Farpoint Dovetail Weight System 2

Product Overview

The Farpoint Dovetail Weight System 2 is the two-weight version of Farpoint's on-the-bar counterweight system. It ships with two 3 lb counterweights of 4″ diameter each, for 6 lb of added ballast, together with the Farpoint FDA quick-release saddle and a 3.5″ mounting screw. The saddle clamps onto a D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail bar and slides to the balance point, and the whole assembly comes on and off without tools. Made in the USA.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you run a full imaging train — camera, filter wheel and guider together — on a D-size (Losmandy-style) bar, and 3 lb on the bar is not enough to bring the tube back into balance.

Key Features & Design

• 6 lb of ballast: Two 4″ diameter, 3 lb counterweights in the box, with extra 3 lb weights available to stack further.
• FDA quick-release saddle: Clamps anywhere along the bar and comes on and off tool-free.
• Balance on the bar: Ballast is added at the point of the offset rather than on the mount's counterweight shaft.
• 3.5″ mounting screw included: The screw that stacks the weights onto the saddle ships with the kit.
• Made in the USA: Finished in black powder coat or bright zinc, depending on the production run.

Mechanical Design

The FDA saddle is a D-size clamp: it grips the flared sides of a Losmandy-profile bar and locks with a hand knob, so it can be positioned anywhere along the bar's length and repositioned as the imaging train changes. The two 3 lb weights stack on the 3.5″ screw, and the stack stays open at the end for additional weights. Because the clamp holds on the dovetail rather than on the tube, nothing is drilled or clamped onto the optical tube itself.

Recommended Uses

• Balancing a camera, filter wheel and off-axis or guide camera carried together at the rear cell.
• Correcting a large front-to-back offset that 3 lb on the bar leaves uncorrected.
• Rebalancing in the field when a heavy imaging train is swapped in or out.
• Trimming balance on a mount whose main counterweight shaft is already near the end of its travel.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

The FDA saddle is a D-size clamp, so it fits Losmandy-style dovetail bars and not the narrower V-size (Vixen) profile. The dovetail bar itself is separate. The system expands with the Farpoint Extra 3 Pound Counterweight, which is the same 3 lb, 4″ weight this kit ships with, and the saddle and screw are shared with the Weight System 1. Tell us your telescope and the dovetail bar on it and we'll confirm the fit.

Good to Know Before You Order

• The dovetail plate is separate. The kit clamps onto a D-size bar you already have, or onto one bought alongside it.
• D-size profile only. V-size (Vixen) bars are narrower and take a different clamp.
• Finish varies by production run. Weights arrive in black powder coat or bright zinc; the difference is cosmetic and the weight and fit are the same either way.
• Shipping weight. Farpoint publishes 6 lb of ballast in the kit; the packed weight of the complete system, with saddle and screw, is higher than that figure. We can weigh a unit and confirm before shipping if the exact number matters for your freight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to install?

The saddle clamps onto the dovetail bar by hand and the weights thread on with the included 3.5″ screw. No tools are needed to put it on, take it off or slide it along the bar.

Is the dovetail bar included?

No. The kit is the two weights, the FDA saddle and the 3.5″ screw. It clamps onto a D-size (Losmandy-style) bar, which is sold separately.

Can more weight be added later?

Yes. The Farpoint Extra 3 Pound Counterweight is the same 4″, 3 lb weight, and it stacks on the same screw.

Will it fit a Vixen-style dovetail?

The FDA saddle is cut for the D-size (Losmandy) profile. The narrower V-size Vixen bar is a different standard.

Bottom Line

In short: 6 lb of ballast across two 4″ weights, a tool-free FDA quick-release saddle and a 3.5″ screw, made in the USA, for balancing a loaded D-size Losmandy imaging rig at the point where the weight actually sits.