Scale for initial weight and balance

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Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby Rynoth » Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:40 am

What have folks used for a scale when measuring your initial weight and balance? Rent an industrial scale from somewhere? Wal-mart bathroom scale? Something in between?
Ryan Roth
N197RR - Waiex #197 (Turbo Aerovee Taildragger)
Knoxville, TN (Hangar at KRKW)
My project blog: http://www.rynoth.com/wordpress/waiex/
Time-lapse video of my build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8QTd2HoyAM
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby kmacht » Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:22 am

Talk to the DAR you plan on using. Mine knew of a set of aircraft scales that get rented out locally for a very small fee. If you ask they probably know someone or some place like a local eaa chapter that has a set. I wouldn't trust a bathroom scale.

Keith
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby radfordc » Thu Aug 03, 2017 11:41 am

You might check with your local EAA chapter: http://eaa17.org/ They might have a set of scales or know where to find one.
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby Fastcapy » Thu Aug 03, 2017 12:25 pm

Check with your local EAA chapter, an aircraft repair shop, or another option is the local car racing scene. Those guys sometimes have them to weigh their cars and may be willing to borrow it out for a case of beer!

I borrowed the ones to do mine from the local technical colleges A&P program department.
Mike Beck
Oshkosh, WI (KOSH)
Sonex #1145 N920MB
Std Gear, Modified Aerovee, Rotec TBI, Dual Stick, Acro Ailerons
MGL Panel
Airworthiness: 10/24/13, First Flight: 05/18/14
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby DCASonex » Fri Aug 04, 2017 11:26 am

Wife and i together were within a couple of pounds of weight on one wheel. Bought pair of better quality bathroom scales from Walmart. Took them and wife to local doctors office where there were a pair of old balance beam scales Our weight on those was within a pound of the bathroom scales readings. Used UPS scale for the much more critical tail wheel weight.

David A.
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby fastj22 » Fri Aug 04, 2017 8:19 pm

I bought a digital shipping scale on Amazon with a capacity of 400lbs. For like $70.

John Gillis
SEL Private, Comm Glider, Tow pilot (Pawnee Driver)
Waiex N116YX, Jabiru 3300, Tail dragger,
First flight, 3/16/2013. 403 hours and climbing.
Home: CO15. KOSH x 5
Flying a B-Model Conversion (Super Bee Baby!)
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby kevinh » Fri Aug 04, 2017 9:29 pm

fastj22 wrote:I bought a digital shipping scale on Amazon with a capacity of 400lbs. For like $70.


Great idea! https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-Shipping-Stainless-Readability/dp/B0153I0418/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501896246&sr=8-1&keywords=digital+shipping+scale
Taildragger Waiex in progress, tail done, wings done, about to mate wings to fuse,
then cowl, canopy, paint (photos): flush rivets, turbo aerovee, acro ailerons
(I built my RV7A and happily flew it for about 500 hrs)
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby Rynoth » Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:23 am

kevinh wrote:
fastj22 wrote:I bought a digital shipping scale on Amazon with a capacity of 400lbs. For like $70.


Great idea! https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-Shipping-Stainless-Readability/dp/B0153I0418/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501896246&sr=8-1&keywords=digital+shipping+scale


Great find! I just ordered one of these up.
Ryan Roth
N197RR - Waiex #197 (Turbo Aerovee Taildragger)
Knoxville, TN (Hangar at KRKW)
My project blog: http://www.rynoth.com/wordpress/waiex/
Time-lapse video of my build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8QTd2HoyAM
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby Bryan Cotton » Sat Apr 24, 2021 10:12 am

This exact scale is now only $35. I'm tempted to buy 3. Reviews are mixed. Lots of negative reviews for people trying to weigh 6 oz on a 440# scale. Some negative reviews for the scale dying. Any further group perception on this option?
Bryan Cotton
Poplar Grove, IL C77
Waiex 191 N191YX
Taildragger, Aerovee, acro ailerons
dual sticks with sport trainer controls
Prebuilt spars and machined angle kit
Year 2 flying and approaching 200 hours December 23
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Re: Scale for initial weight and balance

Postby Rynoth » Mon Apr 26, 2021 4:52 pm

Bryan Cotton wrote:This exact scale is now only $35. I'm tempted to buy 3. Reviews are mixed. Lots of negative reviews for people trying to weigh 6 oz on a 440# scale. Some negative reviews for the scale dying. Any further group perception on this option?


Bryan, if you go this route (or if I did it again) I would buy 3. I must have done something wrong in my initial measurement method using (a single) amazon scale rotated to each point and ended up with a light weight for the tail, putting me out of balance. I ended up renting 3 (expensive) professional scales. The tail weight was very different, but the main wheel weights (300+ lbs each) were within a pound or 2 of the amazon scale. I think the scale was actually correct and I messed something else up when I was moving the scale around trying to measure 1 point at a time.

I've continued to use the scale to weigh various small parts added/removed to the plane (turbo cooling system, battery swap, etc.)

Anecdotally, I've been using the scale to weigh our growing baby and it's proved to be very consistent with what the pediatrician scales show in the <20lb range. I think it's a good product.
Ryan Roth
N197RR - Waiex #197 (Turbo Aerovee Taildragger)
Knoxville, TN (Hangar at KRKW)
My project blog: http://www.rynoth.com/wordpress/waiex/
Time-lapse video of my build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8QTd2HoyAM
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