I'm totally in a quandry

[cheri_j]

Hello Fellow Soapies

I'm going back and forth on purchasing a new scale. The one I have now is a cheapy from Walmart and I really don't think it's that accurate. My husband (who thinks I've spent enough money on soap supplies) tested the scale and he says it's accurate.

If I buy a new scale, it will be the best one I can afford. I am looking at the one at WSP for $70. Any suggestions on other scales?

I'm really not sure in which direction I want to go in. Do I leave this as a hobby? I have one customer who buys about $200 of soap a year. I would really like to get into selling soap, but when I look at Etsy and see that people are selling their soap for $2 a bar, I can't compete with that. I could definitely do craft fairs and such. It's something I want to do, just not on a large scale. It's just trying to figure it out.

If I do this as a part-time business, then I could justify the scale. If I do this as a hobby, then maybe a more accurate, less expensive scale.

I value your opinions since you have been there and done that. Please tell me what you think.

Thank you.

 

[MorpheusPA]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007GAWRS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I have the above model (although this one might be a touch more modern) and like it very much; I can't detect any accuracy issues, although I haven't specifically tested it. And I love the tare function.

That having been said, if you sell your soap and justify the purchase...why not? You already have a customer who could buy you this scale three times in a year.

 

[Ford Prefect]

Oldwillknottscales.com has some pretty good specials here:
https://www.oldwillknottscales.com/limited-time-specials.html

I just bought this one (not on special):
https://www.oldwillknottscales.com/jennings-tb600.html

600 gram capacity with 0.01 gram resolution, about $150, which I thought was a pretty good deal for a scale with that capacity and that kind of resolution. I haven't received it yet, so can't tell you how it works. If you buy a good scale, you also need to get a calibration weight to ensure it is accurate each time you use it.

 

[penelopejane]

A lot of people on the forum have and recommend this one (see below). It's supposed to be professional and excellent and for you it's pretty cheap. It plugs in and has batteries as well. You can see the numbers when you have a bowl on top.

If I could get it at that price I'd snap it up but it's double for me plus postage and as I am in exactly the same quandary as you about money I haven't bought it...yet!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VEKX35Y/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[SoapTrey]

with 0.01 gram resolution

This is what I would mostly be concerned with. I would want my resolution to be at a minimum .5 grams and .01 is perfect IMO. You'll want to pay attention to total capacity as well...

Ford Prefect - that's a very nice balance!

 

[SoapEh]

I am a very new soaper, very much a hobbyist, have not yet 'been there done that' BUT... I like my scale well enough so I thought I'd chime in

I don't feel the need (perhaps yet?) for precision beyond grams, so I got a $12.99 digital scale from Amazon.ca that does g, oz, lb & kg and weighs up to 11lbs which is enough for my needs. The tare button remembers the last few weights, and stays on long enough for me to go from one oil to another without it shutting off on me. It seems quite accurate, and it's not a workhorse, for sure not a professional model, but as a hobbyist scale it was a great deal and I'm very happy.

 

[Susie]

I am going to second the KD8000. I have the KD7000, and it is a workhorse.

 

[Kittish]

I've got this one: https://smile.amazon.com/American-Weigh-AMW13-SL-Digital-Kitchen/dp/B003STEJFM/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SV9S8EJYCS4J1BX0FX8D. I also got the power adapter and a set of calibration weights. It works great. With it plugged in, don't even need batteries in it and the auto off can be turned off so you don't have to worry about it shutting off mid-weigh. With a 13 pound capacity, you can put a crock pot liner on there and measure into it without overloading the scale, if you want to do so. The display is easy to see with a large bowl on the platform, and the buttons are easy to reach.

I've actually got four scales at this point. That one is my primary soaping scale. The others have smaller capacities and finer accuracy, stepping down to +/- .001g (but that one only has a 20g max capacity).

A hint to help protect your scale and extend its useful life- put it inside a big ziplock when you're using it (no need to zip the bag closed, just have the opening pointed away from you). My big scale lives in a gallon ziplock, which has saved it from several oil and EO spills. The bag can be wiped off, or replaced as needed.

