I have a Wheeler Fat wrench. Works great
Mark

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/71...ngs,_Bases,_and_Mounting_Accessories_Beta_B-_-wheeler+engineering+torque+wrench

 

Fat Wrench here too.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

Ditto. I wouldn't want any bolts in my head retightened with it but its good nuff for gun work.

 

Clearly not the best...but the most popular and cheap,,,Fat Wrench. Remember to reset to zero when finished or the spring will compress permanently.

 

Wheeler Fat Wrench. One of the best items for any gun owner to have. I never realized how much I was over tightening things on my firearms until I bought one.

 

Capri Tools torque screwdriver. I checked out the FAT Wrench - no thanks. I decided to pay a little extra for a better quality tool:
https://www.amazon.com/Capri-Tools-CP21075-Certified-Screwdriver/dp/B00VPPJWLW
https://www.capritools.com/shop/10-50-inch-pound-torque-screwdriver-set/

Next step up is CDI Torque Products.

Do as you wish.

JMK

 

I think a torque wrench is it good idea when you are new to assembling actions to stocks or mounting scopes and rings .When you do enough of them you will see you won't even need a torque wrench as you kind of get the hang of different torque settings naturally when it comes to firearms IMO

 

I kind of agree. I went years without ever using one on my rifles till the internet told me I was supposed to I now have a Wheeler and sometimes use it just to make sure I'm getting a fairly consistent torque without over torquing screws.

 

Thanks, just the kind of info I'm looking for ---- John

 

I went with the Fat Wrench. Reasonable cost, gets the job done. Ran a test of different torque settings vs accuracy. Did not find the prefect sweet spot, but did find the worst spot. In my case that was 20in-lbs. I settled on 27 in-lbs. In my case I have a pillars and bedded action. I would not go that high with just wood.
A torque wrench can be a valuable tool in tuning your rifle.

 

I've been recommending the CDI 401SM now for several years.
Superb product, and Made in the USA.
http://www.toolsdeCRE-16Tivered.com...ue-Measuring-Screwdrivers-Micro-Adjustable-Torque-Screwdrivers-Micro-Adjustable

I've kept track of the RFC members whom stated that they were going to purchased one, and them let me know that they had. That number currently stands a 23* with one more to be confirmed soon.

So at the top is the CDI.

Next down is the Vortex. Looks a lot like the Capri listed above....... Half the price.
http://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-torque-wrench-mounting-kit.html

Then comes the Wheeler Fat Wrench.
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/71...Jigs+&+Fixtures-_-Wheeler+Engineering-_-718023&gclid=COzl8MH8j9ICFQqPfgodLXYMZg

Smooth

*The 24th was just confirmed. Post #33 02/15/17.

 

Next down is the Vortex. Looks a lot like the Capri listed above....... Half the price.
http://www.opticsplanet.com/vortex-torque-wrench-mounting-kit.html

Sure does! I didn't find that one when I was looking! Thanks for bringing it to light!

While the Fat Wrench is the least accurate of the wrenches mentioned above, they are all consistant, which is more important than brute accuracy. The reason for that is that surface finish variation among fasteners has a huge influence on the actual preload developed with application of a specific torque (as opposed to a calculation of what preload that torque should develop). We have run friction coefficient tests with the same thread lube on different lots of fasteners, and not only gotten preload variation well beyond anything that would be caused by torque wrench accuracy, we got a higher preload with the application of a specific torque on a specific manufacturers lot of fasteners tested unlubricated than we got from a different lot tested lubricated with 30 wt. motor oil and the same applied torque. And these fastener surface finish variation require significant magnification to detect. A torque wrench allows you to apply the same input to each fastener; the developed preload in each fastener with that input value is influenced by many factors, the least of which is torque wrench accuracy, it turns out. Buy the best you care to afford, secure in the knowledge that any contribution to fastener to fastener preload variation made by the wrench Is down on the weeds compared to the many other influencing factors.

Very good information, and not something most people are aware of. Thanks for sharing your experience. :bthumb:

JMK

 

While the Fat Wrench is the least accurate of the wrenches mentioned above, they are all consistant, which is more important than brute accuracy. The reason for that is that surface finish variation among fasteners has a huge influence on the actual preload developed with application of a specific torque (as opposed to a calculation of what preload that torque should develop). We have run friction coefficient tests with the same thread lube on different lots of fasteners, and not only gotten preload variation well beyond anything that would be caused by torque wrench accuracy, we got a higher preload with the application of a specific torque on a specific manufacturers lot of fasteners tested unlubricated than we got from a different lot tested lubricated with 30 wt. motor oil and the same applied torque. And these fastener surface finish variation require significant magnification to detect. A torque wrench allows you to apply the same input to each fastener; the developed preload in each fastener with that input value is influenced by many factors, the least of which is torque wrench accuracy, it turns out. Buy the best you care to afford, secure in the knowledge that any contribution to fastener to fastener preload variation made by the wrench Is down on the weeds compared to the many other influencing factors.

