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EdC
member


Reged: 05/15/12

Help with counterweights new
      #5305153 - 07/06/12 10:38 AM
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I've been trying to find counterweights for a Celestron CG-4 equatorial mount. I know I'm pushing the mount a little (using it with an Astro Tech 8" astrograph, but for visual only), but I don't want to invest a heavier mount just yet.

I'm going to need another 11-12 lbs. I've been searching the net, including Scopestuff, without luck. An extension might help, but haven't found one of those that will fit the mount.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

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AlBoning
sage


Reged: 03/06/11

Re: Help with counterweights new [Re: EdC]
      #5305192 - 07/06/12 11:03 AM
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Surely the 11 lb weight for the Orion Sky View Pro, 20 mm bar, or the 11 lb weight for the Orion Atlas, 18 mm bar, would do.

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Phil Sherman
Pooh-Bah


Reged: 12/07/10

Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
Re: Help with counterweights new [Re: EdC]
      #5305196 - 07/06/12 11:06 AM
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Get some dumbell weights at a sporting goods store. I did this and made shims out of 3/4" plastic and copper pipe to size it to the counterweight shaft. You can cut a piece (lengthwise) out of the pipe to shrink it's diameter to make a press fit into the weight.

Phil

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star drop
Snowed In
*****

Reged: 02/02/08

Loc: Snow Plop, WNY
Re: Help with counterweights new [Re: Phil Sherman]
      #5305214 - 07/06/12 11:17 AM
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Borrow your wife's handbag. Empty about three quarters of it out and you should be ready to go.

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EdC
member


Reged: 05/15/12

Re: Help with counterweights [Re: star drop]
      #5305251 - 07/06/12 11:42 AM
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I'm going to guess that a lot of counterweights might be interchangeable (probably not much variance on the shaft diameters) so I found an 11 lb weight for the CG-5 for $28 shipped, so I'm giving it a try. It looks identical to the CG-4 counterweights, except black instead of white.

Very funny, star drop!

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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
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Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
Re: Help with counterweights new [Re: EdC]
      #5305336 - 07/06/12 12:44 PM
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Quote:

I'm going to guess that a lot of counterweights might be interchangeable (probably not much variance on the shaft diameters) so I found an 11 lb weight for the CG-5 for $28 shipped, so I'm giving it a try. It looks identical to the CG-4 counterweights, except black instead of white.

Very funny, star drop!



I have an older Astroview/EQ-3 which is basically the same mount as the CG-4. I use the same counter weights that I use with the CG-5.

But I think an 8 inch on a CG-4 is probably going to have serious vibration/shake problems, that's a lot of weight for that mount.

I would also keep my eye out for used Counterweights, I see them on Astromart quite frequently. What part of the world do you live in? You might find someone to loan you one to try out for a spell...

Jon

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Midnight Dan
Postmaster
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Reged: 01/23/08

Loc: Hilton, NY, Yellow Zone (Bortl...
Re: Help with counterweights new [Re: star drop]
      #5305343 - 07/06/12 12:47 PM
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Quote:

Borrow your wife's handbag. Empty about three quarters of it out and you should be ready to go.



Sounds about right.

-Dan

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michael hester
professor emeritus


Reged: 11/28/08

Re: Help with counterweights new [Re: Midnight Dan]
      #5305416 - 07/06/12 01:30 PM
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CG4 and CG5 use the same size counterweight shaft. The CGEM 1 (non DX version) also uses that size as well as Meade LXD75 and probably the orion mounts from Skyview to Atlas. They're all the same manufacturer with different brand names. I had 3 counterweights on my CGEM and none of them looked the same.

If you're a CGEM DX owner then the Losmandy Gemini counterweights fit on your mount. Be warned though, that one has a minimum OTA weight limit of approximately 15 lbs.

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