SCALE RENTALS
Rent it for a week, a season, or the whole job.
Truck scales, floor scales, bench scales, crane scales, and certified test weights — you can pick them up calibrated and ready-to-go at our shop, or we can deliver, set up, and calibrate on-site, if that's what you need. Rent for a week, a season, or as long as the job runs.
Sometimes buying a scale doesn't make sense. Harvest runs eight weeks. A construction site closes in the spring. A plant trial might not pan out. For jobs like these, Bitterman Scales rents weighing equipment out of our Lancaster shop to customers across central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland.
Every rental has an up-to-date calibration, or we can provide a special calibration certificate, if required. The calibrated scale can be picked up at our shop, or, if needed or desired, our field technicians can deliver the scale, set it up, and verify it on site with certified test weights before you put a single load on it. When the job is done, you can drop it off at our shop, or we come get it.
We've been in the scale business since 1961, and the rental fleet is the same commercial-grade equipment we sell and service every day. If a rental turns into something you want to keep, talk to us. We may be able to work out a rebate structure for the rental which can be applied to its purchase.
What's in the Rental Fleet
Most rental calls start the same way: something has to be weighed for a few weeks or a few months, and buying a scale for it makes no sense. The fleet covers most industrial weighing jobs, from a parts counter on a workbench to a full-length truck scale in a gravel lot. Portable above-ground truck scales are the workhorses: modular steel decks that sit on compacted gravel or asphalt, no pit and no concrete foundation. A crew can have one weighing trucks within a day or two of delivery. Everything smaller sets up in minutes.
- Portable above-ground truck scales — modular decks, no foundation required, legal-for-trade capable
- Floor scales — 4x4 and 5x5 platforms, 1,000 to 10,000 lb, with ramps and indicators
- Bench scales — checkweighing, counting, and general weighing up to about 150 lb
- Crane scales — hanging scales for rigging and overhead lifts, 500 lb and up
- Certified test weights — NIST Class F weights and weight carts for load testing and calibration checks
When Renting Beats Buying
Rent when the need is temporary, uncertain, or urgent. The most common calls we get: a grain or produce operation that only weighs trucks during harvest; a plant running a trial line and not ready to commit to permanent equipment; a construction, demolition, or remediation site that needs truck weights for the duration of a contract; and load testing projects where you need certified test weights for a day or two, not a lifetime.
The other big one is downtime. If your scale is down and waiting on parts, a rental keeps product moving while we make the repair. For our service customers we can often place a loaner floor or bench scale the same trip we pick up the broken one — ask your technician.
- Harvest season and other seasonal weighing
- Plant trials and pilot lines
- Temporary job sites — construction, demolition, remediation
- Your scale is down and parts are on order
- Load testing and calibration projects needing certified test weights
How the Rental Process Works
It starts with a phone call. Tell us what you're weighing, how heavy it is, where the site is, and how long you need the scale. We'll quote the rental plus any delivery, setup, or on-site calibration you need — as one number or broken down, whichever you prefer.
You can either schedule to pick up the scale at our shop; the scale will have a current calibration and will be ready to go. If the scale is too large for your pickup and/or if you'd like it to be delivered, our technician will drop it off at your site. If on-site set up and calibration is required, we will do that, using certified test weights and any documentation required. Accredited documentation is available, if you need it. When the rental ends, just drop it off at our shop or call us to come and pick it up.
- Call or email with the job details
- Get a quote — one number or broken down
- Pick it up at our shop or have it delivered
- On-site setup and calibration with certified test weights — if required
- Use it as long as you need it
- When the job's done, drop it off or have us pick it up
Try It Before You Buy It
Not sure a scale earns its keep? Rent it first. Run it through a season or a production cycle and see what it does for your operation. If you decide to buy, we may be able to credit a portion of your rental payments toward the purchase of the same unit or a new one. If it doesn't work out, you're out a rental fee, not a capital purchase.
This works both directions. Plenty of our truck scale customers started with a portable rental deck, proved the traffic was there, and then had us install a permanent scale.
Common questions
How much does it cost to rent a truck scale?
It depends on the scale size, the rental length, and the site. Portable truck scales are quoted per job because delivery and setup are a real part of the cost. Call us with the location and duration and we'll give you one number that covers rental, delivery, setup, and calibration — or a broken-down quote, if you prefer.
Do rental scales come calibrated?
Every rental has a current calibration, and, if needed for your documentation purposes, you can request that a special, documented calibration be performed. Legal-for-trade rentals are available on request, and accredited ISO/IEC 17025 certificates where the equipment is within our accredited scope.
Can I get a loaner scale while mine is being repaired?
Usually, yes. For floor and bench scales we can often drop off a loaner on the same trip we pick up your scale for repair. For larger equipment we'll set up a short-term rental so your operation keeps running while parts are on order.
Can I buy the scale I'm renting?
In most cases, yes. If a rental proves itself, we may be able to apply a portion of your rental payments toward purchasing that unit or a new equivalent. Ask when you set up the rental so we can plan for it from the start.