I have the fat wrench but my Fixit Sticks work much better.
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I have the fat wrench but my Fixit Sticks work much better.
The Wiha TorqueVario (#28412, 10-50lb/in) is excellent for most red dot needs. If you look around on eBay or elsewhere, you can usually find them ~$20-40 cheaper. Buy once cry once. This torque range will also cover you for things like most scope rings, bases, and most other rail mounted items on a long gun.
With a lot of sub $50 torque wrench/socket options the breakaway feel is terrible. For tightening in such minimal inch pounds, it is REALLY easy to overshoot the torque you're going for. Crank the driver a bit too fast, or don't let off pressure soon enough when it hits the break point and it's easy to bump it at least another few inch pounds. You'll see the same thing when tightening car lug nuts with a digital torque wrench. If you lean into that thing and give it a jolt, it's really easy to put another 10+lb/ft into it over your target.
Question for all the FIX IT STICK owners…. I was always curious about how their torque limiters work? Do they have a click feature or do you just stop when everything lines up?
I genuinely regret getting a digital torque wrench for the car. It’s a ‘Gear wrench’ brand. It’s fiddly to use (batteries) and very hard to get to say 110 ft lbs. I find myself grabbing my HF (cringe) mechanical one mostly.
I would totally get a better one than the Wheeler FAT mechanical for dots, but I’ve only needed one 5 or 6 times last two years.
I’m with RJ on the digital wrench. I was woo’d into getting a Gear Wrench digital for my car because of all the wiz bang features. The problem is that I’m so used to feeling the reassuring CLICK from my old SK tools wrench. The digital does a series of beeps and the handle vibrates when you reach the desired setting. If your not concentrating, you’ll over torque. Also, the thing BEEPS with EVERY push of the button which is highly annoying. Imaging changing the setting from 50 ft/lbs to 150 ft/lbs…. That’s 100 BEEPS!!!
Analogue Wheeler Fat Wrench here. Would love to have a set of Fix-it sticks but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
I use a Borka (http://www.borkatools.com/)
Looks like the business is down for a while.
Okie John