Digital scale drift?

[ShootingNewbie]

A vote for balance beam and trickling here - have used a couple of non-high-end digitals ($120 for the first one, and a $25 "what the heck" second try) and got fed up with their inability to react to one or two kernels being added to the pan, AND the drifting that required constant taring/zeroing of the pan.

The first one is in the garbage, but the second one is still on the reloading bench for quickly weighing bullets - it seems to work decently in that capacity, as while it still does the drifting thing, I'm weighing exactly one bullet at a time, so I don't need to worry about trickling not registering.

Going back to the original intent of this thread: I believe that drifting is where the scale slowly changes its reading of what the weight in the pan weighs - i.e. you put a 30gn weight in the pan, and it initially reads 30.0, then 20 seconds later 30.2, then a bit later 30.4, then 30.6, etc.

Reloading for precision shooting is enough work as it is; seeing the tool that you depend on to get a uniform amount of powder dispensed changing its mind right in front of you is almost enough to make one want to give up entirely and join a yoga group or something. Well, almost...

 

[Maple57]

Its not that balance beams are more accurate, just because a digital scale may drift.

Even if a half decent scale drifts, it's likely still more accurate than the best balance beam scale.

When a good scale drifts, it may drift by the weight of a kernel of Varget, if you dont notice it or hit the Tare button.

A balance beam scale wont even "consistently" notice such a difference. Balance beams are reliable low tech and inaccurate for precision long range shooting, but they work, every time.

 

[IvoB]

Its not that balance beams are more accurate, just because a digital scale may drift.

Even if a half decent scale drifts, it's likely still more accurate than the best balance beam scale.

When a good scale drifts, it may drift by the weight of a kernel of Varget, if you dont notice it or hit the Tare button.

A balance beam scale wont even "consistently" notice such a difference. Balance beams are reliable low tech and inaccurate for precision long range shooting, but they work, every time.

It all may depend on the type of balance beam - a good old school RCBS 10-10 is likely more accurate then the cheap offshore ones - I exclusively use my balance beam and it's dead-on - however, I must disclose that I have a 12x16 (cutting board) that I place the scale on with set screws at the four corners with bubble levels (Princess Auto stuff) so my balance beam is perfectly balanced on the cutting board. Two weeks ago I shot my Savage Axis XP (sporter barrel) 5 consecutive shots and it punched just over an inch or so at 200 yards with my reloads. I am unable to post a picture of the target but am willing to share through email.

 

[stubblejumper]

I use a Chargemaster, I watch the reading every time the pan of powder is lifted off of the scale, as long as that number(the weight of the pan) is constant, the calibration has not drifted. Essentially, I am verifying the calibration and zero after every single charge is dispensed.

 

[Ex3dy]

Lots of variables with cheap digital scales so here's a list of the most common I have not seen mentioned:

-Load cell legs must be treated very gently, overloading can cause permanent damage
-Scale must be on a flat level surface, if the surface is level and the scale bed is not refer to point 1
-cheap load cells operate most accurately between 80-95% load, more capacity is not better.
-Humidity should be stable and hopefully 50% max

 

[ShootingNewbie]

Its not that balance beams are more accurate, just because a digital scale may drift.

Even if a half decent scale drifts, it's likely still more accurate than the best balance beam scale.

When a good scale drifts, it may drift by the weight of a kernel of Varget, if you dont notice it or hit the Tare button.

A balance beam scale wont even "consistently" notice such a difference. Balance beams are reliable low tech and inaccurate for precision long range shooting, but they work, every time.

Gotta disagree here.

Balance beam scales can be made to be as reactive to trickling up as a digital (and significantly more sensitive than a load-cell digital, which will always be handicapped by friction in the system). The keys are ensuring the knives (balance points) are kept sharp and clean (along with the rest of the scale), and there is as little friction in the system as possible.

Case in point, my ancient Redding will never drift, needs zero-ing exactly once per reloading session (i.e. when it comes down from the shelf at the start of the session), and will clearly show the difference in weight when a small kernel of N133 is added to the pan. And if the power goes out, I can still reload for 10 hours per day... well, maybe 9, counting meals and things - but then there's the days getting shorter - oh, and Daylight Savings...

Just printed off a customized dust cover for the scale this morning to help keep scale maintenance down to an even duller roar.

 

[diopter]

For a cover just look at available Tupper ware or disposable clear plastic food packaging.

How many of us actually break powder kernels to make up our charge weight?

 

[Chilly807]

How many of us actually break powder kernels to make up our charge weight?

Well, I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I can tell you that I don't.

Scales that read to 100ths of a grain really become irrelevant in that context, as far as I'm concerned.

The OP's original question about scale "drift", which we've "drifted" away from quite neatly, is easily answered to my mind.
If a scale won't steadily display the same value of the same object over a reasonable period of time, then it's a problem.
I don't have test weights, what I use to check scale calibration is a simple machine screw which weighed 45.5 grains when I first used it several years ago. My spare scale said it weighed 45.3 grains.
As long as it weighs the same each time I check the scale, which is admittedly done on a very infrequent basis, I am confident my scale is working as well as it can.
IMO, if you're loading to a usable velocity node, a few kernels of powder one way or the other doesn't amount to enough to take you off that node.
A small capacity case, .223 for example, can be more fussy about exact charge weight. A 50% decrease in total charge weight means that 1 or 2 gains of powder has more of an effect on a 25 grain charge than it does on a 45 grain charge. That's simple mathematics.
Our "fascination" (which by coincidence has the same number of letters as "frustration" ) with gadgets can be a very slippery slope ending at a rabbit hole.
How far you go down that rabbit hole depends on both your pocket depth and your willingness to look to technology to further your goals.
Plus, there's no guarantee that the rabbit is actually in the hole to begin with. Slippery characters, those rabbits..

 

[Maple57]

Gotta disagree here.

Balance beam scales can be made to be as reactive to trickling up as a digital (and significantly more sensitive than a load-cell digital, which will always be handicapped by friction in the system). The keys are ensuring the knives (balance points) are kept sharp and clean (along with the rest of the scale), and there is as little friction in the system as possible.

Case in point, my ancient Redding will never drift, needs zero-ing exactly once per reloading session (i.e. when it comes down from the shelf at the start of the session), and will clearly show the difference in weight when a small kernel of N133 is added to the pan. And if the power goes out, I can still reload for 10 hours per day... well, maybe 9, counting meals and things - but then there's the days getting shorter - oh, and Daylight Savings...

Just printed off a customized dust cover for the scale this morning to help keep scale maintenance down to an even duller roar.

This is my primary balance. https://www.tequipment.net/Intellig...sGie5U1vIRDfy72KSRgfk1IByzvJuUpxoCK1cQAvD_BwE

I also have a range of other digital scales that I accumulated over the years.

I also have an RCBS beam scale.

It might be reasonable for one to assume that I have done some meaningful testing, since I have the means to do so, and that would not be wrong.

With that in mind, I cannot remember the last time I used my beam scale. Furthermore, short of a total electrical blackout, I cant envision a reason to ever use a beam scale again.

As a matter of fact, as a result of this thread, I decided to test my beam scale. The first two charges I tested were off by over 4 tenths of a grain. That's all the testing I need to do. For short range guys who dont run hot loads, thats good enough, but it wont help you at long range.