Digital Scales or Triple Beam Balance

[HenryBurlingame]

I thought I had my old digital scale in storage, but when I went to get it out today to put it in the studio it looks like it is gone... so I am going to have to buy a new one...

I would like to use it for everything from 100g test batches to max 5 gallon buckets (so about 8000-10000g max). I have also had bad experiences in the past with cheap no-name digital scales from amazon etc. (inaccurate, non-repeatable, don't hold calibration, cheap build quality that only lasts a year or so, etc., etc.) so I am not interested in going that route.  It looks like the most inexpensive reputable brand is ohaus, so going through their scales the one that looks suitable and doesn't cost an arm and a leg is The Ohaus Scout SPX2201 (it is a 2200g x 0.1g scale). It is about $350 best price I could find, and then add a 2kg calibration weight and the total is going to be about $475-$500... 

For quite a bit less I could get an ohaus triple beam balance with all the bells and whistles. Benefit is they are 2610g x 0.1g so could do a bit more maximum weight and I imagine they would outlast any digital scale. .. However, I haven't used one in more than 20 years, so don't remember if they are fine to use or a pain to use compared to a digital scale.

Anyone actually prefer a triple beam balance to a digital scale?

[neilestrick]

For small test batches I use a digital 500g pocket scale. You can get them on Amazon for less than $10 and they work well. For full buckets I use a digital MyWeigh 50# postal scale. I have several triple beam scales in my studio that I haven't touched for years because they're slow and bulky. There's nothing we need to do with glazes that requires incredible levels of accuracy. Your average digital scale is more than accurate enough.

[akilpots]

been using one of these from amazon for going on 4 years now. it's held up great working like the first day i bought it. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083NQ9X5R/

[HenryBurlingame]

1 hour ago, akilpots said:

been using one of these from amazon for going on 4 years now. it's held up great working like the first day i bought it. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083NQ9X5R/

I was looking at that one (as well as the my weigh one I have seen some people using), but wasn’t sure how it would hold up, thanks for the post!

Wondering how many grams I need to do 5 gallon buckets without too much trouble… is the 3000g usually enough?

Edited July 26 by HenryBurlingame

[neilestrick]

58 minutes ago, HenryBurlingame said:

Wondering how many grams I need to do 5 gallon buckets without too much trouble… is the 3000g usually enough?

3000g is enough. I never weigh directly into the bucket, and I can't really fit more than that into the containers I weigh into.

[HenryBurlingame]

1 minute ago, neilestrick said:

3000g is enough. I never weigh directly into the bucket, and I can't really fit more than that into the containers I weigh into.

Good to know… would 2000g also be enough would you say?

[neilestrick]

5 minutes ago, HenryBurlingame said:

Good to know… would 2000g also be enough would you say?

That might get annoying. I have a lot of recipes with ingredients in the 2000g-2500g  range. If you get one with higher capacity, like 20#, you can use it for shipping, too.

[Min]

One thing I would look for in a digital scale is to get one that doesn't shut off after a couple minutes. First one I had did that, some of my bins take a little longer to get into so if I didn't get back to the scale in time to top up the amount of material needed it would shut off, very annoying.

FWIW I use this one for any material over a few hundred grams and this one for smaller amounts where I need more accuracy (like glaze test amounts). I use the first one for weighing out clay also.

[HenryBurlingame]

1 hour ago, Min said:

One thing I would look for in a digital scale is to get one that doesn't shut off after a couple minutes. First one I had did that, some of my bins take a little longer to get into so if I didn't get back to the scale in time to top up the amount of material needed it would shut off, very annoying.

FWIW I use this one for any material over a few hundred grams and this one for smaller amounts where I need more accuracy (like glaze test amounts). I use the first one for weighing out clay also.

OMG, I have one like this for weighing fertilizer and you can't turn off the auto shut-off. I'll be a little too slow cutting open a new bag or something and then all of my work measuring is gone. This is one of the reasons I was thinking triple beam... although looking at reviews of the newer ohaus triple beam balances its not looking so good, apparently quality has gone downhill.

