beam tester? anyone know what this is and how it works...

loggerbill Loc: kansas

anyone know what this is and how it works

traveler90712 Loc: Lake Worth, Fl.

loggerbill wrote:

anyone know what this is and how it works

Of course! It's a thing-m-jig use to test and calibrate the whatcha-m-call-it!

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

It looks like an old (old, old, old...) beam scale that's missing a small pan hanging from the left-hand side, to weigh "stuff". Might be calibrated in ounces, grams, or grains...?
I can't read the writing, but it might be made by Olhous (sp.?).

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

loggerbill wrote:

anyone know what this is and how it works

It's a Fairbanks antique scale that was used to weigh truck loads of coal. It's 7 or 8 feet in length

It's age .... 1915 give or take a few years

Nice antique if you have the room

TNmike Loc: NW TN

It's a scale (for weighing) of some sort. I have no idea of just what it would be used for. I couldn't enlarge the pic enough to read any info. Here is a picture from the Fairbanks web site of a similar item. Mike

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

TNmike wrote:

It's a scale (for weighing) of some sort. I have no idea of just what it would be used for. I couldn't enlarge the pic enough to read any info. Here is a picture from the Fairbanks web site of a similar item. Mike

What you're looking at here is a platform scale. The platform is on the bottom left and runs perpendicular to the scale. Same principal as the op's but much more modern and for a different application

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

Rabbit wrote:

loggerbill wrote:

anyone know what this is and how it works

It's a Fairbanks antique scale that was used to weigh truck loads of coal. It's 7 or 8 feet in length

It's age .... 1915 give or take a few years

Nice antique if you have the room

used the heck out of that fairbanks during harvest at an elavator weigh'n farm trucks just like that one.

TNmike Loc: NW TN

Rabbit wrote:

TNmike wrote:

It's a scale (for weighing) of some sort. I have no idea of just what it would be used for. I couldn't enlarge the pic enough to read any info. Here is a picture from the Fairbanks web site of a similar item. Mike

What you're looking at here is a platform scale. The platform is on the bottom left and runs perpendicular to the scale. Same principal as the op's but much more modern and for a different application

Rabbit, I apologize for my post. I will refrain from doing so in the future. The OP asked what it was and it is a scale made by Fairbanks and I was just adding what I knew and could find. By the the time I made the post you and others had replied and I had missed the added comments. Mike

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

TNmike wrote:

quote=Rabbit quote=TNmike It's a scale (for weig... (show quote)

No apology necessary, the more information the better, but thank you for the note.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Just to add:
Look at the color version.
Look for the round silver knob that is located a little over half way to the right. You turn this to move the beam scale counter weight to balance what is on the outside scale. The part that the knob is attached to moves left and right on the large yellow beam. Also, on the outside is a guide to visually see what the weight is.

The silver slot to the left of it is where you would insert a multi carbon copy paper (the scale ticket). The handle extending down is a squeeze grip that you squeeze to "stamp" the ticket. So, as you turn the silver knob, the numbers inside are changing.

In the B&W image, What you see in the tray that look heavy and have handles are weights for testing. These are probably, 50lb weights each.
I'm guessing the B&W image is a manufacturing plant for the scales.
Pat

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

I must be a lot younger than you guy's :mrgreen: I didn't know what it was. :roll:
Erv

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Erv wrote:

I must be a lot younger than you guy's :mrgreen: I didn't know what it was. :roll:
Erv

30 years ago I was friendly with a woodworker, made fine furniture, very few machines, did almost everything by hand.

His shop was in an old barn. There was an old beam scale inside, from what I remember it was similar to the op's picture.

You can see how huge the base is. Trucks loaded with coal were probably as heavy as fuel oil trucks of today.

loggerbill Loc: kansas

thanks to everyone for your input

montanasoybean Loc: Montana

You don't have to be very old to see these still in use today. We still use them today on the farm (although some have been converted to digital).

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

Jay Pat wrote:

Just to add: br Look at the color version. br Look... (show quote)

oh pat used or seen them used that little cardboard an carbon paper that glued together tear the carbon copy off an give it to the farmer. like to have a nickel for everyone i tore off an gave a farmer