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How To Weigh Gold And Such?


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I need my fellow prospectors advice on gold scales? Is there a scale that measures in grains and fractions of a grain plus pennyweights,Troy ounces, and grams and is reliable and under say $40? The scale at work measured to only 1/10 of a gram and my home scale only does pennyweights and ounces. Scales on Ebay are saying they round off to the nearest whole number on grains and no fractions...needless to say I am confused...be nice to have one that reads in decimals to tenths of a grain for like a 1.3 grain flake...or 2.45 grams ,etc...

Thanks

 

-Tom

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Harder to find digital scales in grains and dwt - not as popular, so they are rare. Far more common is weight in grams. The whole rest of the world uses metric weights.

You can use a calculator and translate gram weights to grains. 1.55 grams is a pennyweight, and a dwt has 24 grains.

The more accurate your scale, the more it will cost. A scale that is accurate to 1/100 of a gram is fairly cheap - try Amazon. Less than $20.

One which is accurate to 1/1000th of a gram will be more expensive than $40. I paid about $100 for mine.

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I need my fellow prospectors advice on gold scales? Is there a scale that measures in grains and fractions of a grain plus pennyweights,Troy ounces, and grams and is reliable and under say $40? The scale at work measured to only 1/10 of a gram and my home scale only does pennyweights and ounces. Scales on Ebay are saying they round off to the nearest whole number on grains and no fractions...needless to say I am confused...be nice to have one that reads in decimals to tenths of a grain for like a 1.3 grain flake...or 2.45 grams ,etc...

Thanks

 

-Tom

Scales to weigh gunpowder weigh to 1/10 of a grain, and can be found fairly cheap in the balance beam configuration(non digital).

480 grains =1 troy ounce. 20 pennyweights = 1 troy ounce. 1pennyweight =24 grains.  1 gram =15.434 grains. 31.1 grams =1 troy ounce

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I used digital powder scales for inexpensive accuracy, good to 1/10th grain (1/4800th oz) and just convert for home use or buying and selling. I have an older version of these RCBS powder scales, AC or battery operated with calibrations weights, will weigh up to 750 grains (1.5625 Troy Ounces). You can get them for $120 bucks at Sportsman's Warehouse.

rcbs-rangemaster-digital-powder-scale.jpg

For general field use and anything but buying and selling I have been very happy with the US Magnum 500, will weigh up to 500 grams (16 Troy Ounces) and is accurate to 0.1 gram. It can weigh in Troy ounces, pennyweights, regular ounces, grams, grains, and carats. Compact with lid that doubles as weighing tray, comes with calibration weight, battery operated - and available at many places online like Amazon for less than $20.00

I have an older version with buttons in a square pattern, there are versions with buttons are in a round pattern as below. 

us-magnum-500-digital-scale.jpg

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I have the Magnum 500 like the one posted by Steve above, as like Steve's it the older version which I bought from AMDS (Alaska Mining and Diving Supply) I'm guessing it's at least 10 to 12 years old, maybe older, I bought it back when Steve still was there, it still works well.

 

I also have one that's accurate to 1/1000 of a gram but I don't remember the manufacturer of it, I don't use it that often and would have to remember where it is and dig it out to see who makes it.

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