EQ-5 Counterweight - what weight for Evostar 80 ED

[drewk1]

Hi

I've aquired a secondhand EQ-5 mouint while in excellent condition the counterweight is missing.

I have the facilities to machine a replacement but need to know what weight it needs to be to balance a Skywatcher Evostar 80 ED?

This will have a Canon 40D attached at some time in the future so I need to accomodate for this.

Thanks

[Starlight 1]

I have no idear but if you set it up and put a bag on the end and put sugar bags in tins ect in till it balance ,you can work it out.

[brantuk]

The bigger weights on the EQ6 tend to be 5kg, so I'd hazard a guess that the smaller ones on EQ5 would be 2.5kg. If you have the facilities I'd run off a coulpe of 2.5kg pieces and see if you can get a good balance with them. You can allways adjust by moving the weight's up/down the bar for fine tuning or make another one if not enough

[Bizibilder]

EQ5 weights are 15cm diameter and 4cm deep. Billets of steel of roughly these dimensions should do.

[Veracocha]

A single NEQ6 counterweight caters for my William OpticsED 80mm, ST 80 Guidescope, EOS350D and a QHY5 guidecamera.

[Merlin66]

An ED80 weighs in at 3.7Kg, add a camera and bits and pieces and you be close to a 5Kg c/weight......

[drewk1]

Thanks for all the replies.

The scope should arrive this week so I think I'll try the bag suggestion first to get a rough idea.

[ronin]

As Bizibilder says 15cm diameter and 4cm thick.

Find a bar that diameter and chop a disc off. Quick file to smooth it off, drill and thread a hole for the tightening screw and away you go. Maybe paint it.

Centre hole is about 18mm.

[Bizibilder]

If you get some billets cut you may find it useful to have EG 4cm, 3cm & 1cm thick, rather than 2x4cm. It gives you more options and combinations depending on how much kit you hang on the mount at any one time.

[drewk1]

Finally I have finished it.

First billet went missing.

Just waiting for a coat of paint

[Gina]

Nice job - looks good

[newman]

Very professional looking, great job.