Product Spotlight: CAS s2000jr

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Scale Man

The CAS S-2000JR is a NTEP legal for trade price computing scale for direct sale of commodities in stores such as supermarkets, delicatessens and groceries. The S2000JR has proven to be a top of the line fully featured retail price computing scale. The Model S2000 Jr. is available in several different configurations, they include dual range capacities for better accuracy and two display configurations, LCD or VFD. The scale is also one of the very few computing scales that has the ounces unit. With the built in rechargeable battery, you can easily use the scale indoors or take it to the farmers market or produce stand. S2000JR features display on both operator and customer side and is NTEP approved legal for trade. Connect with the optional label printer for a complete weighing system. This scale has quietly become an industry benchmark for basic retail computing scales in the United States market place. When choosing the proper scale for your needs, you will need to answer three simple questions.

#1   What display do I want? VFD or LCD
VFD is green digits with black background. LCD is black digits with gray background. Battery power comes standard on both, but battery lasts much longer on LCD models.

#2   Do I want a Pole Display?
Pole display which faces both operator & consumer is available for either VFD or LCD models. (You can not add a pole later)

#3   What maximum weight am I going to be weighing?
Max capacities include 15 lb, 30 lb or 60 lb.

And once you answer those questions you are ready to order your scale.  Of course you can also choose to add a label printer or receipt printer if you wish. The S2000jr really is a nice value for the average consumer in the marketplace looking for an affordable and reliable commercial scale.

Posted in Battery Power Price Computing Scale, Buying Recommendations, CAS Retail Scales, General, LCD Display, NTEP Legal for Trade, VFD Display | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

New Detecto D Series Scale Hits The Market!

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Scale Man

Detecto D SeriesRetail scales are used in bakeries, coffee shops, produce markets, delis, convenience stores, and hardware stores worldwide.   Detecto’s legal for trade price computing scales provide a fast, simple weighing solution.

Offering versatility and a range of functions, Detecto’s price computing scales are equipped to handle every weighing situation through a single machine. Detecto’s coffee counter scales lead the industry in convenience and reliability. Recently Detecto announced they are replacing the DS Series scales with the new D Series scales.

The new Detecto D series price computing scale offers up to 99 easy-to-add PLUs (price look ups) for fast reference (14 direct quick keys and 85 indirect PLUs). The D series displays Weight, Unit Price, and Total Price on the front and rear backlit LCDs (up to six 0.5-in/13-mm high digits) for both the operator and customer to view simultaneously. The scale offers a dual power source of rechargeable battery pack and 110/120VAC 50/60 Hz adapter (included) for reliable use at farmers markets, delis, bakeries, candy and coffee shops, convenience stores, produce markets, and hardware stores.

Other exciting features of the Detecto D Series includes Auto Shut-off, Sleep, and Backlight Off modes extend the retail scale’s battery life. The NTEP legal-for-trade scale’s Pre-Pack key saves time by retaining the Unit Price and Tare for repetitive price computing, making the operator’s job even faster. Features adjustable, nonskid feet and bubble level.

Posted in Battery Power Price Computing Scale, Detecto Retail Scales, General, LCD Display, NTEP Legal for Trade | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Have A Wonderful Independence Day!

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Scale Man

We appreciate our loyal readers and hope you have a great Fourth of July week.

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Model XRT Scale Keypad Functionality

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Scale Man

keypadRecently we found a product bulletin from Mettler Toledo regarding their XRT price computing scale. The date on the paper says December 2006 but there are still quite a few of those scales still out in the marketplace.

The bulletin says that after receiving several calls and evaluating several XRT-3710 and XRT-4710 scales, the factory determined that the scales had inadvertently been programmed by the user to weigh in the “weigh only” mode. Now the “weigh only” mode of the XRT is a feature option that is accomplished by pressing the “5” key while powering the scale on. When in the “weigh only” mode, standard price computing features and corresponding keypad functionality is disabled.

To return the XRT scale to normal price computing status in the event it has been placed in “weigh only” mode, please follow these simple steps below.

