US MEASURES

Philippe-Georges · Jan 1, 2022

I saw a formula posted on shootitwithfilm.com with the volumes of the components measured in tablespoons and (½) cups.
It was a little confusing as a part of this formula was given in metric measures...
As I am not that familiar with this way of measuring, could somebody 'translate' this into metric volumes please?

otto.f · Jan 1, 2022

app: myConvert

Philippe-Georges · Jan 1, 2022

otto.f said:
app: myConvert

Thanks Otto,
But this app converts tablespoons in to ml not in grams...
Unless I am not using this app correctly...

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 1, 2022

Philippe-Georges said:
Thanks Otto,
But this app converts tablespoons in to ml not in grams...
Unless I am not using this app correctly...

But you cannot convert volume to weight without knowing density. Formulas with volume reference are usually not that sensitive to actual mass introduced. One can always measure volume, record weight, hen use that as future reference for adjustments or repeated use.

Philippe-Georges · Jan 1, 2022

VTLD said:
But you cannot convert volume to weight without knowing density. Formulas with volume reference are usually not that sensitive to actual mass introduced. One can always measure volume, record weight, hen use that as future reference for adjustments or repeated use.

I was thinking to do this but, and I really don't want to split hairs, but we have about five different tablespoons in house, all having a different volume, there most be somewhere a standard reference?
Perhaps I can weight the content of all 5 of them and take the average, and hold that as my own 'standard', as in this case it's about (crystalline-) powder (Sodium Sulphite, Sodium Carbonate and Ascorbic Acid)...

Thank's anyway and a Happy New Year for all of you!

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 1, 2022

Philippe-Georges said:
I was thinking to do this but, and I really don't want to split hairs, but we have about five different tablespoons in house, all having a different volume, there most be somewhere a standard reference?
Perhaps I can weight the content of all 5 of them and take the average, and hold that as my own 'standard', as in this case it's about (crystalline-) powder (Sodium Sulphite, Sodium Carbonate and Ascorbic Acid)...

Thank's anyway and a Happy New Year for all of you!

You can buy cooking measure set that go from like 1/4 teaspoon to a cup, that is basically the reference for volume.

Philippe-Georges · Jan 1, 2022

VTLD said:
You can buy cooking measure set that go from like 1/4 teaspoon to a cup, that is basically the reference for volume.

Why didn't I think of that!

AgX · Jan 1, 2022

VTLD said:
You can buy cooking measure set that go from like 1/4 teaspoon to a cup, that is basically the reference for volume.

Never saw such over here in household shops. It is an american concept/unit. Meanwhile I see such in german internet shops.

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 1, 2022

AgX said:
Never saw such over here in household shops. It is an american concept/unit. Meanwhile I see such in german internet shops.

Amazon.de

relistan · Jan 1, 2022

No need to buy anything. 1 tablespoon is 14.787ml or roughly 15ml. Fill a few multiples of that volume with the desired component, then weigh in grams, divide back to one unit and you should have a reasonably good weight measurement to proceed with. Of course volume is affected by how much water is present in the powder etc. but it’s a starting point.

AgX · Jan 1, 2022

VTLD said:
Amazon.de

But likely me and some other people here still live their traditional, national way and not in America Amazonica.
And thus a lot of stuff remains unknown.

And is hardly needed, unless applying obscure american formulae the american way.

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 1, 2022

AgX said:
But likely me and some other people here still live their traditional, national way and not in America Amazonica.
And thus a lot of stuff remains unknown.

And is hardly needed, unless applying obscure american formulae the american way.

Agree, just giving a pointer in the direction of making it easy.

RalphLambrecht · Jan 1, 2022

Philippe-Georges said:
Thanks Otto,
But this app converts tablespoons in to ml not in grams...
Unless I am not using this app correctly...

assuming a specific densiry of 1kg/dm^3 1ml = 1g

runswithsizzers · Jan 1, 2022

<Wikipedia> says this:
"The unit of measurement varies by region: a United States tablespoon is approximately 14.8 ml (0.50 US fl oz), a United Kingdom and Canadian tablespoon is exactly 15 ml (0.51 US fl oz),[2] and an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml (0.68 US fl oz).[3] The capacity of the utensil (as opposed to the measurement) is defined by neither law nor custom, but only by preferences. And it may or may not significantly approximate the measurement."