 

:t:t:t Thanks for sharing with us. Really interesting information.

 

I got the Fat Wrench digital version on sale and really like it. The precision that's possible with it is worth the price in my opinion.

 

I have the Vortex torque driver. It may not be as good as CDI, but in my opinion, better than the FAT wrench.

Currently on sale for $69.99 shipped.
http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-torque-wrench

 

Thanks brother. I might just pull the trigger on one of these. Then I can give my buddy his fat wrench back.

 

Utica TS 35, 6-36in lbs, and Seekonk t handle at 65 in lbs

 

I have a Neiko 10573B.

http://www.tool-sale.com/drive-long-shank-torque-screwdriver-p-2132.html

 

I have a Neiko 10573B.
http://www.tool-sale.com/drive-long-shank-torque-screwdriver-p-2132.html

Ditto......... It is 10 - 50 inch pounds

 

I absolutely love my Fat Wrench. Especially for scope mounting. It eliminates the need to use loctitite.

 

:t Just received mine a few days ago. I'm now in the process of installing a scope on my new 452 American and wanted to have a torque tool available to prevent being ham fisted installing the screws.

 

Weaver Fat Wrench!

 

I first bought a Weaver Torque driver since it goes up to 80in/lb but soon realized I probably wouldn't ever torque anything on a rifle that much. But if I ever need to go over 40in/lb I'll have something to do it with. And besides that, the adjustment indicator is a POS and just gives what I can only describe as an educated guesstimate of the setting.

I was looking for something a little better so when I saw the recommendation by Smooth and a couple of others for the CDI-401SM I ordered one and use nothing but it now. I wouldn't even think twice about ordering another one if I somehow lost track of this one. 5-40in/lbs in .5in/lb increments. Can't beat it IMHO.

 

UTICA TS-30 is the way to go.

 

I bought one of these years ago and I really like it, and thought it had been discontinued. But I just Googled it and found several sites that offer it -- at $250 to more than $300 each!!!

Doug

 

"UTICA TS-30 is the way to go."

Why?

Twice as expensive as the CDI 401SM, with less range, (6 to 30b) vs (5 to 40) inch pounds.
Steps are 1 inch pound vs .5 inch pounds.

Both have the same specifications and certifications.
Neither of those differcnes are huge deals, but the price difference is.

I'm would assume it's a well made tool, but I see nothing that would make it superior to the CDI.

However I'm open to being educated.

Smooth

 

I have a Wiha torque driver, I like it much better than the Fat Wrench. 10-50 inch pound range works great for most applications.

 

timberbeast

Another good wrench, but at $108, and 2 inch pound steps, I'd still spend the extra $25 for the CDI. And I care about the fact that it's made in the USA.
https://www.amazon.com/28502-TorqueVario-S-Torque-Screwdriver-
Pound/dp/B00NPXJ3W0

Smooth

 

I have one of these Sturtevant Richmont Cal 36 torque drivers. Works great! About $180 online.

http://www.srtorque.com/error-proof...g-tools/torque-screwdrivers-and-kits/adjustable-torque-screwdrivers/cal-series/

Here's a detailed diagram of the inner works:

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/srtorque/media/2862/810587-f.pdf

 

I have one of the FAT wrenches that I have been using for a couple years. It worked really well thus far and I will get it again in a heartbeat, no question. This last weekend I stripped one of the base mounting screws while mounting a micro t1. It was set at 20inlb, which was quite strange, but it most likely was a bad screw, not the wrench. Someone made a comment earlier about not needing a torque wrench... i guess those comments are inevitable when a question like this gets asked... True, you dont "need" one and in my younger years I installed many optics without one and they all worked great. However, for the money invested in long range equipment and in our never ending pursuit of perfection this is such a small investment for so much more benefit that it is a no-brainer for me. I am going to look into the cdi and vortex options more, as the specs mentioned above look really nice. The way the fat wrench gauge works it is more of a close questimate than an absolutely spot on measurement, and if the cdi can be adjusted in .5 increments, my assumption is it will have a clearer indicator. That will make it a hands-down better option for me, even though it will undoubtedly be more expensive.

 

I have a Wheeler fat wrench but like a Beam type better, o-80 inch pds & cost $25.

 

I've used a Wheeler Fat Wrench for the past couple of years, but just ordered a CDI based on Smoothtrigger's recommendation.