  1. Hold the on/off key for 8 seconds to turn the scale off
  2. Press the “X” key while turning the scale back “on”

Following these steps will reset the scale to its full price computing mode with all corresponding keypad functions restored. As we mentioned, this is applicable to the Mettler Toledo XRT scales. We’re not sure if this same combination works with the Ohaus RE series. You may want to contact the company where you purchased the scale just to be safe. Hope this information helps you out.

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Can I Buy An American Made Digital Price Computing Scale?

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Scale Man

Just about every year we get asked by a potential customer, “where can I buy a digital price computing scale that is made in the USA?” There really aren’t many choices anymore. With the low cost products from China it is simply more efficient for U.S. scale manufacturers to contract out with a chinese company to build several hundred retail scales and then ship them over in a container on a boat. Almost every major scale company in the country does this. Generally, the scales are built pretty well and they weigh well enough to earn a CoC number and be deemed “legal for trade”.

If you are looking to buy an American Made retail scale for your farmers market or candy shoppe then please take a look at the Detecto PC-30 retail scales. Detecto’s PC series feature a 0.56 inch bright red LED display on the front and back of the scale for weight, unit and total price as well as 99 programmable preset prices, and RS232 serial port for printer connection. Customized print options include “Packed on” and “Sell by” dates with removable PLU key label chart for identifying your specific products on the keyboard. A low profile, compact design, perfect for limited counter space in businesses such as delis, meat shops, candy counters, cheese shops or anywhere anything is sold by weight. The scale features an alpha keypad to name each product for printing on the labels. 6, 15 and 30 lb capacities available. The scale is NTEP legal-for-trade and is built to be a heavy duty scale to give you many years of service.

To be honest in our opinion this is a scale that works best in a permanent solution. In other words we wouldn’t recommend buying this to carry to the market every week because it is heavier than a traditional low cost import computing scale. But if you have a retail shop or buffet that you’re looking to sell food by the pound, then this PC scale from Detecto might be a good choice for that application.

Detecto Scale, an ISO-9001 certified scale manufacturer, markets a complete line of quality weighing products for the healthcare, food service and shipping and logistics industries. Detecto headquarters and factory are in Webb City, Missouri, USA with warehouses in Canada and England. Founded in 1900, Detecto Scale is the largest medical scale manufacturer in the United States. The family-owned and privately-held company employs a staff of 350 associates trained in manufacturing USA-made, high-quality weighing products. Detecto has been featured on the TV shows “How It’s Made” and “World’s Greatest!…”  Detecto Scale provides a one-stop shop for all of your weighing needs with an extensive product line of scales and weighing systems for a multitude of different industries. Located in the heartland of America, Detecto brings you more than high-quality USA-made weighing products, the company also offers knowledgeable, courteous, and efficient phone and electronic media support staff who are ready to answer your questions and take your orders. Detecto’s customer service, technical support, and aftermarket parts departments are all located at the factory headquarters in Webb City, MO. The company offers software, hardware, and connectivity support directly from the factory. Your risk is eliminated when you own a Detecto scale, since you only have one call to make for new products and service support. When you buy from Detecto, you’re not just buying a high-quality USA-made product… you’re putting Americans to work.

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Calibrating Your Retail Produce Weigher

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Scale Man

RE15USUsually about this time of the year many customers start thinking about last minute preparations as they get ready to sell at the market. One of the often forgotten items is making sure your scale is still weighing accurately. Often the digital scale is just used at the market each week and then placed over in the corner of the utility room until you need it next spring.  So it is usually a good idea to take your scale out and make sure it is working correctly. You might place a few items on the scale and make sure the weights are consistent. Also enter a few prices using the keypad to make sure all your number buttons are working correctly on the keypad. That is assuming you have a price computing scale with full keypad. If you just have a retail scale with a couple of buttons, make sure those buttons work. For example the “tare” button can be tested to make sure it works.

