Thread: Digital Scales - What's a good higher end option?

Here's a starter, the difference between strain gauge balances (Hornady, Lyman Chargemaster etc) and magnetic force restoration balances (AnD, Sartorius).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89BOlViQXto

Originally Posted by Joe_90

In my soils testing laboratory the balances are one of the more expensive bits of gear. To get the precision and accuracy you won't get much change out of $1k unfortunately.
Ideally the balance needs to be on a solid isolated mount, free from any drafts and have a clean power supply.

For reloading I use an elderly pacific balance beam and a moderate size bucket of patience. Sorry, no help to you at all....

That's definitely the issue I'm up against. Part of the decision to move up in scales is the fact that I made the mistake of seeing if our work lab scales had a grain function then thinking about my home scale, so I've gotten used to a higher degree of precision/accuracy than is normally called for in reloading. Turned to the current digital as a way of speeding up with the balance beam acting as the safety check on the scale. I can usually get the second load done on the digital scale in about the same time as it takes the beam to settle, which has me working about as fast as I can without an automated self-feeding scale.

Originally Posted by garyp

In all of our chemistry labs at school we use 20 dollar digital scales, same for my reloading as they also have grains mode. No problems at all as they have little masses to check them .

I'm looking to push it a bit further than the low end digitals can - I might be wasting a lot of effort but it would be good to know what my options are and if it's worth it.

Originally Posted by keengunNic

Attachment 159553

A&D fx120-i, the ducks nuts, the cats pajamas. Brought my SD and ES waaaay down. Fast, accurate, and can be controlled by an app on your phone. Measures to 0.02 gr or one kernal of stick powder

I can believe that - you've got a rolls royce there!!! Also a bit out of my budget

Originally Posted by zimmer

Don't forget to mention that you have a $2300 set up there depending upon where you purchased.
@canross what is your stretched budget?

I'm stretched to justify a $900 scale from our lab supplier - I'd been hoping there might be something decent with $400 being a cap. I know there's a tiny bit of markup with them being a lab supplier, plus the markup that all items seem to experience from just existing in NZ over the customs and import costs so figuring out if there's a good scale that people recommend that I can source overseas.

Given that an accurate and precise scale measuring in grains isn't likely for $400, I'll probably hunt down a decent balance beam scale and accept the loss of time rather than drop more money on a higher end digital scale that I can't really justify.

Originally Posted by Steelisreal

That really deserves a 'Reloading Gear porn' thread...

I'm also curious what is considered the best of the non-dispenser digital scales?

Me too.

Originally Posted by zimmer

Here's a starter, the difference between strain gauge balances (Hornady, Lyman Chargemaster etc) and magnetic force restoration balances (AnD, Sartorius).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89BOlViQXto

This is definitely the issue here - just because a scale reads to one or two decimal places doesn't mean it's true or even consistently wrong No sense in obsessively measuring loads with a scale that's swinging wildly in actual weights without telling you.
@zimmer - I take it this' your job or related to your job?