Small torque wrench?

"Dave" <galt_57 RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5591d176.0312050508.63601ec7@posting.google.com...
 > Anyone got this one? (20-200 in-lbs)
 >
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font" target="_blank">http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font</a>>

Yes. Don't buy it. I caught them on sale for $19.99 a few years ago and
went through 2 non-functional ones before I gave up on sending them back,
cut my losses, and just threw the POS out. Besides, 1/4" drive is a PITA.

You can get a high-quality in-lb 3/8" drive (!) torque wrench under the
Husky brand for only a few more dollars at Home Depot. I have one and it is
excellent - I don't remember the exact price, but it was well under $50.

Jay<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

"Jay C" <jwcNOSPAM DeleteThis @NOSPAMsysmatrix.net> wrote in message news:<homdnXS8E4pTF02i4p2dnA DeleteThis @sysmatrix.net>...
 > "Dave" <galt_57 DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
 > news:5591d176.0312050508.63601ec7@posting.google.com...
  > > Anyone got this one? (20-200 in-lbs)
  > >
<font color=green>  > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font" target="_blank">http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font</a>>
 >
 > Yes. Don't buy it. I caught them on sale for $19.99 a few years ago and
 > went through 2 non-functional ones before I gave up on sending them back,
 > cut my losses, and just threw the POS out. Besides, 1/4" drive is a PITA.
 >
 > You can get a high-quality in-lb 3/8" drive (!) torque wrench under the
 > Husky brand for only a few more dollars at Home Depot. I have one and it is
 > excellent - I don't remember the exact price, but it was well under $50.
 >
 > Jay

I came close to ordering one of them last night. Yikes. Today I
stopped by Home Depot but they were out of their smaller wrench, so
then I went by Sears and the Craftsman 25-250in-lb (2.1-20ft-lb)
wrench is on sale for $50, so I bought one.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

I've got it and it works great!


"Dave" <galt_57.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5591d176.0312050508.63601ec7@posting.google.com...
 > Anyone got this one? (20-200 in-lbs)
 >
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font" target="_blank">http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font</a>><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

Torque wrenches are something you don't want to go cheap on, in my opinion
(and believe me, I'm no "no Harbor Freight" snob, I've got plenty of
occasional use HF stuff). By definition a torque wrench is a tool designed
to perform a calibrated task, and the cheapest one you can find probably
ain't gonna be too accurate, so it kind of defeats the purpose of having the
tool to have a cheap one. Granted, you don't NEED Snap-On quality, either,
unless you're using it literally every day. Craftsman's a decent "middle of
the road" tool; not great, not cheap junk either. Should be OK for guys like
us wrenching our own bikes from time to time.

Remember, too, that torque wrenches work best in the middle 2/3 or so of
their range, i.e. if you have a 20-200 foot-pound wrench, you'd be better
off using your 3/8" drive 10-60 pound wrench to tighten that 22 foot-pound
fastener. Point is, you DO need two or three torque wrenches to have good
coverage for most fasteners if you want to be able to use the most
appropriate-ranged wrench for the fastener spec at hand. I have a 3/8"
inch-pound wrench, a 3/8" foot pound, and a 1/2 foot-pound which I use only
for the relatively big stuff.

--
Andrew D. Waddell
PML Online Support Rep
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.publicmissiles.com" target="_blank">www.publicmissiles.com</a>
"Dave" <galt_57 RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5591d176.0312051523.2f50b638@posting.google.com...
 > "Jay C" <jwcNOSPAM RemoveThis @NOSPAMsysmatrix.net> wrote in message
news:<homdnXS8E4pTF02i4p2dnA RemoveThis @sysmatrix.net>...
  > > "Dave" <galt_57 RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
  > > news:5591d176.0312050508.63601ec7@posting.google.com...
   > > > Anyone got this one? (20-200 in-lbs)
   > > >
<font color=brown>   > > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font" target="_blank">http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font</a>>
  > >
  > > Yes. Don't buy it. I caught them on sale for $19.99 a few years ago
and
  > > went through 2 non-functional ones before I gave up on sending them
back,
  > > cut my losses, and just threw the POS out. Besides, 1/4" drive is a
PITA.
  > >
  > > You can get a high-quality in-lb 3/8" drive (!) torque wrench under the
  > > Husky brand for only a few more dollars at Home Depot. I have one and
it is
  > > excellent - I don't remember the exact price, but it was well under $50.
  > >
  > > Jay
 >
 > I came close to ordering one of them last night. Yikes. Today I
 > stopped by Home Depot but they were out of their smaller wrench, so
 > then I went by Sears and the Craftsman 25-250in-lb (2.1-20ft-lb)
 > wrench is on sale for $50, so I bought one.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

