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Got a digital scale - Yikes!

Moon_Man

Moon_Man

The wheel is turning and you can't slow it down.
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Finally got a digital scale. Granted, it's a Harbour Freight Tools one, and it only cost me $10, but I expect that it will live up to it's claim of accuracy to 0.1 gram. That's enough for my current turntables.

Anyway, I tried it on a well cared for Technics P-mount. 1.25 setting was spot on. 1.5 was off. Good to know.

Tried it on my trusty PL-12D that's also been well cared for (I bought it in 1974). Yikes! The further I got away from 1.5 grams the worse it got. At 2 grams on the arm it showed well over that amount. I was surprised.

I haven't calibrated it yet. Hope that's not the issue. Where can I find a 200 g weight? If anyone has a good calibration trick, please let me know. Thanks.

Tom
 
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Pharmacy lab weight set.
Lab weight set.

Or if you're friendly with your local pharmacist...see if he can help you out.
 
200gms? No, at that scale 0.1g is the resolution, not the accuracy. My VTF scale maxes out at only 5gms with .01gm resolution.

These things tend to work better near the top end of capacity, so try adding some weight to it before taring the scale. If that doesn't help you'll need a proper VTF scale.
 
I have a similar unit and the calibration proceedure requires a 200gm mass, that's why the OP is looking for that weight.
He's trying to reset it.

Me..I'm a pharmacist with access to those precision weights, which is why I suggested maybe he get friendly with the local pharmacist on a slow night.

With regard to my electronic scale, I'm not sure I fully trust it for measuring stylus pressure because the platform is so high off the rubber mat.
My unit didn't come with a battery, instead it came with a 1gm weight. It measured 1.0something, which is close enough for the intended purpose. But again, I don't like that the platform is so high.
I feel more comfortable with something that takes it's reading closer to the mat, I think Shure makes something that looks like a see-saw with a sliding weight over a scale.
 
heyraz said:
I think Shure makes something that looks like a see-saw with a sliding weight over a scale.
Click to expand...
Yep...I have one. I like my little digital scale better, though both do a nice job.

My digital scale is a really small one, and I think it tops out at something like 100g or therabouts.
 
heyraz said:
I have a similar unit and the calibration proceedure requires a 200gm mass, that's why the OP is looking for that weight.
He's trying to reset it.

Me..I'm a pharmacist with access to those precision weights, which is why I suggested maybe he get friendly with the local pharmacist on a slow night.

With regard to my electronic scale, I'm not sure I fully trust it for measuring stylus pressure because the platform is so high off the rubber mat.
My unit didn't come with a battery, instead it came with a 1gm weight. It measured 1.0something, which is close enough for the intended purpose. But again, I don't like that the platform is so high.
I feel more comfortable with something that takes it's reading closer to the mat, I think Shure makes something that looks like a see-saw with a sliding weight over a scale.
Click to expand...


Take the mat off first
 
Some are more suitable than others. :music:

51lNqeERj2L.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-Digita..._SR160,160_&psc=1&refRID=ZBA37J6M2XZF96S845KT
 
heyraz said:
I have a similar unit and the calibration proceedure requires a 200gm mass, that's why the OP is looking for that weight.
He's trying to reset it.

Me..I'm a pharmacist with access to those precision weights, which is why I suggested maybe he get friendly with the local pharmacist on a slow night.

With regard to my electronic scale, I'm not sure I fully trust it for measuring stylus pressure because the platform is so high off the rubber mat.
My unit didn't come with a battery, instead it came with a 1gm weight. It measured 1.0something, which is close enough for the intended purpose. But again, I don't like that the platform is so high.
I feel more comfortable with something that takes it's reading closer to the mat, I think Shure makes something that looks like a see-saw with a sliding weight over a scale.
Click to expand...
A roll of nickels is 200g. The height induced difference is negligible. I posted test results a while back if you search.
 
