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looking for scale recommendations

updated sun 18 jan 04

 

wayneinkeywest on fri 16 jan 04


George:
I bought a triple beam balance scale (new, made in China) from this group a
few months ago (via Ebay) for less than $70.
Had no problem with delivery, or the product. I can recommend them as being
up front. They do what they say they will.

Personally, I like the 3beam. Never needs batteries, readings don't go
wacko if it gets wet, or too cold, or hot. But that's MHO.

Wayne Seidl

Hi All,

Looking for recommendations for best (digital?) scale for the money. Would
like to know that there is an absolute accuracy better than 0.2 Gram but
also
read a maximum weight of over 1 KG.

I've been doing some catalog reading and internet searching.

The "best deal" that I think I have found to this time seems to be:

iBalance 1200 with 1200Grams Max, and 0.1G accuracy
and a price of $105 before S&H (30 Yr Warranty ?!)

found at: http://saveonscales.com/i500.html

but I have never heard of this brand (or this site). I have used OHaus and
know
that name to be associated with quality (even if some models made in China).
However, feature for feature this iBalance seems as good or better with a
lower
price.

Additional questions:
1. A common option on these scales is a calibration mass. Is
this a
good idea?

2. Do some folks still recommend the triple beam as the way to
go?

3. Recommended websites for buying/shopping scales?


Thanks for any input,


george koller
sturgeon bay, wi - door county
northport, mi - leelanau county



two great places separated by 100 miles of great lake.

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Susan Giddings on fri 16 jan 04


George,


I think this is extremely similar to a scale I use (at work, too.) Great price! The one I have also has an RS232 and 10BaseT ports. The one at work is hooked to the crib computer, haven't taken care of that yet for the one at home.


Both scales were originally puchased for shop use in the crib. (Weigh 1 item, weigh a bag of them and multply out for total quantity in stock). We ended up replacing one scale (that I acquired) with one that was highly precise to weigh gold and braze paste. Even though these were incredibly accurate, we just couldn't run the risk of discrepancy with materials that was $400/ounce (or more even).


Anyway, the digital scales for kitchen use (well under $50) are notoriously inaccurate - I think they can vary by as much as 10%. I much prefer digital. It sort of fell into my lap so I just bought it from work. I know the triple beam balance OHaus are the standard, but I just prefer the ease of use with these digitals. The calibration tool is important only to verify the accuracy of the scale. If you have something that you KNOW weighs a precise amount, that's all you need. An exact cup of water will work just fine, but you do need to know your elevation and use distilled water for extreme accuracy. I use the OHaus weights to calibrate mine. (At work our inspection department handles all calibration and I really don't know specifically what they use, but it's a standard weight item.) I can tell you that these scales cost a goodly amount of money! Quite a bit more than an OHaus. If I remember correctly they were around $1,000  a few years back. They could have been even more. I know people get very proficient with the triple beam balance, but I wasn't one of those. As far as I'm concerned, nothing can be quicker than a digital!  Plus the computer interface&n

bsp;is important for maintaining a high level of accuracy. I was going to write an interface program to Insight (Digital Fire) to load in recipes right from the PC and then verify weight once that ingredient is weighed out. A good project for my spare time (NOT! - do enough of it at work all day. I have pots to make at night!)


So I'm thinking it sure sounds good and the price is right, why not? But then again I never did like or get comfortable using the manual alternative....


>1. A common option on these scales is a calibration mass.<


Well, you need some way of knowing how accurate it is. Don't know how expensive this can be, but ANY mass that you know the exact weight of will work. And you really don't need to calibrate it ALL the time. If it stays in one place and you keep it clean, it should be OK indefinitely but you'd want to check it after a period of time (3 months?) If you constantly move it around and it's left in the open where dust can collect and stuff can spill on it, then you'd need to check it before each use just to be sure of the accuracy of the glaze batch. It depends pn how exacting you are (or want to be).

Hope this helps!
S


------------------
Susan Giddings
Daytime phone: 860-687-4550
Cell phone: 860-930-8813

 


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George Koller on fri 16 jan 04


Hi All,

Looking for recommendations for best (digital?) scale for the money. =
Would
like to know that there is an absolute accuracy better than 0.2 Gram but =
also
read a maximum weight of over 1 KG. =20

I've been doing some catalog reading and internet searching. =20

The "best deal" that I think I have found to this time seems to be: =20

iBalance 1200 with 1200Grams Max, and 0.1G accuracy
and a price of $105 before S&H (30 Yr Warranty ?!)

found at: http://saveonscales.com/i500.html

but I have never heard of this brand (or this site). I have used OHaus =
and know
that name to be associated with quality (even if some models made in =
China). =20
However, feature for feature this iBalance seems as good or better with =
a lower
price.

