Powder scale rcbs balance beam bad?

[N2TRKYS]

I don't understand how a correctly functioning balance beam scale can be inconsistent? Could you explain please? I'm always open to learning something. I've been using the same rcbs scale for probably nearly 50 years. Besides the tab on the pan breaking off and having to recalibrate for a different pan, it has always been dead nuts. I ran across the original box for it yesterday and it had a $44.00 price tag on it!

It would never read the same thing twice. That juice wasn’t worth the squeeze for me. I switched to a digital scale and it’s been much more consistent. Problem solved.

 

[Redmt]

It would never read the same thing twice. That juice wasn’t worth the squeeze for me. I switched to a digital scale and it’s been much more consistent. Problem solved.

Every digital I have used is temp sensitive and cannot tolerate any type of air movement. They were way too sensitive. Maybe I should have gotten a cheap dopers scale!

 

[N2TRKYS]

Every digital I have used is temp sensitive and cannot tolerate any type of air movement. They were way too sensitive. Maybe I should have gotten a cheap dopers scale!

I don’t reload outside, so I’ve never had a temp or airflow problem.

 

[Redmt]

I don’t reload outside, so I’ve never had a temp or airflow problem.

I guess I'm spoiled. My reloading/gun shop has its own heat and AC unit. I'm glad to hear that you don't reload outside. Rain, snow and gale force wind could effect your loads.

 

[ImBillT]

Depending upon how fine of a weight measurement the jeweler did, i'd be willing to bet that by the time you put them in the pill bottle, then your pocket, walked to your car turned around, walked back in, removed them from the pill bottle and reweighed them that they would be slightly different.

Do you really never wonder why check weights are packaged so they are not hitting into each other, or anything else?

Have you thought about how much of a dime would have to be missing to drop .1gr? I’d be surprised if you could drop .1gr in an hour of shaking that bottle. If you shook the bottle 24/7/365 for a year and told me they still weighed the same I’d be less surprised than if they changed weight going from the store to home. What would shock me the least is if the fine weighed three different weights simply weighing all the coins three times consecutively. The A/C system coming on, breathing on the scale, static from your clothes, etc. make a scale read .1gr or more different. Coins scratching in your pocket won’t.

 

[bluegrassdan]

How can a balance scale go wonky if it was accurate at one time? I'm definitely not disagreeing but I don't understand how a balance beam could fail?
BTW, I don't trust anything digital when measurements are critical. I have a digital protractor for measuring angles. It can vary a few degrees depending on what kind of mood it is in.

If the pivot points or the knife edge on the beam that rides in the pivot point gets dusty or dirty, it transfers that friction to the beam and the weight is off, not much but noticeable. I clean mine with pure IPA and a optical swab (leaves no fibers). I also have mine set up to be as close to eye level as practical and have a magnifying glass looking at the zero point on the scale and beam.

 

[Redmt]

I have the scale now. First observation was that it didn't survive the USPS delivery very well. The brass guide was bent excessively making it drag on the guide slot at the measurement pointer. Next observation was that it only has 2 weight adjustments instead of the older scales with 3. The scale has very fine notches for the adjustment weights that are slightly worn a fairly hard to center into accurately. The fine adjustment weight was tweaked some making it difficult to locate easily and it would move if bumped. After cleaning it up, straightening the bent stuff, and accurately placing the adjustment weights, I found it to be accurate. I compared it with my weight standards, compared it to my other old RCBS scale and to my RCBS digital. It was dead on throughout the range it was made for. This is my old scale with 3 points of adjustment instead of 2.