Making A Better Kitchen Scale Out Of Junk Parts

Mark Furneaux built a custom kitchen scale using salvaged parts from a scrapped laboratory scale. The key upgrade was adding an HX710-based strain gauge amplifier module ($7) to a reclaimed load cell and metal base. Powered by an 18650 Li-ion cell with TP4056 charging/protection, the result offers real-time weight updates and roughly 200 mg drift across the range — far better than typical consumer kitchen scales that filter noise aggressively and lag on small weight changes. The build uses zip ties, hot glue, and basic welding, but functions well. The approach is generalizable: strain gauges are common, and existing kitchen scales can be hacked with custom hardware and software for improved performance.