Digital Scale For Weighing Engine Parts

[ModelTWoods]

I'm going to buy a digital scale to weigh pistons, rods, etc. I have found one for a reasonable price that has guaranteed accuracy to one gram. Its maximum weight capacity is 5000 grams or 12.5 lbs. Seems like this ought to suffice. Thoughts?

[Allan]

Sounds good to me. I use our wool scales which go up to 15kg, but have the same degree of accuracy. Just make sure they are level in use.
Allan from down under.

[TRDxB2]

I'm not sure what you are planning to us it for and what you consider is a reasonable price. I bought a scale similar to this for about the same price delivered.. It self zero's when turned on and the separate display is very convenient when weighing items larger than the platform.
There are even less expensive scales with the same range of accuracy. I was within an ounce of a FedEx scale for a 32lbs package

[Philip]

harbor freight has one it works great about 30.00

[TonyB]

I bought a 10 pound capacity digital scale from Harbor Frieght and was disappointed as the repeatability was not very good, certainly outside the specification. I traced the problem to positioning of the item on the scale. When I weighed something in the middle it would read differently than if the item was put at the edge.
I was tying to weight T connecting rods so I traced it with a felt pen on the scale so each rod would be in the same position. The scheme worked but I was not happy with the results.

[Barry Loucks]

A triple beam balance is what you want. For the application of weighing parts for balance it isn’t so much what they weigh, but that they weigh the same. A triple beam balance can get you to 1/10 of a gram.
Personally I don’t trust a digital readout in this application. There’s rounding that occurs in some instruments with digital readouts.
Just my experience...

[Adam]

The digital scale I bought for balancing parts about 15 years ago was over $300 and I did a lot of looking for the best one for the money. It has resolution of 0.1 gram and repeatability is excellent.

[Susanne]

I have a kitchen scale that reliably goes to 0.1 g. I got from one of the online kitchen supply houses (originally for weighing flour - fresh bread, anyone?? )... it has a decent sized platform, and I check it against known weights and is (apparently) still accurate... It has a maximum of 11 Kg, I can't speak to how accurate it is up near the top, but anything piston or rod end wise it hasn't lied... yet.

I agree, tho, that although slow and tedious compared to electronic, if you want super-accurate, get a 3 beam.

[RajoRacer]

I remember triple beam scales - had one 50 years ago but I wasn't weighing car parts !

[Togltorfab]

So, did you buy that digital scale? Is it any good? I also found a digital scale for weighing engine parts, but I'm pretty sceptical about it. I cannot believe that it's so exact as the good old tools. I might be mistaken because I actually have a great digital bathroom scale, and it works perfectly! Moreover, I got it for a pretty low price, and I have already had it for more than five years, and I have to tell you that I'm surprised it didn't die yet. And it also has some insane features that help me control my weight.

[Sean Butler]

Steve! Hmmm... Seems we snuck ours out of the HS science lab. If we'd known then that we could also use it to match/weigh T parts !

[Henry K. Lee]

You can buy a quality one from Speedway Motors for around $80.00. Been using one for years with no problems. Don't cut corners and money and question whether it is accurate. They stand behind their stuff and so does companies like Summit, Jegs, etc. Check their ratings..., just sayin'.

If you are weighing rods, you need a bob weight fixture to get them on the money.

Hank

[Art M]

I have had a triple beam mechanical scale for about 35 years. It is accurate to .1 gram and it comes in handy quite often.

Art Mirtes