Torque wrench calibration

040hurts · Post by **040hurts** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:55 pm

The other day I bought a torque wrench from my Snap-on (YYC) dealer, primarly because im always looking for one at my company and when its time to install plugs, sure enough someone has taken it on a road trip, and im SOL. The day after i asked my DOM if it could be calibrated, so i could use it, i was flat out told no. Now i realize i should have asked before i bought it, but lets get real here. Hes got his own calibrated and keeps them locked in his box, come on. Anyway the purpose to my rant is, i was wondering if anyone knows if i can send it out myself and get it calibrated at an approved shop or am i just better off leaving it at home and pulling it out when i get another job?

twistedoldwrench · Post by **twistedoldwrench** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:21 pm

I would mention to your DOM that a calibrated torque wrench is good work practice to use, that TC likely requires one to be available at all times, as part of maintaining an AMO, and if one is not always available it would be decient of the company to have yours calibrated ( for their own benifit of course). If you need to have it done yourself, keep the record with the wrench in case you get asked for it and can prove its calibrated, Then go find a job with an outfit thats not so cheap!

tired of the ground · Post by **tired of the ground** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:12 pm

Mr. SnapOn will calibrate it for about 140 per year.

ettw · Post by **ettw** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:02 pm

I know there was a small shop in Ottawa that did all sorts of calibration including torque wrenches so I would assume that there would be someone out your way.

That being said, I think you should read your MPM. Just because you have it calibrated, it may not be useable within the AMO due to its "untracked" status within the AMOs controlled tool program.

Cheers,

ETTW

040hurts · Post by **040hurts** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 8:13 pm

I know for a fact that our calibrated tools are tracked, my DOM's main reason for not wanting to calibrate mine was he didnt wanna have to track it.

PITA · Post by **PITA** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:16 pm

I have been a DOM for years and my policy is that if you have a torque wrench in your personal took kit I will track it and have it calibrated at my expence in exchange for use of it for the shop.

Cheers

PITA

ottopilot · Post by **ottopilot** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:35 pm

#1 check your MCM and see if it requires you to have a torque wrench in your shop. #2 find the car refrence should be in CAR 573 about equipment required. #3 CYA untill you find another place to work that has there own torque wrenches (Basic needs!!!!).

Most wrenches are good for about 2 years and some smaller shops (WAM( Weights and Measures )) Will check calibration for about $40-$60 i think is what we last paid. Or for that matter get a known weight and a piece of steel and make a bracket to test it for your own piece of mind. But i'm telling you now , i've worked for some shotty outfits in aviation and there has never been a time where i didn't have a calibrated torque wrench or tool available (other than when it's out for calibration). We actually keep 6 dif types in a pretty small shop.

Best of luck.

If you have any more trouble PM me , there are ways of making sure the company has this stuff without you getting fired for pissing off your DOM.

ottopilot · Post by **ottopilot** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:43 pm

SORRY,

I misread a post and thought the AMO didn't have any torque wrenches at all except the ones the DOM had. I retract my last posting about the AMO. It was a little harsh.

Cheers

Otto

Fox 3 · Post by **Fox 3** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:02 am

if you just bought it, it should be good for at least a year, then as mentioned the Snap On guy can do it for a nominal fee.

~FOX~

Goodwrench · Post by **Goodwrench** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:25 pm

Snap On guy, Nominal fee? Not in my world! Yes, any new wrench is good for 1 year before it requires cal. Then, the Snap On guy will take it away and soon tell you it requires repair at about the price of a new wrench...
Nothing against Snap-On, most of my stuff is theirs. However, a small independent shop that does calibration isn't in the business of selling more tools. Also, remember that there are dos and don'ts for any tool. A torque wrench is less forgiving than others, watch out for it and the cal. shouldn't be a problem for many years. Most shops I have worked for either have enough to cover any situation, or don't mind tracking your personal wrench and paying for the cal.

cooterdavenport · Post by **cooterdavenport** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 6:59 am

040hurts wrote:The other day I bought a torque wrench from my Snap-on (YYC) dealer, primarly because im always looking for one at my company and when its time to install plugs, sure enough someone has taken it on a road trip, and im SOL. The day after i asked my DOM if it could be calibrated, so i could use it, i was flat out told no. Now i realize i should have asked before i bought it, but lets get real here. Hes got his own calibrated and keeps them locked in his box, come on. Anyway the purpose to my rant is, i was wondering if anyone knows if i can send it out myself and get it calibrated at an approved shop or am i just better off leaving it at home and pulling it out when i get another job?

