Balancing Act For A Dobbie

[vindictive666 (John)]

Hi everyone

first of all a merry xmas and a happy new year


i came across a web page describing on how to balance a dobbie if you have a problem that is

(some of you may know this allready as well )

is to add magnets (old Speaker magnets come to mind )

on a metal ota of course credit for this idea goes here

http://www.tomhole.com/Balancing%20the%20OTA.htm

thought id share it here

[gbeal]

Hi Vin,
yep, I use speaker magnets on a cardboard tube dob, especially to offset the bino viewer. I hav a small unobtrusive plate on the side opposite the focuser/finder (helping radial balance). This plate is the magnetic bit from an old HDD.
I also have one on the mirror cell, again opposite the finder/focuser.
Every little bit helps.
Gary

[rumples riot]

Yes balance is the bane of my life, not with a dobsonian but an errant LX200. I have a fishing sinker in the left arm of the scope because some fool engineer did not think about the extra weight in the right arm and how that would affect the overall balance of the RA axis. And to top that off, nor did they think about designing a 2D counter weight system. Thats what you get when there only a few people working in the the R&D dept that are into astronomy. Anyway the magnets idea is a good one. Pity I can't use it as nothing is magnetic on my scope. Good news is that the guys at Bintel are developing their own 2D system and that will make me happy.