neurocop

That's well said (and what I was trying to say in my earlier post). None of the commericial spoke tensiometers directly measures spoke tension. They apply a known force to bend the spoke between two anchor pins and measure the deflection (in length units). The tension represented by this deflection is related to the amount of deflection, but the deflection itself varies with the spoke material and dimensions, hence the need for conversion tables to translate deflection into tension.

As others have said. measuring instruments are rated as to accuracy, precison, and resolution. Accuracy refers to how close the instrument's "read out" is to the "true" measurement. Precision refers to the instrument's ability to give the same measurement when repeatedly measuring the same object. Resolution refers to the instrument's ability to "read out" in smaller increments, such that a micrometer that reads out in 0.001mm increments is considered to have higher resolution than one that reads in 0.01mm increments. Of these three parameters, accuracy and precision are most important. Resolution is important as well (and most well-made instruments that are accurate and precise). There are plenty of modern measuring instruments that offer "high resolution" thanks to digital technology. However, unless these instruments are mechanically well-made, their high resolution is what we should call "empty" resolution, i.e., they can be neither accurate nor precise.