Last edited:
Balifly said:
Some are more suitable than others. :music:

51lNqeERj2L.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-Digital-Turntable-Stylus-Force/dp/B00XC2AQN4/ref=pd_sim_267_17?ie=UTF8&dpID=51lNqeERj2L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_&psc=1&refRID=ZBA37J6M2XZF96S845KT
Click to expand...
I bought the Neoteck branded version of that scale. Yikes! indeed. The English translation on the little instruction card was barely legible or comprehensible. The scale would go to FULL immediately after turning on. Pressing the tare button did nothing. It would just go to FULL again. The calibration function did not work as instructed. I'd press and hold the button, and it would just go to FULL again.

On the very rare occasions where it would display a weight instead of FULL, it was when I was holding it in my hand when I turned it on. As soon as I set it down on the turntable platter, it went straight back to FULL.

They look cheaply made, and are probably all coming out of the same factory. I'm not touching another one of these again.
 
heyraz said:
I have a similar unit and the calibration proceedure requires a 200gm mass, that's why the OP is looking for that weight.
He's trying to reset it.

Me..I'm a pharmacist with access to those precision weights, which is why I suggested maybe he get friendly with the local pharmacist on a slow night.

With regard to my electronic scale, I'm not sure I fully trust it for measuring stylus pressure because the platform is so high off the rubber mat.
My unit didn't come with a battery, instead it came with a 1gm weight. It measured 1.0something, which is close enough for the intended purpose. But again, I don't like that the platform is so high.
I feel more comfortable with something that takes it's reading closer to the mat, I think Shure makes something that looks like a see-saw with a sliding weight over a scale.
Click to expand...

The height may not be an issue with most tonearms, but keeping it as close to normal running position would seem to make sense. I know that my WT arm is very picky about height when it comes to VTF. I think that the big silicone damping device is in play here. If I measure VTF at a different height (needle to platter height) I get a different answer. I have a block of wood that I set next to my platter that makes my scale surface the same as the platter height and I get good results that way. I have both the Shure scale and a digital scale, both work well, but I find that keeping everything aligned on the Shure one is pretty tough with the WT set-up (easier with a bearing pivot arm). I use the digital one most of the time anymore.
 
Mine seems to work fine.

I pulled off the platter and was able to get the scale at near level for the measurement.

Good to know about nickels. That should be just about right. Thanks.
 
Balifly said:
Some are more suitable than others. :music:

https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-Digital-Turntable-Stylus-Force/dp/B00XC2AQN4/ref=pd_sim_267_17?ie=UTF8&dpID=51lNqeERj2L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_&psc=1&refRID=ZBA37J6M2XZF96S845KT
Click to expand...

I have one of the above gauges among several other digital gauges, and also the Shure gauges (2 of them actually. I actually prefer the Shure gauges because of their consistency and accuracy. Let me qualify my use of the term accuracy here. What I am talking about is that I got the same/close/similar deviation from readings of the above mentioned digital gauge when I did a comparison. As a result I primarily use the Shure because it's quicker and easier for me. Further more, each of the six digital gauges that I have read differently. (.01-.025 for example, if memory serves me correctly). In summary after doing "stuff" I decided to use the one that match the Shure gauge the closest., so that I could have some sort of verification process in place. Even so this could just mean that both gauges "have the same error," but it works for me.

M~
 
I set my scale next to the platter and the height was close to the height of the surface of the record on the platter. The readings were spot on to the marking on my SL-1200's counterweight.
 
These are by far the nicest vintage analog style gauges that are purpose specific.
Did I mention also no batteries.

Better than 1/20 gram accuracy.


transcriptor_stylus_scale.jpg
 
totem said:
These are by far the nicest vintage analog style gauges that are purpose specific.
Did I mention also no batteries.

Better than 1/20 gram accuracy.


View attachment 833848
Click to expand...

That's pretty sweet! I have to keep my eyes open for that one.

I have a digital scale that works fine and is convenient plus a couple of plastic balance types but those mostly stay in a drawer.
 
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