The Weight of Handwriting

Click to enlarge. From The Outline of Science, 1922. One of these would be useful for determining exactly how much weight you gained over Thanksgiving.

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Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 23, 2012
Category: Inventions | Science | 1920s

Comments

I'd guess that one could use something a bit less sensitive. Something like this, maybe:

http://0.tqn.com/w/experts/Collectibles-General-Antiques-682/2011/06/pittsburgh-novelty-works.jpg

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/23/12 at 09:36 AM

Everyone here is at least a little unbalanced. 🙄

Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 11/23/12 at 09:43 AM

They are really just weighing the ink.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/23/12 at 08:21 PM

@Patty : Yes miss obvious .. hehehehe .. gotta tease ya after just getting off the phone with you ... or was that getting off on the phone with you ?

Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 11/23/12 at 08:45 PM

I actually used one of those back in the 1980's. It was sensitive to 0.1 milligrams, (1/250,000th of an ounce) but was VERY tedious to use. There is a bubble level to get it as level as possible, and a sliding glass door to keep your breath off the balance. The brass weights have to be handled with tweezers and tongs so you don't get fingerprints on them - fingerprints have weight, too.
It took about 15-30 minutes to make a single weighing, and the scale couldn't weigh anything heavier than about 5 kilograms (11 pounds).

Posted by tadchem on 11/24/12 at 05:54 PM

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