Switched from manual torque wrenches to digital and I was dead wrong about them

I spent years swearing by my old Craftsman click-style torque wrenches. Thought digital ones were just gadgets for guys who didn't trust their own feel. Then my partner at the shop bought a CDI digital model for a job on a 737 flap actuator last month. I made fun of him for it until he let me try it on a stubborn bolt where the click never felt right. That thing beeped and showed exact readings down to the tenth. I ended up borrowing it for three more fasteners that day. Now I'm looking at getting one for myself even though it hurts my pride a little. Anyone else made the switch and found it actually saves time on nickel-titanium hardware?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmawood2mo ago

Huh. Does the beep get annoying on loud jobs?

williams.jenny2mo ago

Everything beeps at you now, it's wild.

grantf731mo ago

Honestly the beep is barely noticeable once you're deep in a job. I was stubborn about it too until I torqued a titanium bolt that felt totally wrong compared to the same spec on steel. Digital caught it before I cranked too far. Now I trust the numbers more than my hands on anything expensive.