Torque developed by thumb and finger
Torque developed by thumb and finger
(OP)
How much torque can an average man develop when tightening a #6-32 nut, using just his thumb and first finger? The nut is 5/16" hex and 1/2" tall. It is a coupling nut. I am using a tall coupling nut instead of regular height nut, so I can get more torque on it. I may also use a hex thumb screw. The hex on that is about the same as on the coupling nut. The coupling nut is a little taller, so it lets you get a better grip. I dont think it will really matter, but the material is zinc plated steel and there is no lubricant being used. Please site references if you have some. Thanks for the help.





RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
Take one of the screws in question, screw it into a handy piece of wood, put the shank on a knife edge (read: the side of a ruler or just about any other object in an office), and then twist the screw as hard as is reasonable against either a spring balance hooked into a hole drilled into your piece of wood, or a set of weighing scales, or a known mass, etc etc.
Ask half a dozen people in your office to do it and take the weakest or strongest or whatever is relevant to your issue.
If greasy hands/wet hands/towels to increase friction or something like that is a factor, remember to include it in your test.
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
Am I the typical ignoramus from whom we (you and I) need to be protect the nut and threads against mis-handling? (And cross-threading.)
Do I "really" want to put some energy into that nut and so will tighten my hand and wrist, am I a car nut or trained user who knows how firmly that nut must tightened to work right, or am I an instrument tech who cares for his tools and his delicate wiring?
Buy a light-weight (inch-pound or less) torque wrench and measure the back-force by at least 12 people 4 times each.
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
I resorted to me and a lab tech measuring the torque we could generate (his was a got bit higher than mine) applying a significant safety factor and going from there.
Is your concern being able to attain a minimum torque required or a maximum torque exerted?
Also remember torque required to remove a nut (especially if it's been on there a while) will tend to be more than that you installed it with.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
Average man or average person?
--
JHG
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
http://www.kipp.com/xs_db/DOKUMENT_DB/www/KIPP_DE_...
http://www.carrlane.com/catalog/index.cfm/27825071...
TTFN

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RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
i guess "not much" isn't precise enough ?
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
Chris, CSWA
SolidWorks 14
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
In JR high shop class I could not tighten the thumbscrew on the jigsaw enough to hold the blade. I got a small crescent wrench. What the unfortunate shop teacher got was the chance to figure out how to remove the fragment that was left. Good times.
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
That's an order of magnitude less than CoryPad's 1.5 Newton meter figure.
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
See thread http://eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=362357
rp--[Running away while ducking various torque wrenches being thrown at me]
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
Hoever if the operator has a pair of pliers in their pocket, all bets are off.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger
RE: Torque developed by thumb and finger