Old mechanic in Tampa told me my torque wrench was garbage and handed me his Snap-on

I was double checking a landing gear bolt on a 737 last month and this gray haired guy just walks up. He watches me for a second, then says "that Craftsman is off by at least 10 foot pounds, trust me." I laughed it off but he insisted I try his Snap-on on the same bolt. Sure enough, the readings were different by about 8 ft-lbs. I ended up buying my own after that shift. Has anyone else had a random mechanic call out their tool accuracy like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

dylan_ward11d ago

Calibration drift happens to every brand over time, that's just basic physics. A random old guy with a Snap-on that hasn't been recalibrated in years could be just as wrong as your Craftsman.

david_palmer11d ago

Man, that's wild. I totally feel for you having to find out like that, must have been a little embarrassing in the moment. It's a good reminder that even good tools can drift over time, and getting a second opinion from a seasoned guy can save your bacon.

thomasb4111d ago

Wait that old timer actually had a Snap-on that never got recalibrated? That's kinda hilarious honestly, if you're gonna trust a guy's tool you'd think it'd be the one that's been babied.