# Which scale to buy?



## rparrny (Aug 27, 2015)

So my trusty digital scale that has served me well for nearly a decade  is now measuring my grams by 5s and its' time for a new one.
I've scoured the internet and you can find a ton of them from under $20 to obscene amounts of money.
I need a reliable scale that will measure by _*each*_ gram and  not in increments of 5...I'm willing to invest in more than twenty  bucks but I don't want to sell my first born either.  I don't sell, just  friends and family but that being said my soap making is like knitting  for some people...it relaxes me and calms me down so I make a fair  amount and regularly.
Any suggestions for a good scale for me...I'm exhausted checking out all  the options and I don't see a lot of difference other than the price. 
             __________________


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## IrishLass (Aug 27, 2015)

I highly recommend the KD 7000 or the KD 8000. I myself have the KD 7000 and it is awesome. I've had it for about 4 years or so now. I use it for soap and for cooking/baking...and also for weighing mail. If you buy one, get the adapter (I think it's sold separately).


IrishLass


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## snappyllama (Aug 27, 2015)

I got the KD 8000 on recommendation of folks here and love it!


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## OliveOil2 (Aug 28, 2015)

KD8000 or the KD7000 Amazon has them for a pretty good price, or Old Will Knox scales. I also purchased the electrical adaptor, and shut off the auto turn off button. Love my scale. Easy to use, and very reliable.


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## Seawolfe (Aug 28, 2015)

+1 on the KD7000 or 8000 -  I have the 8000 which can weigh up to 8 kilos instead of 7, and does backers math (percentages of flour). Its a good solid, reliable, easy to use scale.
Make sure you buy the AC adapter, then shut off the auto-off and you'll never have a scale fail in the middle of a soaping session


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## shunt2011 (Aug 28, 2015)

I too have the KD8000.  I got it from Amazon and ordered the adaptor as well.   It's an awesome scale.


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## rparrny (Aug 28, 2015)

Well, it seems there is only really _one_ scale to buy!  Thank you for all the recommendations.  Today is my birthday, I was given the day off and a nice little bonus as well...  So today I will spend the day making some soap with the new black glitter mica I've been dying to try.  Heading to Michaels to get some letter stamps which I plan to use with the gold glitter mica to stamp in initials on the black portion of my black and white soap that will be gifts for all my favorite men come holiday time.  There is enough to get the scale from amazon and Michael's is having a sale on rolling storage units...the craft room is getting outta control.
Every friday night I spend with my favorite little man...my 2 1/2 year old grandson Zach.  My daughter brings him Fridays and picks him up Saturday night...every week since birth (the first month she stayed with him).  The weather is beautiful here, I have so many tomatoes I think I will slice some up for the dehydrator for tomato powder...
Ahh...life is good!


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## rparrny (Aug 28, 2015)

Sorry, I just had to post this pic of Zach...future soap maker!


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## Seawolfe (Aug 28, 2015)

Oh what a little cutie!!


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## shunt2011 (Aug 28, 2015)

What a little cutie pie!


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## not_ally (Aug 28, 2015)

He is absolutely adorable.


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## kumudini (Aug 28, 2015)

Aw! What a cutie pie. And you get to hang out with him on your birthday? Could it get anymore awesome? Happy Birthday  .


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## rparrny (Aug 28, 2015)

Yes he is a doll, thank you...
And as cute as he is...that child is just so happy...all the time.  His favorite thing to do is dance, and for a 2 year old some of his moves would put Elvis to shame...first he will dance for you but not for long, cause he will pull you out of your chair and insist that you dance with him...it melts my heart.
So we spend our time together dancing and laughing...
I am truly blessed.


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## commoncenz (Aug 28, 2015)

Adorable! 

* I have a question about the scales though. If the KD 7000 and KD 8000 only measure to the gram, what do you use to get to the tenth and hundredth of a gram? This is the one thing that has kept me from switching to grams for my recipes. Seems like it would be a pain to have to use two scales.


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## shunt2011 (Aug 28, 2015)

I never felt  the need to measure to the 10th or 100th of a gram.  I just round up on oils and down on lye. I happy with using grams.  However, I do have a small jewelers scale that I use for lip balms, and tiny amounts.


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## kchaystack (Aug 28, 2015)

commoncenz said:


> Adorable!
> 
> * I have a question about the scales though. If the KD 7000 and KD 8000 only measure to the gram, what do you use to get to the tenth and hundredth of a gram? This is the one thing that has kept me from switching to grams for my recipes. Seems like it would be a pain to have to use two scales.



I use this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SVNEWA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

but more often than not - I round up to the nearest gram anyway.  But it is night to have for lotions - that I do in smaller volume.


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## rparrny (Aug 28, 2015)

Yeah I'll ditto that, I round up or down.


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## IrishLass (Aug 28, 2015)

commoncenz said:


> * I have a question about the scales though. If the KD 7000 and KD 8000 only measure to the gram, what do you use to get to the tenth and hundredth of a gram? This is the one thing that has kept me from switching to grams for my recipes. Seems like it would be a pain to have to use two scales.


 
Speaking as someone who has 2 scales, it's actually really not much of a pain as one would think, although I do confess it would be great if I could find a reasonably priced scale that measured as high as 7000 grams/15lbs like my KD7000, and as low as .01g/.0005oz like my Jennings JSR-200, but such a scale would be more of a pain to me than having 2 scales....or rather more of a pain to my wallet, that is. lol

I use my KD7000 for all my normal soapy needs, and I used the other for when I'm making small batches of lotions or lip balms, or very small experimental batches of soap. I 've never needed to use both at the same time for when I'm making my normal-size batches of soap. I've only ever needed to use one or the other.

