First things first, it is always best to measure weed/marijuana with a digital scale. If you need a digital scale, check out this list of the best scales for measuring weed. Most of these can be received the next day and will not break the bank.
Again, it’s always best to know how much you are smoking or ingesting. Not only for health and dosage reasons, but also you will have more predictability that can help your budgeting.
But sometimes you find yourself in that situation where you need to weigh some weed and you just don’t have a scale.
So, how to measure weed without a scale?
Before we get into the best methods for how to measure weed without a scale, let’s do a quick recap on some common weed facts and measurements.
- If you aren’t able to use a scale, then all of these methods are going to be estimates and are a point of reference only. You can’t get an exact measurement without a scale.
- There was actually a study on the average amount of weed in a joint and it was .3g of cannabis or weed.
- Most smokers will get between 2-3 standards joints out of 1 gram of bud.
And with that, let’s check out 6 ways to measure weed without a scale.
Table of Contents
6 Different Tips on How to Measure Weed Without a Scale
1. Use Paper To Make Your Own Scale
Desperate times desperate measures!
How can we use paper to measure weed? Pretty simple actually.
Get a piece of paper from a notebook and fold it in half. Now place it on a flat surface in a way that it should look like a scout’s tent (see picture below).
Get another piece of paper and fold it into 4 equal parts. This paper’s center should also look like a tent. Place this paper right on top of the first one – in doing so, the “small tent” should sit right on top of the big one.
This will make a paper scale, because two of the four folded parts will stick out from both sides of the folded paper:
Place the amount of weed that you want to buy/measure on one side and a 1 dollar bill on the other side. A 1 dollar bill roughly weighs one gram; this means that using it you can measure weed up to one gram. If the scale tips to the side of the dollar, the weed is not quite to 1 gram. If the scale tips to the side of the bud, it is over 1 gram.
This paper scale method is really ideal only for weighing cannabis to 1 gram. Anything more and the scale can’t hold up.
Some other factors to be aware of with this method include making sure your paper is EVENLY folded, fans or airflow can impact this and a sturdier paper is better (but not too sturdy).
2. Use Ruler to Measure Weed
How much is an ounce of weed?
Or a gram …
Or two?
The problem is that when you have to measure a larger quantity of weed, that paper scale “solution” will not help much.
In that case you need to either make a scale (with equal balance on both sides) with wood or some other material, or you can improvise like a pro.
What if we do both with this next method?
Use a ruler and a penny to create a temporary scale. Balance the ruler just like you did in childhood using your finger or another fulcrum. Use the penny (each penny is roughly 2.5 grams), and now you can measure weed.
How to go about it? Well, once you have ~2.5g of weed on the opposite side of the ruler from the penny the ruler should balance out thus confirming your measurement is close.
Another way to use this method… a US nickel weighs about 5 grams if you want to up your weight.
3. Use Your Cell Phone
This day and age, this might be the best tip, but it’s worth mentioning this is more inaccurate than most people realize.
One reason this method works so well is because everyone always has their phone with them. The bigger problem with this method, besides the accuracy, is whether or not your phone is charged…
Do you know what makes smart phones even smarter? Apps. And guess what? There are weighing scale apps like Weight Scale Estimator that can help you weigh 1/8 of weed or any amount of weed that you want to measure.
Weed, herb, anything that can be placed on a cell phone’s screen! Just place it on the screen and it will tell you the weight.
No matter what you do, you should only trust this method so far. A screen is ultimately not designed to be a scale so you can really blame the phone. The other factor is where on the screen you place your weed can change your measurement so if anything with this method just make sure you are consistent.
Checkout this list of the best scale apps to get started.
4. Use a Hanger to make a true homemade scale
If you have the right supplies, this method makes a fairly compelling homemade scale.
It is all about improvisation.
So, next time you wanna know how much is a quarter of weed, just get a plastic hanger, have a durable thread/string go hang off both sides (evenly!) and both of the threads/strings should be tied to two clothespins – one on each side.
That is it.
Now hang the hanger on something (like a doorknob), clip the piece of weed (in a zip-lock bag) on one side and a reference weight on the other side.
If you need a reference weight, remember a penny is ~2.5 grams and a nickel is ~5 grams.
If you want to turn a cheap hanger into something as good as a real scale – you can do even more. Get two small plastic containers and instead of using clothespins, tie both of them to the threads.
Now, you can keep weed/herbs in one container and dollar bills/pennies/other items in the other one and get near perfect measurements whether it is 1 ounce of weed or a gram.
5. Rubber Band Pocket Pulley
Okay, let me explain what it is and how it can help with weighing a gram of weed.
It is the most minimalist weed scale that you’ll ever use. It is even smaller and lighter than a ruler or a pocket scale (the real and accurate one).
When it comes to an item like weed that can cost a lot and when you might be scraping by yourself, you need a scale that can take the smallest possible measurements.
This scale made of a rubber band pulley does the job.
Here is how you make it and use it:
Get a rubber band pocket pulley or make one at home. Easier way is to get it from Amazon.
Now poke one safety pin on each side of the rubber band and have a small zip closure pouch go through each pin.
Insert an 8th of weed (or whatever quantity you want) in one bag and insert reference weight(s) in the other one.
Now, hold the wheel with two fingers and see how the balance shifts. Adjust weights to get the right amount of weed e.g. qp of weed, and your job is done.
However, since this method employs human hands, it is easy to predict that weight measurements will often be inconsistent.
Yet, you cannot deny that it is the most simplistic and easiest to carry weed scale/weed price calculator.
6. The Eyeball Test
Alright, this is the least accurate of the methods and can yield inconsistent results but sometimes you have no other options.
At the end of they day if you don’t have a scale, the size of the (uncompressed) weed can be helpful in determining its weight. The chart below depicts how you can use the size of the weed you want to measure by comparing it to every day food items and their weight.
Weed Scale vs Alternatives
You can get by without a weed scale for a period of time by using any of these methods. None of them are perfect and all are going to yield some inconsistencies in their results.
As stated earlier, the best bet is to have a scale handy. And these days, with scales being as cheap as they are and most able to be delivered within 1-2 days the real answer is just get a couple of scales you can have with you.
Here is a review of best weed scales that will help you find the best scale for your situation.
Common Questions
How can I measure weed without a scale?
Using any of the methods mentioned above can you help measure weed without a scale. Basically there are two options:
- You can create a homemade scale and use common objects with known weights (e.g. pennies or nickels)
- You can compare the size of the weed to common objects and determine a directional weight from there.
How can I measure grams without a scale?
The easiest way to measure grams without a scale is to compare the object you are wanting to weigh (like cannabis) to a penny (2.5 g) or nickel (5 g) to determine the weight. Use one of the homemade scales outlined above to help do this.
How much is 3.5 grams of weed on the scale?
An “eighth” or 1/8 of an ounce. It’s the most common amount of weed purchases in most markets.
Which scale do you weigh weed on?
You can check this comprehensive list of weed scales to help determine the best weed scale for your needs.