Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17
  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    tacoma wa.
    Posts
    305

    coaxing a scale to measure in thenths of a gram.

    in preperation for the current project i bought an electronic weight scale. now that i've made all the calculations for the baffel fills and am ready to start filling my top quilt with down.I've hit a slight snagg. the scale only measures whole grams. and my calculations require thenths of a gram. i'm sure others have run into this before me( then again maybe not)..how did you work this out? i was thinking that i could get some washers( brads,plastic pellets- what i use isn't important, as long as it's small enough to be devided by ten ) weigh out a gram of this stuff, and then devide this up into ten piles. then when something like .6 grams are required i'd add 4 piles to the scale, and then suck up down untill the scale changes by one gram. does this sound reasonable or am i going to have to buy something else to make this "one off quilt"? as long as i'm asking. is there some other way to do this with the tools currently on hand ( or at the very least...cheaply)? thanking all in advance
    Last edited by the_gr8t_waldo; 12-13-2012 at 19:53.

  2. #2
    Senior Member pgibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    SW Idaho
    Hammock
    AHE 1.1 dbl
    Tarp
    AHE Shangi La
    Insulation
    KAQ Prototype
    Suspension
    AHE Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    6,955
    Why in the world would you need to be accurate to the 10th of a gram? I know of no manufacture of any down gear that bothers to get that accurate...other than say Black Rock hats that uses very, very little down in their hats. And even for a DIY version of that Most would not really need to be precise and more just filled till comfortably full. But any quilt, socks, gloves it just does not need to be That precise. Not trying to rub you wrong just not sure I get it.

    What is it your making, I am curious what your headed for.
    Arrowhead Equipment -- For all your hammock camping and backpacking gear
    Arrowhead-Equipment.com Visit AHE on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Check out pictures on Instagram
    Sign Up for Arrowhead-Equipment Gear News: Click Here

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    tacoma wa.
    Posts
    305
    ok. one person who think's this approch is unreasonable- i only had a nagging feeling that i was on the wrong track..but then it seemed to me, that rounding up was wastefull...rounding down too, and i did want to control the finished weight, as this is intended to be backpacking gear. and i refuse to carry needless weight when it could be so easyly controled in the construction phase. p.s. in addion to weight, there's the volume that must be made available in the pack to deal with,too
    Last edited by the_gr8t_waldo; 12-13-2012 at 20:20.

  4. #4
    Senior Member pgibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    SW Idaho
    Hammock
    AHE 1.1 dbl
    Tarp
    AHE Shangi La
    Insulation
    KAQ Prototype
    Suspension
    AHE Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    6,955
    Don't think its unreasonable but I must be missing the point.... Just not sure why the need to be that accurate. Most folks work to the gram...or even ounce..say 18 grams in a baffle..or an even ounce or once and a half. I put 8 grams of 800 in the bottom of each FlameThrower sock and 12 grams in the uppers of each unless overfill is requested. I can't picture what would be gained in putting 7.4 grams in the bottom and 12.3 in the tops. A quilt has even greater volume than what we work with and the reason to be that precise eludes me. O and those things are for backpacking too
    Arrowhead Equipment -- For all your hammock camping and backpacking gear
    Arrowhead-Equipment.com Visit AHE on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Check out pictures on Instagram
    Sign Up for Arrowhead-Equipment Gear News: Click Here

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Port Clinton, Ohio
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.1 dbl.
    Tarp
    HF 4 Season Cuben
    Insulation
    JRB MW3 UQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    113
    I agree with pgibson on this. It is ridiculous to measure to that degree of accuracy. Do you realize just how small a unit that is?

    However if you really want to pursue that, you can get a scale to measure tenths of a gram, but it will cost you plenty. Minimum around $300-$500. Now you're talking laboratory grade.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Catavarie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    USA
    Hammock
    LeanGreen/BigRed/DIY
    Tarp
    CatCut Hex/GG12
    Insulation
    Fur I grow myself
    Suspension
    Of Disbelief
    Posts
    3,300
    Images
    3
    I have to agree. I understand that ounces add up to pounds, and therefore tenths of grams add up to grams. But honestly I'm not going to notice a few paper clips tossed in my pack.

    I commend you for wanting to be as accurate as possible, but I just don't see the practicality in it.
    *Heaven best have trees, because I plan to lounge for eternity.

    Good judgement is the result of experience and experience the result of bad judgement. - Mark Twain

    Trail name: Radar

    2014 Smoked Butt Hang Planning Thread | Sign up Sheet

  7. #7
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    White Mountains, New Hampshire
    Hammock
    DIY, WBBB & Switchback
    Tarp
    HG cuben,OES Spinn
    Insulation
    DIY 3/4 UQ/TQ, UGQ
    Suspension
    Dynaglide / Dutch
    Posts
    10,950
    Images
    39
    The nearest gram is more than fine for what you are doing.
    I'll bet your chambers are not sew straight enough to even warrant being accurate to a gram (if they look anything like mine).
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  8. #8
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Hammock
    WB RidgeRunner
    Tarp
    8x10 DIY (speer)
    Insulation
    KAQ Lost River
    Suspension
    Straps
    Posts
    4,631
    Images
    108
    Get about a gram, split it in two twice... that'll give you 1/4 gram with some accuracy... but that's just not enough down to really matter, IMHO
    "Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda


  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    IN
    Hammock
    WBRR, Lots of DIY
    Tarp
    MacCat; Cloudburst
    Insulation
    Lynx, HG T/UQ, AHE
    Suspension
    Varies
    Posts
    8,464
    Quote Originally Posted by JohnSawyer View Post
    Get about a gram, split it in two twice... that'll give you 1/4 gram with some accuracy...
    And DON'T sneeze!

    I have to agree with the others that there's simply no need for that kind of accuracy. Even if you use 1/10g weights as you suggest, the scale will probably still be off by several 1/10ths. If it reads 20g, the actual weight could be 19.5g-20.5g.

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Port Clinton, Ohio
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.1 dbl.
    Tarp
    HF 4 Season Cuben
    Insulation
    JRB MW3 UQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    113
    Quote Originally Posted by gmcttr View Post
    And DON'T sneeze!

    I have to agree with the others that there's simply no need for that kind of accuracy. Even if you use 1/10g weights as you suggest, the scale will probably still be off by several 1/10ths. If it reads 20g, the actual weight could be 19.5g-20.5g.
    Correct. Conventional wisdom in the laboratory says that if you want reliable accuracy, the scale needs precision ten times greater than the level of precision you are seeking. Therefore if you want true reliable 1/10's gram, you need a scale that can read 1/100's gram.

    Those come with a hood over scale to prevent air currents in the room from moving around the down you are trying to weigh.

    All this said, such accuracy is not needed.

  • + New Posts
  • Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

    Similar Threads

    1. How to measure???
      By Billiard Pete in forum Suspension Systems, Ridgelines, & Bug Nets
      Replies: 7
      Last Post: 06-03-2013, 23:09
    2. Anybody got a tape measure?
      By JCothran in forum General Hammock Talk
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 12-16-2012, 00:05
    3. Measure twice ... cut once.
      By MAD777 in forum Do-It-Yourself (DIY)
      Replies: 12
      Last Post: 05-19-2010, 16:17
    4. Units of measure
      By ame in forum Feedback, Suggestions, and Site Questions
      Replies: 1
      Last Post: 01-29-2008, 19:47

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •