Simple Balance

I wanted a balance to use in my maths tutoring. The equals sign (=) is in fact a mathematical balance point, having a physical representation of this abstract concept can help students make sense of algebra. After reviewing other balance/scale designs I realised I needed a design that could quickly dismantle and be robust enough to transport. I had printed a fancier design previously from makerworld but it was far too fragile. I thought I could make my own version and pleased with my first design in FreeCAD, I thought it worth sharing. Assembly is trivial as seen by the photos….but you will need a steady hand and a vibration free surface! The curved beam can be placed on the triangular base point. It can be shifted left or right to “zero” the vertical needle in the groove. Next you need two steady hands to lower the weight holders at each end of the curved beam simultaneously. It takes some skill to adjust the positions to get the vertical needle in the centre of the groove. Younger ch