Old dog learns something new.................

[Fishjager]

I was having some problems with mounting a set of Optilock rings on my new to me Sako. Mainly in the area of torque with the screws. The ring screws only take 15 inch pounds. I have a FAT torque wrench, and a Fix it Stick as well. But I just don't trust the torque setting on either one. I was telling my friend Randy aka Big_Daddy about it. He said you idiot just buy a Vortex torque screwdriver. I thought yeah right, I have two torque wrenches for inch pounds already. I said okay how about letting me check out yours? He said fine. Well I must admit I was totally blown away by this tool. It worked great and even released it's pressure when the setting was reached. WOW, it actually works. Hello Amazon! Mine arrived today. Thanks Randy you are a great salesman. They are more expensive now compared to when he bought his. $134.00 on Amazon. But well worth the headaces and ability to stop seeing stripped screw heads. ( Just a FYI for you guys.) Oh yeah they are a lot more comfortable to use. Kudos to Vortex. It even comes with their lifetime warranty.

 

[ShtrRdy]

How do you know the torque result is more accurate than what you were getting?

 

[IHMSA]

I've checked several Fix It Sticks torque tools on a calibrated Digitool Electronic Torque Tester and they were spot on.

 

[dthomas]

I have the same question as ShtrRdy

 

[Fishjager]

With my Fix it sticks I can never hear the click for one. On my 4 in pound adapter you really cannot hear it, also it keeps on turning with no hesitation. This is especially frustrating with working with Nightforce scopes setting the zero stop, because the torque spec in 4 pounds on the turret. What I am saying guys is I prefer the Vortex torque wrench because of ease of operation. I was just posting this because I like it, you can like and trust your Fixit sticks and FAT wrenches. Good for you and your decision. I just found something I think is easier for me.

 

[std7mag]

Unless you send it out to get calibrated, or test it against a calibrated torque, then you're still just guessing.

Who knows. You might have 3 devices that are giving you 3 different torques and none of them are right.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Unless you send it out to get calibrated, or test it against a calibrated torque, then you're still just guessing.

Who knows. You might have 3 devices that are giving you 3 different torques and none of them are right.

It's called Faith.

 

[std7mag]

It's called Faith.

More like a wing and a prayer.

 

[Syncrowave]

I've checked several Fix It Sticks torque tools on a calibrated Digitool Electronic Torque Tester and they were spot on.

How do you know the Digitool Electronic Torque Tester® is more accurate than the tool being "tested"?
Who's testing the testers? Who's watching the watchers?

I've always preferred the steel "beam" type torque wrenches ... unless/until somebody grinds on them or cooks them with a torch long enough to mess up the heat treatment, they'll never need a battery or software update℠

 

[IHMSA]

How do you know the Digitool Electronic Torque Tester® is more accurate than the tool being "tested"?
Who's testing the testers? Who's watching the watchers?

I've always preferred the steel "beam" type torque wrenches ... unless/until somebody grinds on them or cooks them with a torch long enough to mess up the heat treatment, they'll never need a battery or software update℠

The Digitool Torque Tester was calibrated by an outside firm that specializes in calibration of industrial equipment. Anything else stupid or otherwise.

 

[Syncrowave]

The Digitool Torque Tester was calibrated by an outside firm that specializes in calibration of industrial equipment. Anything else stupid or otherwise.

How do you know it hasn't gone out of calibration ... unless you "test" it against a beam torque wrench?
(Serious question..."stupid or otherwise.")
The point being: The torque wrench ITSELF was supposed to be accurate...so who's to say the Superduper Doubleplus Digitool ExtraAccurate Tester-Tester-Checker-Tester isn't equally INaccurate?
Who's correct ... the torque wrench? Or the torque wrench tester? Or maybe they're both wrong.
Sounds to me like you may need to buy a Digitool Torque Tester Tester! And then a Digitool Torque Tester Tester Tester to test the Tester Tester! And so on.
(Or just a beam torque wrench.) But maybe I'm not being clear...

 

[IHMSA]

How do you know it hasn't gone out of calibration ... unless you "test" it against a beam torque wrench?
(Serious question..."stupid or otherwise.")
The point being: The torque wrench ITSELF was supposed to be accurate...so who's to say the Superduper Doubleplus Digitool ExtraAccurate Tester-Tester-Checker-Tester isn't equally INaccurate?
Who's correct ... the torque wrench? Or the torque wrench tester? Or maybe they're both wrong.
Sounds to me like you may need to buy a Digitool Torque Tester Tester! And then a Digitool Torque Tester Tester Tester to test the Tester Tester! And so on.
(Or just a beam torque wrench.) But maybe I'm not being clear...

