1kg 18mm counterweight.

[Coastliner]

Hi All, 

I'm banking on your collective ingenuity here ?,

I need to construct (rather than pay for!) a counterweight between 500g and 1kg that will fit, and be secure on, a Skywatcher eq5 shaft that I measure at 18mm diameter. I had the brilliant idea of clamping a large pair of molegrips onto the shaft. The balance was fine but did strange things as the mount slewed, because, not being circular, the shape of the grips imparted some entertaing movements to the mount. Angular momentum and all that. Any ingenious diy ideas please?

Cheers,

Neil.

[andrew s]

Neil - I have made counter weights out of roofing lead which you can wrap round the shaft. You can use jubilee clips either side to secure it on the shaft and tape to keep it wound up.

Regards Andrew

[Coastliner]

Thanks Andrew, roofing lead is a great idea.

How about one jubilee clip around the lead to clamp it in place? No need for the other clip, or tape.

Thinks.....wonder what the security is like around our local church......

[Coastliner]

I'm thinking of using this stuff, air-drying modeling clay, plus the two jubilee clips to secure it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/DAS-1kg-Modelling-Clay-White/dp/B001GAP4YA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454500141&sr=8-1&keywords=modeling+clay+air+dry#productDetails

[michael8554]

Ah, if you're going to spend money, Decathlon sell rubber coated weights 0.5Kg upwards:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/28mm-rubber-weight-disc-black-id_1042311.html

99p for the 0.5Kg ones, and free postage too !

I've just bought two 1Kg ones for a 2D balance rail under my SCT.

The holes are 28mm so you will have to rough up a wooden 28mm diameter "cotton reel" with a 18mm hole, then big washers and jubilee clips to secure it.

 

Michael

 

[Coastliner]

Thanks all. I sat down and decided to use my brain. Not always a good idea, you understand. I ended up putting one of the standard weights on and adding more weight to the scope side, i.e. I stuck an eyepiece in and bolted a piggy-back camera onto the ota. Problem solved.