Adjustable counterweight for Hadley tripod adapter

IMPORTANT NOTE: this model uses M4 hardware, I am adding the original Fusion360 file in case you want to remix/adapt for imperial or for a different tripod mount.

If you are like me, you built Hadley including a tripod mount, just in case, then realized that it would be pretty unwieldy unless you want to invest in a tripod of the type that can easily cost as much as the telescope… but you are too lazy to take apart the whole telescope just to slide the tripod mount out.

If your adapter sits below the center ring, rejoyce!

You can slide it further down and use this model to repurpose it as a hard point for a removeable counterweight. 

It consists of an interface that bolts on the tripod adapter and has a female thread on it, plus a barrel with a male thread on the bottom, and again a female thread and its matching lid  on top (pre-generqated in 3 different sizes but you can make your own long as you want changing one parameter, and even wider if you feel like messing with the cad file a bit more).

Print one or more barrels and fill them with fishing weights, shot, sand…, close the lid (with glue if you like it permanent) and voillà, now if you attach a heavier eyepiece, or a camera, you can swap to the matching counterweight in a matter of seconds.

The interface and lid threads are also the same, in case you just can't stand the sight of the screws, just print an extra lid ;)