For the light shrowd, I simply use one of those camping mats with ribbons stuck on with contact cement - just wrap it around the bars and tie it off.
Counterweight, yes magnet would be great - I use a tin of airgun pellets stuck on with sticky tape. Or use a large fishing weight.
Line the white painted bits with black felt from Spotlight, stuck on with contact cement and paint any missing white stuff with matte black paint.
Then get yourself a Hyperion ZOOM eyepiece 8 mm - 24 mm and keep that Meade 26 mm "Cluster buster" that comes with it ( Dont listen to the knockers - it is plenty good enough!!) - the only two EP's you will need
