Microgram Scale (Sartorius 4503) technical questions for all you lab guys

[Blue Druid]

As many of you here have knowledge & exerience of labs & lab equipment I figured you'd be the best people to ask about a piece of specialised lab equipment. Apologies Mods if this isn't the place, I did ask in the PD scale & balance thread but I figure there's more chance of getting an answer here.

I recently picked up cheap a Sartorius 4503 MP6 scale, 0.001mg (1microgram) readability.
Unfortunately I didn't find out till after I'd bought it that it's missing a weighing pan, It's not economical to buy a spare as it'd cost several hundred - just for the weighing pan!

So I was thinking I could make a replacement pan, I've cut up some thin aluminium, drilled it & will either have thread/wire holding it or aluminium 'arms' like the standard version does. I think this is doable but I have little knowledge of precision scales and don't know if this is feasable or not. Also I'm not exactly certain how the pan fits on as I've only got the manual (b&w with little technical drawings), what I can see and a few pictures from the net to go by.

I wanted to see if anyone here has any experience with this model and can answer a few questions about the parts. Specifically what part the little hook in the middle of the weighing area plays, it's not attached to the motorised pan extractor arm which I'm sure the pan is attached to but I can't tell if there's some connection to it I need to make.

I'd also be interested in knowing if there's any particular reasons why this won't work/won't be accurate & reliable - I do have the option to return the scale & get a refund but if I can get the pan attached & get accurate measurements I'd like to keep it, it is a 1microgram scale afterall. I recognise I may lose some accuracy but I can live with that so long as it's not too much, mostly I'll be weighing in the mg range anyway I just like to have the broader weighing capability.

This isn't the one I bought but it's the best picture I can find of the weighing pan :http://www.kitmondo.com/sartorius-4503-mp6/ref278089

I know this isn't the best way to go about it, ideally it'd have had all the parts like I initially thought but it hasn't so I figure I've got to try making something suitable. I've made a basic pan under the 300mg weight of the generic sartorius one, just have to figure how to best, and most accurately attach it - and whether it's worth doing.

Would really welcome any assistance or knowledgeable opinions anyone can offer.

 

[.:Holy::Toast:.]

I know nothing about such high precision scales but the weighing pan would have to be perfectly flat and perfectly balanced would it not?
I don't think this is a DIY project, there is probably a reason the replacement weighing pan costs several hundred dollars

 

[Hammilton]

The replacement pan shouldn't cost that much, that's more than th scale. I have a few mg scales and I just use a box made of aluminum foil. You'll need a windbreak if you don't have one already.