A sensitive beam balance

The materials required for this balance contain a clothes peg, a knitting needle about 12 in. long, two pins or needles and a support like as a milk bottle or preserving jar.

The beam of the balance is made by passing the knitting needle through the hole in the spring of the clothes peg. The pivots for the beam are the two needles or pins placed one on either side of the clothes peg, slightly below the hole by which the knitting needle passes. The latter must project equally on either side of the clothes peg, and can be wedged in this position inside the springy a little splinter of wood.