Ignoring

 

[Syncrowave]

Ignoring

Heartbroken and sobbing!

 

[Bat280ai]

Ignoring

Torque is all a guess. Is the threads dry or lubricated. Is it be torqued to 50% of yield? A good torque wrench will get you close

 

[Syncrowave]

Another reason I prefer beam-type torque wrenches is because you're really measuring the same qualities on both ends. In many cases, you're torquing a fastener to ensure that it is elastically deformed (stretched like a spring or rubber band) ... which means that both the torque wrench (which is bent) and the fastener (which is stretched) are elastically deformed according to the properties of their respective steels. In other words, you have the same physical phenomenon on both ends of the balance beam. When you seat torque-to-yield head bolts, same deal: Although the torque wrench didn't (yet) bend to its yield point, the head bolts did...all the measurements are dependent on, and keyed directly to, the properties of the steels involved, not on some stupid Chicom Pachinko load cell scabbed together from reclaimed e-scrap in Guangzhou (batteries not included)...

 

[Paddyd]

Honestly, Ive never used any of them on mounts or rings and find that just good and snug without reefing on them worked well for going on 50 yrs of shooting. Never had an issue.

 

[std7mag]

How do you know it hasn't gone out of calibration ... unless you "test" it against a beam torque wrench?
(Serious question..."stupid or otherwise.")
The point being: The torque wrench ITSELF was supposed to be accurate...so who's to say the Superduper Doubleplus Digitool ExtraAccurate Tester-Tester-Checker-Tester isn't equally INaccurate?
Who's correct ... the torque wrench? Or the torque wrench tester? Or maybe they're both wrong.
Sounds to me like you may need to buy a Digitool Torque Tester Tester! And then a Digitool Torque Tester Tester Tester to test the Tester Tester! And so on.
(Or just a beam torque wrench.) But maybe I'm not being clear...

Hhhmmm....

Then again, here's a thought..

I've worked in 2 different fields that require torquing of bolts and nuts. Neither field have I seen a beam type torque wrench. One field we were actively forbidden to use one.
Both fields require the sending out of measuring devices to a certified calibration facility.

Aircraft mechanic and machist.

As an aircraft mechanic, our personal measuring devices had to be sent out once a year to be certified.

The machine shop I work now, the measuring devices in QA are sent in once a year to get certified/ calibration.
Our personal measuring devices, we verify that they are measuring correctly against the certified standards in QA at least once a month.
And we need to keep documentation on those verifications.

 

[Syncrowave]

[...] Aircraft mechanic and machist.

As an aircraft mechanic, our personal measuring devices had to be sent out once a year to be certified. [...]

I guess if you're working on airliners or flux capacitors, you need a paper trail for the FAA and insurance lawyers. For torqing scope bases...not so much. And I suspect we have vastly different use cases.

I use torque wrenches for jobs like torquing the exhaust manifolds & risers on a GM marine 350 (once every 6 yrs), tightening the screws (steel into aluminum) on the oil filter cover on my Suzuki motorcycle (once every year or 3), or installing a scope base on a rifle. I probably use one of my torque wrenches, on average, less than once per year, and I suspect this is fairly typical for AccurateShooter folks.

For those jobs, when I need to dig a torque wrench out of my tool box, I trust beam-type torque wrenches to save me from stripping fasteners -- or not getting them tight enough -- far more than I would ever trust some Chicom crapola that I don't send out to be checked every year. And I would bet my life's savings that my beam-type torque wrenches read the same this year as they did the year they were made. But to each their own.

 

[KAIFS]

My Wheeler Digital FAT is extremely accurate. Problem with it- hearing that beep (vs just staring at the digital display) is impossible in a loud environment OR if you are gripping right at the top ring. Also it does NOT let go (click) with desired torque. Manual Wheeler FAT (despite calibration certificate) is 1.7 in/lbs OFF, meaning desired 15 in reality is 16.7…. With manual FAT you get bi- directional (unlike digital) and 3 distinct clicks when “set”…
There is a 20% or better over-torque margin for quality rings, so +1.7in/lbs is not critical, however, annoying to me.
Considering I use mine weekly, perhaps I should buy Vortex and give it a go.

Beam on the scopes? maybe if you are doing a handful a year. If you are torquing tons of scopes- its NOT convenient at all.

 

[Syncrowave]

Beam on the scopes? maybe if you are doing a handful a year. If you are torquing tons of scopes- its NOT convenient at all.

It goes pretty quick. What, maybe 3-7 minutes per scope? Is it a race? I like to take my time with stuff like this.

How many scopes are you torquing per hour? (This isn't a production tool if you're doing dozens, or if you're pulling scopes off one rifle and putting them on another rifle three times every week...)