I lost 6 pounds in 5 minutes!

[dreamshark]

.... by buying a new scale. The one on the right. OMG when did balance beam scales get so HUGE???

So of course instead of tackling the backlog of Important Projects waiting for my attention, I spent a happy hour or two with Google AI trying to answer that question, and figure out just how old that little scale really is.

Well, about 50 years old, it turns out. Not only are these cute little "waist-high" models no longer made, this one is EXTRA SPECIAL!  The classy orange-on-black numbers identify it as the premier "High-Visibility" version of Health-O-Meter model 230 (1975-1982). And that funny little bubble-level is actually a high-end feature making the reading more accurate than the usual swinging pointer in the modern one. Well, originally, anyway. It's not terribly accurate now, which is why I bought that ungainly replacement.

But it's a rare Vintage Collectible, G-AI enthused! Sure it weighs 5-6 pounds high, but "to a collector, a 5lb error is just a 'mechanical adjustment' needed. They will love the exterior aesthetics much more than the internal accuracy." So if anybody knows a collector of vintage scales who might like this, please let me know. Or if you want to try fiddling with the innards or rebalancing the arm with a couple of small magnets, it's yours. 

G-AI volunteered the following "Adoption Bio" if I want to try listing it on Nextdoor or something:

This is the rare, compact 3-foot "Professional Home" Hi-Visibility model featuring the iconic orange-on-black numbers and a built-in bubble level for perfect floor adjustment. It’s an all-metal tank in great cosmetic shape for its age, though it currently weighs consistently 5–6 lbs heavy (likely due to internal "character" and 50  years of service). Perfect as a stylish vintage gym piece, a theater prop, or for a tinkerer who wants to "zero it out" with a few taped nickels!

 

Comments

[minnehaha]

Pick Up Only on eBay?

K.