Couple of questions regarding the above:

1) Does anyone ever get there wrenches calibrated? Mine is over 20 years old and has always been stored wound completely out so as not to 'set' the mechanism. If so where do you go?

2) Anyone recommend a low range torque wrench ie. from say 5 Nm to 40 Nm. Not looking at top end prices.

Thanks

I got the Halfords low range torque wrench a few years ago, but it seems to be just shy of £100 now and there's no way I would have paid that much!! Machine Mart have a Clarke one for £24.

Cromwell tools do a calibration test, it's around £40;

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/calibration/calibration-repair

If you don't want mega accuracy, I'd have said a decent weight at a fixed distance from the pivot point would give something that is 'reasonable'.

[Edited on 24/5/15 by Slimy38]

Compare you torque wench with a few of you mates at a low, mid and high setting. Sorry cant' recommend one, mines a old cheap one.

Local Snap-On rep can/will send them off for calibration/checking/overhaul. They should send them to their Kettering Repair/Service centre. Last one I had done was a Britool one that hadn't been used for probably 10 - 15 years and stored in a shed. It was solid and got replaced with a new one for the cost of checking. (but that was 10 years ago).





P.S. where in Bognor do you live, I was born in Nyewood Lane (don't live there now) and lived there until 1971 aged 12. U2U reply to this question IF you wish to reply.

Teng Tools do one reasonably priced at around #45 from Screwfix, I've got the higher range Teng Torque wrench and had absolutely no problems with it, seems very well made.

+1 for the teng one... great bit of kit

DIY calibration? Known arm length + mass = torque

Another for the teng. Also carolus if you want something more top market.

Strange as it may seem the 3/8" low range torque wrenches occasionally sold by Lidl are identical to some well known brands.

Checking torque wrenches is simple as already mentioned itb is simply force x distance.
The electronic luggage spring balances sold on for weighing luggage EBay are surprisingly accurate and very very cheap and ideal for the purpose.

One important point is if you want to preserve the calibration of a torque wrench is to back the torque setting before you store it to prevent the spring tension from reducing.

I hadn't considered the luggage scale - great idea!