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My decision to use a torque wrench on every fastener even when the old timers said I was wasting time
When I started at the regional airline hangar in Boise 6 years ago, the senior mechanics all told me to just tighten things by feel on things like panel screws and interior brackets. They said torque wrenches were for critical stuff only. I stuck with the torque wrench anyway because I figured the manual knows better than habit. Last month I had to redo a whole galley install because the guy before me overtorqued all the inserts. My stuff never comes loose or cracks. Has anyone else gone against the grain on this and had it pay off?
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abby_kim551d ago
My buddy Dave used to work at a Cessna dealer down in Phoenix, and he was the same way with torque wrenches on all the little stuff. His lead mechanic told him he was being too slow and costing them time. Then a year later, they had to strip an entire 172 interior because the previous installer had cranked down every screw until the plastic cracked. Dave's work was the only section that didn't need redoing, and the shop manager started backing him up after that. So yeah, you're not alone in thinking the manual is the right way to go.
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viola1711d ago
His work was the only section that didn't need redoing" that part really hits home. I had a buddy who worked at a mobile home repair shop, and he used a torque driver for all the cabinet hardware and electrical panel screws. The old guys laughed at him for being extra. But later on, they had a whole run of trailers where the screws kept stripping out in the same spots. His stuff was the only section that never had a callback. The shop foreman actually made a rule after that.
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