MX Couterweights and Shaft

[roughy (Mark)]

Help please!

At the end of the bolt that fastens the counterweight there is a brass bit "plunger?". Through the shafts diameter towards the bottom there is a hole.

While adjusting the balance of the scope I moved the counter weight across the hole and the little plunger slipped into it. Now I cannot move the weight nor get it off.

I have tapped, banged, shaken, tried blue tack and a modelling glue, stern looks and bad language, but am unable to get the little plunger out of the hole in the shaft.

Any advice please.

Note: kindly words and expressions have not been used.

Cheers

Mark

[el_draco (Rom)]

You could try superglue on a bit of metal tube. I drilled out a similar problem and used a reverse tap to get purchase on a brass plunger in a versa plate. I live in Hobart if you'd like me to take a look.

Never swear at a Paramount... they remember

[Joshua Bunn (Joshua)]

Hi Mark,

Isnt there spring pressure pushing the brass plunger away from the center of the counter weight? is the plunger jammed in there? sorry for the questions rather than suggestions, but... just trying to get a picture of whats gone on.

Josh

[frolinmod]

Aren't you the lucky one. Fortunately I've never had that happen to me.

First unscrew the counterweight shaft from the mount before proceeding. Then completely unscrew the knob on the counterweight. The only thing keeping the brass plunger plunged should be a spring between the knob shaft and the brass plunger. If you remove the knob and spring, the brass plunger should just fall out, especially if you give the counterweight / counterweight shaft a few good raps with a rubber mallet.

[roughy (Mark)]

Got it. Thanks everyone for the advice and thanks Rom for the offer of direct assistance.

Super glue didn't bond. I think my earlier efforts with the rubber hammer may not have been persistent enough or too tentative.

Interestingly enough I can't see a spring in either weight. However the one that wasn't involved, the plunger retracts when loosened and the other doesn't. I'll just have to orient to avoid that hole in the shaft from now on.

Cheers

Mark

[cfranks (Charles)]

Originally Posted by el_draco

Never swear at a Paramount... they remember