Ohaus versus myweigh tripple beam balance scales

TheTaoOfPhil · Sep 17, 2013

Hi,

I am new to mixing my own darkroom chemicals. My goals for the foreseeable future are:

* To mix my own mytol (as a smaller quantity xtol);
* To experiment with pyro;
* To doctor up off-the-shelf paper printers with Bromide and Carbonate;
* Eventually expand into exotic toners.

I've been reading over numerous past posts about scales and looking at websites that sell scales. If I had the money, I might buy two digital scales, one for the 0.01-100 ranger and another for heavier weights. But given my budget limitations, it seems like a single triple beam balance will have to do.

I realize that the mytol formula requires weighing pheniodine in 100ths of grams. However, I see from the Darkoom Cookbook that one can simply make a percentage solution and use a portion thereof to arrive at the right dilution.

With all that as background, my questions are:

Are there any cases in which making a percentage solution would not work -- in which one just couldn't do without 100th/gram accuracy?
Is the My Weigh triple beam (circa $80 including counterweights) good enough for this purpose, or is it worth the extra money to get an Ohaus (which does seem to be the gold standard).

Thanks for your help!

--Phil

brianmquinn · Sep 17, 2013

First without getting hands on your old scale I can’t say how well it will work. But I have used MANY old scales that were 50 to 80 years old that were perfect in terms of measuring what they were intended to. All percentage solutions will work. But keep in mind you may have to dissolve your crystals in things other than water. Also a compound in solution almost always goes bad faster than when it is left as crystals.
Also keep in mind that Ohaus is just a brand name. some of their stuff is very high quality and some in made in China of so-so quality. For example the: "Scout® Pro Portable Balances for Education". What exactly do they mean by "Education" I take it to mean don't use this for anything important.

Also see here for more general info on small scales:

http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Gemini-20-Portable-Milligram/product-reviews/B0012TDNAM

Mick Fagan · Sep 18, 2013

Over the last 30 years I have owned a version or copy of the Ohaus triple beam scale, best thing I've purchased for weighing.

About 20 years ago with my work I purchased some machinery for a process and along with it came some electronic scales, quite decent scales too. 0.001g to 49.999g another that went up to 1,000g and a third that did 2,000g all pretty good stuff.

Well after reasonable use, about 5 times a day with the two smallest electronic scales they both required replacing after about 5 years. When they died, I pulled the triple beam scales in to service get us by. After the second set of electronic scales started to go off song, we stayed with the triple beam scales for all things except the 0.001g to 49.999g scales.

My preference for longevity and reliability would be for a set of triple beam scales, whether they are Ohaus or a clone. Consistency with measurements from scale usage is more of an issue, plus once you are set up and have done it a bit, you'll never look back to packaged stuff again.

By all means purchase a couple of electronic scales, but a reasonably good triple beam set of scales will work wonderfully for all the things you would realistically require for photographic purposes and they will see you out, no matter how young you are at the moment.

Mick.

fotch · Sep 18, 2013

With a little patience and luck, I have purchased like brand new Ohaus scales on eBay for less than $40 with shipping/insurance. My experience with similar electronic devices is there will come a day that you will not trust you electronic device and spend more time trying to verify that it is properly working, especially with the less expensive ones. JMHO

Tom1956 · Sep 18, 2013

30 years ago, my boss had to buy a new set of ink scales because a fellow pressman who was all thumbs dropped and broke the ones we had. BTW--that fellow pressman wasn't all thumbs for long--the press took care of that.
Anyway, when the new Ohaus scales arrived, they were in grams, not parts. So I bought them off the boss. I don't think there was ever anything I could have said to convince him I didn't want them to weight dope. I never sold dope. Long story short, they're what I use, and just mixed myself up a batch of Willi Beutler's 3 days ago.
As far as the fellow pressman, after getting snatched by the machine 3 different occasions, the boss put him in the stripping department. That boy couldn't walk within 15 feet of a printing press without getting hung up in it.

mts · Sep 18, 2013

Get a set of test weights to check the balance. These usually go up to 500g, or to 100g for smaller scales. You can also weigh a test sample on a known good scale and then use the scale to be tested. You need a scale capable of .1 g precision. For smaller quantities of most components, for example KI, you can make a 1-2% solution and then add the proper volume.

