Scales

[koolkuna]

Hi guys I'm need to purchase some scales for grain and hop measurements. Looking for suggestions/ recommendations. I'm a partial/mini mash brewer. Hoping someone will help. Cheers

 

[MHB]

I have been eyeing off these or something similar on eBay
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/201728755998?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
10kg will cover most peoples grain bill
0.1g resolution is better than you need for hops, accurate for weighing small amounts of salts and even dry yeast.

I think they would do everything you need and will keep on being useful if you go all grain.
Mark

 

[Dae Tripper]

Get one of the 40kg units. These are great!
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-Kitchen-Food-Scales-Electronic-Weight-Postal-40KG-Scale-Fruit-Meat-T-/112387671204?hash=item1a2ad3c4a4

 

[koolkuna]

Very nice set of scales pricey though. I guess you get what you pay for. Thanks Mark. I put them on the list as an option

 

[klangers]

I use a 0.01g scale for my salts and hops. Was about $20 from memory - cheaper because it can only measure to 500g.

For malt, I just use cheap Big W spring kitchen scales. I might upgrade this soon though - a bit agricultural

 

[koolkuna]

The 40kg scales look great. I'll definitely keep them in mind Thanks Dae tripper

 

[earle]

I have one similar to this for hops and salts.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Small-Electronic-Travel-Digital-LCD-Balance-Weighing-Scales-0-1g-1000g-Precision-/292076287652?hash=item44011a76a4:g:bgwAAOSwx6pYrrDs

For grain I use a electronic kitchen scale from Aldi - was about $20 or so.

 

[ianh]

I have one similar to this for hops and salts.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Small-Electronic-Travel-Digital-LCD-Balance-Weighing-Scales-0-1g-1000g-Precision-/292076287652?hash=item44011a76a4:g:bgwAAOSwx6pYrrDs

For grain I use a electronic kitchen scale from Aldi - was about $20 or so.

I use a similar scale but 200 grams capacity and 0.01g as I find it better especially for small weights.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I also prefer separate scales. Digital. Jewellers scales for Hops and mineral salts ~ $15 with postage. I was very sceptical about such cheapness but they are spot on under every test I can give them. Sorry no link but easy to find on ebay. Even as low as $8.
I got the digital scales for grains off the shelf at keg king. Again cheap but good as far as I can test.
http://kegking.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=digital+scales

 

[Parks]

Get one of the 40kg units. These are great!
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-Kitchen-Food-Scales-Electronic-Weight-Postal-40KG-Scale-Fruit-Meat-T-/112387671204?hash=item1a2ad3c4a4

You can find these for about $40 delivered if you look. The battery in my first set just died after about 4 years and the second set of scales seems pretty spot on too.

 

[SBOB]

I've posted these before, but its what I got at the end of last year

I got these last year and they work well

Grain
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221797663221 (doesnt exist anymore)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/40KG-Kitchen-Scale-Digital-Commercial-Shop-Electronic-Weight-Scales-Food-White-/222237387302


Hops/Salts
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251625932345

 

[good4whatAlesU]

I'd be a bit wary of those claiming 0.01g accuracy, that level is usually reserved for laboratory balances - set up on level / stable surfaces (e.g. large heavy granite slabs) and /or with air shields.
0.1 gram is pretty close at the home scale level.

If you want a really small amount of something (trace element) best to make a stronger concentration first, then mix well and dilute down (series dilution).

 

[The hop cartel]

A little over a half a redback
Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/182473798827

 

[SBOB]

I'd be a bit wary of those claiming 0.01g accuracy, that level is usually reserved for laboratory balances - set up on level / stable surfaces (e.g. large heavy granite slabs) and /or with air shields.
0.1 gram is pretty close at the home scale level.

If you want a really small amount of something (trace element) best to make a stronger concentration first, then mix well and dilute down (series dilution).

yeah, the accuracy is clearly exaggerated, but a decent little 200g scale for under $10 is a deal.. I tested mine with coins as 'reference' weights and it was easily accurate to +/- 0.1g

 

[user 37368]

I got the really cheap and nasty 40kg deli style scales from ebay similar to above but around $36 delivered, and am happy to report they are spot on. Wasn't a legal power cord but meh.

They also have a battery which surprisingly works for the last 5 or 6 grain bills anyway.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/262149678702

 

[Glomp]

The scales I bought from ebay for about $15 are really quite accurate. They can be recalibrated using calibration weights. The calibration weights will also have some error in them but after calibration this is what I got. The supplier no longer sells them but they look identical to these for $16.95.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/500-0-01g-Kitchen-Digital-Scale-LCD-Electronic-Balance-Food-Weight-Pocket-Scales-/322372399411?hash=item4b0ee47133

Weight Reading (g)

500g 500.00
200g 200.00
100g 100.00
20g 20.00
10g 10.00
5g 5.00
2g 1.99
1g 0.99

My much abused and under $10 ebay 200g scales without calibration feature :

200g 200.38
100g 100.21
20 g 20.03
10g 10.02
5g 5.01
2g 2.00
1g 1.00


My 30kg scales with 5g accuracy. $40 but supplier doesn't sell them anymore but they look identical to these.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-Scales-Kitchen-Food-Electronic-Weight-Postal-Price-30KG-Scale-Fruit-Meat-/111517025280?hash=item19f6eec400:g:MNYAAOSwzrxUzLX-

Weight Reading (kg)

500g 0.5
200g 0.2
100g 0.1
20g 0.02
10g 0.01
5g 0.005
2g 0
1g 0

All are excellent for homebrewing and the scales that can be calibrated are probably overkill but they were still very cheap. You would also need to get a 500g calibration weight which adds another $11.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/182235352866?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[Parks]

I'd be a bit wary of those claiming 0.01g accuracy, that level is usually reserved for laboratory balances - set up on level / stable surfaces (e.g. large heavy granite slabs) and /or with air shields.
0.1 gram is pretty close at the home scale level.

If you want a really small amount of something (trace element) best to make a stronger concentration first, then mix well and dilute down (series dilution).

Just remember that precision and accuracy are two different things. These scales are likely accurate to +-0.5g but at least when they show in 0.01 precision you know rounding doesn't compound accuracy.

I have found all the cheap scales I've bought to be perfectly adequate. Even the drug scales to 0.01 precision have been within 0.02 when I test with calibration weights.

 

[Leyther]

One problem I find with some of these 7/10kg scales like these: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/182473798827?rmvSB=true is the physical size of them.

I weigh and place my grains in a 20L bucket prior to milling but that's about 30cm wide hence doesn't sit very well on these compared to a full size scale, not sure I trust my bathroom scales that much to use those either hence I usually weigh upto 1kg on the small kitchen scale then tip into the pail.

My kitchen scales go upto 2kg in 1g increments which is generally fine for hops but I've ordered on of those smaller scales that do sub gram which you need for water adjustments where your dealing in very small measures.

 

[koolkuna]

Thanks guys you have given me plenty of options. Cheers