Uses for condemned torque wrench?

[Schurkey]

I sent out all my torque wrenches for calibration. One of them was "condemned"; it won't pass the calibration standards, and the shop claims there are no parts available to bring it back to spec.

I therefore have a spiffy Snap-On torque wrench that I can't use as a torque wrench. What do I do with it? For the record, it's essentially a 1/4" torque wrench with a 3/8 drive "compact" ratchet mechanism.

• Throw it in the scrap bin
• Sell it to a pawn shop, or on eBay, screw the next buyer. That's how I came to own it.
• Grab the ratcheting head, make a new "custom" handle. See how clever I can be.
• Sell it, but disclose that it's defective
• Hang it on the wall, don't invest any time, money, effort, or enthusiasm in it...yet.
• Throw it at someone I dislike.
• Box it up, leave it at an airport, see how long before they bring out the bomb-sniffing dogs.
• "Something Else" (please list your ideas)

I'm leaning towards using the compact ratcheting head, and building a non-torque-wrench handle for it.

 

[ibedayank]

paperweight

 

[PSYKO_Inc]

I vote throw it at someone you dislike (as long as it's not me)

 

[jeremy v]

I'm assuming it's a clicker type torque wrench and not a beam or digital torque wrench?

Repurpose the head into a nice stubby ratchet.

See if the ratchet guts are worth anything to sell on Ebay. You might be able to get $20-25 for the guts and cover plate if they are in demand and no longer made by Snap-on, especially since they are 3/8" drive in 1/4" head guts.

If the main tube is strong enough you might want to see if it would work as a spare pump handle for any of your shop bottle jacks.

You could probably sell the whole thing for parts only and still get good money on Ebay even though it doesn't pass certification. There has to be someone out there that already has the needed parts and expertise to get it back up and running.

If it has a metal knurled adjustment handle there are probably lots of things that could be reused for.

Leave it as is, drill two holes through it, make some spacers, and turn it into a custom lid lifting handle for a rolling tool cart or barbecue?

 

[yhprum]

If you still have the calibration sheet, you can still use it by using the test points as your basis for the torque readings.

 

[fourjeepin]

Sell on eBay with condition parts/broken. Someone will buy it, probably for more money than you expect.

 

[jakemac]

Contact SnapOn and see if they'll do anything about it. Who knows, maybe they'll step up.

 

[Gotcha640]

I'd go for asking snap on what they can offer, or possibly the decoration/handle. Would it make any sense to weld/pin the mechanism and make it a breaker bar? Maybe not with a 1/4 drive...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Steampunk accessory...

 

[Krokodil]

Use as a breaker bar

 

[bcradio]

call snappy

 

[CoogarXR]

Sell on eBay with condition parts/broken. Someone will buy it, probably for more money than you expect.

This. I can't believe how much broken **** I can sell, fully disclosing that it's broken ****. The nice thing about selling admittedly-broken **** is, there's never a problem with the item not being as described

 

[48548]

Use as a breaker bar

This is the best idea and I would feel better doing this over making a buck on ebay.

 

[JUNK-MAN]

Just use it as a breaker bar.

 

[APEowner]

I seem to recall that there's some kind of Snap-On flat rate rebuild service where they'll just replace it if they can't fix it. Check with your dealer. If it's really not rebuild-able I'd just chuck it.

 

[guy48065]

Picture? Model number? Most clickers share the same internal parts so it's rare to find one that can't be rebuilt.
If the handle, tube or head is broken, that's a different story. As is whether it's "worth" fixing.

 

[Fcvapor05]

Turn it into a lamp.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Failure test it with a cheater for GJ / YTube entertainment.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Definitely talk to SO -- I just had this happen to one of the shops torque wrenches a few months ago. It was here when I started 20 years ago and found out no parts available when it needed repair. At first they had teh "sorry about your luck, buy a new one" attitude, but I reminded them of the amount o stuff our shop buys every year and told them they better step up and help, regardless of some fine print in the SO warranty that might say this is a specialty tool not covered for life like wrenches / sockets.

 

[Cmjl67]

Use as enthusiasm stick for unhelpful coworkers - beat them with it until they're enthusiastic

 

[four.cycle]

is it long enough to use for a dahlia stake?

 

[ex-x-fire]

A guy at work had a snap on 1/4 clicker that went bad, he found that the handle made a perfect GM ****** filter seal installer.

 

[Mr. T]

Perhaps I'm stating the obvious but... Use it as a ratchet???

 

[brownbagg]

i broke a snap on torque wrench, dealer just said "no" so i been a pronto torque wrench user ever since

 

[KnurledNut]

Who did the calibration?
What model is it?

 

[TK-421]

Sell it for parts with the disclosure that it doesn't work.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Put it on Etsy as a Vintage steampunk rusty deco conversation piece for $400

 

[Lassen Forge]

Braze a chain to it and attach your public restroom key to it...

 

[mrvm]

Broken tools are always a hot commodity in some third world countries who will tear it down, steal/replicate the technology and sell it back to you better-(than broken), faster, cheaper with a no questions life-time warranty(grief)

 

[Schurkey]

My apologies for "abandoning" this thread. Lost motivation, just recovering it now.

Contact SnapOn and see if they'll do anything about it.

I'd go for asking snap on what they can offer

call snappy

I seem to recall that there's some kind of Snap-On flat rate rebuild service where they'll just replace it if they can't fix it. Check with your dealer.

Picture? Model number? Most clickers share the same internal parts so it's rare to find one that can't be rebuilt.

Looked the thing up in the on-line catalog: No repair parts. Currently in talks with the local dealer to see if Snappy can repair/replace this thing or not.

Who did the calibration?

Calibration attempted by Team Torque.

What model is it?

QJR217D 1/4 torque wrench using 3/8 compact ratchet kit.
Pointless as a breaker bar, I have a Snap-On 3/8 Roto-ratchet that has a longer handle.
Kinda like the idea of turning it into a cabinet or drawer handle of some sort, if Snap-On can't fix/replace it.

 

[KnurledNut]

You could check with Angle.
http://anglerepair.com

 

[PSYKO_Inc]

If the drive kit is still in good shape, pick up a matching 1/4 drive ratchet off eBay and build a compact 3/8. Then either sell off the broken torque wrench on eBay (with full disclosure of course) or use it as a handle for your tool box, service cart, welding cart, door knob, toilet flusher, etc.

 

[michelin]

As suggested above, call Snap On. I just had a digital 1/4 torque wrench that I bought off someone repaired by Snap On (it was going in to limbo mode too often). The ratcheting mechanism was also replaced as it kept skipping. Cost - big fat zero and it's as good as new again.