when centrifuge loading, one is balancing two objects to each other…so one can go lower tech.
it may not be cheaper, but it really helps get the concept of “balanced” across, and that can be important in some environments.
when folks are spinning canning jars an/or their equivalents, with a frit of some sort in the middle, they also need to consider the relative loadings of solids to liquids between baskets. where in the bucket the load is, changes the forces involved. so loads should be “balanced” here as well.
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Edit: there is the caveat that you need to first confirm that at max fill, you’re not exceeding max loading for the fuge. From there out you don’t really care how much is in each bucket, just that they are the same.
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A 0.1–0.2 g tolerance is fairly modest for a balance, so you probably don’t need to spend money on a high-end analytical unit. For centrifuge jars, I’d focus more on repeatability, capacity, and keeping the scale on a stable, level surface. Vibration can throw off readings, so check the balance away from the centrifuge itself.
Scales4U(scales4u.co.za) has South African lab and digital balance options, including models with 0.1 g readability, so it may be worth comparing the specifications against the weight of your jars. Their range includes balances from small-capacity units up to 6000 g × 0.1 g.
For your use, I’d choose a capacity comfortably above the heaviest filled jar and verify the balance with a known calibration weight before relying on it for centrifuge balancing.
Welcome @bellamont
Calibrating your scale is absolutely best practice.
But balancing can certainly be achieved without it.
…and at the four year mark OP has already purchased a scale based on recommendations above.
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