Besides making sure the bubble is in the middle of the level circle, is there anything else you should do get your scale accurate.  I just feel like mine is off and want to make sure
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Me: "These lanes are tight. I have 2 boards!"
My buddy with front 8: "Me too!"
Me: "Yeah, but yours both have arrows on them, and an arrow in between!"

Take the weights off and see if the scale balances at zero.  Scales vary some, on my AMF version I can just take the weights off the pan and check it.  On Other versions the pan has to come off also - it is usually hanging on a hook on this type.  If the balance is level, zeros, and swings up and down freely around the balance point (bearings not gummed up) it should be OK.  One other thing to check, be sure nothing is hitting the ball from underneath.  I had some papers piled up next to mine once that were hitting it and that caused the results to be inconsistent.  --  JohnP

Edited on 9/15/2008 2:57 PM

Some ideas:

a) Try using your scale differentially to check your scale and technique by measuring the side weight of a clearly marked ball, then repeating the process in the opposite direction

b) Compare the balance measurements you get with another pro-shop's scale, or one of our digital scales

c) Keep a calibration ball in-house to periodically check your scale's accuracy and trainee technique.

Many pro-shop operators think that the balance beam scale measures the relative weights of the two halves of the ball. This is not the case. The balance beam scale measures the relative LEVERAGE of the two halves.

Since the USBC standard has been based upon the balance beam scale, our digital scale (which actually DOES measure the weights of the two halves) has a built in calibration for this.
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Dr. Douglas G. Frank, President
Precision Analytical Instruments, Inc.
www.ToolsForAnalysis.com

Mine is a pretty old Kaufman dual beam style.  Got it working great.  Thank you for all of your help.
--------------------
Me: "These lanes are tight. I have 2 boards!"
My buddy with front 8: "Me too!"
Me: "Yeah, but yours both have arrows on them, and an arrow in between!"