Got stuck choosing between two torque wrenches for a critical job

Last Tuesday, I had a big job on a Cessna's landing gear bolts. My old click-type wrench was acting up, and I had to pick between buying a new digital one for about $350 or sending my old one out for a full recalibration, which would take two weeks and cost $150. I needed the tool right then, so I went for the new digital wrench. It felt like a solid choice at the time, but the thing kept giving me weird readings on the hangar floor. Turns out the cold concrete messes with the sensor if you don't let it adjust. I lost almost an hour troubleshooting before I just borrowed a buddy's simple beam-type wrench to finish the job. Has anyone else had problems with digital tools in a cold shop, or is it just me?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_jana1mo ago

My buddy's digital caliper froze solid last winter, right in the middle of a rebuild.

hill.nathan1mo ago

Mine did that once, turned into a fancy ice cube.

kelly.hannah1mo ago

Ever try the rice trick? I left mine in a bag of dry rice for two days after it got wet. Pulled all the moisture right out. Works way better than just waiting for it to dry on its own. The display came back clear and it started reading right again. Saved me from buying a new one.

robin6286d ago

My old Mitutoyo calipers took a swim in a coffee cup last year. I buried them in a big tub of rice for three days straight, and they actually came back to life. I was sure they were toast, but the zero button started working again. That trick has saved so much of my gear over the years.