Looking for my Mom's kitchen scale

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (axlq)

Quoted message said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

The whole thing was plastic. It consisted of a measuring cup at
one end of a balance beam, a counterweight at the other end, and a
sliding pivot in the middle, on which the whole scale would balance
on your countertop. The sliding piece had a small bubble-level in
it. Well, not all plastic; the counterweight clearly had some metal
in it and the bubble-level contained liquid.

You set the sliding thing to point at the weight you want (written
on the balance beam) and fill the measuring cup with ingredients
until the bubble-level shows it's balanced. The scale will then be
sitting on your countertop rocking back and forth on the sliding
pivot. In ASCII art (fixed-width font) it looked something like
this:

measuring
\ cup / sliding adjustable
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

Of course, being from Germany, the weights on the balance beam were
marked off in grams, and the volume increments on the measuring cup
showed milliliters. That's OK.

Try as I might, I can't find this device ANYWHERE. Not on eBay, not
on my Google searches, noplace. Are these still sold anymore?

-A

Try a Scientific supply.
Mine is metal, otherwise knows as a triple beam balance.

It was laboratory surplus.

Works great.

My sister uses it to measure soap making ingredients.

I have a regular brass spring scale that has both standard and metric
measurements.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:13:12 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (axlq)

Quoted message said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

I've never seen the one you are searching for. But there are some
mechanical kitchen scales at Amazon. I own this one. which does the
job well:
http://www.amazon.com/Salter-11-Pound-Mechanical-Kitchen-Stainless/dp/B0000YWUYA/ref=sr_1_79/105-8670952-9525206?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1187000281&sr=1-79

Barry in Indy

Barry said:

(axlq) said:

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

I'd think your local drug dealer could help you with one of those.

Quoted message said:

I've never seen the one you are searching for. But there are some
mechanical kitchen scales at Amazon. I own this one. which does the
job well:http://www.amazon.com/Salter-11-Pound-Mechanical-Kitchen-Stainless/dp...

Lee Vally has a nice kitchen scale too.

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=45691&cat=2,40733,44734

Sheldon

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:13:12 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (axlq)

Quoted message said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

The whole thing was plastic. It consisted of a measuring cup at
one end of a balance beam, a counterweight at the other end, and a
sliding pivot in the middle, on which the whole scale would balance
on your countertop. The sliding piece had a small bubble-level in
it. Well, not all plastic; the counterweight clearly had some metal
in it and the bubble-level contained liquid.

You set the sliding thing to point at the weight you want (written
on the balance beam) and fill the measuring cup with ingredients
until the bubble-level shows it's balanced. The scale will then be
sitting on your countertop rocking back and forth on the sliding
pivot. In ASCII art (fixed-width font) it looked something like
this:

measuring
\ cup / sliding adjustable
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

Of course, being from Germany, the weights on the balance beam were
marked off in grams, and the volume increments on the measuring cup
showed milliliters. That's OK.

Try as I might, I can't find this device ANYWHERE. Not on eBay, not
on my Google searches, noplace. Are these still sold anymore?

-A

Hello Axlq,

I don't know if the "single-beam balance" is still sold, though
triple-beam ("trip"😉 balances are readily available. A trip balance
has three beams and three weights; 100g, 10g, 1g is common.

I had to use trip balances in high school chemistry. Today's
electronic balances are SOOOO much more convenient (trust me; I've
taught chemistry for mumble-mumble years). My electronic kitchen
scale was under $20, and I can do much the same as you did with your
mom's balance. You use what is called a "tare" button on the balance.

Want to weigh 750 g flour?
--Push ON button. Balance reads 0g.
--Put the cup or bowl on the balance. Now it reads something more,
say 224 g
--Press TARE. The balance again reads 0g. It's automatically
subtracted the weight of your cup/bowl.
--Spoon in flour. When you get close to 750 g, slow down. Stop when
it reads 750 g. Done.
--Need to weigh another ingredient? Just put the new cup/bowl on the
balance and TARE again. Reads zero again. Go for it.

My scale will weigh up to 5000 grams to plus or minus a gram. When
making bread I can weigh both the flour and the yeast if I want...

Hope this helps -- Terry

axlq said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

I'm surprised you can still get them. After all, people might use
them for making druuuuugs.

Geoff

--
"That's like using a condom *and* abstinence
to prevent pregnancy." -- Andy Banta

axlq said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

The whole thing was plastic. It consisted of a measuring cup at
one end of a balance beam, a counterweight at the other end, and a
sliding pivot in the middle, on which the whole scale would balance
on your countertop. The sliding piece had a small bubble-level in
it. Well, not all plastic; the counterweight clearly had some metal
in it and the bubble-level contained liquid.

