For measuring accurate minute weights of rennet and cultures, I just got the American Weigh Scale brand model AMW-100 digital scale that both Cartierusm and I ordered through Amazon.com USA (http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-AMW-100-Precision-Digital/dp/B0012LOQUQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1230829349&sr=8-1) for USD16.92 including shipping.
It's about 5" x 3 " x 0.5" and measures in increments of 0.01 grams (or 0.001 ounces or 0.01 carat or 0.1 grains) up to maximum of 100 grams, has a "Tare" reset button for zeroing containers, and so far looks good.
Amazon calls it a "pocket" weigh scale, presumably as all the drug dealers in San Francisco where Cartierum lives carry one in their pocket ;) (none of course in Houston).
Looks very similar to the one that I purchased through ebay. They are a great tool. Enjoy.
LOL, CH you beat me to it. I got mine yesterday too, pretty neat little scale, I might just become a drug dealer to fit my scale's new image.
Realized I screwed up last time using it as had it set on bottom gr(ains) not top g(rams), changed records in batch I made using it.
Did that make you use too much or too little?
I think I was OK on amounts, just recorded amount incorrectly.
Carter or others.
How are you getting the powders (cultures, lipase, rennet) off your mini scale? I'm just tapping and then wipe with finger, not very hygenic and powders can contaminate each other. See pictures here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,809.0.html).
John, those pics totally look like coke and I don't mean the "I'd Like to buy the world a coke".
I use a small piece of wax paper and tare it. No fuss no muss.
Carter, thanks for idea, yesterday, following that idea, I used a waxed mini 2 cm/1.25" diameter paper cupcake liner, worked great.
OOO, I like your idea better as I have a vision of the wax paper folding and dropping my culture on the ground. Dollar store here I come.
That is better than my coffee filter approach that i used....
Wayne, why would you filter your cultures? Is there a benefit, does it make for a cleaner bacteria?
lol
I simply use the filter as a pseudo clean thing to pour stuff onto my scale with..
Just tare out the filter wieght....
you know.. I have a similar "crack" scale, and tiny measureing spoons, and glass carboys, and hoses and buckets and lots-o-chemicals...
I have often wondered what my local ATF agency would think of my lab.....
Thank god you cleared that up. I thought I was doing something wrong so last night I took apart my furnace filter and I tried to get the culture to go through, I used compressed air and intimidation but they wouldn't budge.
Carter, miss you and your humor!
I gave the scale above to my Dad as he wanted to try making cheese. I was very happy with that scale but it was no longer available on Amazon.com here in USA so from them I ordered a well reviewed "Fast Weigh M-500 Digital Pocket Scale" for $8.40 plus shipping.
It's half the size, uses better 2 AAA batteries, works fine, and feels more plasticy. But I screwed up, it only measures in 0.1 gram intervals (vs one above which measures 0.01 gram intervals) which is not fine enough unless making large batches. Not recommended.