Re: Mass of UN SDN(X)

>Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 9:45:00 -0500
>From: Michael T Miserendino <MTMiserendino@lnc.com>
>Subject: Re: Mass of UN SDN(X)
>
>Yes.  This is something I played around with a while back, but never 
>finished it.  You will need a precise scale to determine the weight as
most 
>minis are negligible and hope that all are created with the same
material.  
>It is my understanding that Jon T uses a different metal than what
Geo-Hex 
>uses in the states.  This might present a small discrepancy if you have

>minis from both sources.  This might also cause some discrepancy when
you 
>compare to other manufacturers minis as metal content can vary.
>
>IMHO the best solution is get a volume measurement by displacing the
mini in 
>a liquid if you have an accurate way to measure this.
>
>Mike

I picked up a relatively cheap digital kitchen scale that registers
tenths
of an ounce, which I've found to be sufficiently accurate for this sort
of
thing.

For small minis or a more accurate reading on the larger ones, weigh
several at the same time and average them.

If the minis are already based, weigh them and then weigh an appropriate
number of bases and subtract the diffence.

By doing these things, you can get a range of mass factors within a few
points of ideal and fudge it from there.

As for the ratio of lead to tin, then difference should be neglible;
I've
weighed otherwise identical castings, one of solid lead and the other of
mostly tin pewter and there is practically no difference on that scale.

The minis I collect are a smaller scale (or is that larger?) than the
official FT line, so a one-ounce mini is about mass 100.  At that scale,
accuracy to within a tenth of an ounce gives an estimate to within +/-10
Mass; averaging improves it further.  For the official FT minis, it
should
be even easier since they are generally larger.

Jeff