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Mechanical Solar System Build Log


jim_smits

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Hi Jim

I just found your thread and what a wonderful project, I used to work at a science centre and planetarium in Edmonton, where special projectors were custom built before they converted to a digital projector. I spent many hours working out the gears for a Jupiter only Orrery with all its moons. I never got farther than doing the gear ratios.

 

I love the look of your one.

 

Michael

Current builds  Bristol Pilot Cutter 1:8;      Skipjack 19 foot Launch 1:8;       Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 14 1:8

Other projects  Pilot Cutter 1:500 ;   Maria, 1:2  Now just a memory    

Future model Gill Smith Catboat Pauline 1:8

Finished projects  A Bassett Lowke steamship Albertic 1:100  

 

Anything you can imagine is possible, when you put your mind to it.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi,

 

I'm rapidly nearing the end of the build now. Had a two months of magazines delivered in one go and this has brought to within one issue of completion. All the planets/dwarf planets/minor planets are now in place with the final addition of Eris after Pluto.

 

Also received the motor and gearing system, brass casing and three legs. The only piece now missing is the adapter and plug socket to actually get the unit powered up.

 

It looks cracking though at the moment even when it isn't moving. I will probably disassemble the entire thing and tweak fitting of the plastic washers and gears to ensure smooth operation.

 

Once I have received the adapter in a week or two I ill upload a video for your viewing pleasure.

post-465-0-04060400-1470249559_thumb.jpg

post-465-0-31242700-1470249560_thumb.jpg

Jim
-----
Current builds:

HMS Snake
HMS Hood
Mechanical Solar System

Completed builds:

HMS Ballahoo

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Jim,

 

You're Orrery is beautiful. Do you know if anyone will be selling it as a kit? Thanks.

 

Best,

John

Member:

Connecticut Marine Model Society

Nautical Research Guild

Model Ship World

"So we beat on, boats against the current, bourne back ceaselessly into the past" F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby

"If at first you don’t succeed.......skydiving is probably not for you”

 

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Thanks for likes everyone. I'll post a video tomorrow of it working, just go back from my stag.

 

Also just received the first new parts for the second model in the series, which is a luminary and looks excellent.

 

John - not sure where you are but often kits are sold on eBay in partial or complete sets.

 

Druxey - it will eventually have its own dedicated shelf put up but I don't think a case will be made as the circumference of the model is enormous!

Jim
-----
Current builds:

HMS Snake
HMS Hood
Mechanical Solar System

Completed builds:

HMS Ballahoo

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Thanks for likes everyone. I'll post a video tomorrow of it working, just go back from my stag.

 

Also just received the first new parts for the second model in the series, which is a luminary and looks excellent.

 

John - not sure where you are but often kits are sold on eBay in partial or complete sets.

 

Druxey - it will eventually have its own dedicated shelf put up but I don't think a case will be made as the circumference of the model is enormous!

 

There's a second model in the series?  They are killing me!

 

Looking forward to seeing the video.

 

Bob

Current build -- MS Bluenose

Future build - MS Flying Fish

 

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for." - William G. T. Shedd

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Sorry for the minor tease but no video for a couple of days. I stripped the entire model to sort out any loose fittings and my cheap nasty Allen key stripped slightly and so I can't fit the planet arms back on.

Most of the mechanism can be made with the decent screwdriver Allen and torx adapters that I have but they are simply to short and fat to reach the inner mechanism to fit the planets.

Mail order on its way......

Edited by jim_smits

Jim
-----
Current builds:

HMS Snake
HMS Hood
Mechanical Solar System

Completed builds:

HMS Ballahoo

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very nice, Jim.  Love watching the inner planets and Moon whipping around while the outer planets plod through their orbits.  Nice build of an interesting project!

 

Bob

Current build -- MS Bluenose

Future build - MS Flying Fish

 

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for." - William G. T. Shedd

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  • 4 years later...

Hi Jim,

I know This is an old topic here, but I found it when Googling for help with a problem I’m having in the first stages: It seems I’ve gotten things assembled properly, but there is NO WAY to get the Venus gear “sandwich” to go on as directed. If I turn it upside down, it engages with the gear above it. You can see what I mean in the attached photos. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

thank you,

 

John

7FA267EF-8A83-48BD-AAFF-195B65F3B62C.jpeg

36F21FEE-4725-4A45-83DE-15A7D0E1487F.jpeg

E14AB7AC-B9CC-4117-BC44-1DCB45430A47.jpeg

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The first picture looks correct from a gear meshing point of view, I am not sure what the problem is?

 

Michael

Current builds  Bristol Pilot Cutter 1:8;      Skipjack 19 foot Launch 1:8;       Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 14 1:8

Other projects  Pilot Cutter 1:500 ;   Maria, 1:2  Now just a memory    

Future model Gill Smith Catboat Pauline 1:8

Finished projects  A Bassett Lowke steamship Albertic 1:100  

 

Anything you can imagine is possible, when you put your mind to it.

