: And we want it to be more sensitive? The problem was no warning when you are
: about to overpour.
Hang an additional small weight on the side of the balance beam that you pour your resin or hardener into. When the beam starts to tilt you are close to the exact amount. Remove this weight and add enough, slowly, to reach your desired amount. A fishing tackle box should yield enough weight -- anything from a few pieces of split shot to an old lure. Dull fishhooks with the barb removed are easy to hang and remove from your balance beam.
If you want to get fancy, "calibrate" your balance beam by marking it along the length of the balance arm. Align your weight(s) at various places along the length, depending on the amount of resin you are mixing. If you are mixing a small amount, the weight will be closer to the center of the beam, and for a large quantity you move the weight further to the end. Just make a few marks at appropriate locations.
My scale for reloading shotgun shells has a small, weak, flat, spring under the side of the balance that has the weight. As the amount of gunpowder on the other side comes close to matching the deisred weight the spring gently pushes the weight side up a small amount. This movement gives an indication that you are approaching the desired weight. You pour a bit more slowly after that to get the precise amount. You might try adding a spring beneath your balance beam to do the same thing.
Electronic postal scales are reasonably priced at discount stores and office supply stores, and have accuracy to 1/10th of an ounce. Mine weighs items to over 64 ounces, as I found when I tried making a prototype Greenland-style paddle from a particularly heavy and dense fir 2x4. The rough cut came in at 64 ounces. Next time I'll spend a few cents more and buy a cedar 2x4 for the real paddle.
I have a small pocket scale for mail which I picked up years ago at the local postoffice. It is a simple device that looks like an artist's French curve, with a hole in it to suspend it, and a wire for a plumb bob hanging down to indicate the weight. It should be simple to enlarge something like this and cut it out of a sheet of particleboard or 1/4 inch (or thicker) plywood for measuring the amounts of resin. carefully measure one batch and mark the scale in the right places. As the amount in your cup gets close to what you need the plumb bob will show it. There is a picture of this below which you can use for a guide, but I doubt the exact shape is important. You can probably cut this freehand with a sabre saw. I think something about a foot long, overall, should be good for most large batches of resin.
PGJ
Messages In This Thread
- Epoxy: mixing by weight - scales
Don Beale -- 12/27/2001, 5:46 pm- How I mix small quantities
Charlie Jones -- 12/28/2001, 9:46 am- Another method for small quantities
Brian Nystrom -- 12/28/2001, 1:25 pm- Re: Another method for small quantities
Doug -- 12/28/2001, 4:20 pm- Re: Another method for small quantities
Dick Lemke -- 1/1/2002, 8:40 pm
- Re: Another method for small quantities
- Re: How I mix small quantities
Don Beale -- 12/28/2001, 10:08 am - Re: Another method for small quantities
- Beam scale sensitivity
Pete Roszyk -- 12/27/2001, 7:21 pm- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Don Beale -- 12/27/2001, 10:05 pm- Re: Beam scale sensitivity *Pic*
Paul G. Jacobson -- 12/28/2001, 12:25 am- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Don Beale -- 12/28/2001, 1:20 am- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Tom Johansen -- 12/28/2001, 2:01 am- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Don Beale -- 12/28/2001, 10:20 am- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Tom Johansen -- 12/29/2001, 5:02 am- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Don Beale -- 12/29/2001, 11:54 am- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Paul G. Jacobson -- 12/29/2001, 2:22 pm
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Al Gunther -- 12/28/2001, 3:55 pm- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
Don Beale -- 12/28/2001, 7:51 pm
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity
- Re: Beam scale sensitivity *Pic*
- Another method for small quantities
- How I mix small quantities