# Scales



## Gobbosp (Jan 18, 2017)

Hi any recommendations for cheap ish scales to sit on the drip tray so must be small.

Thanks all


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Brewista work OK but don't like getting too wet. If you have deep pockets, Acaia Lunar are brilliant and waterproof.


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## Gobbosp (Jan 18, 2017)

My pockets are not that deep  was hoping to get something for around £20


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## Hibbsy (Jan 8, 2017)

Horsham have a set of on balance 2kg scales for £18. Not used them myself but maybe some one on here has.

They are not water proof, so prob no good for drip tray use. But hopefully gives you an option in your price range.

https://www.horshamcoffeeroaster.co.uk/collections/equipment/products/on-balance-scales


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## Gobbosp (Jan 18, 2017)

Hibbsy said:


> Horsham have a set of on balance 2kg scales for £18. Not used them myself but maybe some one on here has.
> 
> They are not water proof, so prob no good for drip tray use. But hopefully gives you an option in your price range.
> 
> https://www.horshamcoffeeroaster.co.uk/collections/equipment/products/on-balance-scales


Thanks they look ok.

Im sure if only placed on the drip tray during extraction they would be ok ?


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

I used cheap ebay/amazon jewelry scales ~£5 to begin with and just put tape over the battery cover to help protect from splashes.

will last a lot longer than you realise


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Better to go for scales in range 0-500grms for greater accuracy.

Have a look  here 

On Balance scales are good. Just check scale height and depth to see if it will accommodate a cup. Way round height issue is to use a naked portafilter.


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Gobbosp said:


> My pockets are not that deep  was hoping to get something for around £20


I'm sort of in the same boat as yourself. I'd really like one big enough so that you can put the whole portafilter on but also go to 0.1g, but can't really find anything out there for sensible money. Or would it be OK to just rest the spout of the portafilter on smaller scales (handle on the bench) and still get an accurate reading? In which case a smaller set will do the job - and they're cheap!


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Hario drip scales are wide enough to accommodate a portafilter and weigh in 0.1grms up to 200grms and in 1.0grms from 200grms to 2kg. Has built in timer but a bit laggy. Available on Amazon for £37.00 at present.


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Hario drip scales are wide enough to accommodate a portafilter and weigh in 0.1grms up to 200grms and in 1.0grms from 200grms to 2kg. Has built in timer but a bit laggy. Available on Amazon for £37.00 at present.


Cheers. I'll check it out.


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## grumpydaddy (Oct 20, 2014)

I looked at this before I got my acaia's

I reckon you could use a cheap set off ebay then bond a bit of a platform on to the weighing plate to ensure that anything resting on it would not foul the display or buttons. To make this splash proof you would need to get something like a petri dish then use it or the lid inverted on the platform.

In view of the fact these dishes can be various diameters up to 200mm and some are square it ought to be possible to keep any fluid well away from the scale.

Some examples:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-1g-1kg-Digital-Mini-LCD-Jewelry-Gold-Kitchen-Cooking-Weighing-Pocket-Scale-UK-/301637924204?hash=item463b05756c:g:iGQAAOSwNRdX2Tf-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140mm-x-20mm-Petri-Dish-with-lids-Sealed-pack-of-9-PS-tissue-culture-dish-/111839538028?hash=item1a0a27eb6c:g:eDwAAOSwbdpWXw92

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120-x-120mm-Square-Petri-Dish-Triple-Vent-with-lids-Sealed-pack-of-10-PS-/111360740184?hash=item19ed9e0b58:g:l3EAAOxyQfJTfdmS

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LARGE-200MM-GLASS-PETRI-DISH-/162390751836?hash=item25cf3e3a5c:gJUAAOxy-sRSVrjM

This just from a quick look.... You should find better fairly easily.