You set the sliding thing to point at the weight you want (written
on the balance beam) and fill the measuring cup with ingredients
until the bubble-level shows it's balanced. The scale will then be
sitting on your countertop rocking back and forth on the sliding
pivot. In ASCII art (fixed-width font) it looked something like
this:

measuring
\ cup / sliding adjustable
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

Of course, being from Germany, the weights on the balance beam were
marked off in grams, and the volume increments on the measuring cup
showed milliliters. That's OK.

Try as I might, I can't find this device ANYWHERE. Not on eBay, not
on my Google searches, noplace. Are these still sold anymore?

-A

Well this doesn't have the pivot, but it may be similar:

"http://www.saveonscales.com/product_myweigh_triple_beam_balance_scale.html"

(axlq) said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

That's un-American.

Quoted message said:

The whole thing was plastic. It consisted of a measuring cup at
one end of a balance beam, a counterweight at the other end, and a
sliding pivot in the middle, on which the whole scale would balance
on your countertop. The sliding piece had a small bubble-level in
it. Well, not all plastic; the counterweight clearly had some metal
in it and the bubble-level contained liquid.

You set the sliding thing to point at the weight you want (written
on the balance beam) and fill the measuring cup with ingredients
until the bubble-level shows it's balanced. The scale will then be
sitting on your countertop rocking back and forth on the sliding
pivot. In ASCII art (fixed-width font) it looked something like
this:

measuring
\ cup / sliding adjustable
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

Of course, being from Germany, the weights on the balance beam were
marked off in grams, and the volume increments on the measuring cup
showed milliliters. That's OK.

Try as I might, I can't find this device ANYWHERE. Not on eBay, not
on my Google searches, noplace. Are these still sold anymore?

-A

In article <[email hidden]>,

Terry said:

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:13:12 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (axlq)

Quoted message said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

The whole thing was plastic. It consisted of a measuring cup at
one end of a balance beam, a counterweight at the other end, and a
sliding pivot in the middle, on which the whole scale would balance
on your countertop. The sliding piece had a small bubble-level in
it. Well, not all plastic; the counterweight clearly had some metal
in it and the bubble-level contained liquid.

You set the sliding thing to point at the weight you want (written
on the balance beam) and fill the measuring cup with ingredients
until the bubble-level shows it's balanced. The scale will then be
sitting on your countertop rocking back and forth on the sliding
pivot. In ASCII art (fixed-width font) it looked something like
this:

measuring
\ cup / sliding adjustable
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

Of course, being from Germany, the weights on the balance beam were
marked off in grams, and the volume increments on the measuring cup
showed milliliters. That's OK.

Try as I might, I can't find this device ANYWHERE. Not on eBay, not
on my Google searches, noplace. Are these still sold anymore?

-A

Hello Axlq,

I don't know if the "single-beam balance" is still sold, though
triple-beam ("trip"😉 balances are readily available. A trip balance
has three beams and three weights; 100g, 10g, 1g is common.

I had to use trip balances in high school chemistry. Today's
electronic balances are SOOOO much more convenient (trust me; I've
taught chemistry for mumble-mumble years). My electronic kitchen
scale was under $20, and I can do much the same as you did with your
mom's balance. You use what is called a "tare" button on the balance.

Want to weigh 750 g flour?
--Push ON button. Balance reads 0g.
--Put the cup or bowl on the balance. Now it reads something more,
say 224 g
--Press TARE. The balance again reads 0g. It's automatically
subtracted the weight of your cup/bowl.
--Spoon in flour. When you get close to 750 g, slow down. Stop when
it reads 750 g. Done.
--Need to weigh another ingredient? Just put the new cup/bowl on the
balance and TARE again. Reads zero again. Go for it.

My scale will weigh up to 5000 grams to plus or minus a gram. When
making bread I can weigh both the flour and the yeast if I want...

Hope this helps -- Terry

I have to concur with Terry.
While I do have a triple beam balance (lab surplus), the digital scales
we use at work are a lot less hassle.

Try ebay.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Geoff Miller) said:

axlq said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

I'm surprised you can still get them. After all, people might use
them for making druuuuugs.

Geoff

--
"That's like using a condom *and* abstinence
to prevent pregnancy." -- Andy Banta

<snork> They have a lot more uses.. My sister used mine to make soap.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:13:12 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (axlq)

Quoted message said:

The whole thing was plastic. It consisted of a measuring cup at
one end of a balance beam, a counterweight at the other end, and a
sliding pivot in the middle, on which the whole scale would balance
on your countertop. The sliding piece had a small bubble-level in
it. Well, not all plastic; the counterweight clearly had some metal
in it and the bubble-level contained liquid.

