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Is there another source for counter weights?? They use a 1.25" shaft diameter.? I don't want to pay $75 for an 11 pound piece of iron.

But Jim, it's not just a piece of iron my man, it's custom cast with LOSMANDY in it.
That costs more.

I remember seeing some Stainless Steel counter weights once. But they were way more. I think they were for an AP mount, and $125 each.

I needed some smaller weights for my defunct AVX mount. I took a chopped Jalipeno can, and a Tuna can, and cast them full of lead. Came up with ~9#'s.
Worked great. Looked like crap, but it was a POS mount anyway. The OEM 11 pound for the AVX hit the elevation screw handle when it swung in the RA axis. Great design!
Nobody ever said anything, hard to see them in the dark. ;^)
--
SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

Hello Jim,
I bought a set of Robin Cassidy, Stailess steel counterweights now made by BnD Astro.

BnDAstro.com. Mike is a super guy to work with and prompt in shipping.

HAPPY SKIES TO YOU AND KEEP LOOKING UP Deric

Jim,

While cast iron, by the ton, is about 10 cents a pound, it costs more when cast into something. You could try to find Olympic-style barbell weights. They have a 2" bore so you could fit a sleeve into them.

But since the word "Olympic" is used to describe them they can be pricey.

Or contact a local metal dealer and ask for steel disks cut from a rod and bored out for the shaft size you want and then have them drill and tap the set screw hole (or use line-shaft collars). A lot depends on where you live and who your dealing with. See my last line.

Or get 1" bore standard consumer barbell weights and find a small shop that will bore them out for you and hold them in place using line-shaft collars. I use them with PVC pipe inserts on smaller mounts.

The BnDastro stuff is even more expensive, per lb, than the Losmandy prices, which I think are fair given the small market. And then there is shipping...

If you have a small foundry near you who is looking for work they might be able to cast you some.

Or read the old ATM series (I'm showing my age now) and set up your own backyard foundry. In the regime of the Great Helmsman this would have been a natural.

Cast iron alloy G2, in 8" diameter rods is $1,200 per 6 foot plus shipping, by the way. That would come out to $33.33 plus cutting/machining for a 2.5 inch thick disk.

So again, unless you get lucky in the scrap world you won't find a lot cheaper price than from Scott and Company.

Cheers,

Mark C.