I use four sets of scales.
For my small items like chips and memory, I have a digital gram scale. It weighs up to 3.5 lbs in grams or lbs and ounces. It's also great for weighing out the results when breaking down an item and checking the outcomes of different metals. I picked it up for $1 at a yard sale and haven't even had to change the battery in 2 years.
My wife surprised me for Christmas and bought me a digital platform scale. I can put the platform on the floor and the readout can go on the wall or workbench. It's also portable because it can be powered by a 9 volt battery. It's a Royal DG200 and weighs up to 200 lbs. I think they are available on amazon for around $50.
If I get over the 200 lb mark or for weighing something greasy or hard to handle, I can roll it up on my 1800's railroad scale. It's an upright platform scale on wheels with brass slides. The main body of the scale and the platform floor are wooden. I have up to 500 lb weights to add to it. It still has the original railroad name stenciled on the upright post.
Lastly, for anything really heavy, I just swing by my local farmer's cooperative. They have a scale that I can weigh a semi on if I need to. The only drawback to this one is if you're weighing high value things like copper and have a low weight. These scales typically weigh in increments of 20 lbs, so you could lose a bit if you're close to halfway in between and it hits the downside weight.
I have a lead weight that I weighed at the post office that weighs 30 lbs. I marked the weight on it and weighed it on my two scales at home. One showed 31 lbs and the other 30. I wrote these weights on it also and identified which scale I was using for each. Now I know that if I'm weighing on my antique scale, I'm around a pound lighter than it shows. This helps in figuring shipping costs.
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