Must've had this NORBAR for 40 years, and it was my old mans before that. Always zero'd after use but never calibrated. Wonder how far out it is?
I have it's baby brother, thinking about it, it's the same vintage. Bought new by yours truly... how did that happen Mine has never been calibrated either and like yours is wound down to the bottom of the scale after each use. It's an assumption for the lower values but I don't think it's wildly inacurrate as I tested it against my smaller Halfords advance torque wrench, for values with an overlap, and it seemed to be the same or as close, in my eyes, as makes no difference.
ive narrowed down my choices to either of a norbar or beta to replace a famex - anyone any experience of beta wrenches? their tech spec is scant on detail and in particular i want to know how many teeth the ratchet has and whether i should go for the electronic one or the analogue one https://www.norbar.com/products/vie...ategory_multid/470/range_multid/1565/id/22344 https://www.beta-tools.com/en/produ...ht-hand-tightening-torque-accuracy-177-3.html https://www.beta-tools.com/en/produ...igital-readout-for-right-hand-tightening.html
If I was spending significant money, for home use, I would buy analogue, as in 20 + years from now, it should be working exactly the same as it does today, simple to get calibrated and be fully supported by the manufacturer. For some work applications, the ability to send event, test or calibration info to a database etc can be useful, so electronic versions have a place, but you have to accept that in 5 to 10 years, tech will have moved on significantly and you will have to update the tools.
For home use I'd go for one that works on both L/H and R/H threads. L/H threads are 'rarer' but still a few that need torquing. Quite simple to have a 'switchable' ratchet end like the Norbar. Presumably manufacturing cost is why it's not a feature of the two Beta tools listed.
Ideally as others have mentioned, 3 is the magic number in no particular order, I have a Teng as my go to 1\4 for smaller values, Halfords advanced up to 80nm and a feck off big Snapon that goes to 340nm…. All great quality and used daily. The early Halfords professional ones were troublesome.
