Re: [Phys-L] Sonometer, What Do You Think of the PASCO Model?

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

On 07/29/2014 04:00 PM, Bill Norwood wrote:

> - Has anyone considered the bass guitar with 4 tensile strain gauges just
> past a "frictionless" bridge on the tuning end?

They have now.

> - I have no idea of the dimensions of, or how to shop for, such strain
> gauges.

I suspect you want to measure force i.e. stress, not strain.
The magic word here is "load cell".
Once you know the magic word, the shopping becomes easy.
Use "google shopping" (as opposed to regular google web search):
   https://www.google.com/search?q=%22load+cell%22&tbm=shop

Restrict the search to some low price and lots of stuff will
remain.  Such things are widely used in school / hobbyist
robotics projects.

An even more obvious search is
  https://www.google.com/search?q=%22force+sensor%22&tbm=shop
which turns up some (albeit fewer) nice things.

You can also get things like this for $6.00:
  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA2V51AZ4624
That's a miniature scale for weighing fish, luggage, or whatever.
It contains a load cell and all the readout electronics.
The accuracy is probably sketchy, but you can calibrate it.