This is a type of "balance beam scale". I can't find any in plastic
or with the bubble level (but you really don't need a bubble level,
it's easy enough to SEE when it's level). You can use any balance
beam scale - add your own measuring cup and put a counterweight on the
other side to balance so that it sets at 0 with the measuring cup on
the platform. See:

<http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/118612_antique-style-balance-scale.htm>

<http://www.plunderhere.com/auction/cgi-bin/auction/view?cmd=view&listingID=251845>

<http://item.express.ebay.com/Brand-NEW-OhausTriple-Beam-610g-x-0-1g-Balance-Scale_W0QQitemZ120147065925QQihZ002QQtrZexpQQcmdZExpressItem>

<http://cgi.ebay.com/Ohaus-Heavy-Duty-Solution-Balance-triple-beam-scale_W0QQitemZ120150444723QQihZ002QQcategoryZ48726QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem>

jc

"Omelet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Geoff Miller) said:

axlq said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

I'm surprised you can still get them. After all, people might use
them for making druuuuugs.

Geoff

--
"That's like using a condom *and* abstinence
to prevent pregnancy." -- Andy Banta

<snork> They have a lot more uses.. My sister used mine to make soap.

Scales or condoms?

In article <[email hidden]>,

Pete Fraser said:

"Omelet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Geoff Miller) said:

axlq <[email hidden]> writes:

> I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
> things, but nothing I am looking for.

I'm surprised you can still get them. After all, people might use
them for making druuuuugs.

Geoff

--
"That's like using a condom *and* abstinence
to prevent pregnancy." -- Andy Banta

<snork> They have a lot more uses.. My sister used mine to make soap.

Scales or condoms?

Triple beam Balance scale.

Beast. ;-)
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]" -- Jack Nicholson

I really appreciate all the replies.

However, I wasn't looking for a triple-beam balance or a digital
scale; I know where to get those, and I came across dozens while
searching for the specific single-beam balance scale I described,
which balances on your countertop.

Although I'll probably end up getting a digital scale for $30 or so,
I was interested in this cheap plastic beam balance scale mostly for
sentimental reasons (because my Mom used one for over 40 years) and
partly for its engineering simplicity and elegance.

-A

In article said:

measuring
\ cup / sliding
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

axlq said:

Although I'll probably end up getting a digital scale for $30 or so,
I was interested in this cheap plastic beam balance scale mostly for
sentimental reasons (because my Mom used one for over 40 years) and
partly for its engineering simplicity and elegance.

-A

In article said:

measuring
\ cup / sliding
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

Its been a few years but I recall seeing them in catalogs geared to
science and brain toy type catalogs. Have you tried a teacher supply
store or catalog?

axlq said:

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

Is this anything like what you are looking for?

<http://www.pennscale.com/bakers_scales.htm>

<http://www.pennscale.com/heirloom_scales.htm>

Victor

(axlq) said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

The whole thing was plastic. It consisted of a measuring cup at
one end of a balance beam, a counterweight at the other end, and a
sliding pivot in the middle, on which the whole scale would balance
on your countertop. The sliding piece had a small bubble-level in
it. Well, not all plastic; the counterweight clearly had some metal
in it and the bubble-level contained liquid.

You set the sliding thing to point at the weight you want (written
on the balance beam) and fill the measuring cup with ingredients
until the bubble-level shows it's balanced. The scale will then be
sitting on your countertop rocking back and forth on the sliding
pivot. In ASCII art (fixed-width font) it looked something like
this:

measuring
\ cup / sliding adjustable
\ / pivot counterweight
\__/ ____ ____
|===============| |=======####
balance beam \/

Of course, being from Germany, the weights on the balance beam were
marked off in grams, and the volume increments on the measuring cup
showed milliliters. That's OK.

Try as I might, I can't find this device ANYWHERE. Not on eBay, not
on my Google searches, noplace. Are these still sold anymore?

Don't know why you would want one other than as a conversation piece,
but they are readily available. I think for general kitchen use a
mechanical dial scale is most advantageous. Digital scales are good
too but unless you use it often you'll still be changing worn batterys
and for nothing.

http://www.fantes.com/scales.htm#balance

Sheldon

Victor Sack said:

axlq <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

For the past 40 years my mother had (from Germany) this incredibly
useful kitchen scale. It needed no batteries, had no moving
mechanism (just a couple parts you move yourself), simple to
operate, fool-proof, etc.

Quoted message said:

Is this anything like what you are looking for?

I get the impression the OP is describing a balance with no
base, in which the knife-edge lay directly upon a surface such
as a counter.

Steve

Geoff Miller said:

axlq said:

I went looking online for kitchen scales today. Lots of digital
things, but nothing I am looking for.

I'm surprised you can still get them. After all, people might use
them for making druuuuugs.

Not making them, but selling them. I remember at Freemont High
School in Sunnyvale they had them chained to the science desks on
days when we'd have to use them.

-sw

Omelet said:

<snork> They have a lot more uses.. My sister used mine to make soap.

That's pretty common. A lot of hustlers try and pass of soap as
crack.

-sw