Used to think digital torque wrenches were a gimmick til my lead mechanic proved me wrong

Old school guy named Dave always swore by his click-click wrenches and I bought into it hard. Last month we had a job on a 737 flap track and he handed me his old CDI 3/8 drive to use. I snuck my new digital Snap-On in my box anyway but after 3 actuators his torque values were spot on every time. Now I keep that CDI as my go-to and the digital is just backup, anyone else switch sides on a tool brand after seeing it work?.

4 comments

4 Comments

laura_knight542d ago

And honestly? I think the real unsung hero is the calibration. People swap brands left and right but never talk about how often you actually send them out. I worked with a guy who had a cheap Husky that was more accurate than his Matco just because he actually sent it for service every year. That CDI probably feels spot on because Dave takes care of it, not because of the brand name.

harris.vera2d ago

Truth is most of us are just scared to actually use the torque wrench for its lifespan...

nora_campbell662d ago

Tbh my torque wrench is probably more scared of me than I am of it, I've never even looked at the calibration sticker.

sage_rodriguez2d ago

That's the truth right there, half the battle is just keeping your tools calibrated no matter what name is on them. I had a similar thing happen with a cheap Husky torque wrench a buddy let me borrow, it was way more consistent than my high end one just because he actually sent his in for service. So yeah, I'm with you, the brand matters way less than how you treat the tool.