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Build a Model Solar System

SophieSolarsSystem 2008

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BenBroad

BenBroad

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Only Earth's moon rotates around, and that is done by having the earth and moon use a gear that goes around the top cover.

See picture below for better description

8949_normal.jpeg

(click to enlarge)

Oh and people might notice the earth is a bit bent and Saturn is wonky, I've reordered those issues...

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barkis

barkis

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Posted

Only Earth's moon rotates around, and that is done by having the earth and moon use a gear that goes around the top cover.

See picture below for better description

8949_normal.jpeg

(click to enlarge)

Oh and people might notice the earth is a bit bent and Saturn is wonky, I've reordered those issues...

Thanks for that Ben. I suspected it would be difficult to activate all the moons too. It was asking a bit much. The thing looks quite attractive when assembled.

Ron. :)

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BenBroad

BenBroad

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Aye it is very good, earlier in the thread people mentioned using steel grubs, its something I think I'll consider I can get never all of my planet arms to be very very tight :)

But this is just to Saturn, 4 more planets and then the gearbox at the bottom it should brilliant when complete.

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Periscope

Periscope

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I kind of like the idea of these but have never been able to get over the fact that if the sun was, say 2" the outermost planets of the solar system should be around 250 yards away and the Earth maybe a 1/16" across.

I agree, the distance/size or scale ratio is way off, but to represent a model of such a vast size as our solar system, this is the only reasonable way of showing everything in a miniature representation of the Sun and all the Planets, without appearing too large or too small a model. Having said that, I think that it looks pretty impressive and of good quality. A nice round topped mahogany/oak/walnut table of about 2' 6" diameter would make the ideal display stand for this Orrery, easily found at most furnature auctions or antique fairs.

Applying boot polish to highlight the markings, will not have any long term affect on the lacquer. I have a 6" diameter Brass Navy Rum Tub which I made on a lathe from a piece of 6" solid brass bar when I was in the RN during 1970. This is engraved with the words THE QUEEN GOD BLESS HER on one side and the dates I joined and left the Navy on the other. This was lacquered and treated with the boot polish method to highlight the engraving and it is still as good as the day it was made, almost forty years ago.

Geoff.

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Periscope

Periscope

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I kind of like the idea of these but have never been able to get over the fact that if the sun was, say 2" the outermost planets of the solar system should be around 250 yards away and the Earth maybe a 1/16" across.

I agree, the distance/size or scale ratio is way off, but to represent a model of such a vast size as our solar system, this is the only reasonable way of showing everything in a miniature representation of the Sun and all the Planets, without appearing too large or too small a model. Having said that, I think that it looks pretty impressive and of good quality. A nice round topped mahogany/oak/walnut table of about 2' 6" diameter would make the ideal display stand for this Orrery, easily found at most furnature auctions or antique fairs.

Applying boot polish to highlight the markings, will not have any long term affect on the lacquer. I have a 6" diameter Brass Navy Rum Tub which I made on a lathe from a piece of 6" solid brass bar when I was in the RN during 1970. This is engraved with the words THE QUEEN GOD BLESS HER on one side and the dates I joined and left the Navy on the other. This was lacquered and treated with the boot polish method to highlight the engraving and it is still as good as the day it was made, almost forty years ago. How I came to make this, is another story?

Geoff.

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oohmygod831

oohmygod831

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i tried the black polish trick last night and i think it looks great, its so much easier to read the markings on the base plate. With the baseplate being so successful i thought id try the large top gear which also has markings on it.

I stripped the orrery down so i wouldnt get black polish stuck in all the gears and tried to use it on the largest gear but it didnt seem to worlk like it did on the baseplate, i am wondering if the top gear has a slightly thicker coating of lacquer which would fill in the engravings more and prevent the polish from staying put. However it did have a pleseant side effect, the gear which rotates the moon has always stuck a bit when the orrery is rotated but when i re assembled the orrery all the gears moved really smoothly, so i dont know whether i had tightened something too tight before or whether the polish somehow freed up the gear, i dont care. It looks great and now turns great.

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Periscope

Periscope

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To ensure very smooth gear motion, spray all the gear wheels with silicone, similar to that used for cleaning electrical contacts. Then wipe off each sprayed gear wheel with a lint free cloth before assembling. This will make the whole assembly much smoother running.

