Printer-friendly version

26 December 2003

How to Make a Chemical Balance

Adapted from A Thousand and One Formulas 1920 by Sidney Gernsback.

The accompanying photo illustrates a chemical balance easily constructed. While not being extremely accurate it nevertheless will measure quantities to the degree of accuracy generally demanded in an amateur's shop or laboratory. It is not difficult to construct and ordinary care being used, it can be made to weigh within a gram.

The illustration is self-explanatory, but a few words may not be amiss. To make it, first obtain a telephone ringer set as that shown in figure. It is not necessary to pur-chase a brand new one, but go to some electric or telephone repair shop where you may secure a ringer for less than fifty cents or even for nothing, possibly. Proceed to rearrange the different pieces so as to appear, after adding other parts, like that shown. On the armature, solder or bolt a strip of metal, preferably aluminum, 1/2" x 7" and on the ends of this "beam" at-tach two circular 4" pans. Below one of the pans place a right angle strip and ad-justing screw, in order to be able to make pans balance. Back of the instrument, after fixing on base, place a strip for an indicator.

Finished with shellac, this instrument will make a neat looking and useful little piece of apparatus for chemical or photographic work.