -bending beam type you have to have your hand in the correct spot on the wrench. If you notice on bending beam types there handles pivot. This is not the result of worn tool. They are suppose to do that to keep your pulling moment spaced from the drive center line. You can actually effect your torque into your fastener by pulling on the handle and bottoming it out in its travel.
As far as what I have seen over the years. Some wrenches out know are overrated and sometimes just yuk.
We have old (40+years) snap on dials that just are as accurate as can be. Have had some newer ones (say last 10 years) break within a few months .
We have Armstrong's but everyone hates how they read, difficult to see sometimes. Have had mixed results with Proto. The one Craftsman one we had worked ok for several years and then stopped working (Digital) Have a big SK 500 ft lbs, shes still going strong. One mfg. that we have had excellent luck with and have been spot on accurate is Utica. Basically the Older ones just keep on going. We just bought a Wiha a few months ago and it is real nice so far.
So with that said I would check around Garage sales, swaps and CL. A good old wrench should still be just fine. Most importantly whatever you get even if new. Get it checked. Even if its not a snap on or mac or whatever, unless the guy hates you they will usually give it a quicky for a couple bucks. Or you can take it to a race. Look for the ARP truck. They check wrenches.
Also try to not use the wrench at extremes. that is try to stay 10% from the high to low. Its just good practice. Also check the wrench at a few common places. It might be accurate at say one value but may vary at another.
Do you have a spring scale?? You can always just math it out by putting a string on your wrench and pulling to the said poundage. Remember to keep the string square to the wrench.
Hey any thing I can help on just give a shout. Were all in this together..
Good luck
Luke