Geoff. :salute:

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  • 4 weeks later...
Periscope

Periscope

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It can vary when you receive issues by subscription, depending on when they post them. They took out my payment for back issues 14 to 19 just over two weeks ago and I rang them yesterday Friday, to find out if they had posted them. They assured me that they were posted the day before (Thurs) but to allow 28 days for receiving them after payment is taken. They come by 2nd class parcel post and can often get delayed in the Royal Mail system, depending where in the country you reside. Also 2nd class parcel mail can be in the Post Office system for as much as 14 days. Sometimes you may get them within two weeks, other times it can be three or even four weeks. If you pay by direct debit (subscription) allow 28 days from when payment is taken, before enquiring by phone. Usually though, if you phone to make enquries about delivery, they usually arrive within the next few days. It's as though when you phone, about issues not having yet arrived, they state that they have been posted (but probably havent) they then get them posted after your phone call, so that they arrive before the 28 days is up.

I have only had a few copies not actually arriving after 28 days (possibly mislaid in the post) but have had fresh issues sent after enquiry and these usually arrive within 7 to ten days of being posted. Best to allow 28 days maximum before enquiring by phone, as they can drop through the letter box any time up to that period from posting.

Geoff

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  • 3 weeks later...
jleslie48

jleslie48

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Hello all, just surfed in from the states where we have nothing like this at all. I've been fascinated by orreries for some 10 years now and have even designed my own earth moon one:

http://jleslie48.com/orrery/index01.html

the orrery pictured in this discussion looks like something I would love to have. At 300+ pounds though, its a significant purchase. This once a week delivery thing smells like a scam; here in the states nothing like this is ever legit, plus there is no availability here in New York, plus I can't even imagine what kind of postage I'm looking at (*52!!!) to get this mag across the pond.

I've tried writing these folks but I get no response (another sign they are not legit) about just getting the model in whole, aka all 52 issues at once.

Anybody have any idea if this project will ever be available as a more traditional kit?

Sincerely,

Jon

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blackgerby

blackgerby

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I've contacted them a couple of times about things. They're slow, but they do respond.

The model is coming along nicely.

I don't think they have any distribution rights for the States, which might be why you've had no response.

We do have a lot of partworks like this in the UK. Most often they're a waste of money, but this one seems to be the exception at the moment.

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Periscope

Periscope

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This Build A Solar System is only available in the UK, South Africa & Australia. I wouldn't say that this company is illegitamate. The quality of all the parts are second to none, being all solid brass and engineered to a high standard. As the previous poster stated, they are delivered once a month in four issues and so far, all issues have arrived in good condition.

You never know, they might decide to issue it to Canada, which is part of the British Commonwealth, which would be esier to obtain in the US.

Geoff

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jleslie48

jleslie48

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I wouldn't say that this company is illegitamate. The quality of all the parts are second to none, being all solid brass and engineered to a high standard.

We do have a lot of partworks like this in the UK. Most often they're a waste of money, but this one seems to be the exception at the moment.

I was kinda hoping you would of said it was junk, then I wouldn't feel so bad about not being able to get hold of one. :D)

The shipping is the killer from the UK. If I can get the parts but not the magazines, are the instructions with the parts in the blister packs, or part of the magazine?

If I only get say parts 1-10, do I have anything that will work, or are they waiting for parts 48-52 for crucial working parts?

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Periscope

Periscope

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To get the Orrery to work, you need to get every part, as the Base & Motor will be issued in the final issues.

As was previously stated, you might sometime in the future, see a few on E-Bay, but not mine, I'm afraid. This is once in a lifetime collection and is bound to increase in value, as time goes on.

If you think that this particular Orrery is quite expensive, then have a look at this site for a comparison of what these machines are really worth.

http://www.orrerymaker.com/

Geoff

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jleslie48

jleslie48

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http://www.bluefishshop.co.uk/small-orrery---now-in-sale-150-p.asp

This one only goes out to Mars, and they want £1000 +

I think ours is a blumming bargain, and as has been said, will only go up in value as time goes by, in fact, mine is in my will for my daughter (6) to inherit....

don't get me wrong, for an orrery, if its a quality piece as it seems to be from your all reports, its not a bad price at all. When one say's it expensive it's not compared to other orrerie's but rather to the other items for lack of a better word, that I collect in my house. Buying an orrery is a luxury item to sit on a shelf, and I don't have many, well any, such items in my house for that kind of money.

Kind of moot as I still don't have a way to get it across the pond.

- Jon

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