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That’s the thing. In the top picture, the “gear sandwich” is upside down. The larger of the two gears is what is supposed to mesh with the smaller gear above it. Please understand that the photos were taken with the entire unit upside down. Perhaps that clears it up? Or makes it more confusing? 😉

In the second two pictures, the gear sandwich is placed on the central shaft correctly, and, as you can see, they do not mesh. I have checked with other photos of the assembled orrery, and rechecked the instructions and all of the steps to get to this stage, and I can’t figure it out. Very frustrating. I’m going to contact Eaglemoss, I think. Thanks for having a look and replying.

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Want to see an ancient Greek Solar System earth-centered model?  Try Googling the Antikythera Mechanism and see what comes up.  There have been reproductions of this incredible device that account for all observed lunar and planetary motions as seen from Earth.  The main 'flaw' is that the models accuracy for Mars can be off at times by as much as 30 degrees,  The other planets are very close and the moon is 'spot on'.

Completed builds:  Khufu Solar Barge - 1:72 Woody Joe

Current project(s): Gorch Fock restoration 1:100, Billing Wasa (bust) - 1:100 Billings, Great Harry (bust) 1:88 ex. Sergal 1:65

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, John Levine said:

That’s the thing. In the top picture, the “gear sandwich” is upside down. The larger of the two gears is what is supposed to mesh with the smaller gear above it. Please understand that the photos were taken with the entire unit upside down. Perhaps that clears it up? Or makes it more confusing? 😉

In the second two pictures, the gear sandwich is placed on the central shaft correctly, and, as you can see, they do not mesh. I have checked with other photos of the assembled orrery, and rechecked the instructions and all of the steps to get to this stage, and I can’t figure it out. Very frustrating. I’m going to contact Eaglemoss, I think. Thanks for having a look and replying.

I went back in this thread to the point where he mounted the "Venus" drive parts... it appears to me that they mount to a large gear/disk that provides the earth drive before they mount to the shaft....

 

Never having ever seen this before that's all I've got......

 

Of course I have no way of knowing if he's showing the complete steps either.....

 

EG

Current Build: F-86F-30 Sabre by Egilman - Kinetic - 1/32nd scale

In the Garage: East Bound & Down, Building a Smokey & the Bandit Kenworth Rig in 1/25th scale

Completed: M8A1 HST  1930 Packard Boattail Speedster  M1A1 75mm Pack Howitzer  F-4J Phantom II Bell H-13's P-51B/C

Temporary Suspension: USS Gwin DD-433  F-104C Starfighter "Blue Jay Four" 1/32nd Scale

Terminated Build: F-104C Starfighter

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"Relish Today, Ketchup Tomorrow"

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John,

 

Do you have the complete instructions for this? I ask because I too have built this Orrery and had no difficulty with getting things to go together correctly. If you do not have them, I can send you a PDF copy of them.

Edited by gjdale
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Hi Folks,
 
Thanks again for looking, and your responses thus far! I have taken new, correctly oriented photos, which I hope will articulate the problem I’m having a bit better.
 
Photos #1, #2, and #3  are the spreads of the instructions provided in issues #1, #5, and #8. I am stuck at Step #2 in photo #2. If you peruse the illustrations on that spread, and photo #4 (“Detail of Sun, Mercury, Venus & Earth”), you can see that the larger 41-tooth gear disk of the Venus gear set is supposed to engage with the small 19-tooth gear disk on the underside of the Mercury gear arm (above it).
 
Photos #5 through #9 are just different views of my assembly, with the Venus gear set placed correctly on the central column. The Venus gear set has been placed upside down on the central column in Photo #10, simply to show the peculiarity of the smaller 39-tooth gear disk’s ability to mesh perfectly with the 19-tooth gear disk.
 
The first three pics are the only instructions I’ve gotten with the parts of the Orrery (Issues #1, #5, and #8) Do you have other, more complete PDF instructions, gjdale? I really don’t see how more detailed directions would help. I’ve counted the teeth on all the gear disks. It’s quite baffling! <shrug>
 
Lastly, I just wanted to give Jim a “thumbs up” for the shoe polish suggestion, to colour the etched markings on the base plate. I’m going to use Kiwi Cordovan, since burgundy is a favorite colour of mine, and will nicely compliment the bright brass finish of the engraved plates!
 
So, there it is! I apologize for this being a bit long-winded! Again, any thoughts and/or advice would be greatly appreciated! I’m really quite excited to just “get on with it!” Jim’s finished piece is beautiful! I can’t wait to have my own! Thanks again, all!
 
John
 
Photo #1
 

BFF745E5-C7C4-4DD1-AEF0-D8F17D4CCDAA.jpeg

Edited by John Levine
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