The whole portafilter must be clear of the bench so making a stand for it to sit on whilst on the scales might work

Edit:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-1-3kg-Digital-Scale-Weighing-Postal-Electronic-LCD-Kitchen-Scale-Food-Cooking-/222210167458?hash=item33bcc212a2:g:9sYAAOSwARZXpFnb

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-1-2kg-Digital-Scale-Weighing-Postal-LCD-Electronic-Kitchen-Scale-Food-Cooking-/222271555908?hash=item33c06ac944:g:ZNoAAOSwLnBX7olu


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

grumpydaddy said:


> I looked at this before I got my acaia's
> 
> I reckon you could use a cheap set off ebay then bond a bit of a platform on to the weighing plate to ensure that anything resting on it would not foul the display or buttons. To make this splash proof you would need to get something like a petri dish then use it or the lid inverted on the platform.
> 
> ...


Thank you for all the suggestions. I like the idea of making a stand for the portafilter and sitting it on the scales. Time to get the MIG out! I actually have the scales in the last two links which I use for weighing paint/thinners for spraying the Landy. Seem to work fine, so I'll probably go for another set of these and make a stand.







(sorry for hijacking the thread)


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Pics below of my scales.

These were about £8 on ebay.

They are 2000g/0.1g.

A portafilter weighs about 550g or thereabouts so I bought the 2kg scale so I can dose into the PF without needing to take the basket out.

They are 'landscape' format so they fit on the drip tray and also take a naked PF handle with the engineering marvel that is Snakehips' weigh plate (Alu sheet with some foam top and bottom).

I put them in a weighing tray that was left over after my last set of (different) scales got wet in use. It protects the battery compartment from below, while splashes from above are mainly caught by the aluminium platform.

They're not exactly Acacias but they do the job and seem to be surviving!


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

hotmetal said:


> Pics below of my scales.
> 
> These were about £8 on ebay.
> 
> ...


That's a good solution. I was thinking something along the lines of a home-made tamping box (with a cut out for the spout) sat on top of the scales to slot the portafilter into. But I don't want to make it too heavy so maybe wood would be better. Hmmmm:waiting:


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

El Carajillo did something similar that was very light and cheap. IIRC it involved a bit of plastic trunking or square section guttering with a couple of channels cut out. It basically formed a U shape that was high enough to clear the spouts and fitted on the weigh plate.


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## Gobbosp (Jan 18, 2017)

hotmetal said:


> Pics below of my scales.
> 
> These were about £8 on ebay.
> 
> ...


They look just the job - do you have a name for them so i can search ebay ?


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## Riz (Oct 19, 2015)

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/2/0/8?bu=44469420884&segname=B18119A-00&crd=20170103101358&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F361205224780&ch=osgood&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.%24%7Bprefix%7Debay.%24%7Bdomain%7D%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F%24%7BitemId%7D&osub=42e89efe0cf504bb48d6c6b06987d8bf%7E737a887e830907183755f5e543af849a&sojTags=emid%3Dbu%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Curl%3Durl%2Cch%3Dch%2Cosub%3Dosub

See if that works.

I have the same scales and am pleased with them. They fit on the drip tray nicely and its nice to have the display facing you rather than having to look at them from the side.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Cheers Riz, saved me a job!


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

I have these scales but got them from amazon. They actually come with an acrylic case that you can use to protect from splashes and still use the scales as normal. Pretty good for the price.


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## tAClue (Jul 6, 2017)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Kitchen-Digital-Scale-3kg-0-1g-Cafe-Scales-Waterproof-LCD-Display-Accurate-/263085014786?hash=item3d4116bf02:g:0TkAAOSwmNlZZgLa

I know I'm late to the party but what about these. They even state they are waterproof.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

tAClue said:


> I know I'm late to the party but what about these. They even state they are waterproof.


Probably worth a punt, so long as you take 'Waterproof and accurate' with a pinch of salt (or they might really be so). You really only need a max capacity of 1kg with 0.1g grads (max portafilter typically weighs just over 500g so need a bit more than that). But it looks the right size, and if it does turn out to be waterproof I'll buy a set. I don't think the fact they go to 3kg is necessarily a bad thing, just unnecessary. Hopefully they're accurate enough even at 10-15% of nominal capacity.


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## Danm (Jan 26, 2012)

I've been using my ebay jewellery scales for 6 years and they still work perfectly. Just changeds the batteries and few times and give them a wipe. Also use them to weigh salt for my aquarium and they seem pretty indestructible and resistant to moisture


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