Beam scale scale

[xs11jack]

OK There are 5 grain notches on the beams left side and 1/10th grain notches on the right side, so what is the tenth grain scale under the end of the pointer for? If the scale is balanced at zero, and you move the wieght on the right side of the beam one notch which is equal to 1/10th, why does the beam pointer go nearly off the scale and not just move one tenth?
Jack

[Sweetpea]

I don't have a picture to see what scale you are looking at, but I believe my scale has 1 grain increments to the right, and then the little micro adjustment.

[xs11jack]

This is a Herter's scale. On the post that sticks up on the left side that the pointer on the beam points to is a scale that is vertical. It goes from -8 1/10ths to +8 1/10ths and when the pointer is over the zero in the middle, you have whatever the beam scales read, such as 28.3 grains. The left side of the beam will have the weight in the 25 grain notch and the right side of the beam will have the weight in the 3.1 grain notch. I am new here and will try to learn how to post a picture as soon as I can to illustrate my points.
Jack

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The Herter's beam scale is as good a scale as the Redding, RCBS, Lyman, Pacific, etc. If the pivot blades (sometimes called knife edges) and the cradle they ride in are not damaged and kept clean, there should be no problems in getting accurate readings. Of course a scale can be out of adjustment, but there are provisions for getting it re-adjusted to work well. What is needed is a good set of check weights. They are sold in little kits/plastic boxes...are marked in clear increments and usually come with a tweezer for handling them. Or you can make your own, using coins, or short pieces of copper wire, etc. They have to be marked for recognition. If you go this route you have to have them weighed by someone that has an accurate scale...someone like a pharmacist or a lab technician. In any case they will serve you to test your scale and if it is off, you can make adjustments to get it back on track so you can help it keep your powder measure honest and you safe...and your shooting accurate. LLS

[xs11jack]

OK here is a picture of what I am trying to discribe.
59267
Now you can see the scale mounted on the post. As I said the scale goes from-8 1/10ths at the bottom to zero in the middle to +8 1/10ths at the top.

[LUBEDUDE]

OK There are 5 grain notches on the beams left side and 1/10th grain notches on the right side, so what is the tenth grain scale under the end of the pointer for? If the scale is balanced at zero, and you move the wieght on the right side of the beam one notch which is equal to 1/10th, why does the beam pointer go nearly off the scale and not just move one tenth?
Jack

I started loading metalics at 18, roughly 40 years ago. To answer your original question, this is how this 18 yr old assumed how it worked. No one taught me.

You naturally want to zero your scale if at all possible. However, if you don't, and let's say you can only get the blade set at negative 1/10th; then that means your load will be off by 1/10th.

For example: If you are "zeroed" at negative 1/10th and your load is 5grains. And you do actually balance your load at level . You actually have 1/10 more of a load in your pan because you were originally zeroed at negative 1/10 on the pointer. So you need to add 0.5 to your 5 grains and you actually have 5.5 grains.

Just reverse the math if was "positive" and multiply by the factor if is more.

So, it is always best, just to make sure and zero your scales and not have to revert to higher math.

If I am wrong, please edgeumacate me.

[xs11jack]

59289 OK, on this picture of the whole scale, the beam is grauated in two scales. The scale to the left of the balance point is graduated in 5 grain segments. The scale to the right of the balance point is graduated in 1/10ths of a grain. The graduations on the small vertical scale shown in the picture in my other post is supposedly graduated in tenths, it even says that at the bottom of the scale, BUT, if the scale pointer is pointing at zero, and you move the 1/10th scale wieght on the right side of the beam one notch, the pointer doesn't move up or down one tenth on the vertical scale, it goes either to the top or bottom of the scale, meaning to me that the vertical scale, except for zeroing the beam, is meaningless. Unless someone out there knows something different about the scale. I have the original manual that came with the scale, but it just says that the vertical scale is for 1/10ths, and as I already explained that can't be true. Thank you everyone for your info.
Jack

[LUBEDUDE]

If the pan is empty, then it should bottom out.

The two scales are not based on equal "weight".

The bar has to do with load weight. The verical "tenths" scale on the far left is for deviance off by % by "tenths".

You need to throw that "tenths" and "grains" out of your mind as far as THAT vertical scale is concerned.

[canthit]

The numbers on the right are full grains and each short line represent 1/10 th grain, this is where you set the weight for say 1-4.9 gr.
The 1/10 marks 0n the left is to let you know if your powder charge is heavy or light by 1/10 grains. Hope this helps.

[C.F.Plinker]

Your scale is very similar to the C-H that I use. Mine works just like you think yours should work. That is if I move the poise on the right one notch the pointer moves one division on the end scale. This is an oil damped scale. There is a well under the balance point. You are supposed to put oil in the well and a paddle mounted below the knife edges, which is then in the oil, can't move through the oil very fast and this slows down the movement of the beam. Check to see if the paddle is there. If it is not then the scale will behave as you described. When the scale gets a little out of balance the paddle, even if it is in air, acts to restrain the movement of the beam. If it is not there and the scale is out of balance the beam will go all the way up or down.

[xs11jack]

Plinker everything you discribed is the same on mine except for the left scale reading. For example, if the pointer is at zero on the left scale and you move the right scale one notch, which is 1/10th of a grain, the pointer at the left scale will peg at the top or bottom, not just move one graduation on the scale. I can't figure out what the scale was put there, I can find no expaination for it nor a use for it. It sorta bugs me that I can't figure it out, but I have wasted enough of you good people's time on it and I give up!
Jack