

| Subject: | Re: Torque Wench - calibration? |
| From: | Frank Grunthaner |
| Date: | Wed, 28 Nov 2001 17:48:07 EST |
Just thought I would chime in with my few centimes worth of comments here. 1. I always use a torque wrench -- whether I'm torqueing a bolt on the VWs, Fords, SAABs, Porsches, MGs or Alfas --- or my $1.2 M Molecular Beam Epitaxy system, or the $1.8 M Transmission Electron Microscope, or the Photoemission system, or the microinstruments to be sent to Mars. At the Laboratory, when assembling Spacecraft, assembly w/o a torque wrench is grounds for dismissal. 2. In all of the above cases, the bolt or nut is dressed with an antisieze compound. For my home projects, I use the Permatex antisieze since it is metallurgically compatible with the metals and chemically compatible with possible coolant interactions. For external ultra high vacuum flange bolts I use a MoS2 paste or silver plated SS bolts. For vacuum exposed surfaces, we use the Ag-coated hardware. I have often been told by the painless "experienced" machinist that they can tighten by feel. Not once has that been verified by measurement. We have test structures to measure applied force to 4 significant figures and test bolts that shear at a specific applied torque. Many embarrassed machinists. 3. For home and lab use, I use clickers exclusively. I calibrate before each major job against a Sears bar torque wrench. Just drive to click and note the reading on the Bar wrench. A 3/8 Allen key drive socket one side and a 3/8 socket on the other. Or 10/10mm sockets. Your choice. Frank Grunthaner
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