torque wrenches

[Ron Nossaman]

>I've often seen torque wrenches in the auto parts stores for not a whole lot
>of money, a few I think were under $30.  These would probably be set up to
>read in foot pounds, but I don't know if some would have inch pound markings
>as well??  

Sometimes, you get lucky. Don't forget the pawn shops too. Sometimes you
get real lucky. I bought a Starret #1 end cutter with a set of weird
looking jaws for $!0 (nobody knew what the heck it was), paid another $9 or
$10 for new jaws and screws and had a $100 set of music wire cutters for
about $20. I'm still using them.


Also, they wouldn't be set up with a tuning tip on the end but
>rather a 3/8" or 1/2" drive like would be on common socket sets.

Mine's a 3/8", and I brazed a head/tip from one of those ultra cheapo
hammers the local band instrument store used to (I hope) sell, to a 3/8
drive socket I got from the same salvage yard I bought the torque wrench
from. For the 20 or so torque readings I've taken with it in the last
fifteen years, the investment was about right at maybe $5 and a half hour
of grinding and brazing. Les is probably smarter than that though, and will
just buy one from Harbor Freight like Ray suggested, and get it over with.
Even so, I *did* get one of those nasty little tuning hammers out of the
loop, so it was sort of justified.


>(Here's something amazing... the word "doohickeys" was actually in my spell
>checker!! ) <g>
>
>Brian Trout

That's disgusting. Mine argues with me about everything! As I understand
it, you can just click "Add to Dictionary" every time it complains about
something and your spelling improves pretty quickly.

Ron N