Ken Nadvornick · Sep 18, 2013

Another vote for the Ohaus Triple Beam. Been using the same one as an original owner since the early 70s. Survived a 1250-mile relocation and works as well today as the day it was new. The supplementary weight kit is very useful when mixing 4-liter solution volumes.

Ken

dynachrome · Sep 19, 2013

I have an old Mettler P1000 which I need to calibrate. I also have a digital postage scale which can be tared and used when needed. What do I mostly use when mixing up film chemicals? Measuring spoons/cups. Volumetric measurement is not quite as accurate but it is adequate for my purposes. Even with a good scale you still have to contend with chemicals having absorbed moisture. With a good selection of spoon sets and a good reference page with volumetric weights, most tasks can be accomplished. An added benefit is that spoons to not require batteries or calibration.

Tom1956 · Sep 19, 2013

The OP only put 2 "p"s in trippple. That word has 3 p's. One for each beam. You'd use 2 p's if it were a double-beam balance.

#1 Son · Sep 21, 2013

I use a plastic balance scale, with a set of balance weights. I have screw nuts 10-32, 8-32, and 10-40 that weights in at 50mg, 25mg, and 100mg. That I use to weight small amounts of chemicals. I tested it with a Ohaus electronic and it was with in .001 gram. Cost $24.00

Just an idea, to use and save some funds.

Sonny

TheTaoOfPhil · Sep 23, 2013

Thanks to you all for contributing your experiences. One of the considerations that tips the balances in favor of the triple beam scale (pun not intended originally, but let's just embrace it now) is the same one that compels me to continue shooting with film and printing in the darkroom: the older equipment is more reliable and has more character than the new equipment. Your responses largely reflect this truth.

And, in the spirit of sticking with the gold standard, I opted to buy an Ohaus on ebay. With free shipping, the price came out to be meaningfully less than a new myweigh.

And now, for the bulk chemicals!

Thanks!
--Phil

Tom1956 · Sep 23, 2013

Check out fleabay on the chemical too. That's where I've bought mine so far.

Mick Fagan · Jan 26, 2023

Ronnie, the person who started this thread, hasn't been seen since 2013. My suggestion is to read this thread carefully, decide whether you wish to go to electronic scales or a mechanical beam scale either triple or quad beam system.

If you look at post number three, which is mine, you will see that I have a triple beam scale and also for some years used very high quality electronic scales for business. The electronic scales were very good for measuring developing chemicals, but eventually all of them died.

In the meantime I reverted back to my mechanical beam scales and have continued that way since; including using them yesterday.

Welcome to the forum.

Mick.

albada · Jan 26, 2023

And welcome to Photrio!
I'll recommend cheap Chinese-made electronic scales from Amazon. Ones with 0.01 g resolution cost about $20, so there's minimal expense to replace it if it dies in five years.

relistan · Jan 26, 2023

I’ve had the same cheap electronic scale since 2009 (bought used back then) and it’s going great. I mix up stuff fairly often and it just works. I always store it with the plastic plate that protects the mechanism while in storage.

Doremus Scudder · Jan 26, 2023

I have both a cheapie electronic kitchen scale and an Ohaus quad beam scale. I use them both and I use spoon measures as well.

If I had to keep only one, the Ohaus wins hands down.

Doremus

Roger Thoms · Jan 26, 2023

Tom1956 said:
The OP only put 2 "p"s in trippple. That word has 3 p's. One for each beam. You'd use 2 p's if it were a double-beam balance.

Lol, you beat me to it.

Roger

mshchem · Jan 26, 2023

I have several Ohaus balances. A joy to use. My biggest is a huge triple beam solution balance maximum capacity is 20kg!

My choice for all around is an Ohaus Harvard Trip balance with a set of extra brass weights.

It's hard to resist the cheap digital scales, but we are doing analog work, so go old school. No Dial a Gram no springs.

Ohaus versus myweigh tripple beam balance scales

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