 

[HowieRoll]

I also have the KD8000 and love it. As penelopejane mentioned, it can run on batteries or with an AC adapter, and I have the AC adapter one (like this one from Amazon). That way I never have to worry that low battery power is causing any weighing wonkiness.

You can also disable the auto-off feature so you don't have to work against a clock to get everything weighed. This is especially useful when weighing out an ingredient (like oil) and realizing there isn't enough in the bottle so you have to go hunt for and get another one opened.

Lastly, it has a protective plastic shield over the buttons, which is helpful for when things are going haywire and an unholy mess starts to get everywhere.

ETA: I was putting together my response when Kittish also responded. We said many of the same things about the respective scales we have, so it would appear we value the same qualities of a good scale!

 

[Kamahido]

A lot of people on the forum have and recommend this one (see below). It's supposed to be professional and excellent and for you it's pretty cheap. It plugs in and has batteries as well. You can see the numbers when you have a bowl on top.

If I could get it at that price I'd snap it up but it's double for me plus postage and as I am in exactly the same quandary as you about money I haven't bought it...yet!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VEKX35Y/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I have that scale as well and love it!

 

[soapmaker]

I am a very new soaper, very much a hobbyist, have not yet 'been there done that' BUT... I like my scale well enough so I thought I'd chime in

I don't feel the need (perhaps yet?) for precision beyond grams, so I got a $12.99 digital scale from Amazon.ca that does g, oz, lb & kg and weighs up to 11lbs which is enough for my needs. The tare button remembers the last few weights, and stays on long enough for me to go from one oil to another without it shutting off on me. It seems quite accurate, and it's not a workhorse, for sure not a professional model, but as a hobbyist scale it was a great deal and I'm very happy.

Fellow Canadian...I bought my $25 scale at Canadian Tire and have had it for years using it for soap. For lotion I have a much more accurate scale for measuring preservatives but for soap it's not necessary. (for me)

 

[cmzaha]

The KD is definitely a workhorse. I have been using my KD8000 for years, it looks terrible, but works great. I use a small gram scale for measuring small gram amounts.

 

[Ford Prefect]

This is what I would mostly be concerned with. I would want my resolution to be at a minimum .5 grams and .01 is perfect IMO. You'll want to pay attention to total capacity as well...

Ford Prefect - that's a very nice balance!

Thanks, the thing that really sold me was that it came with a 20 year warranty.

 

[cheri_j]

Thank everyone so much for your input. It looks like I'm going with the KD8000!

Whew!

Cheri

 

[Nite Hawk]

talk about scale frustrations!!
I have been ready several times to chuck the scale I have in the dumpster!!! no joke!
It is a dynamo, and always shuts itself off. it runs either by batteries or by plug in.
It goes to sleep even if plugged in, and the only way to wake it up is to press the kg-Oz button, so if you are not watching very carefully flips you over to the other measurement!!
There are times I have to carefully measure twice, as it not uncommonly gives you a whacky reading. At this time I have some mixed oils sat to the side, wondering what to do with them, as I am sure it measured wrong. I added all the totals up, and re-weighed, and it isn't right..
I can take a chance and add lye, but it isn't going to come out properly the way I had planned the recipe..
I am so
VERY frustrated!!
any thoughts would be appreciated!!

 

[Ford Prefect]

talk about scale frustrations!!
I have been ready several times to chuck the scale I have in the dumpster!!! no joke!
It is a dynamo, and always shuts itself off. it runs either by batteries or by plug in.
It goes to sleep even if plugged in, and the only way to wake it up is to press the kg-Oz button, so if you are not watching very carefully flips you over to the other measurement!!
There are times I have to carefully measure twice, as it not uncommonly gives you a whacky reading. At this time I have some mixed oils sat to the side, wondering what to do with them, as I am sure it measured wrong. I added all the totals up, and re-weighed, and it isn't right..
I can take a chance and add lye, but it isn't going to come out properly the way I had planned the recipe..
I am so
VERY frustrated!!
any thoughts would be appreciated!!