Additional questions:
1. A common option on these scales is a calibration mass. =
Is this a=20
good idea? =20

2. Do some folks still recommend the triple beam as the =
way to go?

3. Recommended websites for buying/shopping scales?

=20
Thanks for any input,


george koller
sturgeon bay, wi - door county
northport, mi - leelanau county



two great places separated by 100 miles of great lake.

Carol Tripp on sat 17 jan 04


Hi George,
I wrote the following to Clayart two years ago:
"I use a triple beam Ohaus in the pottery for glaze making and an expensive
digital Ohaus in the kitchen to weigh out food for two children on rigorous
medical diets. The kitchen one is good to 2000gm and weighs in 1 gm
increments. It has been replaced (graciously and quickly) by Ohaus twice in
the past 18 months even though this involves mailing replacements to me in
Dubai. Yes, the digital one is fast and easy but it does not strike me as
being very robust. Accurate, yes, able to last for years, no. Your mileage
may vary."
The digital is holding up but I still think that a triple beam is best for
glaze work, UNLESS, you do lots and lots of small tests and in that case,
investing in a digital to be used only for these light weight tests might be
justified.
Best regards,
Carol

George wrote, in part:
>Looking for recommendations for best (digital?) scale for the money. Would
>like to know that there is an absolute accuracy better than 0.2 Gram but
>also
>read a maximum weight of over 1 KG.
>

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Earl Krueger on sat 17 jan 04


George,

You didn't mention anything about the SENSITIVITY of the scales you
have been looking at (ability to detect a change in mass). This is at
least as important a parameter as the accuracy. If a particular scale
has an accuracy of 0.1 gram but a sensitivity of 1 gram, I don't think
you would like it very much.

Mettler Toledo ( http://www.mt.com ) has some documentation on the
uncertainties of weighing which you may want to check out. Especially
if you like math.

Earl...
Bothell, WA, USA

Marcia Selsor on sat 17 jan 04


I watch for such things on Labx.com which sells lab equipment, materials
and all types of goodies. I alerted some clayarters to it last year when
there were 3 Ohaus triple beam balance scales for sale there.
They are the standard by which most people mix glazes IMHO.
Good luck,
Marcia

>
>
>

Scott Ackerman on sat 17 jan 04


Watch e-bay for Sartorious scales. They are very, very heavy duty =
scales.
The problem with small digital scales is the size of the top plate, you =
just
can't reliably weigh larger amounts with them (I have an Acculab 1.2 kg =
that
I bought for mixing small test batches initially). I picked up a =
Sartorius
that measures from .1 to 12kg and is totally waterproof and sealed. It =
has a
10 ft. cable for the display which can be mounted on the wall, an RS-232
interface, leveling feet and a leveling bubble and the whole thing is =
about
12" x 16" and weighs about 30lbs., the list on it is $2800, and I picked =
it
up for $425.00. It is truly an industrial scale. Yes, that is a lot more
than an inexpensive Chinese model but the best that you can ever hope =
for is
to get what you pay for.

"Every improvement in the standard of work men do is followed swiftly =
and
inevitably by an improvement in the men who do it" - William Morris

=20
Scott Ackerman
1133 Riverside
Suite B
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-231-9035

-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of George =
Koller
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 7:44 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Looking for Scale recommendations

Hi All,

Looking for recommendations for best (digital?) scale for the money. =
Would
like to know that there is an absolute accuracy better than 0.2 Gram but
also
read a maximum weight of over 1 KG. =20

I've been doing some catalog reading and internet searching. =20

The "best deal" that I think I have found to this time seems to be: =20

iBalance 1200 with 1200Grams Max, and 0.1G accuracy
and a price of $105 before S&H (30 Yr Warranty ?!)

found at: http://saveonscales.com/i500.html

but I have never heard of this brand (or this site). I have used OHaus =
and
know
that name to be associated with quality (even if some models made in =
China).

However, feature for feature this iBalance seems as good or better with =
a
lower
price.

Additional questions:
1. A common option on these scales is a calibration mass. =
Is
this a=20
good idea? =20

2. Do some folks still recommend the triple beam as the =
way to
go?

3. Recommended websites for buying/shopping scales?

=20
Thanks for any input,


george koller
sturgeon bay, wi - door county
northport, mi - leelanau county



two great places separated by 100 miles of great lake.

_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Joyce Lee on sat 17 jan 04


ok
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marcia Selsor"
To:
Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2004 6:23 AM
Subject: Re: Looking for Scale recommendations


> I watch for such things on Labx.com which sells lab equipment, materials
> and all types of goodies. I alerted some clayarters to it last year when
> there were 3 Ohaus triple beam balance scales for sale there.
> They are the standard by which most people mix glazes IMHO.
> Good luck,
> Marcia
>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.