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Whom besides ADM,? produces stainless steel counterweights for a G11?
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This has been stewing for a while now, Deric.
I'd guess nobody knows.
But do you think a local machine shop could do some for you? You could even get them customized, like V-grooves, or such.
300 series is like what is used for cooking and fixtures. Non-magnetic.
400 series is magnetic.
Both can be polished to a chrome-like appearance.
I can give you this, never touch your stainless steel with anything but a stainless steel brush. If you use a carbon steel brush on it, it will begin to rust. I believe also a steel bolt (locking screw) will cause the threads to begin rusting. It's an annoying nature of stainless steels.
I am more of a functional type. I made my own smaller counterweights by filling cans with molten lead. One I put an EMT conduit in, the other I simply bored a hole through. Both worked fine, both gave me the counterbalancing I needed with my light telescope set-up. And nobody saw them in the dark. At least, nobody ever mentioned them.
I used a Tuna can for one, and a smaller chopped Jalapeno can for the other. Total was ~9 pounds.
I never even painted them. I have no shame. ;^(
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I just picked up a very inexpensive old used Celestron CG11 21# weight.? It is machined steel and not cast, with smooth faces and sides, chamfered edges, and with a smooth bore hole.? It is painted a flat black, no chips and no rust.? I am now considering trying a can of SS Silver Satin Metallic spray paint.? Ok to call me cheap, but I think I can achieve the "look" I am after.
Wait a moment, maybe not old at all, it sure looks like this one:
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Very nice. I would like to have a set of stainless steel counter weights but either the manufacturers have gone out of business or they are the price of a nice TV eyepiece.?
Sent from my Galaxy Tab A
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-------- Original message --------
From: Frank <ffowsky@...>
Date: 1/20/20 5:07 PM (GMT-06:00)
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Counterweights
I just picked up a very inexpensive old Celestron CG11 21# weight.? It appears to be machined and not cast, smooth faces and sides, chamfered edges, and with a smooth bore hole.? It is painted a flat black.? I am now considering trying a can of SS Silver
Satin Metallic paint.? Ok to call me cheap, but I think I can achieve the "look" I am after.
Wait a moment, maybe not old at all, it sure looks like this one:
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Some of my G11 weights are old too, but weight is weight!??
On the oldest weights, the gloss overcoat is peeling from rust underneath.? Check your bargain weight for similar problems.? You may want to sand it down and put a primer coat of rust inhibitor before your beautiful silver top coat.??
The other trouble you might find is cracking of the plastic T handle that goes on the locking bolt.? Those are the same T handle type as are sometimes found on the AZ bolts (Losmandy sometimes changes the design to fancier knobs).? I have those plastic T handles in a few colors if you need one.? You can remove the old plastic by screwing a sharp wallboard sheetrock screw into the top center of the old plastic, then lube the bolt top, and press on (in a vise) a new plastic T cap.??
Best, Michael
On Mon, Jan 20, 2020, 3:25 PM Frank < ffowsky@...> wrote: [Edited Message Follows]
I just picked up a very inexpensive old used Celestron CG11 21# weight.? It appears to be machined and not cast, smooth faces and sides, chamfered edges, and with a smooth bore hole.? It is painted a flat black.? I am now considering trying a can of SS Silver Satin Metallic spray paint.? Ok to call me cheap, but I think I can achieve the "look" I am after.
Wait a moment, maybe not old at all, it sure looks like this one:
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I would recommend sealing the steal counter weight with a coat (Ospho) rust treatment. You can pick it up at any hardware store. The U.S. Navy uses this product to coat before you primer. I would bet you would have no further trouble with rust.
Sent from my Galaxy Tab A
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-------- Original message --------
From: Michael Herman <mherman346@...>
Date: 1/20/20 5:52 PM (GMT-06:00)
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Counterweights
Some of my G11 weights are old too, but weight is weight!??
On the oldest weights, the gloss overcoat is peeling from rust underneath.? Check your bargain weight for similar problems.? You may want to sand it down and put a primer coat of rust inhibitor before your beautiful silver top coat.??
The other trouble you might find is cracking of the plastic T handle that goes on the locking bolt.? Those are the same T handle type as are sometimes found on the AZ bolts (Losmandy sometimes changes the design to fancier knobs).? I have those
plastic T handles in a few colors if you need one.? You can remove the old plastic by screwing a sharp wallboard sheetrock screw into the top center of the old plastic, then lube the bolt top, and press on (in a vise) a new plastic T cap.??
Best,
Michael
On Mon, Jan 20, 2020, 3:25 PM Frank < ffowsky@...> wrote:
[Edited Message Follows]
I just picked up a very inexpensive old used Celestron CG11 21# weight.? It appears to be machined and not cast, smooth faces and sides, chamfered edges, and with a smooth bore hole.? It is painted a flat black.? I am now considering trying a can of SS Silver
Satin Metallic spray paint.? Ok to call me cheap, but I think I can achieve the "look" I am after.
Wait a moment, maybe not old at all, it sure looks like this one:
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That's an old style Celestron CG11 CW and they were cast. To get the stainless steel look you will need to strip the paint and polish the CW and then use a stainless steel brush or 0000 wool to give the CW a bit of smooth texture before applying the paint.?
