Balancing Refractor

[Greg6498]

Hello all,

I have a Skywatcher Evostar 80 ED that I love! I’m using a Mead LX70 EQ Mount and my scope has been easy to balance. Now, with bigger eyepieces and camera adapters my scope has become end heavy. How do you all combat this problem and bring your refractor back into balance?

[Ozman]

Installing a longer dovetail bar is usually the easiest approach.

[Bigzmey]

If you run out of dovetail bar you can shift the scope within the rings.

[KathyNS]

And if a longer dovetail and shifting it in the rings don't help, the last resort is to add an accessory counterweight up front.

[ARock]

A slotted dovetail can help in greater flexibility for DEC balancing.

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[ab1963]

Hello all,

I have a Skywatcher Evostar 80 ED that I love! I’m using a Mead LX70 EQ Mount and my scope has been easy to balance. Now, with bigger eyepieces and camera adapters my scope has become end heavy. How do you all combat this problem and bring your refractor back into balance?

I use an ankle weight like they use in the gym with Velcro fastener attached to the front end of the scope.

[STEVE333]

I have the same problem. I have a new CEM40 EC mount which is designed for medium to large telescopes. However, right now I'm using my WO Star71 telescope which is pretty short. By the time it is balanced in Dec the Focus Lock knob is up into the Dovetail Slide mechanism and can't be reached.

So, just like KathyNS and ARock mentioned, I added weight to the front (Dew Shield) of the telescope. Because my telescope is so short the ankle weight approach didn't fit. I purchased fisherman's lead weights (round flat shape) and ended up using 1 x 8 oz and 4 x 4 oz (total 1 1/2 lbs) which was just right. A rubber band around the Dew Shield held the weights in place for testing. Now, a 23" x 7/8" velcro strap holds them in place permanently. Not pretty, but, now I can tighten the Focus Lock knob.

PS: I located the weights back a little from the front of the Dew Shield so I could still get the Lens Cap on.

The two pictures below might help.





Steve

[Benjamin]

I use the soft (sand filled?) Velcro ankle weights on my ED80. Not too heavy, don’t scratch anything and easily attached. Pic is an older setup but the weights are the same.