C8 Balancing

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:20 pm

Hi, does anyone have any ideas how to balance an SCT OTA in the Alitude axis? I have seen solutions on sale online but I'm thinking of getting someting more affordable cos I don't wanna ship dead weight from the US ...

MY SCT is terribly back heavy ... even after I've shifted e dovetail all the way back. There's the 2" diagonal, EPs, Finder, unit finder .....

Any help would be greatly apprciated! Thanks!

river · Post by **river** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:22 pm

cheap idea: screw something on the other arm, The CG of the other arm is offset towards the Secondary of your C8. Don't have to import anything for that.

elton · Post by **elton** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:28 pm

How about using a dewshield?

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:37 pm

Perhaps you could tie some weights to the front. Example fishing weights using velcro (3M ones that can be removed and not leave any marks). I did that for my previous dob as counterweight. However, you need to get rectangle sizes and flat so that it can be stuck on the velcro.

aquillae · Post by **aquillae** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:43 pm

elton wrote:How about using a dewshield?

yeah, the dewshield helped a lot to balance my old c8 setup.

river · Post by **river** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:01 am

Since you have dual arm, you can add some weight on either side, but I perfer to load on on the other arm coz it also helps to shift the CG nearer to the tripod center.

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:17 am

The Dew Shield worked on my SVP, but not on the ASlew - don;t ask me why ...

I'll prob add weight to the other side, but have to keep in mind that I wanna use the counterweight bar for weights - attaching another scope to balance might present e same problem cos the other scope has diagonal and EPs on the same side as the C8's accesories .... unless I get a longer dovetail for both scopes ...

What do you think?

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:55 am

Use fishing weights. There are some lead strips which are malleable. Get a bunch of them and secure them end-to-end with each other using masking tape. Arrange them around the end of the OTA near the corrector plate/dew shield and secure with elastic band.

The other way is to get a longer dovetail as you are already aware. If it is long enough, attach a separate saddle plate near the front for attachment of smaller dumbell weights.

http://celestron.telescopes.com/product ... 17861.html

Should not be too difficult to do this, seeing you already did a good job with the dob mount and your 6" reflector!

jermng · Post by **jermng** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:00 am

Thanks KayHeem ... I'll definitely look into this.

Anyway, I think you got the wrong guy .. someone else built the dob mount.

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:11 am

jermng wrote:
Anyway, I think you got the wrong guy .. someone else built the dob mount.

Yup...my mistake. It was Chris that built the mount. Sorry, Chris! :oops: