How to Read Old Weight Scales
- 1). Place the object to be weighed in one pan of the scale. As most scales are table top models, they should not be used to weigh especially large objects. Learn to read the old weight scale by choosing an object that is easily held in the hand, and which fits comfortably in the scale pan.
- 2). Make a rough guess as to the possible weight of the object in the pan. If using a partially filled bag of sugar, for example, a good guess would be that the bag weighs fewer than 5 lbs. To weigh the bag of sugar, it will be necessary to fill the empty pan with weights equal to the weight of the pan containing the partially filled bag of sugar.
- 3). Look at your collection of weights. Weights for old scales were often standardized, the individual weights being marked with their specific weights. For example, there may 1 lb. weights, 1/4 lb. weights, and 1 oz. weights. Any object can be used as a weight, as long as its exact weight is known, and as long as it will fit in the empty pan of the old weight scale.
- 4). Select the weight that is almost as heavy as the object to be weighed. If you think the object weighs 5 lbs, select the weight that weighs closest to 5 lbs. If your largest weight weighs 1 lb., place this weight in the pan opposite the object to be weighed. Keep placing 1 lb. weights in this pan until the pan begins to hang below the pan containing the object to be weighed. When this happens, immediately remove the last weight just added.
- 5). Take the next smallest weight, and place it in the pan opposite the pan containing the object to be weighed. If this pan dips below the other pan, remove the weight immediately, and replace it with the next smallest weight. If not, add another weight that weighs the same as the one just added. For example, if a 1/4 lb. weight makes the pan dip below the opposite pan, the weight must be removed and replaced with a lighter weight. If the pan remains above the other pan, keep adding 1/4 lb. weights until this pan dips below the other pan.
- 6). Keep switching to a lighter weight, each time the pan with the weights dips below the pan containing the object to be weighed. Continue the process until the pan with the weights reaches the same level as the pan containing the object to be weighed. Read the old weight scale, or balance, by adding up the total weight of all the weights in the pan opposite the object to be weighed. In other words, if this pan contains four 1 lb. weights, two 1/4 lb. weights, and one 1 oz. weight, then the object to be weighed has a weight of 4 lbs. 9 oz.
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