MaximumHP Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I've been trying to find a cheap scale that can measure up to around 500lbs, preferably up to 1000. I'd be happy with +or- 10 lbs, maybe even 20 lbs. They exist for 500+ bucks, possibly as cheap as 300, but I'd like to find something in the neighborhood of $100. Ideally, I'd like a flat floor scale if something exists and I would be willing to pay more for something like that. But I was hoping there was something cheap at least in a hanging spring scale, like in the old school barns, something simplistic, approximate, but functional, and likely repeatable at least. I'm thinking they must exist, but can't find anything. -Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximumHP Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 No one seems to care, but this isn't too bad if you are looking for a scale: http://www.amazon.com/Siltec-WS-1000L-High-Capacity-Scale/dp/B00029P3PG Move it around from wheel to wheel car weight or throw an engine/trans on it, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Challenger Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 What do you mean no one cares? Just make your own. Find a spring or springs that advertise a spring constant. Set up your platform and then measure the displacement. (m)(9.8)=(spring constant)(displacement) Add together the springs if you use more then one. x(k+k+k+k) 4 springs with same "strength". You can make something as simple as this drawing. Maybe make a "runner" (rod inside a tube?) in the middle to prevent the scale from tilting from side to side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 No one seems to care Maybe no one has an answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhptom Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Derek, you had to throw some of that fancy math in there. Makes me want to retake Physics & Calculus in college again. It would be nice to have an affordable system to use before going to the track. Some tracks have scales you can use to just get whole car weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Challenger Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Well you couldnt use my design for a car, but engine blocks/transmissions are doable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Search the internet for "ruggles scales". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Fitch showed how to use bathroom scales to weigh a car. Simply machines like lever work in reverse as well as when amplifing force... Perhaps the original request was so vague as to confound anyone wanting to answer? He mentions platform and suspension spring scales, yet not what he wants to measure, other than the approximate weight. I guess driving across a tuck scale with a visible display with the item in the car and not in the car is just too much work, so I'm all out of ideas. It's just outside 'bathroom scale' range... I mean, old platform scales with weights are all over the place. Newer uncertified for trade units that don't have certified load cels in them are a dime a dozen. Frequency of the items needing to be weighed, accuracy required, and size of said items all play into getting a proper 'cheap' scale scoped properly. I mean, a 250# bathroom scale and appropriate 2:1 reduction lever is all that is needed to have decent accuracy to 500# with little investment at all. But it's not something that you want to bundle your Coke with out of Medellein....they get testy if you short the shipments. Intentionally or not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I mean, a 250# bathroom scale and appropriate 2:1 reduction lever is all that is needed to have decent accuracy to 500# with little investment at all. That is what a ruggles scale is, for the record. I've cornerweighted cars with them. Not as accurate as real scales, but they'll get the job done within 20 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckolander Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Next time I have a spare $1000 I'm gonna think about buying 4 of those scales on the amazon link. Then I'll realize that that money can be used elsewhere when my wife slaps me for even thinking about it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted March 4, 2009 Administrators Share Posted March 4, 2009 Did someone say Bathroom scales? During the VH45DE vs VG30DE weight dispute I spent a good deal of time searching for a hanging/crane scale. You wont find one in the weight rage for $100 new. Used, I never found one. I finally bought a new one. I think I paid between $300-$390, don't recall the exact amount. Any how, I am satisfied with it. Accurate, repeatable, and precise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 check out farm supply stores for animal load bar systems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximumHP Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 I didn't mean to sound pissed off or anything, just didn't think people cared that much or knew of a cheap scale. In the past I've gone to the dump and drove on the scale to check my weight, but I don't think they like that really and if the car isn't driveable... I have used bathroom scales too, but my last car was so heavy I had to 1/3 the weight with a lever and that means 3 times the error, and if the car wasn't sitting on the lever just right or the lever on the scale introduced error, was cumbersome etc. I was going to make shims and shift the scale from the link from wheel to wheel to get total weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 For cars there is also a lever scale which works on the rim. I think it's less accurate than a ruggles scale because you have to judge exactly when the tire comes off the ground. They look like an old school bumper jack, but I can't recall the name. Wouldn't help with the engine. With the ruggles you're easily inside your requested margin of error, even if it is multiplied 3x, assuming you read the scale correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximumHP Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 I've never seen those ruggles, but they are pretty nice. Here's sort of how I had done it in the past (not my car or picture). Here's what I was thinking I'd do with a scale like the one I posted, similar but probably something I could drive onto: use spacers on the onther wheels, roll the car on the scale, get the number, roll it back, move scale, repeat. I don't know about engine. Even a pad that size might be tricky to get an engine to sit on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 use spacers on the onther wheels, roll the car on the scale, get the number, roll it back, move scale, repeat. I cornerweighted my car that way. I borrowed two industrial scales and a perfectly flat floor, and put spacers of equal height as the scales under the other two wheels. Worked fine, but if you were going to do it over and over and over I think the ruggles might be easier just because you don't have to switch the spacers. I would think that you could make a platform to drop onto the end of the ruggle to make it work for an engine, but it would probably be difficult to get it to sit on the platform. Something like BRAAP showed is definitely the way to go if you can afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaximumHP Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 I'll have to see if I can find those ruggles some where. I don't think I'd weigh enough "hanging" stuff to justify 300+ bucks, although I agree it's the way to go. Honestly I figured something like this existed cheap, just that I couldn't find it. I can come up with something for that for a couple instances where it's needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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