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Kestrel Rotating Vane Mount 5000 Issue

Conaso

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 8, 2011
1,123
1,714
Virginia
Does anyone with a Kestrel Rotating Vane Mount 5000 have problems with it rotating freely with winds below 2 MPH? I would appreciate any solutions offered. I tried very light machine oil.
 
I agree that it is very finicky… It seems to be very sensitive as to whether the Mount is exactly vertical or not. I screw a couple of threaded extension rods into the bottom of the mount and screw them into a small Slik Tripod or an Able table mounted on top of a tripod. I take care to make sure that the rods are as close to vertical as possible and drape the bitter end of the Kestrel lanyard over the vane boom, moving it in and out to get an exact balance with the Kestrel installed in the cradle. Pretty sure I bought the extension rods from BHP and that they are treaded 1/4“-20 TPI. See attached pic for my Able table set up.

Regards
JHC
 

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These are a superior vane:

Both do need leveled to work properly, but this one doesn't hang up near as much and is very sensitive to direction changes.
You already have the bracket from your existing mount. For those who don't the little $10 adjustable clamp that Kestrel sells can work as well.
 
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