Edited July 26 by HenryBurlingame

[Dick White]

I like the digital scales for ease of use. With the beam balance, you don't know where you are until you are past the mark, coming or going. The measuring tray is up, up, up, and then without warning, bang, it's down. Then you work your way up and down, up and down, until it begins to swing in the middle for the final pinch in or out. With the digital, you can see your progress toward the desired weight and slow down adding material as you get closer. Further, it was my experience with the Ohaus beams that the extreme accuracy was an urban myth. Working with several established community and college studios plus two that had been given to me by retiring potters, I had 6 or 7 at my disposal. Taking my digital scale calibration weight around, each beam balance gave me different readings.

I have two relatively inexpensive digital scales, and they are easier to store than a beam. One thing to remember about digital scales is the actual accuracy is actually +/- half the stated accuracy, i.e., stated accuracy of 0.1 gram is actually anywhere between 0.05 and 0.15 grams. The pocket size one accurate to 0.01 gram is good for small batches, especially since the colorants will need the extra digit. However, even though the maximum capacity of the smaller scale is 2kg, the physical scale is so small that with a bucket big enough to hold 2kg of material, the display is hidden under the edge of the bucket. My 5kg scale is nominally less accurate, but for the larger volumes, the extra accuracy to the milligram is irrelevant. And zeroing the scale for whatever different bucket/bowl laying around I grab is a snap; you have to use the same designated bowl for the beam balance. (Sometimes for very small amounts, I just use a scrap of paper as my "measuring bowl".)

[HenryBurlingame]

Very helpful, thanks so much! Looks like I’ll just be going digital then :-).
 

Ive narrowed it down to two scales… one that is 3200g X 0.01g and one that is 6100g X 0.1g. The settling time is a bit faster on the 6000g one and it has a few extra features, but otherwise they are about the same. I’m trying to decide if I want the accuracy of the 3000g or the maximum capacity and speed of the 6000g…

Edited July 26 by HenryBurlingame

[Mark C.]

I like the 5000 gram maximum as I use that a lot for large 10,000 gram batches. I biught several of the same sizelarge plastic wide tibs to tare off then dump the materials in. They all weigh the same. A few of my glazes use over 5,000 grams so I have to weigh that amount twice. The 5,000 works best for me.You do as noted need a small more acurate one for testinh small batchs. Amazon also sell a few that you can plug in a power supply to so batteries are not needed  although these scales go a long time on  a battery. I have one that I use for shipping that holds more weight 

[HenryBurlingame]

1 hour ago, Mark C. said:

I like the 5000 gram maximum as I use that a lot for large 10,000 gram batches. I biught several of the same sizelarge plastic wide tibs to tare off then dump the materials in. They all weigh the same. A few of my glazes use over 5,000 grams so I have to weigh that amount twice. The 5,000 works best for me.You do as noted need a small more acurate one for testinh small batchs. Amazon also sell a few that you can plug in a power supply to so batteries are not needed  although these scales go a long time on  a battery. I have one that I use for shipping that holds more weight 

Mark, do you ever find that you need 0.01g accuracy for anything (like when doing 100g test batches)?

[Mark C.]

I learned in glaze class 40 +years ago to make test batches larger than 100 grams for accuracy . I usually when testing use 500 gram batches. But yes a small accurate scake is needed-I use my old triple beam but now days I would never buy one for any reason  just get the small acurate digital scale. Digital scales save time and lots of it.

[HenryBurlingame]

You all are so helpful even with basic questions like this lol. Thanks for all the help. I went ahead and ordered an ohaus navigator that does 3200g x 0.01g. Should handle most everything with a couple of double measurements for larger batches. I realized one recipe I want to use calls for 0.02% chrome oxide, so decided on the more accurate over the larger max weight. Thanks again!