Diameter of HEQ5 counter weight bar?

[sulaco]

Hi folks,

I'm at my work and I can't remember the diameter of the counter weight bar for the HEQ5 as I'm turning a new weight for my camera rig.

Last few days I meant to measure the diameter but always get side tracked an kick myself when I get to work.

Thanks

Campbell

[Tinker1947]

FLO show the same weights for the HEQ5 and NEQ6, my NEQ6 extension bar is 18mm in diameter.....i would think a 3/4" hole would do.....

[sulaco]

Brilliant thanks for that, I had looked but didn't see any measurements online. I needed a weight that was specific to may camera setup as the standard are just too heavy.

Thanks

Campbell

[Oily]

18mm? Are you sure Tinker?

I've just made a cw extended shaft and custom cw for my ZEQ25 and I also use EQ5/HEQ5/EQ6 SW counter weights with the ZEQ25,the internal diameter of the weights was just over 20mm as the shaft is 20mm in diameter?

Might be wrong though!

[RichM63]

Following on from Oily I've just put the vernier calipers on the EQ5 bar.

Bar = 20mm dia.

[Tinker1947]

Just put a vernier gauge on my bar and it show 705 thoun/inche that's 11/16th plus 1/64, just under 3/4" this is a NEQ6 bar, the FLO site shows the HEQ5 and NEQ6 use the same weights...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/counterweights/skywatcher-counterweight.html

[sulaco]

Thanks folks, I'll go with 22mm and put a thin plastic sleeve in to stop the weight marking the bar like the others generally do.

[JamesF]

My HEQ5 Pro definitely has an 18mm counterweight bar.

James

[Lonestar70]

My HEQ5 Pro definitely has an 18mm counterweight bar.

James

Mine also has an 18mm diameter bar.

Sandy.

[JamesF]

And I've just checked the NEQ6 Pro.  That also has an 18mm bar.

The weight for the HEQ5 however is odd.  Ignoring the plastic insert, which presumably will be 18mm-ish ID, the hole on one side of the weight is about 24.5mm,whereas on the other it is about 20mm.  There must presumably be a step inside somewhere that isn't visible because of the insert.

James

[RichM63]

Yup I have to agree  tinker et al, both FLO and upon further checking TS do show all these mounts using the same weights.

However with the smaller diameter bar on the HEQ5/EQ6

It must be a question of how far the lock screw screws in.

In the interest of my sanity, measuring the weight bores reveals 20.5mm one end and 23mm safety stop bolt end.

The difference between the two sizes allowing the weight to slide down but stop over the safety bolt without falling off.

[Tinker1947]

James the recess on the weight is for the knurled screw to go in, well that's the way i put the weight on, not sure if Skywatcher have a blown up picture showing one way or the other...

[Tinker1947]

The thumb screw on the weight is shown in the manual as the same in my picture so the recess on the weight goes the knurled screw end and covers the screw if its right at the end....