My beam scale went bad on me!

[tommysempra]

I am sending my RCBS 510 beam scale back into Ohaus for work because it quit zeroing out for me. used the little lyman test weights to verify it wasn't just me, and whats going on is when i try to adjust the foot on the floating end, the lines never line up. the beam stays in the same spot whether i go up or down. When i put a powder charge into the little brass cup, it will either read a little light and never get to the line, or will go all the way to the top, like it is overly attracted to the magnet. How often does something like this happen, and since it is my only scale, what can i get for a backup/replace this one with?

 

[kelbro]

I'm guessing that you checked and cleaned the pivot point. There's really not much that can go wrong with a balance beam unless it gets dropped or otherwise damaged.

Been using my 510 for 20 years now.

 

[ants]

Yes, check for debris or obstruction on the fulcrum, but also...

When that happened to me 20 years ago, it was the little wire linkage at the payload end of the beam (where you hang the cup). The wire link got bent slightly and no longer swung freely on its studs. It would get bound up, then suddenly free itself. It caused the same symptoms you're getting.

 

[tommysempra]

Should a backup scale be purchased now that i can't do anything? I have no idea how long it will take to get it back from them since it was shipped out yesterday afternoon.

I didn't think there was much that could go wrong with it either, but hopefully they can fix it. I like that scale

 

[xsquidgator]

Should a backup scale be purchased now that i can't do anything? I have no idea how long it will take to get it back from them since it was shipped out yesterday afternoon.

I didn't think there was much that could go wrong with it either, but hopefully they can fix it. I like that scale

My vote would be to use this as an excuse to buy a digital scale as a backup. You will probably like it so much your beam scale will become the backup!
If you do go digital, I do not recommend the $30 variety that many places put their logo on and sell (the scales are the same whether you buy them from Midway, Midsouth, Cabelas, or whoever). I had one that didn't work all that reliably and it ended up dying after 6 months. I spent $100 on an RCBS digital and it's wonderful, reliable all the way and it simply works the way it's supposed to, which the cheap ones don't.

Nothing against beam scales, I have one which is the backup to the digital but I haven't taken it out in probably a year or more.

 

[243winxb]

To late for this info if shipped already. But anyway- Avoid locating mechanical scale within three (3) feet (one meter) of fluorescent lights. The electromagnetic fields generated by such lights can cause weighing errors. Static electricity near a scale can affect measurement accuracy just as much as a stray air current. Always use a powder pan made from metal or from static dissipative plastic (e.g. the Lyman Powder Pal). PACT recommends washing their powder pan occasionally with soapy water and allowing the soap film to dry on the pan. The soap film helps dissipate static electricity. Keep any plastic materials away from the scale, including plastic loading blocks, die storage boxes, ammunition storage boxes, AkroBins, Styrofoam and vinyl. Keeping a clear space around the scale is generally a good practice anyway. www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=411418

 

[fourdollarbill]

The only thing that can go wrong with that scale is the knife edge of the pivot is dented and dull. (like a knife blade) Typically this happens when it is dropped or when pressure is placed on top of the assembled pivot point.
99% of the time you can fix this. Pick up the beam and hold the knife edge of the beam to a light and the edge should not have any shiny spots. It should be as sharp as a new knife and you will see no shiny spots.
Take a hard Arkansas stone with oil and just ever so lightly file the knife edge back into place. DO NOT reshape the blade. I can usually knock the shine off in 3 to 10 light strokes in one direction. Now test it and you will be surprised.

The valley the knife fits in is near impossible to repair without tooling. BUT the valley is near impossible to damage unless you do something to it. If the valley has slight mis-shape it will not affect the zero.

The only other thing that can go wrong is the knife bolster can be loose on the beam. That you can figure out. If it is a rivot then bump it tight, if it is a screw then tighten it. If it glued that is a bummer to fix but you can.

Added a picture of a shiny knife edge that has damage. See the glint of light on the edge.

 

[The Bushmaster]

fourdollarbill...That one of your wife's kitchen knives she has been naggin' you to sharpen?

 

[fourdollarbill]

No naggin' to it. I just do it and I can live one more day .

 

[tommysempra]

Fourdollar, i can't sharpen a knife to save my life, so if it requires that kind of skill to shave hair, it ain't for me! I can mess up a knife edge like no one's business, but I will definitely look at it once i get it back to see what you are talking about.

 

[Doug b]

A breeze from a fan or open window or such can cause some of the issues you are having.

 

[tommysempra]

a/c was off, no air movement and i thought of those too. even shut the door just in case something was going on elsewhere causing a small draft.

 

[twofifty]

Another cause for beam hang-ups is when one end of the pivot knives is butted up against one of the metal end caps that hold the agate valleys in place. This creates friction and slows beam response.

When I see the beam is not responding freely to trickled in kernels, I give the scale body a flick with my finger and this re-centers the pivot knives.

This observation applies to the 505, and likely to the 510.

 

[tommysempra]

looking into a digital scale now so that i am not down while something is being worked on again in the future. not being able to reload is driving me crazy! Does this make me an addict?

 

[Ol` Joe]

looking into a digital scale now so that i am not down while something is being worked on again in the future. not being able to reload is driving me crazy! Does this make me an addict?

I don`t know this to be true, but I suspect there are 100 digitals that go back for problems for every one balance....maybe even one for every thousand...........
JMHO

 

[FM-793]

I don`t know this to be true, but I suspect there are 100 digitals that go back for problems for every one balance....maybe even one for every thousand...........

I've reloaded thousands and proofed my digital against an apothecary beam balance. I'm starting to get the feeling that this "beam vs. digital" is one of those religious debates...