PS to rparrny: your little guy is absolutely adorable! 


IrishLass


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## not_ally (Aug 28, 2015)

rparrny said:


> And as cute as he is...that child is just so happy...all the time.  His favorite thing to do is dance, and for a 2 year old some of his moves would put Elvis to shame...first he will dance for you but not for long, cause he will pull you out of your chair and insist that you dance with him...it melts my heart.
> So we spend our time together dancing and laughing...
> I am truly blessed.



Your description of how happy/dancy he is makes *me* happy.  What a little love.  You really are blessed.


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## Soapsense (Sep 1, 2015)

I to use the Jennings JSR-200 for lip balm and small lotion batches on recommendations from here, I love it.  And like Irishlass I use a larger scale for soap etc.  Never have them out at the same time either.


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## snappyllama (Sep 2, 2015)

Aww, what a handsome wee gentleman.

I also got a small scale for lotion making that goes down to hundredths of a gram.  I'm convinced Amazon has put me a watch list, considering the gloves, respirator mask, pipettes, beakers, and now teeny scale I most often associated with mob movies before becoming addicted to soaping.


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## rparrny (Sep 2, 2015)

snappyllama said:


> Aww, what a handsome wee gentleman.
> 
> I also got a small scale for lotion making that goes down to hundredths of a gram.  I'm convinced Amazon has put me a watch list, considering the gloves, respirator mask, pipettes, beakers, and now teeny scale I most often associated with mob movies before becoming addicted to soaping.


lol, yeah my UPS guy has glared at me suspiciously at times as well...


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## TwystedPryncess (Sep 3, 2015)

With notes in caps on some packages 'Do not let this get wet!!!' (lye)  80 lb deliveries,  and Solomon tries to eat the UPS man a lot.  Yeap,  he is probably not my biggest fan,  either.


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## rparrny (Sep 15, 2015)

My TD 8000 came yesterday so I will try it out with my new slab mold which also came yesterday.  Thank you all for the recommendations!
It's much bigger than my previous scale so it won't fit in a drawer but I love the display and the protective cover...very practical for soap makers.  I also love how the top/cover comes off for cleaning.


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## cmzaha (Sep 15, 2015)

Yours looks so shiny, new and pretty. LOL, after 3+ yrs mine looks pretty bad. My protective cover broke around the 2nd month I owned it and the other protective covers were just in my way, she looks pretty sad but works like a champ.


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## rparrny (Sep 15, 2015)

cmzaha said:


> Yours looks so shiny, new and pretty. LOL, after 3+ yrs mine looks pretty bad. My protective cover broke around the 2nd month I owned it and the other protective covers were just in my way, she looks pretty sad but works like a champ.


Well my previous scale lasted over ten years and I was hoping to get ten out of this one but was surprised to see the 30 year warranty!  I bake a lot, especially bread so this will really be a treat as my older scale was much smaller and didn't handle 5 pound plus bread dough weights very well.


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## Dahila (Sep 15, 2015)

what is the difference between TD 800 and TD 700?  I am wondering , do you know?


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## IrishLass (Sep 15, 2015)

Dahila said:


> what is the difference between TD 800 and TD 700? I am wondering , do you know?


 
The 8000 weighs up to 8000 grams, and the 7000 weighs up to 7000 grams. I've got the 7000. I bought it about 3 years ago or so and it still works like a champ. 


IrishLass


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## Dahila (Sep 15, 2015)

oooo Irishlass thank you sweetheart)


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## Susie (Sep 15, 2015)

I use my TD 7000 for bread making also.  Hmm...french bread tomorrow...yum...


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## TeresaT (Sep 15, 2015)

rparrny, I love the NSA mug and your signature.  Both so true!


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## rparrny (Sep 15, 2015)

TeresaT said:


> rparrny, I love the NSA mug and your signature.  Both so true!


Ty!  Believe it or not the NSA tried to put the guy that made those out of business and told him to stop selling them.  I of course went right away and ordered some hoodies for my son and nephew with the same logo...:razz:


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## IrishLass (Sep 16, 2015)

Susie said:


> I use my TD 7000 for bread making also. Hmm...french bread tomorrow...yum...


 
Mmmmm- French bread! That sounds so good right now! I use mine for bread, too, and for all my other foodie adventures. I don't know how I ever got along without it in the kitchen. It's improved my cooking tremendously! 


IrishLass


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## lenarenee (Sep 16, 2015)

Love the timing of this thread - I needed new scales and ordered the KD7000 because of your recommendations. It should be here tomorrow and I've already laid out micas and fo's in anticipation of making soap - until I remembered that some scales need to be calibrated....does the 7000?  I didn't order a weight for it!


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## rparrny (Sep 16, 2015)

lenarenee said:


> Love the timing of this thread - I needed new scales and ordered the KD7000 because of your recommendations. It should be here tomorrow and I've already laid out micas and fo's in anticipation of making soap - until I remembered that some scales need to be calibrated....does the 7000? I didn't order a weight for it!


 
No, it comes calibrated but the instructions do discuss times when you may need to recalibrate.  I wouldn't worry about it so much, I think it meant more for heavy duty baking.


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## Dahila (Sep 21, 2015)

We make sourdough bread for over three years.  I can not stomach commercial breads anymore ) When I buy this scale is going to have double function too


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## lenarenee (Sep 23, 2015)

rparrny said:


> No, it comes calibrated but the instructions do discuss times when you may need to recalibrate.  I wouldn't worry about it so much, I think it meant more for heavy duty baking.



Thanks so much! It's now sitting on the counter still unopened since I haven't had a free moment to soap. :evil:


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