Digital Scales for Weighing Glazes

Calibrating the Ohaus SP202 and SP4001 digital scales

After years of using simple balance scales to measure out glazes, I finally decided to invest in a better setup. I couldn’t find any triple-beam scales for sale in Jingdezhen, so instead I purchased a cheap 200-gram digital scale from a local shop.  I was delighted at how much simpler and faster it was to mix up tests with the digital scale.  It was only a few months later when I compared the digital scale to my old balance scales and discovered that the digital scale was consistently inaccurate, even just after calibration.

After having wasted 600RMB, I decided to just buy the best reasonably priced scales I could find.  The only imported brand in my price range and available in China was the Ohaus Scout Pro line.  I purchased two- one for tests and measuring colorants (model SP202, up to 200 grams with 0.01 gram readability) and one for mixing up bigger batches of glaze (model SP4001, up to 4000 grams with 0.1 gram readability).

The SP202 is very accurate, great for when you are making very small test batches.  The scale can also be used to measure colorants for big batches of glaze.

I use the SP4001 to directly measure out 1-3kg batches of glaze, or for measuring out each ingredient in larger glaze batches.

After a couple years, the Ohaus scales are still performing very well, especially considering that they are stored on the glazing patio and subjected to the weather.  The scales cost me much more than I wanted to spend, but they are well worth the money.

In conclusion:

• If you’re looking to purchase scales for small glaze batches but don’t have a lot of money to spend, go for a triple-beam scale.  A good triple-beam will be much more trustworthy than a cheap digital scale.

• If you only have enough money to buy one digital scale, get a 200-gram scale, preferably with .01 readability.  This will allow you to make accurate test glazes, as well as accurate colorant additions to larger batches of glazes.

• If you do buy a digital scale, don’t forget you will need to calibrate it from time to time.  (I do so each glaze-making session.)  You will need accurate calibration weights in order to so, adding to the final cost.