From digest.v5.n545 Tue Nov 12 17:37:45 1996
From: "Steve D'Gerolamo" <steved3_at_village.ios.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 08:49:58 -0500
Subject: More on Torque Wrenches

If Randy & I are not careful, this subject will be added to the WOB listing. First Clarification....Griot's offers a testing for $25.00 with a certificate (printout) of the actual torque readings at (presumabably) 6 to 12 points evenly distributed over the tools range. They DO NOT recalibrate...not at this price. This is a good service but should be available locally (check the phone books). Secondly, I like "bells & whistles" (and clicks & beeps) on my torque wrench, especially when I'm on my back reaching in under the car and tightening some suspension bolt (there's no way I'd be able to read a beam type tool). I currently sell 2 brands of torque wrenches, Facom for automotive and HyTorc for industrial applications. There are 2 main reasons for preferring Facom over the over brands I've used. First, most of the Facom wrenches come with a pivot knob on the head of tool which enables the user to steady the wrench square in relation to the centerline of the fastener for greater torque accuracy (it doesn't matter how accurate the tool specs out is if its used incorrectly). Secondly, there are a host of accessories (open end, crowsfoot flare ends, oxygen sensor sockets, etc) that easily snap onto the end of the tool expanding the tools flexibility. Pricing on the tools (wrench, pivot knob & case...with calibration certificate) is $198.00 for the 3/8" drive tool (20-100nm, 15-75 lb ft) and $250.00 for the 1/2" drive tool (40-200nm, 30-150 lb ft). Griots sells the same tools for $365.50 and $375.50 respectively. Facom has just come out with a digital torque wrench, +/- 1% accuracy and too many "bells/whistles" to state here. Introductory pricing on this Memotork series is $750.00 for any of 3 different models (regular price is $1165.00)...the ranges of the 3 models are 5-25nm, 20-100nm and 25-250nm ...output display can be changed from nm to mkg, lb in and lb ft with the push of a button). These also use the pivot knob on the head of the tool. Sorry about the commercialism of this posting but the Facom promotion on the torque wrenches comes at an appropriate time and ends this week. SD Steve D'Gerolamo c/o The Ultimate Garage, Emerson, NJ (201-262-0412)