eliminator questions

[njl]

I bought a Dillon Eliminator because I'd lost faith in my Lyman 1000XP (it would drift, sometimes just not register anything, etc.). I've got two questions about issues I'm having with the Dillon.

1) Since it arrived, I've had to have the adjusting foot nearly all the way unscrewed in order to zero it. It's so close to being all the way unscrewed, that it actually did fall out of the threads while trying to zero it the other night.

2) I've noticed that when I remove and replace the sample pan, the scale sometimes doesn't quite go back to zero...and I'm constantly readjusting the zero, pretty much after every time I dump the contents of the pan.

Someone just posted something on GT about a similar problem with his Ohaus 505, resulting from the sample tray being bumped by dropping a bullet on it. Is it possible something happened to mine in shipping, or I did something wrong in its setup?

[98sr20ve]

Have you checked your bench/shelf for level.

[njl]

Have you checked your bench/shelf for level.

I haven't checked that...but It's a reasonably substantial table, so I don't think it's moving, particularly the elevation of each end of the table. I've been thinking about moving the scale off the bench (AFAIK, that's actually recommended) to either a side table or a shelf hung from the wall.

[bassochist]

i think the provide the wrong powder pan with it, i have 2 eliminator scale's en both have their own powderpan (different weight) i also wasn't able to use the powderpan from my father's eliminator scale, you can try to take out some lead balls, that are inside the thing (don't know the name for it) where you put your powderpan on.

and i once send a eliminator scale back to dillon because i wasn't able to zero it correctly, there was a production fault in the plastic blocks, where the balance beam rest on, so there was to much friction between the balance beam, and the plastic blocks, and because of that the scale wouldn't zero correctly.

[98sr20ve]

Have you checked your bench/shelf for level.

I haven't checked that...but It's a reasonably substantial table, so I don't think it's moving, particularly the elevation of each end of the table. I've been thinking about moving the scale off the bench (AFAIK, that's actually recommended) to either a side table or a shelf hung from the wall.

Is the bench it's on Level? Not stable. .

[kevin c]

I had problems with my Eliminator's zero. Mostly it came down to two issues. One was warm up time. I got much better hold of the zero if the unit was warmed up. The other issue was drafts. Do you remember Eddie Murphy's line in 48 hours, "...my d__k gets hard when the wind blows..."? My scale gets all worked up in the slightest breeze (mine is a VERY old model that doesn't have the shield).

[njl]

Warm up time? I think you're confusing the Eliminator (beam scale) with the Determinator (electronic scale).

[kevin c]

Ah, you're right there. Apologies for not paying close attn.

kc

[Bimmer]

1) Since it arrived, I've had to have the adjusting foot nearly all the way unscrewed in order to zero it. It's so close to being all the way unscrewed, that it actually did fall out of the threads while trying to zero it the other night.

This isn't right. Are you sure that you're zeroing it correctly?

2) I've noticed that when I remove and replace the sample pan, the scale sometimes doesn't quite go back to zero...and I'm constantly readjusting the zero, pretty much after every time I dump the contents of the pan.

Mine does this too. Really, I think the problem is that the balance beam scale is only accurate ±0.1 or even ±0.2.

Here's what I've come up with to get what I think are more consistent readings:

1. "Zero" it with it set to what you want it to weigh with your check weights. (If you don't have check weights, buy a set.)

So, if I want to meter 4.5gr of powder, I put 4.5 grains of weights in the pan, set the scale to 4.5 grains, and then make sure that it's balanced.

Then I remove the check weights and dump in what should be 4.5 grains of powder. If it balances, then it's 4.5 grains and everything's OK. If it's high or low, then I adjust the powder measure it.

2. Be consistent with how you put weight in the balance. If the last nudge on the left side is upwards, then it reads heavy, and if the last nudge is downwards, then it reads light... So I always nudge it one direction while zeroing (see #1) and then keep nudging it in the same direction, and at least it's consistent.

Edited February 10, 2011 by Bimmer