--
Chip Louie - Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware
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Again, not cast but fully machined from steel.? Thanks for the comments about rust, prep work, and finishing.? Here in the high desert that is not?a problem.
Mine is very much like what is shown for sale here.....
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Function over form, I’m with you. ?I got a 10lb weight plate (for a set of barbells) at the sporting goods store, and a galvanized pipe floor flange at HD. ?Drilled four holes in the weight plate to line up with the floor flange, drilled and tapped a hole in the neck of the floor flange for a 3/8” bolt, and bolted the flange to the weight plate. ?A 3/8” bolt with plastic handle acts as a setscrew to hold the thing onto the dec shaft. ?It’s an ugly but perfectly functional 11lb counterweight. ?
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This has been stewing for a while now, Deric.
I'd guess nobody knows.
But do you think a local machine shop could do some for you? You could even get them customized, like V-grooves, or such.
300 series is like what is used for cooking and fixtures. Non-magnetic.
400 series is magnetic.
Both can be polished to a chrome-like appearance.
I can give you this, never touch your stainless steel with anything but a stainless steel brush. If you use a carbon steel brush on it, it will begin to rust. I believe also a steel bolt (locking screw) will cause the threads to begin rusting. It's an annoying nature of stainless steels.
I am more of a functional type. I made my own smaller counterweights by filling cans with molten lead. One I put an EMT conduit in, the other I simply bored a hole through. Both worked fine, both gave me the counterbalancing I needed with my light telescope set-up. And nobody saw them in the dark. At least, nobody ever mentioned them.
I used a Tuna can for one, and a smaller chopped Jalapeno can for the other. Total was ~9 pounds.
I never even painted them. I have no shame. ;^(
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Oh I dont know.... stainless shure looks good nice and clean. If I dont find a set I guess I will live. Many of the machine shops like Rowan, are out of business. I did price out 300 series bar stock on metalsonline.com I can buy a 1 foot by
5 inch section for around $400.00 and have them cut it in 3 inch sections then If I can find a machine shop that will do small projects. All the local ones here are doing Government contracts. Any way their is nothing wrong with the Losmandy counterweights
or a modified barbell plate. Thanks for your response. Happy skies to you Les.
Sent from my Galaxy Tab A
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-------- Original message --------
From: Les Niles <les@...>
Date: 1/20/20 9:24 PM (GMT-06:00)
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Counterweights
Function over form, I’m with you. ?I got a 10lb weight plate (for a set of barbells) at the sporting goods store, and a galvanized pipe floor flange at HD. ?Drilled four holes in the weight plate to line up with the floor flange, drilled and tapped a hole
in the neck of the floor flange for a 3/8” bolt, and bolted the flange to the weight plate. ?A 3/8” bolt with plastic handle acts as a setscrew to hold the thing onto the dec shaft. ?It’s an ugly but perfectly functional 11lb counterweight. ?
This has been stewing for a while now, Deric.
I'd guess nobody knows.
But do you think a local machine shop could do some for you? You could even get them customized, like V-grooves, or such.
300 series is like what is used for cooking and fixtures. Non-magnetic.
400 series is magnetic.
Both can be polished to a chrome-like appearance.
I can give you this, never touch your stainless steel with anything but a stainless steel brush. If you use a carbon steel brush on it, it will begin to rust. I believe also a steel bolt (locking screw) will cause the threads to begin rusting. It's an annoying
nature of stainless steels.
I am more of a functional type. I made my own smaller counterweights by filling cans with molten lead. One I put an EMT conduit in, the other I simply bored a hole through. Both worked fine, both gave me the counterbalancing I needed with my light telescope
set-up. And nobody saw them in the dark. At least, nobody ever mentioned them.
I used a Tuna can for one, and a smaller chopped Jalapeno can for the other. Total was ~9 pounds.
I never even painted them. I have no shame. ;^(
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No
idea where that image is from, but that is not a real Losmandy counterweight..
Like at the links to the 7 and 11 pound weights off to the right and that’s
what the Losmandy weights look like..
?
Derek
?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Frank
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2020
3:07 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io]
Counterweights
?
[Edited
Message Follows]
I just picked up a very inexpensive old used Celestron CG11 21#
weight.? It appears to be machined and not cast, smooth faces and sides,
chamfered edges, and with a smooth bore hole.? It is painted a flat
black.? I am now considering trying a can of SS Silver Satin Metallic
paint.? Ok to call me cheap, but I think I can achieve the
"look" I am after.
Wait a moment, maybe not old at all, it sure looks like this one:
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Is Stellar Masses still around. I bought 60lbs of counterweights for my G11 a few years ago. I thought the quality was great.
