Favorite Torque Wrench or Screwdriver

[Rocketvapor]

What did you choose for a Torque Driver for mounting Rings, Bases, and Scopes?
Did you base your choice on Price, Reviews, Accuracy or some other criteria?
Do you accept the Calibration Certificate supplied, send it in for periodic re-calibration, ignore calibration as it really doesn't matter with many brands of scopes have no-fault lifetime warranties?
Was your Torque Driver/Wrench calibrated in China, Germany, Philadelphia? 
What if you take it into space, BTW I have calibrated Torque Wrenches that have been used in space.
Flo's reading material often takes her into space and other planets but I don't think she is concerned about torque wrenches.

So, what is Torque, and does it matter for general purpose applications like $2000 scopes, $200 rings/mounts?
Do you have a Favorite driver you trust?  Just how accurate is it now that it is a few years old?
Torque is a FORCE, somewhat related to WEIGHT.  Spring Scales, Load Cells, and some Torque wrenches can be Calibrated in Torque units OR Weight units.  Just what would make one application differ from another?  How about Gravity (Local Gravity)?
Some will counter with 'Doesn't matter because Torque can't be applied with any real accuracy' or 'Lubed Vs Dry Threads' but if you payed for an accurate Torque device (based on Youtube reviews or Amazon feedback ratings) why not KNOW it is correct?

How about a home calibration method that won't cost an arm/leg, is EASY to perform, and will likely be more accurate than your Snap-On in/lb wrench you bought second hand off of E-Bay?
A CHEAP way to check your own Torque Driver at the values that matter, like 15 to 17 in/lbs, 30 in/lbs, 45 in/lbs.
Maybe setting action screws searching for the perfect combination of Front/Rear action screw torque?

The $20 Beam Torque Wrench sold by many bike and auto performance shops (and Amazon). 
Center to center distance from 1/4" drive to ball handle is 10.5".  With good eyesight can be read to about an inch pound, zero can be 'adjusted' with bending the pointer.  Can be used to measure things like bearing preload, running torque, has no batteries, and is only slightly temperature dependent.

Home calibration can be accomplished with Dead Weights or a Digital Scale with only a Local Gravity compensation.
What is your Local Gravity?
Check here by city/zipcode:
https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=gravitational+acceleration+%5B%2F%2Fplace%3Anew+orleans%2F%2F%5D
Or by Lat/Long/Elevation:
https://www.sensorsone.com/local-gravity-calculator/

You may find that your local gravity is less than a percent different than Standard Gravity and cause negligible error without compensation.
Mine is about 0.133% low.  Would NOT matter for at home calibrations, but would for Calibration Labs trying for accurate force measurements.


Test Question
Why is Denver Local Gravity
HIGHER @ 9.79669 than New Orleans @ 9.79324?

[Rocketvapor]

OK, so what about this home calibration Rocket speaks of?
Postal scale, Weight, arm length, local gravity compensation (if needed).
Would I trust a $20 torque wrench without testing it? Never.


and using this beam wrench to check Torque Screwdrivers?

[ramblin84]

My tools of choice, not rated by NASA or mil-specs but satisfactory for my run-of-the-mill use.

Warne slip T-15 driver, Tekton 1/4" driver, and Fix-it Sticks driver.

[LESchwartz]

I use the Wheeler:  https://www.wheelertools.com/gunsmithing-tools/wrenches-and-screwdrivers/f.a.t.-wrench-with-10-bit-set/553556.html

Larry

[Danjal]

Why is Denver Local Gravity HIGHER than New Orleans?

Distance from the equator is greater for Denver so it gets higher gravity. It's elevation lowers the felt gravity, but not enough to overcome the distance from the equator.