I have been in QA for a long time and written a lot of manuals that have details of what you need for calibrated tools. The issue of "Private Tools" comes up from time to time. The biggest thing is the contol issue and ensuring that the tools come back in when due for calibration. They run into the issue of having tools out there that may be used that are not calibrated. TC takes a dim view of a company that has used tools that were used when out of cal date. I have seen them recall aircraft and components to have the jobs recertified. I commend you on your decision to buy your own torque wrench, it's too bad that your DOM isn't progressive enough to support you. Good luck.

log sheet · Post by **log sheet** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:34 am

Hey ,First off you are not SOL. I'm not sure what A/C you are working on but I'm sure that something in its maintenance manual calls for a specific torque therefore there must be one in your shop. The fact that you went and bought your own to use at work show's your work ethic the fact that you DOM doesn't want to have it calibrated, well I guess thats his choice. You are the one doing the work so I'll give you this. Just say you change a component and re-installation calls for a specific torque. The A/C is pulled to the terminal and gets ramped by Transport. They pick up the logbook and see what was done last night and swing by your hanger and ask to see your torque wrench with a calibration sticker on it. Your shops is on a road trip the one in your box isn't calibrated.You are hooped because you did the work!
I know the chane of this ever happening is slim but what if it did? You DOM won't spend $100 bucks a year to calibrate your wrench. What do you think is going to happen when things go wrong? Guy's we need to start looking after ourselves. You can always get another job, but you cant get another license!
But as stated above I believe snap-on will calibrate it.

Spinner · Post by **Spinner** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:07 pm

If that is a brand new wrench from snap on then there should be a calibration certificate with it. If there is not then I would take it back to the dealer and tell him to stuff it.

There are better and cheaper places to get your calibrations completed then taking them to snapon. I believe the average snap on recert is around 50-60 dollars plus 25 dollars for a certificate! (but it is pretty)

brownbear · Post by **brownbear** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:35 pm

S.I.L. industries in Vancouver does calibrations for 40 bucks each I think. I just sent 3 torque wrenches to them.

They Have an AMO and also certify the wrench with a table.

But your AMO should do it(send it out). Not wanting to track it is fawking gay.

Next time your putting in plugs and his box is locked, just leave the plugs on the bench and call him in, "say sorry, cannot install".

If it's got wings · Post by **If it's got wings** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:56 pm

Aerocorp in YYC will Calibrate them thats where the company I work for sends mine, they calibrate it and it is up to me to track it.

tcas · Post by **tcas** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:16 pm

I suggest you take your torque wrench and get it calibrated. Keep it in your tool box and when you go to do a job and yours is away from base send the DOM to get his. If his is not available tell him for the nominal fee of $50 they can use yours. It will either be profitable or I believe he will be more thsn happy to track yours by the third or fourth use.

itismedd · Post by **itismedd** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:52 am

I had the same senerio with a company I used to work for. I had a torque wrench that I gave to the stores dept to get calibrated with theirs and they gave it back to me and the reason why was that as a requirement for the AMO to show Transport Canada tool control, Calibration control,blah blah blah. So where that was my torque wrench they couldnt control the calibration, and they didnt want a torque wrench being used that doesnt have a controlled calibration system in effect. Maybe the same reason as your DOM.

log sheet · Post by **log sheet** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:12 am

Very common and easy practice for a company to get your tools that require calibration, Tq wrenches, multimeters, whatever, into their system of tracking and send them for calibration. I've seen it done for years. Maby I've just been lucky enough to work for some decent outfits!
Cheers!

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