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? Nope, thats not a Losmandy weight! ?I have the SS weights that used to be made by Robin Cassidy. They sure dress up the mount and i bought all mine used for good prices! I remember that someone started producing similar products a bit cheaper after Cassidy stopped production due to health as I recall. They are real nice pieces of craftsmanship along with his gorgeous and sweet functioning custom dovetail adapters. ? What’s a rip is how expensive the basic lumps of metal run! I always kept the ugly ones so I can sell the Cassidys separately one day to some lucky buyer like I was? And who knows, my new AP Stowaway is coming next month to be a little buddy to my 155EDFS and i’m thinking of finally springing for an AP mach one or even the new mach two after 11 years of using Losmandy gear.? Ross Elkins 415-235-7727 v/txt
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PS Ross, my choice to go with a Losmandy G11, was many people with experience with AP mach2 or Paramount MyT was that their really isn't a whole lot of difference in performance between them and a G11. when you get up to $ 10,000 north on the
mounts thats where you really see a performance jump but these mounts are a beast and hard to transport. And you can repair the Losmandy pretty much off the shelf items. I will probably get hate mail from the AP and Software Bisque crowd for what I stated
LOL.... Happy Skies to you.
Sent from my Galaxy Tab A
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-------- Original message --------
From: Ross Elkins <rossmon1@...>
Date: 1/21/20 2:03 AM (GMT-06:00)
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Counterweights
?Nope, thats not a Losmandy weight!
?I have the SS weights that used to be made by Robin Cassidy. They sure dress up the mount and i bought all mine used for good prices! I remember that someone started producing similar products a bit cheaper after Cassidy stopped production due to health
as I recall. They are real nice pieces of craftsmanship along with his gorgeous and sweet functioning custom dovetail adapters. ?
What’s a rip is how expensive the basic lumps of metal run! I always kept the ugly ones so I can sell the Cassidys separately one day to some lucky buyer like I was? And who knows, my new AP Stowaway is coming next month to be a little buddy to my 155EDFS
and i’m thinking of finally springing for an AP mach one or even the new mach two after 11 years of using Losmandy gear.?
Ross Elkins
415-235-7727 v/txt
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Speaking of stainless steel counterweights, AP sells a 33lb stainless version for nearly $400. we had to buy 6 of them for our new ap mount.?
I would have much rather put that $ towards something else, but i can see how some folks like the style
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Eight inch hot rolled steel bar is $35 an inch and weighs 15# an inch.
Five inch is $15 and 5.6# an inch. You can get a break in the price by buying 12'.?
So someone is buying 7" mild steel rounds slicing them 2" O.C. Then machining them for the center hole, locking rod and Selling them for maybe a 10% margin. Let's see a 20' bar will poduce 120 - 21# weights.
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>>>
So someone is buying 7" mild steel rounds slicing them 2" O.C. Then machining them for the center hole, locking rod and Selling them for maybe a 10% margin.?
are you saying someone is already doing this? 10% margin is not a realistic margin for a company to build this kind of thing
On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 6:40 AM George Cushing < pinyachta@...> wrote: Eight inch hot rolled steel bar is $35 an inch and weighs 15# an inch.
Five inch is $15 and 5.6# an inch. You can get a break in the price by buying 12'.?
So someone is buying 7" mild steel rounds slicing them 2" O.C. Then machining them for the center hole, locking rod and Selling them for maybe a 10% margin. Let's see a 20' bar will poduce 120 - 21# weights.
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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Basically, you only have to please yourself.
For me, I'm more concerned with the image on the display. Not the image some stranger gets at a dark site.
But, by all means, if you browse Metals Supply Houses, you can find things like Brass, Stainless Steel, or any of dozens of materials to add weight.
Have some custom turned at a Machine Shop, and you'll have something truly display worthy that you can be proud of.
Who sez your custom weight has to be round? Go hex. Or get something oval.
Just remember, you'll have to move it around someday. ;^)
In the early 1960's my Dad bought a big Buick 9 passenger station wagon. He built a trailer hitch to custom mount under it, with a 2" ball, and a smaller 1 7/8" ball.
A guy at Lockeed chrome plated them for him in their plating shop.
Dad was so proud of his Chrome Plated Balls. He got a lot of miles out of joking about his chrome plated balls.
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Thank you for the comments Sonny, and everyone.
Sent from my Boost Mobile Phone.
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-------- Original message --------
From: sonnyedmonds@...
Date: 1/21/20 1:16 PM (GMT-06:00)
Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Counterweights
Basically, you only have to please yourself.
For me, I'm more concerned with the image on the display. Not the image some stranger gets at a dark site.
But, by all means, if you browse Metals Supply Houses, you can find things like Brass, Stainless Steel, or any of dozens of materials to add weight.
Have some custom turned at a Machine Shop, and you'll have something truly display worthy that you can be proud of.
Who sez your custom weight has to be round? Go hex. Or get something oval.
Just remember, you'll have to move it around someday. ;^)
In the early 1960's my Dad bought a big Buick 9 passenger station wagon. He built a trailer hitch to custom mount under it, with a 2" ball, and a smaller 1 7/8" ball.
A guy at Lockeed chrome plated them for him in their plating shop.
Dad was so proud of his Chrome Plated Balls. He got a lot of miles out of joking about his chrome plated balls.
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My Son-In-law has a giant nut he uses for a door stop to his shop.
Pretty cool, probably weighs 12-15 pounds.
It's SS.
Be creative. ;^)
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Michael Herman
Chip Louie
Ross Elkins