LOVE YOUR VIDEOS. Just bought an old Howe Scale No. 8 1/2 in very nice condition. I have the 3 adjustments but I don't understand what to adjust first.
Great video! Very detailed information. My dad had one of these for fifty years and when he passed we sold it at auction. I recently saw one just like it on FB Marketplace and bought it for $25. Don't have a need for it, but it reminds me of dad. Now it is going to be restored to look like new again and will be kept in my shop as a conversation piece. And, thanks to this video, it will also be calibrated! Thanks for making these videos! One question, does anyone have a source for parts like the counterweights?
If you can find a hanger that will work you have to add or subtract weight to it until the beam balances with the slider weight on zero and no weights on the hanger.
great videos! I have a 1000 lb fairbanks with two bars and 2 sliding weights.Can I get this to balance with one bar or do I need to use both sliding weights? I tried for 2 hrs and cant get close.Would be nice to see a 1000 lb scale video.Can I get this to balance with just the top or bottom sliding weight? Thanks! PS: the cutout on the two sliding weights is on the right side,so they both are on the 18 lb mark when all the way to the left.
If the sliding weights are all the way to the left they should be pointing to the zero mark. My double weight scale has 2-peice weights that screw together. Maybe somebody put yours on backwards. Look for screw heads on the bottom of the weights. Then with both weights to the left, on the zero mark, the weight hanger in place with no weights on it, and nothing on the platform it should be able to balance out.
Thanks,I see no way to take weights off the bars.Each weight is one piece solid and the 2 slider bars and ends are one piece,strange set up.I wonder if FM designed it this way> Id have to cut the 2 slide bars to turn weights around.@@PackratsFabrications
@@craftsman5695 I've been thinkin about it, and I don't have an answer. These are simply balancing machines. When these were made your floor was almost guaranteed to not be level. The first step when you put your scale in location to use is to zero the scale, or get it to balance with no weight on it. If your machine can only get down to 18 lbs on each rail, you would have to zero your scale by using a known 36 pound (2x18) weight on the platform. That's possible but I've never seen one like that. If you want to try to get to the bottom of it send me an email to larry@packratsfabrications.com so we can exchange pictures. I'd want to see an overall picture of the scale, and closeups of the front of the weights and the bottom of the weights. My double weight scale is a Moline Scale Co., I don't a double weight FM scale here to look at.
I just looked at a Howe double weight scale, the weights have no bolts on the bottom (except a thumbscrew to keep the bottom weight in position), but it looks like they are 2 pieces that screw together like the lid on a jar. They're made so the seam line is not very noticeable.
There's a problem with youtube's comment system, I can see the first part of your latest comment, but only up to the part where you said the weights are not the same weight. Your comment does not show up in the other places where I should be able to see comments. Can you re-type your comment again please? If this don't work we may have to go to email.
Hi, yes there is a relationship. These scales are actually simple balancing machines. The length of the arms inside and the position of the balance points provide a balance ratio of about 100 to 1. So 100 pounds on the platform would balance with 1 pound on the hanger. Using that same ratio, 50 pounds on the platform would balance with 1/2 pound on the hanger. The reason I use a 50 pound weight for setup is because the sliding weight has a range of 50 pounds and that has to have the same balancing effect as a 1/2 pound weight on the hanger. For more details on the theory search for my video from February 2021 called "Antique Platform Scales". I talk about the theory in the 2nd half of that video.
Super clean work with outstandingly clear explanations. Thank you.
LOVE YOUR VIDEOS. Just bought an old Howe Scale No. 8 1/2 in very nice condition. I have the 3 adjustments but I don't understand what to adjust first.
Great video! Very detailed information. My dad had one of these for fifty years and when he passed we sold it at auction. I recently saw one just like it on FB Marketplace and bought it for $25. Don't have a need for it, but it reminds me of dad. Now it is going to be restored to look like new again and will be kept in my shop as a conversation piece. And, thanks to this video, it will also be calibrated! Thanks for making these videos! One question, does anyone have a source for parts like the counterweights?
I don't know of a source for parts. Sometimes you have to buy another incomplete one to get the parts to make one good one.
I checked and parts are available from Fairbanks. The counterweights are still in production and used in new production scales.
That's good to know, I didn't expect that. Thanks!
How do you take in account for the Counter height that you add the weights onto it? i need one for my old Stimpson Candy scale.
If you can find a hanger that will work you have to add or subtract weight to it until the beam balances with the slider weight on zero and no weights on the hanger.
Tried to get mine usable but didn’t have much success. Maybe with the help of this tutorial I’ll have better luck. Thanks
great videos! I have a 1000 lb fairbanks with two bars and 2 sliding weights.Can I get this to balance with one bar or do I need to use both sliding weights? I tried for 2 hrs and cant get close.Would be nice to see a 1000 lb scale video.Can I get this to balance with just the top or bottom sliding weight? Thanks! PS: the cutout on the two sliding weights is on the right side,so they both are on the 18 lb mark when all the way to the left.
If the sliding weights are all the way to the left they should be pointing to the zero mark. My double weight scale has 2-peice weights that screw together. Maybe somebody put yours on backwards. Look for screw heads on the bottom of the weights.
Then with both weights to the left, on the zero mark, the weight hanger in place with no weights on it, and nothing on the platform it should be able to balance out.
Thanks,I see no way to take weights off the bars.Each weight is one piece solid and the 2 slider bars and ends are one piece,strange set up.I wonder if FM designed it this way> Id have to cut the 2 slide bars to turn weights around.@@PackratsFabrications
@@craftsman5695 I've been thinkin about it, and I don't have an answer. These are simply balancing machines. When these were made your floor was almost guaranteed to not be level. The first step when you put your scale in location to use is to zero the scale, or get it to balance with no weight on it. If your machine can only get down to 18 lbs on each rail, you would have to zero your scale by using a known 36 pound (2x18) weight on the platform. That's possible but I've never seen one like that. If you want to try to get to the bottom of it send me an email to larry@packratsfabrications.com so we can exchange pictures. I'd want to see an overall picture of the scale, and closeups of the front of the weights and the bottom of the weights. My double weight scale is a Moline Scale Co., I don't a double weight FM scale here to look at.
I just looked at a Howe double weight scale, the weights have no bolts on the bottom (except a thumbscrew to keep the bottom weight in position), but it looks like they are 2 pieces that screw together like the lid on a jar. They're made so the seam line is not very noticeable.
There's a problem with youtube's comment system, I can see the first part of your latest comment, but only up to the part where you said the weights are not the same weight. Your comment does not show up in the other places where I should be able to see comments. Can you re-type your comment again please? If this don't work we may have to go to email.
good day sir! may i just ask why did you use 1/2 pound counterweight for the 50 pound weight? is there a relationship between them?
Hi, yes there is a relationship. These scales are actually simple balancing machines. The length of the arms inside and the position of the balance points provide a balance ratio of about 100 to 1. So 100 pounds on the platform would balance with 1 pound on the hanger. Using that same ratio, 50 pounds on the platform would balance with 1/2 pound on the hanger.
The reason I use a 50 pound weight for setup is because the sliding weight has a range of 50 pounds and that has to have the same balancing effect as a 1/2 pound weight on the hanger.
For more details on the theory search for my video from February 2021 called "Antique Platform Scales". I talk about the theory in the 2nd half of that video.