If anything is not working properly, be sure to call your local scale company and make an appointment for a scale repair and calibration. The reason we suggest calling ahead relates to several issues. Often a scale company has technicians but they are out on job sites, so you could show up and have to wait or leave your scale by dropping it off. Also if you have any issues with your scale, call ahead and mention that and perhaps the scale dealer has some spare load cells or keypads in stock for your particular item.

Hopefully this advice makes sense and can save you some time and money for the 2013 season at the farmers market or produce stand.

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Low Cost Retail Scales

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Scale Man

The title of this post says it all doesn’t it? Aren’t we all looking for low cost products?  It doesn’t have to be scales it can be anything from computers to software to sports equipment or watches. We all want to find great products at the lowest price possible.

There is nothing wrong with this idea. I do this all the time and in fact many times I will buy a product simply because it got good reviews and it is a few bucks cheaper than a similar product. But I was reminded this week that you have to be careful when you are dealing with cheap items (mostly from China).  Many times there is a reason why an item is cheaper.

In our business we deal with trade approved digital scales every day. Quite often we are asked for used retail scales. Of course they can be called other things like second hand or refurbished but basically this is code for hey, I’m looking for a super low cost set of digital scales, whatcha got?  Continue reading →

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How Do Commerical Scales Work?

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Scale Man

Every so often we are asked a question about how do commercial weighing scales work? In the entry today we will briefly discuss how the scale operates. Normally a commercial scale would refer to a scale that you are going to use to sell goods or buy goods. So you are using the scale to determine the total cost of whatever it is you are buying or selling. If you sell fruit at a farmers market then you would need a commercial scale. If you are buying gold jewelry then you would typically need a commercial scale. In the example with gold you would probably use some kind of legal for trade balance since you don’t really need a super high capacity scale.

The commercial scale is typically either a mechanical hanging scale or a table top set of digital scales. If the scales are digital you can choose to have scales that just show the weight or you can upgrade and have a set of scales that can actually display the price per pound and the total charges. If your scale just shows weight, then all you have to do is place your items on the scale and it will show you the weight. Then it would be up to you to calculate how much the customer owes you. If you have a scale that can calculate the prices for you it is actually pretty simple to operate as well. You type the desired price per pound into the scale using the keypad. Then place the item on the scale. The scale will display the total charge. While we are talking about this topic we also are asked quite frequently for any used commercial scales for sale. Typically we don’t see too many of those available. Hopefully this entry answered some of your questions regarding scales that are used for commercial applications.

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Rules And Regulations To Know

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Scale Man

The past few weeks we’ve been trying to provide some background information regarding the rules and regulations at farmers markets. The main point we wanted to make is to contact your local market to make sure you are following their rules. Not just regarding the scales but everything else as well. Here is another example of rules regarding scales at the market.

Weights and Measures: All vendors must comply with the North Carolina Statutes governing the weight and measurement of produce and other items sold. All scales must be approved as “Legal For Trade”. Anyone using scales must have them certified by the NCDA. For certification of a scale, contact the NCDA Standards Division.

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More Farmers Market Rules To Think About

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Scale Man

Below is an example of a typical farmers market rules and regulations application. Of course one of the key elements that we focus on is the scale. If you are selling to your customers based on weight (which you should) then you will need to understand how the scale check procedure takes place to certify your scale for selling produce to the general public.

Fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, honey, jams and jellies, cheese, vinegars, cider, frozen meats and poultry, maple products, baked goods, breads, ready-to-eat foods, handmade soaps, flowers, bedding plants, and potted plants are examples of products that may be sold at the market.

 

Market management will supply farmers/vendors with market canopies and will provide assistance with the setup and breakdown of the canopies each market day. Late comers may be responsible for the setup of their canopy. Each farmer/vendor will be responsible for providing tables, tablecloths, certified scales, signs, containers, and change. The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is responsible for inspecting the scales at the farmers market. DCRA will check scales for accuracy during the first month of the market opening. Scales must be clearly visible and readable to customers at all times. Any problems identified by DCRA must be corrected. If you have any questions regarding your scales, please contact the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Weights and Measures

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