Torbal DWM2

[thekidd76]

Does anyone use these anymore? This may be the wrong forum but I wasn't sure where to post. There were 2 of these along with many sets of weights in a recent purchase I made, but not sure if this is something anyone would even still use. Torbal Torsion Balance model DWM2. If anyone uses them, what is a good price on these? Thoughts?

[thekidd76]

No opinions?

[Wayne Smith]

Never heard of it, don't know what it is.

[rintinglen]

Is it a scale? In 45 years of reloading and 50+ years of reading about reloading I have never heard of Torbal. A quick internet search shows that this is an antique Labratory Scale, or perhaps outdated is a better word choice. The pictures make it seem large. It looks like something out of a 1930's apothecary shop, or an older meth Lab. Most Labs today use digital scales.

[thekidd76]

The man who all this equipment belonged to was into reloading, casting and scientific stuff. Mixed in all the reloading and casting equipment were microscopes and other types of things. I guess these 2 scales were used for that, more so than the reloading, but it was hard to tell at the time all this stuff was loaded up. Thanks for the input.

[Bent Ramrod]

If it is a torsion balance, the accuracy depends on the ability of the torsion bar to deflect the same amount for the same weight in the pan, regardless of how many deflections the bar has had already or how old it is. I would think (without any real evidence) that the torsion bar would eventually weaken, as a spring in a spring balance does, and the thing would need recalibration.

I remember seeing torsion balances in the chemistry labs just before the advent of the optical lever scales, which were in turn supplanted by the load cell scales now in use. I guess they were quicker than the balances using weights on beams, although I never saw one that was as accurate down to as small a weight increment as an analytical balance was (1/10 of a milligram). But the accuracy of the normal balance with beam and weights (1/100 of a gram or a little smaller) would be plenty good enough for reloading, and the torsion balance ought to do as well, if it still works correctly.

If the Torbal is what is described above, and it calibrates OK with standard weights, there is no reason not to use it. It would probably measure grams rather than grains, so you'd have to set up a conversion chart.