# Scales for small amounts



## Soapsense (Mar 28, 2015)

My scale works great for heavier items, but I have had a hard time with making small amounts of lip balm, etc.  I calibrate it with a a 5 gram nickel and it is perfect everytime, but when measuring out things that are under 5 grams, it does not work very well.  What type of scale works best for smaller amounts?


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## lsg (Mar 28, 2015)

You can use a jeweler's scale.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O37TDO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


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## LBussy (Mar 28, 2015)

Soapsense said:


> My scale works great for heavier items, but I have had a hard time with making small amounts of lip balm, etc.  I calibrate it with a a 5 gram nickel and it is perfect everytime, but when measuring out things that are under 5 grams, it does not work very well.  What type of scale works best for smaller amounts?


This is the scale I use for most of my shaving soap batches (1 lb batches):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IZ1YHZK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It is a 2000x0.1 scale which means 2 kilogram (2000 gram) capacity, in 0.1 gram increments on the display.  I actually use this for up to my 4# CP batches too but the scale surface is a little small and I have to use a light bowl for measuring.


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## LBussy (Mar 28, 2015)

I forgot to mention - I use scales a lot, I even measure my coffee beans in the morning before I grind.  I always look for a scale that takes regular batteries.  The one above takes AAA.  If you get those weird button/coin batteries yo are going to nearly double the price of the scale when it comes time to replace them.  You can also count on being able to steal some AAA batteries from a remote because you *know* it will go dead in the middle of a soaping session on Saturday night.  Good luck trying to find some CR2032 batteries in the middle of the night.

Extra credit for a scale that has an AC adapter.  Scales go wonky when the batteries go low.  An AC adapter is golden.


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## DeeAnna (Mar 28, 2015)

I love my lab quality scale: http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/and-fx-2000i.html Yeah, I know it's expensive -- I got mine for about half price, used, off eBay and even then I had to gulp a little. Now that I've used it, I really am glad I have it. It stays on forever, because it uses AC power, no batteries. It will weigh to 0.01 g and has a 2200 g capacity. That lets me weigh all ingredients for a hobbyist-size soap recipe -- everything from fragrance oils and colorants to the fats, lye, and water -- using just this one scale. The only chore about the scale is that it has to be leveled for accurate results. I wish I had a dedicated place for this scale so I could level it once and forget about it. Then it would be just about perfect. I suppose it also reminds me of the "good ol days" when I was a lowly chem lab tech.


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## LBussy (Mar 28, 2015)

I was just looking at a counting scale accurate to 0.01g with a 7 kilo capacity.  Sigh.


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## reinbeau (Mar 28, 2015)

LBussy said:


> This is the scale I use for most of my shaving soap batches (1 lb batches):
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IZ1YHZK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
> 
> It is a 2000x0.1 scale which means 2 kilogram (2000 gram) capacity, in 0.1 gram increments on the display.  I actually use this for up to my 4# CP batches too but the scale surface is a little small and I have to use a light bowl for measuring.


The next one up is only $20 and is the one I have.  It is 500 x 0.01g, which is what I wanted for mixing essential oils.


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## LBussy (Mar 28, 2015)

reinbeau said:


> The next one up is only $20 and is the one I have.  It is 500 x 0.01g, which is what I wanted for mixing essential oils.


The only thing bad I have to say about the Smart Weigh is the plastic "lids" will just go kerplooey when you get FO on them.


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## reinbeau (Mar 28, 2015)

LBussy said:


> The only thing bad I have to say about the Smart Weigh is the plastic "lids" will just go kerplooey when you get FO on them.


But you don't keep those lids on when you use them - trust me, it won't work with the lid on.
http://www.soapmakingforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## Soapsense (Mar 29, 2015)

Thank you everyone for your help!!  I am checking out everyone's suggestions.


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## LBussy (Mar 29, 2015)

reinbeau said:


> But you don't keep those lids on when you use them - trust me, it won't work with the lid on.
> http://www.soapmakingforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


I did that!  I ended up leaving the smaller inner one on and it will work after a fashion.  It does make the scale move but for me anyway it was weird enough to notice something was wrong.

I turn them upside-down for measuring dry materials.


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## Dahila (Mar 29, 2015)

http://www.saffireblue.ca/shop/equipment/scales/escali-pr-500s-scale
I love that scale, it is accurate and perfect for lotions, lip balms


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## shunt2011 (Mar 29, 2015)

I use the scale ISG linked to.  Works great for lip balm and solid perfumes.


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## IrishLass (Mar 29, 2015)

I use this one:  http://www.lotioncrafter.com/jennings-jsr-200-scale.html for my lip balms, lotions and for small test batches of soap.


IrishLass


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## FlybyStardancer (Mar 30, 2015)

LBussy said:


> This is the scale I use for most of my shaving soap batches (1 lb batches):
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IZ1YHZK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
> 
> It is a 2000x0.1 scale which means 2 kilogram (2000 gram) capacity, in 0.1 gram increments on the display.  I actually use this for up to my 4# CP batches too but the scale surface is a little small and I have to use a light bowl for measuring.



