Improving An Angle Tightening Attachment

Jacques Maurel improves an inexpensive but unreliable angle gauge

- Jacques Maurel

How it works

We often want to measure a tightening angle after the contact of the screw head with its mating part, a common way of applying a suitable screw tension without using a torque wrench. The accessory shown in photo 1 is readily available, but of cheap construction.

The attachment body (1) is basically a standard male/female 1/2” square junction, photos 2 & 3.

A socket is set on the male square to suit the tightened screw head, the driving “T” handle is set in the female square. A Perspex flange (3) carrying an index is linked to the body but with a moderate friction lock (due to a o-ring (2) so that it can be set to “0”. A protractor is drawn on a flange (4) being free to turn around the body. A stop rod 5 is set on this flange that must be fixed for angle measuring.