Mixing by Weight - Are You ??

[devilchasnme]

To the one who bought the ebay scale --- don't forget you need a 500 gram calibration weight, it can be calibrated I hope..

Hey, JulesXsmokr!

I think you were talking to me. I bought the 500g x .01g scale off ebay.

I thought about trying to measure the accuracy. So I priced calibration weights, the real ones are very expensive. But how do I check the accuracy of the weight itself? By finding an accurate and calibrated scale. Don't know where one of them is.

There are cheaper calibration weights where the inaccuracies are known and reported by people who have checked their weights on accurate and calibrated scales...

I spent an hour or so looking into all this but just for curiosity sake... because there's no way to calibrate this scale.

So my conclusion was the same as those who commented above. It doesn't really matter as long as the inaccuracy is relatively consistent.

And I've been using this scale and have been making some nice juice, Easily with NO Cleanup! It takes less than 10 minutes to take the scale out of the box, do a 30ml batch and put the scale back in the box. Done!

Try that you volume measurers!

btw, I love your avatar. Dean Martin was cooler than Steve McQueen!

 

[rowdyplace]

I have an extra 50g calibration weight that I will send to someone, (and pay the shipping) to check their scale with. BUT, that person has to promise to use it, publish their results here, and then ship it on to the next person requesting it. Each person pays the OUTGOING freight.

Nevermind... These things are between $3 and $5 on eBay...

50g Gram Stainless Steel Electronic Balance Calibration Weights Flat Sliver | eBay


edit - I just won this auction - $1.27 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/SAGA-200g-C...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[squee]

I mix by weight mainly for 2 reasons:

Speed and No Cleaning!

/\ THIS! 100x THIS!

When I was getting supplies and such to start, I bought a slew of different syringes and all that stuff. Then I found this thread, snagged me one of them lovely 300gram scales off ebay for 20 bucks and started happily mixing away.

Considering I have the patience of a gnat, if I had actually started this the other way, there's just no way I would be able to DIY. I would have stabbed myself. Not accidentally, I just would have stabbed myself.

 

[Passunca]

/\ THIS! 100x THIS!

When I was getting supplies and such to start, I bought a slew of different syringes and all that stuff. Then I found this thread, snagged me one of them lovely 300gram scales off ebay for 20 bucks and started happily mixing away.

Considering I have the patience of a gnat, if I had actually started this the other way, there's just no way I would be able to DIY. I would have stabbed myself. Not accidentally, I just would have stabbed myself.

Indeed.
Now my mixing table is a scale, 3 dropper bottles (Nic, PG, VG), flavoring bottles and empty bottles.

Ping, ping, ping, done.
Ping, ping, ping, done.

Regarding calibration (my scale was bought on FT for 5$), coins have a determined weight.
It's close enough as a method, because when a cooking recipe says a tsp of salt, doesn't make any difference (taste wise) if you put 5 grains more.
Same apply to e-liquid DIY.

I have a big thanks to give to OP.
It was this thread that "showed me the light"

For the nay sayers, well, I have nothing to say.
If this method doesn't work for you, find one that does. But please, stop bashing it. It works for me and others, and we're not pushing you in to it.

 

[rowdyplace]

Indeed.
Now my mixing table is a scale, 3 dropper bottles (Nic, PG, VG), flavoring bottles and empty bottles.

<<snip>>


I have a big thanks to give to OP.

<snip>

For the nay sayers, well, I have nothing to say.
If this method doesn't work for you, find one that does. But please, stop bashing it. It works for me and others, and we're not pushing you in to it.

Mighty fine words that I agree with!

 

[Araxian]

I agree with as long as its repeatable it doesn't have to be insanely accurate.. I regularly mix 50ml of my adv. sometimes im off as much as .3 though more often its .05 to 1.2 on any 1 ingredient ( need a better scale with faster response times, takes too long to register a drop sometimes) i taste compare 2 different batches regularly in drippers and cant tell them apart, even with the .3.

Though now Ive developed a regular system, its rare to be that far off. I use the dropper from the bottle im using for flavorings and flush in a cup of water between flavorings to prevent cross contam. then use 1 syringe for nic and a large 30ml syringe with some clear tubing attached for my vg. I make only max vg juices as im slightly allergic to pg, too much and it makes my teeth sensitive.

when im done i just flush everything several times in the water cup and put it up. easy peasy.

 

[zoiDman]

I pulled the trigger. $24.99 with 3/4 days delivery.

500g x 0 01g High Precision Digital Scale SF 400D2 Counting w USB Wall Adapter | eBay

Just Wondering if you are Still Happy with the Scale you Got?

 

[Tepid]

Just Wondering if you are Still Happy with the Scale you Got?

I was wondering the same, Cause I just bought it as well.
500g x 0 01g High Precision Digital Scale SF 400D2 Counting w USB Wall Adapter | eBay

From a couple comments on Amazon, someone had issues understanding how to calibrate it.

I did get some cheap weights as well. We will see in a few days.
8 Pcs Calibration Weight Set 10g 20g 50g 100g 200g 500g 1000g Total Weight | eBay

To double check, I will get a bunch of nickles as well.

 

[zoiDman]

I was wondering the same, Cause I just bought it as well.
500g x 0 01g High Precision Digital Scale SF 400D2 Counting w USB Wall Adapter | eBay

From a couple comments on Amazon, someone had issues understanding how to calibrate it.

