oneqwk96gt,

i see you found one way to use the CG machine........i was tempted to do the same thing, and then it dawned on me, what was needed and worked was to simply shim the front of the CG Machine up with a piece of 3/4" stock pine or any other material that is this thickness.....it then moves the rods back far enough so the landing gear doesn't hit, and in this way you don't have to hold anything in your hands, and the rods remain mounted in the machine.
mine balanced right on the nose, but i too have since moved the CG back 1/2".................whole different airplane now.