Better view of scale pointer, my fix

[mousegunner]

I took the alligator clips off my xtra hands and used just the lens and now I can see the pointer better. Nothing fancy, low tech and works for me. Thanks for looking.

 

[Mikemci]

Hell yeah!!
Edit: But you just know that somebody will tell you why it won't work!
They will cite some study done on bending light and optical illusions and you will be off your intended weight by .00025 gr. Your groups will open up to look like an IC choke shotgun, etc. etc.

 

[Sixgun]

What kind of pointer is that on the beam? I like that.

 

[mousegunner]

What kind of pointer is that on the beam? I like that.

It's a safety pin that I cut, trimmed and epoxied on. I had to add weight to the pan holder to rebalance the beam. I've read that some people will use copper or non magnetic pins so the magnets in the base don't interfere with the beam. I've used check weights to verify the scale and I see no issues with the pin I used.

 

[dolek]

I do the same,really helps with accuracy and speeds things up for me.

 

[Brians356]

But you need the scale at eye level, or have to stoop over. Not practical for many folks. So here's what I use, but it doesn't magnify. It's akin to a 45-deg eyepiece on a spotting scope. One could put this in front of a magnifier like yours, but the optical path then becomes somewhat cluttered:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012901541/dandy-products-handy-view-beam-scale-prism
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[Booger68]

But you need the scale at eye level. Not practical for many folks. So here's what I use, but it doesn't magnify. It's akin to a 45-deg eyepiece on a spotting scope. One could put this in front of a magnifier like yours, but the optical path then becomes somewhat cluttered:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012901541/dandy-products-handy-view-beam-scale-prism
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The problem with the handy view is he don't make them any more, so I made one myself.

 

[chkunz]

But you need the scale at eye level. Not practical for many folks. So here's what I use, but it doesn't magnify. It's akin to a 45-deg eyepiece on a spotting scope. One could put this in front of a magnifier like yours, but the optical path then becomes somewhat cluttered:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012901541/dandy-products-handy-view-beam-scale-prism
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Discontinued?

 

[mousegunner]

But you need the scale at eye level. Not practical for many folks. So here's what I use, but it doesn't magnify. It's akin to a 45-deg eyepiece on a spotting scope. One could put this in front of a magnifier like yours, but the optical path then becomes somewhat cluttered:-

I've tried the prism but didn't like it besides the way I sit the scale is at eye level. My other idea was to use a small camera and attach to my smart phone or android pad but maybe later.

I made my own prism with one from Hobby Lobby and a little stand made from some toy erector pieces my son had laying around but again didn't care for it. You could also use Kydex for the base.

 

[Papa Charlie]

You can also use a digital microscope. Ampscope offers a unit with the stand for $34 includes free shipping, 200x Zoom with 8-LED lights and USB. Literally plug it into your computer line it up and set the zoom where you want. Nice looking unit as well.

https://www.amscope.com/cameras/200...al-microscope-endoscope-xp-vista-7-8-mac.html

 

[Mark W]

I like mousegunner’s cheap innovative solution. I use a $10 web cam from amazon hooked up through my computer to a 42” flat screen TV. This solves for magnification and parallax as well as allowing me keep my scale at a comfortable working height without bending over to see it.

 

[nmkid]

Is that from HF?

 

[mousegunner]

Low tech works for me also,
Thanks for posting.
Are you getting any parallax

No, the scale is at eye level and I'm inline with the pointer. I don't look at it crooked or sideways. I just tap the button on my Omega trickler as I watch the needle move.

 

[BoydAllen]

Or you could do this.
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/?s=boyd+allen+scale&submit=Search

 

[1066]

Or even this:
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2012/07/monitor-balance-beam-with-magnified-image-on-smartphone/

 

[mousegunner]

Or you could do this.
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/?s=boyd+allen+scale&submit=Search

My subconscious mind tells me I've seen this before just couldnt pin it down.

The extra hands came from Amazon $7.49 no shipping since I had an order over $50.00. HF has them cheaper, same one but didn't feel like making the drive to save a couple of bucks.

 

[jpx2rk]

I just use a cheap 10" tablet in a letter/mail holder type stand, turn on the camera function. It has auto focus. Scale and tablet are on the top shelf of an old computer desk. works great, no need for another monitor.

Like the idea of a safety pin to extend the pointer.

 

[Brians356]

I ain't putting no web cam, or tablet, or laptop, or microscope, or smart phone, or dumb phone onto my loading bench. There's a limit ...
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[danny]

I took the alligator clips off my xtra hands and used just the lens and now I can see the pointer better. Nothing fancy, low tech and works for me. Thanks for looking.

I like this approach better than the webcam method, which I have tried, when using a normal trickler. What I did not like with the webam is that I was looking away from my scale while trickling powder, and at the monitor. That made me less able to watch the rate at which I was running powder through my trickler. When I was using just the scale and trickler, I was able to glance side to side quickly, watching both the beam pointer and trickler. Now, I have one of those Dandy Tricklers, so I don't need to watch the flow rate. In this case, the magnifier or webcam would be great, but the webcam would be better because I could locate the monitor in the most ergonomic location.

Danny

 

[mousegunner]

I need reading glasses to see the pointer and I can see it o.k. but with the magnifier it's so much easier. I agree with Danny in that you can just hit the Dandy and watch the pointer instead which I do. I trickle in my match ammo and doing it this way is easier especially when using Varget. With H335 I check every tenth round since it measures so much better and don't have to watch the pointer.

Now my scale is at eye level and this works for me. I'm thinking of rebuilding my loading bench and in the new set up the scale will be below eye level and a monitor would be better in the new set up for me. I have fused vertebra and a bad right shoulder so I try to set things up to minimize the bending and twisting of the neck and over reaching my shoulder. I try to make my movements as efficient as possible which I think most of us do in some way. After all we don't want our reloading process to be tedious.

Yes there's a limit to the things you can do, accessories you can buy and space that you have. I've seen small set ups that look good enough and big long benches with all sorts of presses and equipment that sometimes I think is too much and times I wish I had.

Anywho I like keep things simple. I have what I need to load good ammo and the only things I've done to make things easier is add the lens and a homemade case ejecktor for my Rockchucker press.

Again thanks for looking and off to my next project, a Kydex holster for my Browning HP.