I have just bought a Meade LX80 SCT 8" with a SW EQ 3 mount with the larger steel legs. The scope weight is about 6.5kg , How many / much weights should I have on the counterweight? And what is their main purpose? The weights are 1.6 and 3.6 kg from memory.
Prior to this I have used Dobsonians, so Im not too familiar with EQ mounts ( BTW my Meade Lightbridge 10" will soon be on the market if anyone is interested. )
Make sure you have whatever weights you have attached to the shaft and lock the RA axis. Next attach the telescope to the saddle plate and point the telescope along the polar axis along north/south axis. i.e. front of telescope at top and eyepiece end at bottom near RA circle. Lock the DEC axis and keep locked.
Unlock the RA slightly enough to freely rotate around the polar axis. Keep the telescope pointing along polar axis. Nudge the counterweight and see if the telescope returns to previous position and if so then you are counterweight heavy. Note if your telescope wants to continue rotating ensure you do not let it over-rotate and hit the side of the mount or tripod leg.
If you are counterweight heavy then slide the counterweights up the shaft and lock and try again. If you are still counterweight heavy you can remove one counterweight if you have more than one. Note you may have to slide the weight back down the shaft if you then become counterweight light.
Correct RA balance is when you turn the telescope 90 degrees so that the counterweight shaft is horizontal and when unlocked does not move.
To balance the DEC axis first balance in RA and then position the counterweight shaft horizontally and lock the RA. Then add an eyepiece and unlock the DEC axis. if the telescope rotates towards the eyepiece the eyepiece end is heavy and you should slide your telescope slightly up the saddle plate toward the front.
Sometimes you have to adjust the RA slightly again after doing the DEC.
Be careful when you unlock that your telescope does not move too quickly in any axis indicating a large balance error.
Hi Chris and 
congratulations on the new scope , these are a great all round telescope , very nice optically .
sweet , look forward to the photos , and as said ,"Balance' is the key to using and enjoying an EQ mount .
