If you paid $30-40 for a scale with a .1 oz resolution and max of around 12lbs, you did really well.

You can find a selection of scales at most office supply stores as postage scales. But they usually have a tradeoff between resolution and max weight and cost.

My scale is acurate to 5grams or 1/4oz depending on the setting, and I forget the max, but I've put 6lb planes on it with no trouble. So It's not that useful for a small bit of balsa, but if I put on a pile of balsa, I can get a general idea of what's going to happen