 >Remember, too, that torque wrenches work best in the middle 2/3 or so of
 >their range, i.e. if you have a 20-200 foot-pound wrench, you'd be better
 >off using your 3/8" drive 10-60 pound wrench to tighten that 22 foot-pound
 >fastener. Point is, you DO need two or three torque wrenches to have good
 >coverage for most fasteners if you want to be able to use the most
 >appropriate-ranged wrench for the fastener spec at hand. I have a 3/8"
 >inch-pound wrench, a 3/8" foot pound, and a 1/2 foot-pound which I use only
 >for the relatively big stuff.
 >
 >Andrew D. Waddell
 >PML Online Support Rep

For sure, I have three torque-wrenches now too, and the least used is
the 1/4-inch inch-pound one - except when I want to rip the nut of a
tiny thread like I did to my Gold Valves...and have to send-off for
another one, and then did it again. Aarrgh!
Never try to tighten little inch-pound nuts in the 5-6lb range of
anything, that's all finger-tight stuff and you'll rip it off with
either a big 3/8-inch drive wrench or a small but poorly calibrated
one.
Operate in the mid-to upper end of the wrench settings and use
overlap.
My 1/2-drive foot-lb wrench is for 27mm axel nuts and stuff.

-keith<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

"Never try to tighten little inch-pound nuts in the 5-6lb range of
 > anything, that's all finger-tight stuff and you'll rip it off with
 > either a big 3/8-inch drive wrench or a small but poorly calibrated
 > one."

Agreed. Anything that low is small enough and close enough to breaking it if
you're too tight that I'd rather use my 25-years-calibrated hand feel on the
fastener than the torque wrench. Knowing when something feels about right,
and even more important, feeling when something's NOT feeling right before
it breaks or strips or what have you is a skill that's essential to
preventing yourself learning new and interesting combinations of swear
words. Not that there's anything wrong with that...I personally love a
well-constructed swearing phrase, and sometimes enjoy developing them myself
from time to time! <g>


--
Andrew D. Waddell
PML Online Support Rep
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.publicmissiles.com" target="_blank">www.publicmissiles.com</a>
"DirtCrashr" <Dirt.RemoveThis@Crashr.org> wrote in message
news:8u72tvslbe5d84hptcobuh0iei5e4cse6d@4ax.com...
  > >Remember, too, that torque wrenches work best in the middle 2/3 or so of
  > >their range, i.e. if you have a 20-200 foot-pound wrench, you'd be better
  > >off using your 3/8" drive 10-60 pound wrench to tighten that 22
foot-pound
  > >fastener. Point is, you DO need two or three torque wrenches to have good
  > >coverage for most fasteners if you want to be able to use the most
  > >appropriate-ranged wrench for the fastener spec at hand. I have a 3/8"
  > >inch-pound wrench, a 3/8" foot pound, and a 1/2 foot-pound which I use
only
  > >for the relatively big stuff.
  > >
  > >Andrew D. Waddell
  > >PML Online Support Rep
 >
 > For sure, I have three torque-wrenches now too, and the least used is
 > the 1/4-inch inch-pound one - except when I want to rip the nut of a
 > tiny thread like I did to my Gold Valves...and have to send-off for
 > another one, and then did it again. Aarrgh!
 > Never try to tighten little inch-pound nuts in the 5-6lb range of
 > anything, that's all finger-tight stuff and you'll rip it off with
 > either a big 3/8-inch drive wrench or a small but poorly calibrated
 > one.
 > Operate in the mid-to upper end of the wrench settings and use
 > overlap.
 > My 1/2-drive foot-lb wrench is for 27mm axel nuts and stuff.
 >
 > -keith
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

