Balancing a C11

[Druid]

So, since I've added a WO 2" diagonal to my C11, balancing has become a challenge. 

I have to remove what I take to be a safety bolt at the end of the Losmandy plate to get the clamp far enough to the rear and that's making the process of humping the thing onto the mount even more dicey.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to have this problem, so I'm wondering what tricks and tips might exist? 

[m.tweedy]

this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Astrodevelopments-Losmandy-style-dovetail-safety-clamp-for-scope-mounting-plate-/270977887187

clamped to the very rear of the dovetail

[Merlin66]

+1 from me!

(I have a C11/ Losmandy dovetail/ safety clamp with a spectroscope plus two camera plus an 135mm telelens electronic finder plus camera, sitting on the NEQ6pto mount.)

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I assume the tube is most of the way forwards, I.E. the dovetail saddle is towards the back? I have one of the safety clamps, but if I can't get my OTA in the right place, I add a dovetail saddle, or saddle plus a weight to the front of the OTA dovetail to get balance.

Robin

[brantuk]

This might help with "humping the scope onto the mount":

Hth

[m.tweedy]

the astrodevelopments one sits just that little further back compared to the safety bolt from ADM. Just enough so i can get balance.

if i have either the WO66 or WO90 on top i just slide those forward a little to achieve balance as they run on an ADM mini rail

[Druid]

This might help with "humping the scope onto the mount":

Hth

Yep, that's pretty much the approach I use. I've also more or less doubled my 12 rep maximum on most weight-lifts since buying the C11 (and hitting the gym, two not unconnected events) but it's still a bit dicey even so. 

I might try hanging the spare puck off my AZ-EQ6 on it, that sounds like it might plausibly work. Thanks for the tips guys. 

[riklaunim]

On my C14 I've marked a spot which has to line up with the mount clamp - at that point it should be balanced for my usual setup. But still moving it back isn't easy, forward is easier.

[Tinker1947]

I can (did) put the C11 on my NEQ6 didn't seem to bad the 10" reflector was easier, i don't think i would want to do it every time i set-up, it was balanced well a 60 second image with no star trails can't be bad, added some more bits and its not a happy tracker, hope for a sunny afternoon this week to sort it...