Should I buy a new scale?

[akseattle]

I have been using my regular Salter kitchen scale for soapmaking. I've probably had it 10 years. I bought it to weigh postage, so I thought of it as being pretty precise. Since it weighs in grams as well as ounces and kilos, I've been using it for soapmaking. But, it doesn't weight part of a gram. On soap calc, it will often require a tenth or half of a gram, etc. of oil or lye, etc. So, that's not possible.
Also, sometimes it will not increase just one gram at a time. Sometimes, I add a teeny little bit of lye, for example, at a time waiting for it to go up. Then, all of a sudden, it will go up 2 grams so i have to back up and take some off. I assume that I don't always know that it weighed an extra gram.
Do others worry about their scale not being accurate? Should I get a better scale? If so, what scale would others recommend?

 

[Zing]

You are over-thinking this. Your current scale is fine. When I first started, I used ounces. Then my OCD for accuracy took over and I switched to grams which are already waay smaller than ounces so I feel like I'm weighing more precisely now. If I have a recipe that calls for fractions of a gram, I'll just round up or down. I don't worry about being lye heavy because my superfat is 3% and I often dissolve colorants in additional oil.

And ooh,, I hear ya on adding things a grain/drop at a time and all of a sudden it goes up 2 grams, then I take out some and it drops 5, then I add and it goes up 8, then I take out some and it goes down 4 and oh the humanity!

 

[AliOop]

^^What Zing said.

I did buy a jeweler's scale for measuring super small amounts for things like shampoo bars, lotions, etc. But for soapmaking, I stick to my bigger, more convenient, albeit less accurate scale, and not had any issues.

 

[dibbles]

I agree with everything that has been said. I do have a KD 7000 scale, which I really like, but that only weighs to 1 gram increments and doesn't register a weight until about 3 grams of oil have been poured into the container. Out of curiosity, I once tested the weight of the KD 7000 against my much cheaper kitchen scale and the kitchen scale is just as accurate. For soapmaking fractions of a gram just don't make a difference, in my experience. As @Zing pointed out, the superfat will ensure there is enough oil to react with the lye - and I also mix my colorants with a small amount of oil (not from the batch). For me, the biggest plus of the KD scale is the stainless plate and the total weight it will hold.

For lotion making and other bath and body products which can require tiny amounts, the accuracy of fractions of grams is more important. For that I have a jeweler's scale.

 

[AliOop]

I have a 15yo small kitchen scale, no longer available for sale unfortunately. This thing goes years before needing the batteries replaced, and starts measuring at 1g going up to 3000 g.

I had no idea how much I had lucked out with this scale until I started looking around for one that could go up to 5000g. My KD8000 does that, and like @dibbles, I love the stainless plate and easy controls. But it doesn’t kick in until at least 2g are on the plate.

Since it will do 1g at a time after that, my hack is to put my 10g calibration weight on the scale first. Then I can add 1g of SLSa, for instance (which is all I need for a single batch of bath bombs; 2g is too much).

 

[MelissaG]

I have a kd8000 and love it. It works beautifully for whats needed. It doesn't need to be perfect. These products are homemade.

 

[akseattle]

Thank you everyone! usually, if I go over a gram in one oil, I just try to use one gram less in the next oil. I thought that kind of evened it out (I know all oils have different properties.) But, a couple weeks ago, I thought I had measured everything pretty precisely based on the weight of each individual oil. But, out of curiosity, I weighed the oils after they were all together (subtracting the weight of the pot.) I was 7 grams over what the weight should have been!!
So, last weekend, same thing. I ended up 3 grams over the sum of all weights when measured individually. I don't think of myself as OCD. And, I'm not going to get another scale - I actually like my scale- It's very slim and I actually hang it on the wall, so it takes up no counter or shelf space! But, I'm just wondering- How many grams over the recipe should I worry about? Or, does 7 grams too much just mean I will have more superfat? Or, should I just say "C'est la vie!"

 

[AliensrReal]

I have a cheap scale from Amazon. I weigh in ounces and I’m happy with that. It’s not a big deal. Stick with what you have.

 

[dmcgee5034]

For me, the biggest plus of the KD scale is the stainless plate and the total weight it will hold.

and that it doesn’t turn off while you using it. My kitchen scale burned me one too many times doing that.

But it doesn’t kick in until at least 2g are on the plate.
Since it will do 1g at a time after that, my hack is to put my 10g calibration weight on the scale first. Then I can add 1g of SLSa, for instance (which is all I need for a single batch of bath bombs; 2g is too much).

Oh, aren’t you clever! That’s brilliant!

 

[Zuleika]

usually, if I go over a gram in one oil, I just try to use one gram less in the next oil. I thought that kind of evened it out (I know all oils have different properties.) But, a couple weeks ago, I thought I had measured everything pretty precisely based on the weight of each individual oil. But, out of curiosity, I weighed the oils after they were all together (subtracting the weight of the pot.) I was 7 grams over what the weight should have been!!

This is me regularly. I have a terrible habit of watching the oils flow from the bottle and that has led to me being over the measurement. Don't ask me why.. I just love to watch oil pouring from the spout and mixing with other oils. I make small batches so I'm easy 20g over the limit. I usually superfat to 3%.

I don't worry about being lye heavy because my superfat is 3% and I often dissolve colorants in additional oil.

Me too! I scoop out excess oil from the total oil mix to disperse my micas.

And ooh,, I hear ya on adding things a grain/drop at a time and all of a sudden it goes up 2 grams, then I take out some and it drops 5, then I add and it goes up 8, then I take out some and it goes down 4 and oh the humanity!