I have the Jennings TB 600, which I've now had a chance to use and which I like a lot. It has an auto off which can be disabled. It is easily calibrated. Measurements are repeatable. It has a 20 year warranty. Cost is $150, capacity 600 grams and resolution is 0.01 grams. You might want to take a look at it. If it does not meet your needs, Old Will Knott Scales has quite a selection from which to choose.

 

[DeeAnna]

Some scales can be set so they won't turn off until you push the OFF button. The "My Weigh" scales have that as an option. You don't say what kind of scale you have -- maybe peek in the user manual?

 

[Nite Hawk]

I have gone through the manual, and it is automatically set to turn off after 3 minutes, well in fact the scale turns on, and IMMEDIATELY goes into sleep mode. I went online and found that problem was widespread with this model, and found that if plugged into a computer one could disable the auto turn off on the computer, but when plugged into the wall the only recourse was to hit the kg-oz button to get it to turn back on. NOTHING else will wake it out of the sleep mode.
In the manual there is NOTHING to turn off the auto turn off mode.
The problem I am having now is inaccurate weighing.
If I weigh something once, sometimes it will weigh one thing, and the second time something else, quite dramatically different the second time from the first, so I have been weighing very carefully, sometimes double weighing things..
All the oils in the recipe I was working on should have weighed in around 32 oz, and when I re-weighed it all together, it was around 20 oz!!!I was so frustrated I set it to the side for today and will look at it tomorrow, when I am less frustrated.
I was very very careful not to miss any oils in the recipe, and to carefully weigh them out properly. The reason I was being so careful, was I already had an inkling that the scale wasn't working properly.
This scale has been handled with TLC, and not been smacked around or dropped, so there should be no reason it should be, being "funky"...
this scale isn't very old either..
GGGRRRRRRR!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

This scale has been handled with TLC, and not been smacked around or dropped, so there should be no reason it should be, being "funky"... this scale isn't very old either..
GGGRRRRRRR!

Oh my. That's some serious stuff going on! I wouldn't waste any more time... get back to where you bought it and try to return it. Don't leave out any of the gory details when they ask you "why"!

A hint to help protect your scale and extend its useful life- put it inside a big ziplock when you're using it (no need to zip the bag closed, just have the opening pointed away from you). My big scale lives in a gallon ziplock, which has saved it from several oil and EO spills. The bag can be wiped off, or replaced as needed.

Thank you

 

[Kittish]

I have gone through the manual, and it is automatically set to turn off after 3 minutes, well in fact the scale turns on, and IMMEDIATELY goes into sleep mode. I went online and found that problem was widespread with this model, and found that if plugged into a computer one could disable the auto turn off on the computer, but when plugged into the wall the only recourse was to hit the kg-oz button to get it to turn back on. NOTHING else will wake it out of the sleep mode.
In the manual there is NOTHING to turn off the auto turn off mode.
The problem I am having now is inaccurate weighing.
If I weigh something once, sometimes it will weigh one thing, and the second time something else, quite dramatically different the second time from the first, so I have been weighing very carefully, sometimes double weighing things..
All the oils in the recipe I was working on should have weighed in around 32 oz, and when I re-weighed it all together, it was around 20 oz!!!I was so frustrated I set it to the side for today and will look at it tomorrow, when I am less frustrated.
I was very very careful not to miss any oils in the recipe, and to carefully weigh them out properly. The reason I was being so careful, was I already had an inkling that the scale wasn't working properly.
This scale has been handled with TLC, and not been smacked around or dropped, so there should be no reason it should be, being "funky"...
this scale isn't very old either..
GGGRRRRRRR!

One possibility is that some oils have gotten into your scale. All it takes is a few drops getting in behind the control panel or from the underside of the weighing pan. That's why my big scale lives in a ziploc.

The other possibility is, if you have a battery in the scale, it may need to be changed (even if you plug the scale into the wall to use, it still drains the battery eventually).

I second the notion of taking the scale back for a refund if you still can.

Also, I'd recommend getting a 1kg total set of calibration weights. It's not enough to actually calibrate the big scales, but it does give you a pretty good idea of if your scale is being accurate or not.