Finally came around on digital torque wrenches after 20 years

I always swore by my old beam-style torque wrench for avionics work, figured digital was just a gimmick. Then I had a connector pin on a Honeywell comm unit strip out at 14 inch-pounds because my arm fatigue threw off the reading. Switched to a Snap-on digital and the audible beep saved me on the next 12 terminations. Anyone else resist changing tools until a bad job forced your hand?

2 comments

2 Comments

emmar7514d ago

That bit about squinting at tiny pins in a tight spot brought back a memory. I once spent an afternoon trying to torque down a connector on a C-130 panel, and my old beam wrench kept slipping off the bolt because I couldnt get my reading right. Finally just had a coworker hold a flashlight while I did it by feel. The digital beep wouldve saved me a lot of cussing that day.

luna_wells5715d ago

Wait, you had a connector pin strip out at 14 inch-pounds on a Honeywell comm unit? That's wild, man. I've been in avionics for years and I've never seen a pin go that low. Sounds like that beam wrench was way off from the get-go, not just fatigue. The audible beep on those digitals is a lifesaver though, especially when you're squinting at tiny pins in a tight spot. I bet that first good click saved you a ton of rework on the next ones. Good on you for switching even after 20 years of stubbornness.