How to find weight of machine without the use of lifting equipment

Need to find the exact weight of a crate for shipping cost reasons.
Do not have a forklift, crane , large cap weighing scale or pallet-jack with integral scale.

Any ideas

Machine is either 600 lbs or 700lbs

I know the crate weighs around 300lbs cause I added up all the parts for the crate.

It's the machine I don't know.

Anyone know where I can rent one of those pallet-jacks with the scale?

For only 1k lbs, (700 machine 300 crate) You could use four home scales and two beams between them should be only about 250lbs each...

Make sure your beams have a pad on the center of the scales so they apply weight only to the center.

add four scale values and subtract two beams

You could always ask Navan Johnson.

I couldn't figure if it was going to be 900lbs or around 980lbs so I just went with 1000lbs for shipping quote. Shipper said it doesn't change price .

Yeah I was thinking of using 4 weighing scales but the extra cost of the 3 scales would probably negate any shipping saving in getting a more accurate weight.

If you can guess within a couple 100 lbs, it usually doesn't affect the shipping price much, if any. Shipping prices are usually based on a weight range so unless your guess range hits the change point, cost won't change.

When doing something like this, I always just give them a educated guess anf go to the high side if I don't have scales available. You can pretty much figure them weighing it at the terminal and they will hit you up with extra charges if needed.

If you are not the shipper, why are you having to weigh it?

Bolt together an A-frame out of 4x4 timber, or better. Cross brace, and leave a 'crotch' at the top, a little higher than the pick point of the machine. Get another 12' 4x4, and strap or chain to top of machine one foot from end. Place A-frame support fairly close to machine, and keep it vertical. Hang off the other end by your arms, one foot from end. Adjust pivot point until machine barely lifts (like a quarter inch) and do the proportional math to determine machine weight based on ratio of horizontal beam lengths (on either side of pivot) and your weight. (Coming in one foot on each end of beam gives you a 10' beam, just for convenience's sake. Not required.)

So, the distance between loads on the beam is 10'. When balanced, the support will divide that into two unequal parts. Measure each distance. Cross-multiply machine distance x your weight, then divide that product by your distance to determine machine weight. Keep your units consistent. Call a fifth-grader if you're uncertain of your maths. The distance between you and the pivot will likely be about 4 or 5 times the distance from the machine to the pivot.

4x4 should have no problem with a temporary 1/2" lift, safety-wise. Don't use this mechanism to load it. Resist the temptation to make a YouTube video of the event.

You could also add a pressure gauge to your pallet jack, and log pressure when lifting a known weight. Machine weight will be proportional to pressure, when lifted to the same height. (Height matters because the mechanical geometry of a random pallet jack may not result in a linear relationship of load to pressure at random heights.)

If it's a new-ish or popular machine, research the shipping weight online.

Chip

I have been told to leave the weight section of the bill of lading empty. The freight company weighs it for free. If you put down an inaccurate weight and the freight company weighs it and finds your weight off by some amount (50# iirc, either way) you will be charged $25. for weighing the freight.

Update.

I listed the weight as 1000lbs for the B.O.L. . Figured it could not be more than 950lbs . Asked UPS forklift guy what the weight was, and he said 1040lbs . So the pallet weighed about 440 lbs !! . I overbuilt the pallet.

You can rig your forklift up to weigh fairly accurate.

Just put a pressure gauge in line with the lift cylinder. Radius squared of the lift cylinder X 3.14 X the psi showing on the gauge divided by 2 (if your lift uses lift chains) = the weight of the object lifted.

It's not super accurate, mainly because of friction losses, but it should get you fairly close.

m16ty said:

You can rig your forklift up to weigh fairly accurate.

Just put a pressure gauge in line with the lift cylinder. Radius squared of the lift cylinder X 3.14 X the psi showing on the gauge divided by 2 (if your lift uses lift chains) = the weight of the object lifted.

It's not super accurate, mainly because of friction losses, but it should get you fairly close.

Click to expand...

I don't have a forklift or any other kind of lifting equipment, so unloading stuff is a PITA and requires me to call a tow truck many a time.