RalphLambrecht · Jan 1, 2022

runswithsizzers said:
<Wikipedia> says this:
"The unit of measurement varies by region: a United States tablespoon is approximately 14.8 ml (0.50 US fl oz), a United Kingdom and Canadian tablespoon is exactly 15 ml (0.51 US fl oz),[2] and an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml (0.68 US fl oz).[3] The capacity of the utensil (as opposed to the measurement) is defined by neither law nor custom, but only by preferences. And it may or may not significantly approximate the measurement."

Not very committal

Tel · Jan 1, 2022

And, of course, a tablespoon (and the like) is a cook's measure and not a chemist's. It's as precise as a "splash" or a "dash" or a "pinch". Far more important, though, is the difference between a British pint and an American one!

runswithsizzers · Jan 1, 2022

RalphLambrecht said:
Not very committal

Yes, apparently the best instrument for measuring a tablespoon is not a tablespoon. ;-)

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 1, 2022

RalphLambrecht said:
assuming a specific densiry of 1kg/dm^3 1ml = 1g

Not sure if I agree with this, a fresh water density applied to powders?

One thing that needs to be mentioned about powders used by volume is how COMPACTED the powder is, which affects actual density significantly. The agreed way is to have powder fill measuring cup without being compacted, just swiped across top to finalize it. And the key is to be consistent with it time after time to have any repeatability.

Chan Tran · Jan 1, 2022

RalphLambrecht said:
assuming a specific densiry of 1kg/dm^3 1ml = 1g

Only if it's water.

Chan Tran · Jan 1, 2022

VTLD said:
Not sure if I agree with this, a fresh water density applied to powders?

One thing that needs to be mentioned about powders used by volume is how COMPACTED the powder is, which affects actual density significantly. The agreed way is to have powder fill measuring cup without being compacted, just swiped across top to finalize it. And the key is to be consistent with it time after time to have any repeatability.

For powder it's better to measure by weight but of course you need to know the density which is difficult because it depends on how compact you make it.

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2022

relistan said:
No need to buy anything. 1 tablespoon is 14.787ml or roughly 15ml. Fill a few multiples of that volume with the desired component, then weigh in grams, divide back to one unit and you should have a reasonably good weight measurement to proceed with. Of course volume is affected by how much water is present in the powder etc. but it’s a starting point.

This is what is a US Standard Teaspoon not just any spoon in the drawer.

MattKing · Jan 1, 2022

Any recipe that uses these types of volumetric measurements probably doesn't require high precision. So if you are thinking about using the recipe, check where it came from (US vs. UK) and use the equivalent in milliliters, but don't expect absolute accuracy.
I would be comfortable doing this with something that allows one to check how it is working during use (e.g. a toner), but hesitant with something that is difficult to correct for variable results (e.g. a film developer).
And I would bee careful about assuming that Canada and UK volumetric measurement are the same - I think if you see teaspoon measurements here now, they are likely to have come from US sources.

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2022

MattKing said:
Any recipe that uses these types of volumetric measurements probably doesn't require high precision. So if you are thinking about using the recipe, check where it came from (US vs. UK) and use the equivalent in milliliters, but don't expect absolute accuracy.
I would be comfortable doing this with something that allows one to check how it is working during use (e.g. a toner), but hesitant with something that is difficult to correct for variable results (e.g. a film developer).
And I would bee careful about assuming that Canada and UK volumetric measurement are the same - I think if you see teaspoon measurements here now, they are likely to have come from US sources.

Using a baking recipes from the UK in the US can be problematical. First as noted the measurements are by weight not volume as is the custom in the US and second some of the ingredients specified and either hard to find or non existent in the US. I am sure that there are similar problems in the other direction. For example is clotted cream found in the dairy case or the local blood bank?

mshchem · Jan 1, 2022

I would find a different formula

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2022

mshchem said:
I would find a different formula

+1

US MEASURES

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