[Shop-talk] torque wrench calilbration

[Bob Spidell]

You speak with a great deal of certainly, so I won't dispute that, but the calibration techniques I'm familiar with measure the wrench's indicated torque against a calibrated strain gauge (which itself must be calibrated, etc.). I don't see why you couldn't at least get a calibration card for a beam-style wrench; e.g. the wrench indicates 50lb-ft, and the strain gauge measures 52, so you know your wrench reads a bit low in the 50lb-ft range. 

To me, 'calibration' means comparing to a known quantity. Adjustment means bring them into agreement. 


Bob 

-------------------------------- 
Bob Spidell - San Jose, CA 


On Sat, Mar 5, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net> wrote: 
> Check your local yellow pages under 'scientific,' 'laboratories,' 
> 'calibration,' etc. 
> 
> Also, if you have a general aviation airport nearby call the Fixed Base 
> Operator ('FBO') or flight school. Torque wrenches used on aircraft have to 
> be calibrated regularly--once a year, I think--and an Airframe & Powerplant 
> ('A&P') mechanic would know where to get it done. 
> 
> Last I checked it cost about $25. 
> 

You can't calibrate, nor even certify accuracy of, a beam style torque wrench. 



-- 
David Scheidt 
dmscheidt at gmail.com