Giro mount balance weight

[Stu]

I do like Giro type mounts and have had quite a few over the years, Giro II, Mini Giro, AYODigi and currently have an Ercole and a Giro-WR.

One of their weaknesses is being sensitive to balance which can change quite significantly with different eyepieces. This is normally quite easy to solve by shifting the scope in the clamp using a longish dovetail, or within its rings.

The hardest problem to solve is when using a heavy/long eyepiece or potentially a Barlow which puts the weight quite a long way from the line of the scope. When viewing near the zenith obtaining balance becomes impossible so the only answer is clamping the clutch down harder.

I put this counterbalance weight together using a spare ADM clamp, a piece of board of some sort and some old weighing scale weights. When attached to the dovetail, the weight hangs below the line of the scope, countering the eyepiece even when pointing to high elevations. It makes life a lot easier and means you can leave the clutch relatively lose so the movement is smooth.

Stu

[Stu]

Following on from this, as I know you are all eager to find out ;-)

I have a similar requirement for the big Vixen but that uses a Losmandy plate. I've just bought the ADM Losmandy balance kit to give a try, but needed to change it so that the weight hung down below the scope. The kit is designed for EQ mounts (I guess), where the weight needs to hang perpendicularly underneath the plate, whereas with the giro the orientation is different.

Anyway, using a variety of kit I had already, I have put something together which should work nicely. I used a spare Vixen clamp to bolt back to back with the Losmandy but with the clamping directions at right angles (easier to see than explain).

I then reversed the bottom bar on an L bracket which I had spare so I could bolt the counterweight bar to this.

It all goes together nicely, and I also have a similar arrangement which will replace my Heath Robinson affair above.

Need to try it out but hopefully it will improve balance towards the zenith.

Stu

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[Moonshane]

That's a superb solution to a common problem and one I will be shamelessly pinching

nice one! I don't have a spare clamp but now have another thing to buy - thanks a lot Stu! :0)

[John]

Good solution Stu

Mine is to use an overlong dovetail bar and then just slide the scope forward or back a bit as needed. Generally my eyepieces roughly the same except for the Ethos 21 and Nagler 31 which is where a short forward slide of the tube is needed.

[Stu]

Good solution Stu

Mine is to use an overlong dovetail bar and then just slide the scope forward or back a bit as needed. Generally my eyepieces roughly the same except for the Ethos 21 and Nagler 31 which is where a short forward slide of the tube is needed.

Once you are pointing close to the zenith, I find sliding the tube forward doesn't really make much difference because there is nothing countering the weight of the eyepiece which is away from the line of the scope.

Once balanced, it remains balanced wherever you are pointing which makes life easier.

I just find this helps sort the problem but if sliding works for you that's great :-)

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[Stu]

I had a nice session with the a Vixen tonight and tried out my improved version of this and it works really well!

The Losmandy plate on the Vixen is long enough to give a fair amount of adjustment, plus the weight itself can be wound up or down.

This totally solves the issue of balance looking at or near the zenith with long/heavy eyepieces in place. I had a great session and will use this all the time now.

Stu

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