A very rusty scale

I just purchased a Sigma 70-300 Macro lens and decided to test it with this shot.
Please let me have your critique so I can improve my subsequent shots.

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Sorry this doesn't do anything for me. I look at the picture and just wonder "Why". Then I studied it further and found that the black stick thing going across the scale bothers me, I can't tell what it is or if it is supposed to be there. The area above the scale does not contribute anything to the image but I get the impression that there is some interesting bits in the centre of the scale, so maybe a tilt downwards on the camera would have given me more to look at. As an excersise in texture it needs much more oblique lighting.

Unfortunately, somebody tied a rubber hose to the center of the scale. The center didn't have anything of interest either.
I was not happy with the results both on the composition and details. My main interest was to test the macro feature at the 200-300mm zoom. I shot the picture far from the actual scale. I was pleased with the macro results but I agree, the rusty visual does nothing for me either.
Thank you for the comments.

I think it's quite interesting. Most people will remember the name Toledo as being the most prominent name in that business.

I think that a well-done sepia toning might help create the atmosphere for such a shot.

Don't worry yourself about the lens - you can't get a meaningfull sharpness critique with 800 x 533 pixel downsampled image. If you want sharpness evaluated you need to post a full detail 100% crop of some selected portion of the image.

********100% Crop Using Photoshop Crop Tool*********
See my tutorial on making a 100% Crop with Full Detail in the following thread:
https://photography-on-the.net …thread.php?t=34​606&page=2

********100% Crop Using Photoshop Rectangular Selection Marquee Tool*********
Select the marquee tool - then in the options palette select Style->Fixed Size - key in 200 px X 200 px. Click with the marquee tool anywhere in your image, and drag this around the screen to the desired location. Use Image -> Crop to make the actual selection. At this point you have a full detail, 100% crop of the original image which when posted will give the viewers the same level of detail that you see in your original.

The lens is an excellent lens for the price. I've gotten some absolutely stellar results from my copy.

Were you shooting with a tripod? I ask because shooting 1/250 at 300mm on a 1.6 crop body is a pretty slow shutter speed. You will have a hard time getting tack sharp images handheld at that speed.

Bump your ISO up a notch or two if you're handheld to get faster shutter speeds.

I was using a tripod. Since I was testing the Macro feature at 300mm my best bet was to use a tripod and I think considering, it did the job.
I agree that the forum posting limitations with jpg the image qualities suffer plenty.
I will try what Robert Lay suggested and maybe in the future I will avoid the quality degradation.