I stripped the T-nuts on my PM-1030V compound

[darkzero]

torqued to 41.3 Nm

Nm? What's that? Is that Nano Monkeys? Oh, wait, that's metric right? I'm in the US, we use shoe sizes but for the compound I use GG. 2 GGs to be exact. Gorilla Grunts.... 2 grunts is good enough for me.

 

[erikmannie]

Nm? What's that? Is that Nano Monkeys? Oh, wait, that's metric right? I'm in the US, we use shoe sizes but for the compound I use GG. 2 GGs to be exact. Gorilla Grunts.... 2 grunts is good enough for me.

When I set up my shop, the very first 2 tools that I bought were the large and small Park Tool torque wrenches. I have always been one to overtighten the fasteners. I lack finesse!

 

[darkzero]

When I set up my shop, the very first 2 tools that I bought were the large and small Park Tool torque wrenches. I have always been one to overtighten the fasteners. I lack finesse!

I see. I have never thought to use a torque wrench on any of my machine tools. I really only used my torque wrenches when I worked as an auto mechanic and on my own vehicles.

Not bad practice though if you tend to overtighten fasteners.

 

[mikey]

I have to ask - why the need to overtighten anything? Precision machined surfaces typically do not require excessive amounts of torque. In fact, too much torque often distorts things. Why are you doing this?

 

[erikmannie]

I have to ask - why the need to overtighten anything? Precision machined surfaces typically do not require excessive amounts of torque. In fact, too much torque often distorts things. Why are you doing this?

Most vehicles that I have worked on travel at high speeds, and I am afraid that a fastener could vibrate loose and cause injury or death.

A good mechanic knows not to overtighten a fastener. A hack mechanic will tighten it, and then tighten it extra to “make extra sure that it is tight enough”. I want to be a good mechanic, but I need a torque wrench to keep me reined in.

When I went to bicycle mechanic school (UBI), they said that most people need to use a torque wrench in order to get the torque within spec. Of course, many people think that they can obtain the proper torque spec without the use of a torque wrench. I have no doubt that a lot of people can do this; I am not one of them.

 

[erikmannie]

I have used this lathe to cut mild steel for at least 22 hours since I installed the new fasteners, and the compound hasn’t moved one iota; I can tell because I set it at exactly 30°. I am really happy about this.

Out of the 4 welders and 2 machine tools that I have, the lathe is far and away my favorite machine.