How can you weigh or measure your cannabis without a scale?

Have you ever used anything other than digital scales to measure your cannabis? How accurate was it?

The easiest way to measure cannabis is with a digital scale. This device accurately measures flower or concentrates in minutes. However, not everyone has one of these and you can’t always be with yours. If so, you can use simple techniques to give a rough estimate of your weed. These alternative methods are inexpensive as they are mainly performed using simple household appliances.

Imagine you have a group of friends stopping by your place and for whatever reason your scale has refused to work or be found, would you forego the group weed session or look for an alternative? Most people would go for the latter option. Read on to discover other ways you can get a rough measurement of your cannabis when your digital scale isn’t handy.

Measuring cannabis

In cannabis stores in North America, weed is measured in grams. Companies that package their products measure and label the product in grams. On the other hand, Europe measures and sells in ounces. Other common measurements are a stick, an eighth of an ounce, a half ounce, 1 pound (healthy as 453g) and a quarter.

In some stores, weed is not sold by the usual measure, but by the required cash value. This cash value includes a cent ($10), a nickel ($5), and a dub ($20).

With 1g of cannabis you can get more than two standard joints. In 2016, the University of Pennsylvania, through Greg Ridgeway with Rand’s Corporation Beau Kolmer, discovered that an average joint contains 0.3g of bud. If you are new to cannabis, it is always advisable to use a reliable method to measure your required dose.

Alternative methods of measuring your cannabis when a digital scale is not available include:

With a ruler and a penny

Almost everyone has a ruler, a pencil and a dime at home. The main reason we use a penny is because its weight is known. Other coins can be used as long as you know their weight. Estimated weights of common coins are below.

1 PENNY = 3.56g

2p = 7.12g

1 USD CENT = 2.5 g

1 USD NICKEL = 5g

1 USD DIME = 2.27g

First, place the pen under the middle part of the ruler. Make sure the ruler is well balanced on the pencil. This creates a makeshift seesaw scale. Next, place your coin on one end of the ruler. At the other end, start stacking your cannabis buds. Once the two sides are balanced, stop adding nuggets to the stack. This means that the weight of your nugs corresponds to the weight of the coin.

Using a smartphone application

Technology always comes through. While you can’t take some household items out of the house, you can definitely get around with your cell phone. In fact, very few people intentionally leave their smartphones at home these days.

Search your phone’s store for scale apps. These apps can be used to measure any amount of weed or herbs. All you have to do is place the herbs on the phone screen. However, some of these apps provide inaccurate readings. Note that the result can be either a quarter less or more.

It’s also worth noting that the weight measurements can differ depending on your position on the screen.

To confirm an app’s authenticity, we encourage you to check the ratings and reviews before downloading the app.

Using a rubber band roller

This is a minimalist weed scale. It is smaller and lighter than a digital pocket scale or ruler. It is efficient to measure the minimum amount of weed.

A rubber band bag reel is easy to use. You can either make it at home or buy it from online stores like Amazon. To use it, you must first stick a safety pin on both sides of the ribbon and attach a small zippered pocket on each side.

Put one eighth of the weed in one bag and not the weight reference in the others. Next, use two fingers to position the wheel to watch the balance shift. Keep adding to the weed pile until both weights are balanced.

There is a big problem that since the method relies on human hands and fingers, the results obtained are inaccurate. Still, it remains the simplest and easiest technique to measure grass.

Using a hanger

This is another easy way to estimate the weight of your cannabis nuggets. To make your hanger scale, use fishing wire or string to hang another item like a phone charger or pen in the center of the hanger. It is similar to the ruler, pencil and penny technique. Make sure the item hangs exactly in the middle of the hanger to balance the scale.

After that, use the fishing wire to attach a plastic cup to either side of the hanger. Note that to hang clothes you need to use a hanger with small hooks. Their cups would hang on these books. Next, place an item you are familiar with in one cup and start filling the other with cannabis nuggets. As soon as the scale hangs straight, the cups are balanced.

use yourself

If you don’t have any makeshift objects to gauge the weight of your buds, you can use your eyes and hands. Put the buds in both hands and try to balance them that way. However, this method should be used as a last resort as it is practically impossible to get accurate results.

You can use this method to split your buds in two with your eyes. For example, if you bought a quarter ounce of cannabis, you can place it on a flat surface and then divide it into similar equal piles.

bottom line

Above are five ways to measure cannabis without a digital scale. These techniques are easy to perform and require essential household items. Note that these methods only provide an estimated result and not an exact result. If you’re trying to get an accurate measure of the weed, we recommend investing in better equipment like a pocket scale.

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