Advice on torque wrench screwdrivers

[Trevlaw]

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?

 

[Apparition]

Use Wheeler brand for mounting scopes on rifles but I don’t think they would be considered high enough quality for a machinist.

 

[sab]

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:

Hope that helps!

 

[bucky]

You learn something every day. I never knew there was such a thing as a torque screwdriver.

 

[bucky]

Wow I just looked at the price of the 410SM. $428 I guess there will not be one in my toolbox anytime soon.

 

[sab]

Wow I just looked at the price of the 410SM. $428 I guess there will not be one in my toolbox anytime soon.

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.

 

[Trevlaw]

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!

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.

 

[bucky]

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.

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.