Advice on torque wrench screwdrivers

Trevlaw

Trevlaw

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Looking for any recommendations on a high quality torque wrench screw driver.

I'm a CNC machinist by trade and recently moved into areas with a lot more fixturing, including dealing with lots of little screws and clamps daily. I'd like something that is accurate and repeatable, preferably with a range down to 5 inch pounds and up to maybe 50+, the more range the better. Doesn't need to have bits, I'll get those separately if I need to.

Anyone have any firsthand experience with this type of tool?
 
Use Wheeler brand for mounting scopes on rifles but I don’t think they would be considered high enough quality for a machinist.
 
I've been using CDI Torque Products for all my torque wrenches for many years. They make just about every torque product you could need, and most of their products come with a calibration certificate (traceable to NIST) that shows actual measured torque vs. indicated torque across the device's range of settings. You can use this to compensate for inaccuracies. Snap-on torque wrenches were made by them for a long time, and Snap-on now owns them. As a plus, most of their stuff is made here, too. Check them out:

http://www.cditorque.com/
Regarding range, the larger the range, the more variable the accuracy, especially at the ends of the adjustment range. For that reason, if I'm really wanting accurate torques, I try to select a torque wrench where my target torque is in the middle 50% of the range. What I mean by that is best explained by thinking of a fuel gauge. You want to be between 1/4 and 3/4 on the gauge. For most torque applications, though, that kind of hair-splitting isn't necessary.

Specific to your request, and similar to Apparition's note above, I selected Brownell's Magnatip torque wrench for my torque screwdriver because it is made by CDI, and mine came with a calibration certificate from them, so I know it's accurate and can compensate to actual torques if needed. Here's a link:

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...a-tip-adjustable-torque-wrench-prod84011.aspx
That one is close to meeting your torque range needs and is relatively inexpensive. It's range is 15-70 in-lb. That one seems to be only available through Brownell's, although they show a metric-only version in their catalog (TLA28NM). Here's a snip from their current catalog showing current adjustable torque screwdriver offerings:

1644678134240.png


Hope that helps!
 
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bucky said:
Wow I just looked at the price of the 410SM. $428 I guess there will not be one in my toolbox anytime soon.
Click to expand...
You didn't look in the right place (or, if you did look for 410SM, who knows what you found - it's a 401SM):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F7VJIO/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Still not cheap, but quality torque wrenches cost more...

Also, the one I recommended from Brownell's is about $50.
 
sab said:
I've been using CDI Torque Products for all my torque wrenches for many years. They make just about every torque product you could need, and most of their products come with a calibration certificate (traceable to NIST) that shows actual measured torque vs. indicated torque across the device's range of settings. You can use this to compensate for inaccuracies. Snap-on torque wrenches were made by them for a long time, and Snap-on now owns them. As a plus, most of their stuff is made here, too. Check them out:

http://www.cditorque.com/
Regarding range, the larger the range, the more variable the accuracy, especially at the ends of the adjustment range. For that reason, if I'm really wanting accurate torques, I try to select a torque wrench where my target torque is in the middle 50% of the range. What I mean by that is best explained by thinking of a fuel gauge. You want to be between 1/4 and 3/4 on the gauge. For most torque applications, though, that kind of hair-splitting isn't necessary.

Specific to your request, and similar to Apparition's note above, I selected Brownell's Magnatip torque wrench for my torque screwdriver because it is made by CDI, and mine came with a calibration certificate from them, so I know it's accurate and can compensate to actual torques if needed. Here's a link:

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...a-tip-adjustable-torque-wrench-prod84011.aspx
That one is close to meeting your torque range needs and is relatively inexpensive. It's range is 15-70 in-lb. That one seems to be only available through Brownell's, although they show a metric-only version in their catalog (TLA28NM). Here's a snip from their current catalog showing current adjustable torque screwdriver offerings:

View attachment 309151

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Very helpful, thanks for the post. I might give one of the CDI micro adjustable ones a shot. Might end trying the 3-15inlb one. I was doing some testing with a small torque wrench at work and I was probably overestimating how much torque I thought I was using. Guess you can't get too much with a thumb on the short end of a 2mm Allen key lol.

I wish the 6% accuracy was a bit better, but that'll probably be fine. I probably don't so much as need accuracy as I do repeatability, even if it repeats slightly off.

I found a fancy digital one with +/- .5%, but it was $800...

Going to keep looking for a bit, but I've had good experiences with CDI in the past, and they're catalog even shows someone torquing an insert screw in a face mill, perfect lol.
 
sab said:
You didn't look in the right place (or, if you did look for 410SM, who knows what you found - it's a 401SM):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F7VJIO/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Still not cheap, but quality torque wrenches cost more...

Also, the one I recommended from Brownell's is about $50.
Click to expand...
Yes 401SM 5-50. I went to the web site and used it to go to their local dealer. Probably full list price. Very niche tool and thankfully I will never need one.
 
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