My torque wrench habit caught me slipping on a hydraulic line

Swapped my old beam style for a click type last month after a Gulfstream job in Tucson. Thought I had it down, didn't bother checking the calibration sticker, turns out it was 15 ft-lbs off. Snapped a banjo fitting clean in half, $220 part, two days of downtime. Now I mark the due date on the handle with a sharpie, has anyone else had a calibration shop screw up their stuff?

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1 Comment

casey_wood24d ago

That 15 ft-lbs off is a big deal, especially on a banjo fitting. But I have to say, a sharpie date on the handle is only half the story. Most calibration shops put a fresh sticker right on the tool, and it sounds like yours might have missed it or the old one got wiped clean during the swap. I'd also keep the paperwork from the last calibration in a zip bag with the wrench if you can. That way you have the exact reading and date, not just a marker that can rub off. And for what it`s worth, I check mine against a beam style every six months or so, it takes two minutes and catches a bad clicker before it costs you a part.