Scale for initial weight and balance

[Rynoth]

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?

[kmacht]

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

[radfordc]

You might check with your local EAA chapter: http://eaa17.org/ They might have a set of scales or know where to find one.

[Fastcapy]

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.

[DCASonex]

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.

[fastj22]

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

[kevinh]

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

[Rynoth]

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.

[Bryan Cotton]

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?

[Rynoth]

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.