Scales

[foamheart]

Ok, I see I now need some good scales for sausage making. What I assume I am looking for is basic 1 mg thru 10 pound scale. Yes I asked for a bag of spice, I assumed for 10lbs of sausage and the same for andouille and got 100# worth of each.

Right now I am figuring on just a manual 5# stuffer.

So I ask, what do I need instead of want in a scale. I have always been familiar with Taylor, but it was their instrumentation devices and a simple scale. Are there brands I should shun, scales I should look for?

I searched and there really isn't a difinitive post about what is suggested for beginers, intermediate and professional scales.  I realize most of yall use two, one for meats and one for spices, I don't think at this point I need to measure meat because I am not going to stuff over 5lbs at a time.

Is there one that does say, 10pounds >1 mg? Is there a something like multi weight or auto zero or something I should be looking for?

I will give a look to sponsors also. They support us, I have no problem supporting them.

Ok, guys I have explained it as well as I can, I am asking for your knowledge help.

Thanks also for your help in advance.

 

[daveomak]

Kevin, evening.....    May I suggest a 600 gram (1 pound approx) scale for cure, spices etc...   that will be more accurate than a 10# scale...   then an electronic scale that goes to 50#'s or so......  those are the two scales I have.....    You can weigh 30#'s of ground meat for andouille no problem and 33 grams of cure to mix with it...  

600 grams $17 includes shipping....

56#'s   $24 includes shipping...   

They are available many places......    Good luck, good sausage making...  

Dave

 

[themule69]

Harbor Freight has a cheap scale that is digital Weighs in grams, ounces and pounds. Will weigh up to 17 pounds. They work great for me. It also makes it where I don't have to convert ounces to grams. Just push a button. It will also do tare.

The only thing I don't like about them is they go to sleep pretty fast. The way I over come that is just push down on the scale between adding things if iI need more time.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Don't buy junk.

For cure, I recommend a good scale that's accurate to at least 0.01 of a gram and can be calibrated.
Search for American Weigh Signature AWS-100 on Amazon.
You'll also need a couple 50 gram calibration weighs.

For a regular scale for sausage making I recommend the Finesseur Kitchen Scale.
It's an excellent scale with a weight capacity of 11lb/5kg and accuracy up to 0.1oz/1g.
It can be found on Amazon.com



~Martin

 

[woodcutter]

You're on the right track with getting a good scale right away. I highly recommend downloading Martin's Cure calculator. Convert your sausage recipes to grams.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/138180/sausage-meat-curing-recipe-template-w-scaling-calculators

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/124590/universal-cure-calculator

It is so nice to be able to enter exactly how much meat you have vs trying to use something like 4 1/2 lbs of meat and using a 5 Lb recipe. The spreadsheet has room to keep notes and allows you to make very subtle changes to get your recipe how you like it. It turns out exactly the same every time no matter how much meat you use.

 

[foamheart]

I thought I would go ahead and make some just see how it does.

Jerky Maple 005.JPG

• foamheart
• Oct 20, 2013

Thats 10 lbs. Regular cajun smoked sausage, want to see it closer?

Jerky Maple 004.JPG

• foamheart
• Oct 20, 2013

Nothing to sausage. LOL... well thats because a friend thought about me yesterday. It may be a day or two now before I start making sausage.

 

[DanMcG]

Here's a link to the one pops recommended,
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/69518/sausage-prep

I use the same brand but smaller. max weight is 30 or 35 pounds. but accuracy is only good to +/- 2 grams.
For small batches of sausage you'll also need a smaller unit to measure the spice.

 

[foamheart]

.OK guys has this got everything?

 

[junkcollector]

Don't buy junk.

For cure, I recommend a good scale that's accurate to at least 0.01 of a gram and can be calibrated.
Search for American Weigh Signature AWS-100 on Amazon.
You'll also need a couple 50 gram calibration weighs.




~Martin

GREAT advice here from a boss! 

I grabbed a small digi scale that measured in .01 G increments (calibration weight included) for under $20. Then I also have a bit bigger one (not sure on weight limit) from walmart for $25 or so best i can remember.  

 

[foamheart]

I ended up with this, Pops said he has one and likes it. So far it's done everything I wanted including dividing up bulk spice packs. Plus it has growing room. I should have posted sooner.

Ultraship 35 Ultra

http://bookvault.net/p/164039/My Weigh UltraShip 35 Lb Electronic Scale-%2d%2d-0O000OJSS5Z98.html

If I get to needing finer adjustments, or greater weight measurment I am sure I'll be ready add supporting equip.

 

[junkcollector]

looks like a nice unit. 

 

[foamheart]

 
Why not you try some scale manufacturer on Amazon and other marketing site that help you in providing best digital scales according to your needs. I recently purchase one from ebay  that provide me accurate measurement with a long life battery timing

I chose the scales that one of the boards most respected members uses, if its what he uses and likes after a gazillion years processing meat, its good enough for me. I have not needed batteries yet, you should remember to temper other's freely given advice with a good measure of common sense.

EDIT HERE:

I was referring to the star system of amazon and other sellers online, Amazon also said you needed to purchase the power adapter separately, which did, when delivered from the source I bought from it came eith the adapter, so it was sizably cheaper even with two power adapters (and I have not used either as of yet).

This scale came highly recommended, works great so far for me, if it fails to do so, I will simply get another. Its not like I am buying a house.

BTW the one I bought was sizably cheaper where I bought it than on Amazon when I bought it. I shy away from Ebay, for the same reason I don't buy used cars, you don't know what you are getting nor where they have been till you have it. I am just old school. I don't tweet, treawk, facebook, The only social media I ever used was ICQ, and I don't own or want a cell phone, beeper, or a answering machine. I  don't need immediate responses and if you do from me, you are SOL. People are losing the basic ability to converse and replacing it with the simple ability to communicate.

I am really happy with the purchase so far. I wasn't attacking you, I just have little need for Ebay. I was explaining, I am just an old fart. Note my avatar.

 

[Dutch]

Morkal-Welcome to SMF. Please stop by Roll Call and introduce yourself to the SMF Community.

 

[mdboatbum]

Good info on scales. I got one off Amazon for roughly $15 that does the trick for everything I've needed so far. It'll accurately weigh a nickel (@5gr) and goes to 17lbs. Only issue I've had is for amounts less than 5 grams, it sometimes won't activate the scale. Let's say I want to weigh 2 grams of something, I have to put something else on the scale, hit the tare button, then add the 2 grams. If I just add a couple grams, it just sits there at zero. It doesn't do less than a gram though.

 

[gomez93]

I'm late to the party, but just to throw out a couple more ideas, what about a digital postal scale or a powder scale?

 

[foamheart]

I'm late to the party, but just to throw out a couple more ideas, what about a digital postal scale or a powder scale?

It is a postal scale.

 

[pops6927]

The link to the website is:

http://www.rightonscales.com/web/home/

I have used this scale for several years and is a great scale for measuring ingredients by grams to pounds and ounces of meats.  Oh! Plus your mail costs, too!  :)