Maelstrom

How do people weigh their planes?
Do you get on the bathroom scale with your plane, then substract your own weight? That seems so dumb and inaccurate. I do not recall ever reading anything on this matter. I am sure there are lots of scales out there that can be used but would like to know what you guys think
Thanks
Luis

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I've got a scale that we use for weighing UPS shipments, but we have that since we are a business. I know of a couple of flyers at our field that use a fishing scale. They are not real expensive, and easy to get since you can buy them at Wal-mart

That's my 02¢ worth

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

The digital fishing scales work the best. You can get them mail order at
Pro Bass Shop.

FBD.

delman

the scale in Flyboy Dave's picture cost me about $17 before tax at Bass Pro [50lb max] about 1 1/2 years ago

RC-Captain

Hell , I just put the plane on my bathroom scale without me standing on it. Its digital and gives 1/2 pound weight results.



Good Luck

Richard L.

My Feedback: (24)

Since I fly mostly .60 size warbirds, I use a 10# postal scale to weigh them. I weigh the wing and the fuselage separately and then sum them up.

the-plumber

I use a modified version of "Vanessa". Haven't gotten around to making a drawing of the mod, but there's a description at [link=http://home.mindspring.com/~the-plumber/Vanessa.htm]the addendum.[/link]

bbbair

The LHS has a "Baby" Scale that he keeps around, it's good up to 10 LBS, that covers most AC.

Ed Smith

The fish type scale is virtually useless, something has to hung on them and the scale has to be hung. Use a postal type scale that stands on a worktop. individual components can be weighed without having to figure out how to hang them on the scale.

Ed S

Deadeye

I use an Ultra ship 50. Weighs in grams, and 1/10 of ounces. Good up to 50 pounds. You can also zero out an item you place on it to give you enough heigth to weigh the model as a whole.

BillS

In the past I have made a fool of myself and carried the airplane in the grocery store.

Bill

Josey Wales

My Feedback: (61)

LMAO!!!

RC-Captain

I can't stop laughing.................[sm=lol.gif]

rcjon

I borrow a digital field scale from the office ( I work in a company that does soil and concrete testing). We have nice big flat-bed digital scales that are annually calibrated - traceable to the US Bureau of Standards - accurate to 1/10th pound. I would be glad to weigh anyone's plane for free. S&H paid by the owner <g>.

jon

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

Me too. That was one of the best investments I ever made in this hobby. I weigh everything so I use that thing constantly. I just put a box on top of it, zero it, then I set a 27% on top of the box. It's great. I could do that with a 40% too.

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

Ed....the scale in the picture is up side down. You must hold the scale by the handle
(included) and hang what ever you want on the hook. The scale reads in pounds
and ounces, and is dead accurate. It is very handy, and a great deal at under $20.

It is much more convenient than dragging your postal scales, or bathroom scales
to the field. I have a wide, soft shoelace tied in a loop....to either wrap around
the prop or the tail of the plane to hang it with.

FBD.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I have a digital fish scale that used to stay in my flight box. It's very accurate and extremely convenient. I've had no trouble finding a convenient, and secure, place to attach the hook, but if I did, I also would use a shoelace or a piece of string. The scale works fine up to whatever weight, and length, one can hold at arms length. The reason I said used to stay in my flight box is my wife has started selling stuff on eBay and discovered how handy this thing is. I think she's getting a postal scale for Mother's day so I can have my fish scale back.

Maelstrom

I wonder if BillS tried to pull that one at the Post Office first!!!

Thanks all for your replies. Very interesting

Luis

Richard L.

My Feedback: (24)

A fishing scale sounds like a great idea. I just bought a 25# digital version from the online auction site. There are many different versions on there.

J_R

Kinda depends on how big your aircraft are. What works for a foamie, won't work well for a 4# plane. On a 4 or 5 pound plane, if you are within, say, half an oz. that is pretty good. On a 50# plane, who cares about half an oz. ?

Most fish scales are not very accurate near the bottom or the top of thier ranges. On the other hand, they come in different ranges, basically for fresh water fish or salt water fish.

For a big plane, a bathroom scale may work. Whats half a pound error on a 50 pound plane?

Of course, you can buy a scale that is accurate, but it may cost a LOT more than you want to pay.

I have a gm scale that goes to 75 gm, a postal scale that goes to 5#, and a digital fish scale that goes to 15 pounds, a digital fish scale that goes to 60 pounds and a bathroom scale that I try to destroy by weighing myself.

Matt14x

Danger.
Do no weigh your birds.
I won a digital scale in a fishing contest; weighed my favorite pattern ship, it weighed nine pounds,( .60 size candy without retracts.) Now it don't fly so good.

Oh Well

Matt

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

Matt....did it fly better when you thought it weighed about 7 pounds ?

Dave.

Matt14x

Dave

You may not believe this, but it really did. Knife edges and all.

I don't really know. I'll find out this week-end. It Just Feels that way.

What do you think.

Matt

Flyboy Dave

My Feedback: (21)

Ignore the scales....it's you on the sticks. Work harder and concetrate on
making the manuevers better. You know how your car seems to run better
when you wash and wax it ?

Same thing with the plane....clean it all up and go completely over it. Replace
any sloppy linkages and such.

Dave.

johnboyrc

My fish scale works great. IF I can't hang the plane on the hook, I just attack string or cradle to hold the plane while weighing. My scale uses tear weight, or it sets zero to the weight that is on the hook when turned on, so you don't have to separately weigh a cradle, string, etc.. It is accurate enough for this measurement.