Stosh,
Don't buy exactly what you think you need in counterweight! You will ALWAYS need more than you think!?
Second while possible to hang all weight as far out as possible it is preferable to center as much weight as possible at approximately the same distance from the RA axis as the mass in the saddle.?
For example my 30+ pound 130mm imaging rig sits about 12" from the RA axle so I will put most of the counter weight about 12" from the RA axle.? For the C11 that center of mass is quite a bit further from the RA axle so I place most of the mass roughly centered the same distance but any overage in counterweight gets pushed up the shaft.?
For a visual payload I follow the same rules with a twist. When observing visually I am usually changing eyepieces in and out and most are close enough to not require a weight change. But when swapping 2" eyepieces in for 1.25" this will usually need a slight rebalance. So to make this easier if?possible I try to add the little 7 pounder on the outer end to use as a fine tuning weight as it is easier to move and balance with a smaller weight as it takes larger movements on the shaft.?
Hope this helps!
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Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astropheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?
Chip Louie