I made my counterweights out of a length of chain. One of the weights is 5/16" chain, the other is 1/4" chain. Both chains are about 7 feet in length. Put about half of the length of the chain on the ground during no wind conditions. Now as the wind moves the trees more of less of the chain gets lifted off the ground. This gives a gradual increment in the weight of the counterweight.
I was concerned about the sudden change of weight caused by a solid one piece of weight hitting the ground or lifted off the ground. With half of the chain on the ground the weight does not swing in the breeze.
