Can't seem to zero my Lee scale

cosmic said:
Well - The scales are very sensitive - plus or minus 1/10 of a grain will push the balance arm off the scale. Make sure you're on the knife edge pivot properly - there are false positions. Also, the balance arm can drag within the left side frame, if the edge is not centered.
I've used mine for years, and it works fine. Do you know where the zeroing wheel is?
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This.
Also, try cleaning the pivot points with alcohol.
 
cosmic said:
Well - Before you jump off a bridge, you should attempt a realistic check of the repeatability of the scale. Measure a typical charge of powder and zero. Remove and replace the pan. See if it re-zeros. If it doesnt, add or remove powder with the pan in place, to establish zero. Notice how few kernels of powder are required to effect the change? These things are designed to be sensitive, because they need to be.
In the end, these cheap junky scales should be able to give repeatability of 1/10 of a grain, which is equal to or better than your digital scale on order!
Finally, do you intend to measure each charge? You'll be ranting about how time consuming that is shortly. All you need to do is to use the scale as a check against the volumetric dispenser. You calibrate the dispenser against the scale, then check the odd throw to see if the dispenser is repeating - they usually do.
Use your analog scale and go shooting tomorrow. Do the same with your digital scale - you wont notice any difference in group size.
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I have tried several times to use it. I will try again when I get home today but i doesn't seem to be working for me. I am able to get close to zero and when I do, I take the try off and put it back on yet it doesn't come back to where it started. I re zero and then try again and it does the same thing but I am not seeing a pattern.

Several years ago, I was given a free lee scale by a member here and that worked no problem. I was able to use it and it would work every time. I got a digital back then so I gave away the scale to another new user and kept the digital because it was easier and quicker for me.

Now I am doing it all over again. I got a free scale in the Lee kit I bought so I am trying to use it however it just won't zero for me. Like I can't see how somebody else could get it to zero and stay there. I put the beam on the bottom portion and then adjust the wheel until I see zero without lifting the beam off the bottom portion. Then when I see zero, lift the tray, put it back down and wait for everything to stop moving, see it's at a different spot so I try again to see if it will go back to zero but it doesn't so I try it all over again.

I don't think I will be complaining with the new scale about weighing every charge as I hear the chargemaster is pretty good at doing all the work.

Very frustrating. :ar15:
 
I have an Ohaus & a Mettler (both digital) I used when I was a chemical engineer. These are some of the best scales in the world and always work flawlessly. The only problem with them for "Joe Public" is that they cost anywhere from $1000-$5,000 depending on your needs. Ohaus makes a very good, analytical quality, triple beam balance for around $200 which would represent the minimum I would consider for the task. In the real world of analytical scales, Lee is unheard of.
 
AWOL said:
I have an Ohaus & a Mettler (both digital) I used when I was a chemical engineer. These are some of the best scales in the world and always work flawlessly. The only problem with them for "Joe Public" is that they cost anywhere from $1000-$5,000 depending on your needs. Ohaus makes a very good, analytical quality, triple beam balance for around $200 which would represent the minimum I would consider for the task. In the real world of analytical scales, Lee is unheard of.
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whatever makes you tick but in my opinion it's overkill.
quite a few benchrest shooters are still using scoops which means incredible accuracy in measuring the charges does not necessarily translate in incredible accuracy on target.
 
Level where it sits. I used a machinist level. I found it much faster for checking than my 505,but the clumsy 505 is easier to set up and works for cases as well.
 
I have leveled it with a basic level and it appears to be level. I have tried it on the floor, in my garage floor, the kitchen, bedroom and everywhere and just can't seem to get it.
 
The problem with a Lee is the beam has to in level balance,duh,but the pointer doesn't nessesary hit the mark then. I used a known weight. Truth be told,VihtVouri said a 5% difference does NOT affect the load.
 
downwindtracker2 said:
The problem with a Lee is the beam has to in level balance,duh,but the pointer doesn't nessesary hit the mark then. I used a known weight. Truth be told,VihtVouri said a 5% difference does NOT affect the load.
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Do you know if they mean 5% over the max load won't turn your gun into a bomb, or it won't affect your accuracy?
 
No big surprise here, that Lee scale is at best junk and at worst its dangerous junk. The good news is that they don't break the bank so you can still go out and buy a decent scale from RCBS, Redding or almost anyone else.
 
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