🤨❓Can anybody machine a Mini Salon counterweight for me?

[francesconyc]

Not sure if this is the right forum section but surely the members are very knowledgeable so let me try:

i have a manfrotto mini salon column stand and I wish to just an extra tad of counterweight because my cambo actus XL is a little heavier by few pounds. I can live with it with no problem honestly but i was wonder if anybody knows a solution tok add aome weight

ona. Blog a user mentioned he got a manfrotto counterweight meant for the bigger Salon and he machined it off tto fit the diameter of the Mini.. I’d love to pay someone if anybody has that type of machine...

 

[Mexecutioner]

Pull out the counterweight and see what type of thread it has at the bottom, you can attach anything that fits in the column and adds weight using a bolt that matches the thread.

I imagine a machinist with a lathe can trim the diameter of the 809 salon counterweight, which is available for $44. It has a 3/8"-16 screw. I bought one for my Salon and Iike the difference it made.

 

[francesconyc]

i think it's the same 3/8 thread, in fact one user on BH mentioned he did it that way, because he had a lathe available. I will look in my area for machinist then

 

[glaiben]

LOL - that was me that left the B&H review! I agree you should try to find a local machinist or hobbyist - the cost of shipping that hunk of steel to/fro will eat up any potential savings. Indeed the new counterweight has a ⅜-16 screw. However, my original counterweight did not have a threaded hole on its lower end, so I had to drill and tap it to accept the additional counterweight. Machinist can easily do that for you too.

...gregg

 

[Ben730]

Go to a fitness/sports shop and buy a weight plate. Fix it wit a screw, two big shims and a nut or a wire, or a heel screw....be creative!
I have several of those in my studio. They are much cheaper than the "photography" and "cinematography" branded gear...
Regards, Ben

 

[Ben730]

and, by the way... I would put the weight (7 kg) to the bottom of the column....

 

[Mexecutioner]

Go to a fitness/sports shop and buy a weight plate. Fix it wit a screw, two big shims and a nut or a wire, or a heel screw....be creative!
I have several of those in my studio. They are much cheaper than the "photography" and "cinematography" branded gear...
Regards, Ben
View attachment 181034

it needs to be inside of the column. How would you do that?

 

[Ben730]

Ohh... I see, it's the weight inside of the column.
So, take the weight out, drill a whole in it. Then drill a screw thread in it or use two-component adhesive for metal....
You can find also smaller weights in a fitness/sports shop. Maybe you have to saw it in two pieces or you search online..."weight with hook"

 

[francesconyc]

LOL - that was me that left the B&H review! I agree you should try to find a local machinist or hobbyist - the cost of shipping that hunk of steel to/fro will eat up any potential savings. Indeed the new counterweight has a ⅜-16 screw. However, my original counterweight did not have a threaded hole on its lower end, so I had to drill and tap it to accept the additional counterweight. Machinist can easily do that for you too.

...gregg

haha funny

but the new counterweight has both male and female... so in theory you dont need to make a new hole, you just need to put the smaller weight first, then the original weight no?

are the threads different? maybe an adapter can help?

 

[francesconyc]

Ohh... I see, it's the weight inside of the column.
So, take the weight out, drill a whole in it. Then drill a screw thread in it or use two-component adhesive for metal....
You can find also smaller weights in a fitness/sports shop. Maybe you have to saw it in two pieces or you search online..."weight with hook"

they seem to small for my need

but i found some telescope counter weights that are smaller than 2 inches with a hole in the center they could be easily piled up (the main cable goes thru them)
of course this can kill some inches when you lower the arm down....


i also found a machinist near new York so i'm gonna try the lathe work first... shipping from amazon for free and back for only 8 bucks + the labor of course... im gonna give it a try


EITHER WAY IM SHOCKED that manfrotto didn't think about mini salon owners....also why making all different parts for the 3 models... duh

 

[glaiben]

haha funny

but the new counterweight has both male and female... so in theory you dont need to make a new hole, you just need to put the smaller weight first, then the original weight no?

are the threads different? maybe an adapter can help?

That should work theoretically. For some reason, I did not do that with mine and I do not recall the exact reason. Perhaps the original weight attachment was different as my stand is the older Bogen branded version rather than Manfrotto.