Accurate Scales?

[Michael]

Hi Guys

My scale I use for yellows is a cheapo small one I got from Mias I think like 7 years ago. The markings have rubbed off, and I couldn't read it anymore. It reads from 0 to 4kg.
Years ago I took Garth Wellman's R800.00 German precision made scale to see how accurate mine was. I hooked them together and pulled in opposite directions. When his scale was at 1kg, I looked where mine was reading. Same again at 2, 3 and 4kg. It seemed alas, mine was out. On my smaller readings it was actually under-weighing, so a fish that read 1kg was actually about 1.3kg, etc. But, as soon as it went over 2kg readings, it seemed mine was over reading. So a fish that showed 3kg on my scale, was actually only 2.8kg. a Fish that showed 4kg, was actually about 3.7kg, etc.

BUT!!! ALAS!!! I have seen something VERY interesting tonight. I wanted to mark the scale again (because the markings are worn off), but myself and Byron got to speaking about scales and their readings on Sunday, so I thought I would do my own calibration and mark it accordingly, to get accurate readings.
We all know 1kg = 1 litre water. So I took two empty 2L plastic coke bottles, and a Pick&Pay plastic bag. I put 500ml of water in one bottle, put it in the bag, and weighed it. It read JUST above the 500g mark. Then I added another 500ml, so now the bottle had 1 litre in it (1 kg), and weighed it. It read EXACTLY where the 1kg mark was. Okay cool...so far so good, the scale would start mis-reading any time now I thought. So I continued to add 500ml of water and weighing the bag.
Much to my surprise, the scale was spot on on EACH reading!!! 1kg, 1.5kg, 2kg, 2.5kg, 3kg, 3.5kg and 4kg! (With 4 exact litres of water in the bag, the scale read exactly on the 4kg reading!!

Which brings an interesting conclusion to this experiment....
1. My cheap and nasty scale is actually more accurate than the R800.00 German scale!
2. My two biggest yellows pulled this scale to JUST over 4kg...and I took the fault into account and estimated their weights at 3.8kg each. SO...does that mean those two fish WERE actually a tad over 4kg???? It would appear so. (Yay...new P.B.'s it seems).

For you guys out there, if I were you I'd take your scales and do the same experiment, and mark the scale accordingly, to get 100% accurate readings on the fish you catch. Your scale (no matter how expensive) may be out, or spot on...but you will only know once you calibrate it yourself.

Here's a pic of my little scale used for yellows. (For larger fish I carry a boga-grip...and will calibrate thats sucker too!!!)

[Byron]

The Judge has ruled:

- Your fish were bigger than you thought.

[Michael]

The Judge has ruled:

- Your fish were bigger than you thought.

Yeah seems that way. Oh well.
The water method as we discussed worked very well though...I am interested to see what my boga-grip shows with the same experiment.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Mike I see a very very very big problem,u've got it absolutely 100% wrong.

There is no markings for 6kg and we all know how possible that is.

[Michael]

Mike I see a very very very big problem,u've got it absolutely 100% wrong.

There is no markings for 6kg and we all know how possible that is.

Ek bly maar eerder stil...

See the fish in my avator? Big boy huh? 3.6kg...accurate reading.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Ek bly maar eerder stil...

Huh? I don't follow,sorry

Nice fish,where was that?

[Michael]

Huh? I don't follow,sorry

Nice fish,where was that?

It was in Potch, where I took C.J. and them that one time. Fantastic water, but more than 6 guys is a crowd there...and it's becoming too popular, pity.