That's the scale I got when I decided to get serious about also making lotions & such. It's great for the small amounts! My one thing is that it will shut off on me after a period of time, even if I'm right in the middle of pouring something! Argh!


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## cjguitar (Apr 2, 2015)

Yes, I hate when that happens! I've got one like the forest one listed above but the model that does 100g in .01g intervals. My only real issue is that it auto shuts off on me.


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## LBussy (Apr 2, 2015)

I have found that it only shuts off when the weight is not changing. It stays on 30 secs just sitting there otherwise.   If I am in the middle of a single ingredient measure and have to pause I just make sure I tap the scale occasionally.  Otherwise I like the auto shut off because my batteries are not dead when I need it.  If it shuts off in between ingredients its no big deal because I tare in between each anyway.  If you have to turn it back on again it's just a tare with two more seconds of wait.  

It will also shut off earlier if the batteries are going dead, in which case you need to change the batteries, not wish it would stay on. 

I absolutely do not have the experience with soaps and B&B some of you have, but I do work regularly weighing things that will kill me if I get something wrong (I make pyrotechnics as a hobby) so weighing things is something I do have a lot of experience with.  Sure I will use a different scale with that, lab grade, AC adapter, etc. but this little scale, for the money, beats a lot of them out there in features, accuracy, and function.


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## FlybyStardancer (Apr 3, 2015)

No, it will shut off on me while I'm in the MIDDLE of pouring something into it! And that's with fresh batteries.


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## LBussy (Apr 3, 2015)

Well that's a little crazy! I would consider that a defect and see if I couldn't replace it with the supplier. I bought several of these, nearly 30 if I remember correctly. We use them in a club I belong to.


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## houseofwool (Apr 3, 2015)

LBussy said:


> Well that's a little crazy! I would consider that a defect and see if I couldn't replace it with the supplier. I bought several of these, nearly 30 if I remember correctly. We use them in a club I belong to.




Uh, club?


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## kchaystack (Apr 3, 2015)

houseofwool said:


> Uh, club?



He did say his other hobby was making fireworks...


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## LBussy (Apr 3, 2015)

houseofwool said:


> Uh, club?


It's how you get baby seal fat.

Okay that was bad, I know, I know.  

I belong to a pyrotechnics club.  Yes, it is as cool as it sounds.  Even when we screw things up they still explode so it's not bad.   A person can spend 6-8 months making ONE shell, only to just blow that piece of art up.  It's a strange feeling.

I guess it's not completely different from soap.  We make it to wash it down the drain.


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## Aline (Apr 12, 2015)

IrishLass said:


> I use this one:  http://www.lotioncrafter.com/jennings-jsr-200-scale.html for my lip balms, lotions and for small test batches of soap.
> 
> 
> IrishLass



I use the Jennings 200 scale too but I got it from www.oldwillknottscales.com for cheaper. It's amazingly sensitive. I weigh tiny amounts of FO when experimenting with blends and it will move with a drop or two.


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## Susie (Apr 12, 2015)

Making fireworks as a hobby sounds awesome!  That would just be so very, very cool!


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## LBussy (Apr 12, 2015)

Susie said:


> Making fireworks as a hobby sounds awesome!  That would just be so very, very cool!


It's awesome, till it's not.  I have a few friends and acquaintances who don't feel that way anymore.  A couple dead, a couple wish they were.  It's a very unforgiving hobby.

Still, it brings me back every time.


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## DeeAnna (Apr 16, 2015)

"... A couple dead, a couple wish they were. It's a very unforgiving hobby...."

Uh, I take it the deaths were from pyro? If so, your experiences with pyro are starting to make working with concentrated NaOH feel like a walk in the park. Ugh......


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## zolveria (Apr 16, 2015)

You can go in the smoke shops. That where i went since i need to measure down to 0.1 gram when making lipsticks and measuring pigments and micas. cost me 14.99 they have some that measure both tiny amount and large but they are costly.


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## LBussy (Apr 17, 2015)

DeeAnna said:


> "... A couple dead, a couple wish they were. It's a very unforgiving hobby...."
> 
> Uh, I take it the deaths were from pyro? If so, your experiences with pyro are starting to make working with concentrated NaOH feel like a walk in the park. Ugh......


Yes'm.   Some compounds are quite sensitive and some folks, sadly, end up taking it for granted and lapsing into less safe practices.


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## Soapsense (Apr 18, 2015)

I wanted to report that I did buy the Jennings 200 scale, I got it from the Old Will knot scales website.  I was able to get the scales and calibration weights for the same prices as just the scale at Lotioncrafters.  Shipping was fast, It arrived within 4 days.  I will report when I use it this coming week.  Thank you again for all your help.


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