Camera to View a Beam Scale ?

[Nvreloader]

Hoz53

I have looked for the info on adding the needle pointer,
but have not found it so far,
still looking.

Tia,
Don

 

[1066]

Hi Don - I've just answered an enquiry about the extended pointer I use so I'll paste it here too.

First the extended pointer - I always use brass or copper, it must be non magnetic so it won't be effected by the damping magnets. Any weight you add to the pointer end needs to be compensated for by adding weight to the weight box under the pan. The ratio may be about 1 to 10. Three grains of added pointer will need maybe 30 grains added to the box. I use fine electrical solder for this.

It depends on the scale but some need the pointer stepped out from the beam to clear the scale. I use small printed circuit board connectors for this. I drill a small hole through the beam to locate the small stub that would normally go through the PCB.

Have a look here:

 

[danny]

I don't get it.. Why? I can see my scale marks just fine

In my case, I am using the NRMA Reloading Bench that I made. I use the default area for powder weighing, which for me is a little inconvenient to see well. In a perfect world, the scale would locate in a better position for me on the bench. As this is not a perfect world, I will use a webcam to get an image of the scale in a better position for viewing, rather than trying to modify the bench.

Danny

 

[rogn]

I cut a small slit in the end of the beam used a super, super glue;"Q" Bond. A piece of 0.015 wire with slight offset gives a parallax free pointer. Rebalance only took a few brass shavings from neckturning.

 

[BillPa]

Maw(wife) makes gaudy look'n fish'n lures, aka; jewelry. In her collection of stuff she has some sort of a chromed plastic stuff she uses to string her...ah..jewelry together. A 1/2" of it attached with a dab of contact cement made a pretty good extended scale pointer.

 

[Brians356]

Well the idea is to be able to see an enlarged view so you can more accurately see where the pointer is.

And probably as importantly, to not have to bend down and strain your neck to get the proper straight-on view of the pointer, or alternatively to have the scale perched up at eye level, which makes reaching up to load the pan etc. awkward.

I use the simple prism device (can't remember who makes it) rather than a camera, because I don't like to futz with a laptop or smart phone (and a USB cable) on the reloading bench, but the prism is not a magnified or as visually clean a solution as a camera, I admit.

Edit: here's what I use:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/117653/dandy-products-handy-view-beam-scale-prism

Also, the prism does invert the image, so the pointer appears to move down when it's actually going up, but your brain very quickly adapts to that. (If you wear special eyeglasses that invert your view of the world, your brain adapts in a short time and soon the world seems perfectly right side up again.)

 

[1066]

And probably as importantly, to not have to bend down and strain your neck to get the proper straight-on view of the pointer, or alternatively to have the scale perched up at eye level, which makes reaching up to load the pan etc. awkward.

I use the simple prism device (can't remember who makes it) rather than a camera, because I don't like to futz with a laptop or smart phone (and a USB cable) on the reloading bench, but the prism is not a magnified or as visually clean a solution as a camera, I admit.

Edit: here's what I use:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/117653/dandy-products-handy-view-beam-scale-prism

Also, the prism does invert the image, so the pointer appears to move down when it's actually going up, but your brain very quickly adapts to that. (If you wear special eyeglasses that invert your view of the world, your brain adapts in a short time and soon the world seems perfectly right side up again.)

Also can get the prism direct from Dandy products:
http://www.omegapowdertrickler.com

Not sure where you can get the inverting specs from Brian.

 

[Brians356]

Not sure where you can get the inverting specs from Brian.

You could tape a couple of these prisms to your eyeglasses and voila!

 

[Nvreloader]

1066

Thanks,
I have already done my scale,
adding the needle pointer to fit a very short distance,
over hash marks, makes for very easy reading,
now "No guessing" about the thickness of the lines etc.

I was looking for the post that shows "How to" do it.

Tia,
Don

 

[madmixerman]

And probably as importantly, to not have to bend down and strain your neck to get the proper straight-on view of the pointer, or alternatively to have the scale perched up at eye level, which makes reaching up to load the pan etc. awkward.

I use the simple prism device (can't remember who makes it) rather than a camera, because I don't like to futz with a laptop or smart phone (and a USB cable) on the reloading bench, but the prism is not a magnified or as visually clean a solution as a camera, I admit.

Edit: here's what I use:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/117653/dandy-products-handy-view-beam-scale-prism

Also, the prism does invert the image, so the pointer appears to move down when it's actually going up, but your brain very quickly adapts to that. (If you wear special eyeglasses that invert your view of the world, your brain adapts in a short time and soon the world seems perfectly right side up again.)

I use the Dandy prism and when looking at the side that has the red dot the image isn't inverted for me.

 

[boltman13]

What about a small magnifying glass on a small stand.
Guys keep it simple.

I use a small adjustable magnifying glass that fly tiers use. It only works if you are at the same level as your magnifier and pointer. Fortunately I have a folding chair that puts me at the exact correct height with my setup on my loading bench. I throw a slightly under weight powder charge with a Lee dipper then an electric trickler to come up to the correct charge weight. I also use a RCBS 505, and the home made device shown in an earlier video looks like something I might try to add to my scale. The one advantage I see for a mini cam and monitor is it no longer being necessary to have every thing at eye level.