I got so frustrated doing this that I gave up and got a weighing scale that does part grams.

 

[MomInWA]

I have two scales, one regular food scale and another, smaller scale. I do use the small one for measuring fragrances (amber or Tonka bean for instance). Moreso for making body butters or perfumes than for soap. I’ve had my food scale I’m sure ten years. I have to remember to change the batteries every so often. I’ve been in the middle of measuring something and had it flash off! I’ve been considering replacing it. Appreciate your bringing this up! @akseattle

 

[Zing]

Thank you everyone! usually, if I go over a gram in one oil, I just try to use one gram less in the next oil. I thought that kind of evened it out (I know all oils have different properties.) But, a couple weeks ago, I thought I had measured everything pretty precisely based on the weight of each individual oil. But, out of curiosity, I weighed the oils after they were all together (subtracting the weight of the pot.) I was 7 grams over what the weight should have been!!
So, last weekend, same thing. I ended up 3 grams over the sum of all weights when measured individually. I don't think of myself as OCD. And, I'm not going to get another scale - I actually like my scale- It's very slim and I actually hang it on the wall, so it takes up no counter or shelf space! But, I'm just wondering- How many grams over the recipe should I worry about? Or, does 7 grams too much just mean I will have more superfat? Or, should I just say "C'est la vie!"

Wait, are you one of those daredevils living life on the edge who pours all oils directly into ONE pot?!

 

[Maple_Street_Bath]

But, I'm just wondering- How many grams over the recipe should I worry about? Or, does 7 grams too much just mean I will have more superfat?

It depends on the batch size. Generally for a batch size of 500-1000g I allow up to 5g per oil. For larger batch sizes I allow up to 10g per oil. *If you have a lot of oils, say more than 4 or 5, you may want to tighten these numbers. Or if you already have a signifcant SF calculated in. I use 3%* Really, 7 grams sounds like a lot, but really it's not that much. If you're curious to see how much it is, measure off 7 grams of a liquid oil. Most of the time I can fix small overpours just by simply dipping my spatula in the oil without scooping.

 

[AliOop]

Wait, are you one of those daredevils living life on the edge who pours all oils directly into ONE pot?!

Not @akseattle but guilty as charged.

Back to scales, I forgot to mention two other amazing things about the KD8000: the AC adapter, and the ability to set the scale never to turn off automatically. Wait, I hear the faint sound of angels singing right now...

 

[cmzaha]

yep, I am one of those daredevils that pours all oils directly into One pot, but I also low superfat, anywhere from 1-2% so no big deal if I overpour, which I usually do not. I just bought my 3rd KD8000 because I have started baking sourdough bread and my old soapmaking KD8000 scale, although still working is pretty trashed from lye and soap spills. Sourdough needed a nice new shiny KD 8000!! I love those scales. I always used my jeweler's scale for measuring ingredients when I was doing test lotion batches.

 

[MomInWA]

Not @akseattle but guilty as charged.

Back to scales, I forgot to mention two other amazing things about the KD8000: the AC adapter, and the ability to set the scale never to turn off automatically. Wait, I hear the faint sound of angels singing right now...

Oooooo aaaaahhhh oooohhhhhh the clouds part and angels appear

 

[AliOop]

Oooooo aaaaahhhh oooohhhhhh the clouds part and angels appear

You get me.

 

[akseattle]

Wait, are you one of those daredevils living life on the edge who pours all oils directly into ONE pot?!

@Zing , well I do pour all oils in one pot. I thought everyone did that?

Since it will do 1g at a time after that, my hack is to put my 10g calibration weight on the scale first.

What a great idea! I can't believe I hadn't thought of that!

and that it doesn’t turn off while you using it.

This has happened to me a couple times, I kick myself when I let this happen!

I'm not going to run out and by a new scale tomorrow, but between not being very sensitive on grams, and turning off on me if I get distracted mid-pour -- I might keep my eye open for a different scale. I only make small batches so i might look for a jewelers scale. Thanks everyone!

 

[Nytowl]

I have been using my regular Salter kitchen scale for soapmaking. I've probably had it 10 years. I bought it to weigh postage, so I thought of it as being pretty precise. Since it weighs in grams as well as ounces and kilos, I've been using it for soapmaking. But, it doesn't weight part of a gram. On soap calc, it will often require a tenth or half of a gram, etc. of oil or lye, etc. So, that's not possible.
Also, sometimes it will not increase just one gram at a time. Sometimes, I add a teeny little bit of lye, for example, at a time waiting for it to go up. Then, all of a sudden, it will go up 2 grams so i have to back up and take some off. I assume that I don't always know that it weighed an extra gram.
Do others worry about their scale not being accurate? Should I get a better scale? If so, what scale would others recommend?

You have a really good scale so I wouldn't replace it. You could supplement it with a little jeweler's scale if you need to measure small amounts though. They are inexpensive, maybe $20. I personally never use it for soap though, only when I make trial batches of shampoos or creams that require very small but accurate measurements. For soap, it's usually just not necessary. A gram is a pretty small amount and the percentage of the different types of fatty acids in different oils are averages that vary from batch to batch so really soaping is not all that precise. That's one of the reasons soapers super fat their recipes, to cover any variations in fatty acids in their oils to ensure that there is no free lye after saponification.

 

[Mommawolfe]

Not @akseattle but guilty as charged.

Back to scales, I forgot to mention two other amazing things about the KD8000: the AC adapter, and the ability to set the scale never to turn off automatically. Wait, I hear the faint sound of angels singing right now...

Ditto the one pot!, lol