I did get some cheap weights as well. We will see in a few days.
8 Pcs Calibration Weight Set 10g 20g 50g 100g 200g 500g 1000g Total Weight | eBay

To double check, I will get a bunch of nickles as well.

I bought one of these Scales from the same e-Bay Seller.

The Bad News:

The Scale was Wacked and would Not Measure accurately under 100g. And it Wouldn't Calibrate Correctly.

The Good News:

The Seller was Very Helpful. And sent me a Pre-Paid Shipping Label to return the Scale for an Exchange. The New Scale arrived Quickly and was in Perfect Working Order.

 

[Tepid]

Ok Thanks. Hopefully Mine will be ok. I should know by tomorrow. And I will let you all know how it goes.

 

[zoiDman]

Ok Thanks. Hopefully Mine will be ok. I should know by tomorrow. And I will let you all know how it goes.

I'm sure it will be.

But it is Reassuring to Know that if there is a Problem, that the e-Bay seller will Make things Right. Without having to Go Back and Forth with them.

 

[Tepid]

Ok,, Scale seems to work. It appeared to be off by a little a few grams even after calibrating
But playing around with it for a bit, it is accurate now. Seems it had to settle into it.
The weights I bought are accurate as well.
Some are off by a 0.01 or 0.02 not sure that is enough to make a huge difference though.
We will see how it goes.

Thanks for the help and advice.

Posted using IE11 in Windows 10, yeah, nice so far.

 

[zoiDman]

Ok,, Scale seems to work. It appeared to be off by a little a few grams even after calibrating
But playing around with it for a bit, it is accurate now. Seems it had to settle into it.
The weights I bought are accurate as well.
Some are off by a 0.01 or 0.02 not sure that is enough to make a huge difference though.
We will see how it goes.

Thanks for the help and advice.

Posted using IE11 in Windows 10, yeah, nice so far.

One thing you may find with a High Capacity scale like this (0g ~ 500g) is that the scale is Most Accurate in the Mid-Range.

So what some people do when they Don't need the Entire weight range is to put a 100g Standard on the Scale, Zero It, and then do All there work from there.

 

[Tepid]

Thanks for that advice

 

[zoiDman]

Thanks for that advice

No Problem.

Let us know how things go.

 

[Tepid]

Ok, I finally got time to sit down with this scale
It seems to be consistently off by 0.01 to 0.05g from low to high, throughout the weights.

Here are some caveats

Sitting at Zero, It will not weigh if you go slowly by drops and try to count them.
The dial will never move. I have tried several times and it just sits on zero,
with clearly adding enough that it should measure something.

So what I think it is doing, is resetting itself at intervals and can never register the existing weight that you are adding.

I added 1 ml of VG all at once, and it weighed roughly the 1.24 grams using a syringe, off a tad, no biggie.
But going slow and trying to count the drops, never registered

Then Hit Tare and....

I then used some TFA DK Flavoring and that is accurate to the 1ml = 1g (when adding the amount all at once)
But again, Hit Tare to Zero, I could not go slow and try to count drops, it wouldn't register.
I had a ml in and sitting at Zero on the scale.

So, to resolve this, I took Zoidman's advice
Put the container on the scale and Tare it.
Then place a 10g weight on the scale, but don't tare it, start from 10g and go from there.
In my case, a 10g weight, weighs 9.99g
Once you get it to register around 0.02 or more, you can remove the 10g weight and continue.
But if you Tare it again, you will need to put the weight back on.

It can still drop off by a tad here and there if just sitting there.
I will lose or gain 0.01 to 0.03 grams at times.

So, I touch the top of the scale very lightly and it will get back on track
Just make sure things are sitting relatively center on the scale and not off to the side.

You really can't complain about all this for the price of a scale like this. So I am not complaining.
Just advising on how to go about being able to use this scale effectively.

it stays on for a long time, even on battery.
So if I had to walk away for a while and come back, i wouldn't lose anything.
I can power it through my laptop or tablet USB as well.
Would be cool if there were some software to go with it.

 

[Heavyrocker]

I mix by drops,i make 5 ml at a time.

 

[oplholik]

I'm a convert. I just received two of these scales. I ordered two so I would have a back up. Hopefully today or tomorrow I can get started, as I have several empty bottles sitting here.

Electronic Pocket Digital Scale 0 01g 300g Weight Precision Jewelry Scale US | eBay

 

[rowdyplace]

Good choice - I M O...

However, as all too often happens, the same item is quickly presented - by ebay - on your order details - for a lesser price. Here is the same item for a buck fifty cheaper I found while looking at your link-

New 0 01g 100g Gram Digital Electronic Balance Weigh Scale US Stock | eBay

 

[jpasint]

Just joined the weighing club.

After testing and weighing quantities from my precision glass syringes, which is how I have mixed for the past 6 months or so, I was surprised to see just how accurate that method was.

The scale puts all of the eyeballing to rest though, and the cleaning of the syringes too. I know this thread is not the only thread that has discussed weighing but my thanks to the OP for the inspiration.
Just have to figure the best way to drip from all of the 4 oz. size flavor bottles I have now. I'd hate to have to transfer all of them to smaller bottles.