Balance Your Telescope: A Simple Counterweight Anybody Can Build

Balancing your telescope can be a challenge. Big heavy eyepieces and cameras upset the balance on a telescope. In this video, I show how popular balancing mechanisms work. Then I show you how to build my favorite, cheap, but VERY effective, movable magnetic sliding counterweight.
#telescope #counterweight #balance
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1) This video complies with the KZbin Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.
2) Soundtracks and sound effects used with permission by my video editing suite, Camtasia.
3) This video does not contain any offensive material, children, or bad language.
#Telescope #counterweight #magnets
#Counterweights #Magnets #TelescopeBalance
#SmartphoneAstrophotography #mobileastrophotography
#astrophotography #dobsonian
#refractor #reflector

[@TrueGuaranteedIrish]

This is why I prefer brands that have ring clamps. To balance, you only need slide the scope fore or aft in the rings. I have a Bresser 10” Dob with the large cart style alt bearings. I can rest the telescope on my kitchen table and balance it so well, that it will not roll forwards or backwards on the cart wheel bearings. The fact that the pivot point can’t be moved on the Orion/Skywatcher Dobs has kept me away from those brands.

[@reflactor]

Admittedly, the ring clamps are handy for that reason, but these sliding magnetic weights are tough to beat as far as time goes. I slide them without even thinking. Less than two seconds. Definitely worth a try.

[@danielbrowniel]

I like the use of 1lb weights, nice and tidy. I have been using one of those rubber bottom magnetic screw/ nut dish things that people use when they work on their car. I just dumped a bunch of heavy bolts in it and ducttaped over it... it's hideous and the magnet is weak which just makes me angry. It's a shame orion is gone they made a nice looking counter weight even though it was absolutely not worth the price..

[@garyallen3938]

Excellent! Love your videos. Question...do you have an email address? Ty

[@starpawsy]

If you are building your own telescope, you should not need to counterbalance. You build if from the centre out. You build the tube first, and then put on it EVERYTHING that it will have in the field. You then balance it, and find the C of G. You then build the mount outward from that. I have been building scopes since about, let me see, 1976, from 70mm to 20 inch diameter, and have NEVER had to use anything other than minimum counterweighting.

[@reflactor]

It's not so much the telescopes that are changing, but the variable accessories. For example, people switch from just an eyepiece to a smartphone + smartphone adapter, which changes the weight drastically.

[@starpawsy]

@@reflactor That's why I said: " put on it EVERYTHING that it will have in the field." FYI, My 48mm FL 50mm wide field eyepiece weighs about twice as much as a smartphone LOL.

[@davidskitt7994]

I just used inexpensive magnetic welding clamps from Harbor Freight to make similar counterweights. They come in different sizes (and therefore, weights) to make balance adjustments simple. They aren't rare earth magnets but seem to work well enough.

[@coolastro]

I notice the eyepiece is an es 30mm do you view with your glasses on?

[@reflactor]

No, I never use my glasses when looking through the eyepiece. I do use it for aiming the viewfinder. In fact, I'm removing my glasses quite often.

[@wingriderroy2776]

You're back! Outstanding. Also, I always uncat before every session to avoid balance issues.

[@reflactor]

Cats like to sleep in the strangest places.

[@MatthewHolevinski]

I feel like I'm always studying the diffraction limited interference pattern of my cats hairy disc

[@MatthewHolevinski]

It's appawling really, a furmidable task trying to take flats to erase their effects.

[@craigsawyer6453]

Great idea that works well.

[@JoeJaguar]

Hi John i always had issues with balancing with my dobs. The last 2 i had were both 12". First was a truss tube other was a solid tube. In the winter the truss was perfect with the Orion premade 3lb model but in the summer it didnt balance anymore i figured was the change i temp on the Teflon bearings, as everything else was the same It wasnt an issue on the solid tube version as i had more place to put it on the tube verses the truss tube which is open. right now i have no dobsons cept my 6" mini heritage for travelling on a airplane.

[@reflactor]

What about the truss-tube one that fits in your car? Did that find a new owner?

[@JoeJaguar]

@@reflactor yeah I sold both of them right now. I may consider a different option for the future I still have a 12 inch SCT computerized go to

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Interesting.

[@wattswheelhouse]

Great video! I miss the Wilhelm scream though! 😆

[@jackieblank4249]

Another great rerun on balancing with dumbells n magnets. Almost forgot about this. My next scope will be n 8 inch Dob. Clear skys from da swamp.

[@reflactor]

Thanks. I'm re-editing these older videos knowing what I know now about editing, and cleaning up any potential issues with Community Guidelines. I'll post a video about that in the near future.

[@janomacko5764]

Flexibility with counterweights is indeed very important. Since focusers, finderscopes or diagonal mirrors cause the extra weight to stick out from the axis of the telescope at some weird angles, it's not possible to achieve perfect balance when pointing to both near zenith and then near horizon. In order to avoid too stiff vertical motion, small readjustments have to be done all the time, usually when moving from one target to another.