Dritcrashr- the nut for you compression stack on the goldvavles was that
low of a setting? wow, i would thing it was atleast 21 in/pounds. Andy I
to have invented new swear words, Like the other day when I realized I
warped one of my fork cartridges and its going to cost me 166 dollars to
replace it. As far as the small torque wrenches go, I have a beauty that
I got from my brother. I just dropped it off to the snapon guy the other
day to get fixed. It is old and needed a rebuild but its a sweet tool. It
is 3/8 drive and in/pounds. It has a conversion chart right on it for
newton meters too.
"DirtCrashr" <Dirt DeleteThis @Crashr.org> wrote in message
news:8u72tvslbe5d84hptcobuh0iei5e4cse6d@4ax.com...
  > >Remember, too, that torque wrenches work best in the middle 2/3 or so of
  > >their range, i.e. if you have a 20-200 foot-pound wrench, you'd be better
  > >off using your 3/8" drive 10-60 pound wrench to tighten that 22
foot-pound
  > >fastener. Point is, you DO need two or three torque wrenches to have good
  > >coverage for most fasteners if you want to be able to use the most
  > >appropriate-ranged wrench for the fastener spec at hand. I have a 3/8"
  > >inch-pound wrench, a 3/8" foot pound, and a 1/2 foot-pound which I use
only
  > >for the relatively big stuff.
  > >
  > >Andrew D. Waddell
  > >PML Online Support Rep
 >
 > For sure, I have three torque-wrenches now too, and the least used is
 > the 1/4-inch inch-pound one - except when I want to rip the nut of a
 > tiny thread like I did to my Gold Valves...and have to send-off for
 > another one, and then did it again. Aarrgh!
 > Never try to tighten little inch-pound nuts in the 5-6lb range of
 > anything, that's all finger-tight stuff and you'll rip it off with
 > either a big 3/8-inch drive wrench or a small but poorly calibrated
 > one.
 > Operate in the mid-to upper end of the wrench settings and use
 > overlap.
 > My 1/2-drive foot-lb wrench is for 27mm axel nuts and stuff.
 >
 > -keith
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

"Dan Nelson" <Netra105 DeleteThis @attbi.com> wrote:

 >Dritcrashr- the nut for you compression stack on the goldvavles was that
 >low of a setting? wow, i would thing it was atleast 21 in/pounds.

IIRC it was on the order of 14 inch-pounds (which is less than a
foot-pound - or somethinbg - 12-inches in a foot, 16-oz in a pound -
WFTF. whatever right?) - Anhow it just needs some loctite and a
squeeze to make it stick and stay put. The soft brass of the threaded
rod part was what I tore off. twice.

 >Andy I
 >to have invented new swear words, Like the other day when I realized I
 >warped one of my fork cartridges and its going to cost me 166 dollars to
 >replace it.

Arrgh dammit!

 >As far as the small torque wrenches go, I have a beauty that
 >I got from my brother. I just dropped it off to the snapon guy the other
 >day to get fixed. It is old and needed a rebuild but its a sweet tool. It
 >is 3/8 drive and in/pounds. It has a conversion chart right on it for
 >newton meters too.

I like using newton meters, even though I could never extract that out
of inches and pounds etc., it's just an easy crossover thing since
it's also marked on the wrench and I don't have to go, "Newton Inches?
Huh?" when I've got a different (wrong) wrench in my hand.

I have an old-old-old Snap-On 1/2 drive regular ratchet (not torque)
that came out of my Grandpa's toolbox - it's kewl.

-keith<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

"DirtCrashr" <Dirt DeleteThis @Crashr.org> wrote in message

 > For sure, I have three torque-wrenches now too, and the least used is
 > the 1/4-inch inch-pound one - except when I want to rip the nut of a
 > tiny thread like I did to my Gold Valves...and have to send-off for
 > another one, and then did it again. Aarrgh!

That still baffles me. My 3/8" in-lb wrench did those nuts just fine. One
thing I did discover, however, is that it is a good idea to "loosen up" the
wrench before using it. I always turn the wrench down (to minimum setting)
before I store it then put it on a tight bolt and click the mechanism a time
or two to make sure it isn't hanging up before using it. I'd swear I've had
it release late the first time after sitting a while.

Jay<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench? 

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.mscdirect.com" target="_blank">www.mscdirect.com</a> has Proto and Armstrong torque wrenches for a little over
100 bucks. I have both and have never had a problem with either of them. I
have access to calibration equipment and they both are holding their
accuracy.


"Mike Fuhrman" <mikefuhrman.RemoveThis@charter.net> wrote in message
news:vt79v7cfttf1e6@corp.supernews.com...
 > I've got it and it works great!
 >
 >
 > "Dave" <galt_57.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
 > news:5591d176.0312050508.63601ec7@posting.google.com...
  > > Anyone got this one? (20-200 in-lbs)
  > >
<font color=green>  > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font" target="_blank">http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2696</font</a>>
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Small torque wrench?