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| Scales Unlimited Inc. in Idaho! They had quite a scam going on weigh boxes. In the early 90's we put in a Eaton electronic scales with load cells on our cattle scales converted from the bar type. It was a reconditioned box, worked fine but they won't self zero when turned on. Never did, we just always used zero button when turning them on. We would unplug them when not in use because they only really got used 2 1/2 months out of the year. I can't remember what we paid for original system.
So Dept. of Ag comes in and tests every year. So they would come in around September to test, I would stop in shack and see copy of test. Well at some point tester would disqualify our box because it wouldn't self zero when turned on. However you could always push zero button and they would zero and weigh fine. So we would call Scales Unlimited out of Boise to come fix them, well all they would do is just push zero button and then check platform. Platform would always check out fine. So it would be a $800- 1,000 bill to push a zero button. Well this went on for three years, Scales Unlimited would drive down here and push zero button and put sticker on box and be good for the year.
Well after the third year I blew my cool! Also during those three years the state man would come a month early in testing so we never knew when he was going to show up. From a annual testing date in September it kept getting moved up, well by third year they were coming in July and we never received notification of failed test other than slip in scale shack.
Well these Scale companies racket is they try to scare you in paying for annual service contract to check them out. Well with our Dept. of Ag. tester would come earlier every by a month, we had service contract set up to check scales out the month before our state test date. Well state would come disqualify them, then scale company would come next month and push button to zero and put sticker on them. Well all good for a year, then get nailed for $800 call next year. So I dumped Scales Unlimited, called Fairbanks bought a new box for $800 and had to a one year service contract for $800 to get new box put in. Well lo and behold never had a problem until lighting hit it down the road a number of years ago we figured, and had to put a couple of load cells in and new box again.
After that first year with Fairbanks we never renewed contract, I just figured if bad again cheaper to buy new box again with warranty than to pay contract every year. But if you follow the paper trail of who owns Scales Unlimited you will find it out the owner was none other than the State school Superintendent of Idaho at the time. Was also in bed with Mitt Romney at the time. At the time his brother was running the scale company, I tried to talk to Tom when I went to Boise when on school board meetings to no avail. But since that time we switched companies also got new Dept. of Ag. tester all our problems went away.
The only crook I ever heard of in the Utah/ Idaho area was a guy that bought lambs and cattle in the intermountain area and also into WY. I was just a kid at the time, I was told he was caught using a cow magnet in his had to pull weigh bar up as he slid hand along bar weighing. He was kicked out of the country and sent back to Spain, I heard he met a untimely death over there by gun or knife if I recall over 30 years ago. My dad always felt and knew our lambs were heavier than weigh tickets, but dad's uncle always liked dealing with this guy as he bought the whole crew dinner at local café. Well that café bill was a lot cheaper than all the weight he stole on the scales. It didn't take us long to quit dealing with him. But he swung a wide circle, I honestly don't know of a older producer that didn't get nailed by him back in the 80's.
Edited by Russ In Idaho 10/12/2018 06:50
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How can you rig scales?
