I was under the impression that you had to use a scale like that in an enclosure/cabinet as air movement will change your readings.
You should. It should also be temperature controlled, since the most minute changes in pressure can change the reading. But for our use, it's fine, since we don't need a ten-thousandth of a gram. For people like /u/abdada, working with pure aroma volatiles, the scale should be in a sealed cabinet.
I think this particular set came with a glass dome. It only jumps up and down 0.0001g when you walk around it, otherwise it's pretty solid without it. It does change a lot if I get too close and it picks up my breath.
You are correct, and even that $25 one on Amazon is effected by fans blowing in my room. I had to shut everything down to get a consistent reading.
Edit: No reason to cuss bro. Fixed my shit.
> shit everything down
hmmm?
My father got this scale from a cigarette manufacturer he used to work at. They moved everything overseas and shut all the labs down. I assume they were used to weigh additives and flavourings. I think it's pretty cool that they are now being used to make juice.
That's not a scale, it's an analytical balance. These need to be placed on a sturdy surface away from vibrations (we place ours on 4in thick slabs of marble to dampen vibrations) and need to calibrated fairly often with a set of gram standards. Make sure that the bubble is as closely centered within the black ring and that you center your breakers on the metal tray. Clean it often with methanol or acetone and never touch the tray or breaker with your bare hand during measurements as this balance is sensitive enough that your skin oils will skew measurement. If it's not too old, it probably uses an electromagnet to counteract the force of gravity on the tray itself, which is what makes it so sensitive. Use that glass dome when you tare and when getting final weights. Make sure you know the weight limit and tolerance ( generally in the +/- 0.0005g area). Great balance that will serve you well.
So, your new thing is to make 0.5ml batches of recipes like Zoochberry Cream? :D hehe
That's a pretty cool scale though!
I bought a set of scales which said they measured down to .01 of a gram, and they don't measure anything under 5g.
Makes mixing difficult.
Buy a 5g calibration weight and leave it on the scale at all times, and just subtract 5g from each reading.
You are a freaking genius, why the hell didn't I think of this?