Overheard an apprentice call a torque wrench a 'clicky bar' and felt ancient

I'm 22 years in at a regional line in Boise, and last week this kid fresh out of school picks up my Snapon dial torque wrench and asks if the needle model still gets used. He'd only ever used digital or the click style. I showed him how to set it and let it sweep back and hold, and his face went blank. It got me thinking about how much of our trade is handed down by just watching someone do it, not from any manual. Has anyone else had a moment where a young mechanic made you realize an old trick is basically folklore now?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamesf2621d ago

Kid asked if the needle model was still used? That one stings a little. I mean, we used to set bearing preload with those things on everything from big rigs to farm equipment, and you could feel the drag through the needle. Now they treat it like some museum piece. Bet that same kid never had to hold a flashlight in his teeth while someone else checked a torque spec on a dark undercarriage either.

the_morgan20d ago

Fair point. Never thought of it that way, but you're right.