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Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 12:26:42 AM
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clipperride
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Hi All,
Not sure if you have seen the recent TV ads for a new part work magazine series;
http://www.build-solar-system.com/tv/tv_ad.html
I am normally somewhat suspicious of such magazines as they can work out rather expensive. After looking at the website and seeing that it was endorsed by Sir Patrick Moore;
http://www.build-solar-system.com/tv/patrick_pop.html
I decided to have a look at the first issue. I must say that I am rather impressed. With parts arriving with each of the weekly magazines it is complete in 52 weeks @ £5.99 per issue. Ok that is a good old stack of cash but you do get a rather nice and unusual brass orrery. It's different in that it is dated 24th August 2006 (the date the IAU officially reclassified Pluto and introduced the new class of dwarf planet) and shows all 11 planets and dwarf planets. It can be set to show the planets positions on cetain dates with a guide showing how to set the positions for other dates, it also runs with the aid of a variable speed electric motor.
The important thing with any of these magazine series is to consider if the total price of the series is an amount you would pay for the finished object. For once I for one think it is.
Any thoughts?
Cheers
Mark B
_____________________________
Learning is fun! Guess I must be getting older!
8" Revelation Dobsonian
114mm Phenix Reflector
A lot of enthusiasm!
(Banbury - Oxfordshire UK) - 52.3 N 1.20 W
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 1:41:49 AM
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mba007
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Just over £300 for a working orrery. It does look a marvellous bronze object and it is quite tempting. You say you have the first issue. When was it released? [for some reason the website tells me April 2008??]
Thanks,
_____________________________
Doc Martin
8"SCT, PST, etc...
Maidenhead AS. http://www.maidenhead-astro.net/
Reading Geological http://www.rgsberks.talktalk.net/
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 6:41:00 AM
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sftonkin
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quote:
ORIGINAL: mba007
It does look a marvellous bronze object
The blurb on the site says that it's brass, not bronze. I guess the worth of it will depend on how well the bits are engineered. I can't help thinking that the instruction video (around 5:15) makes it look a tad wobbly, suggesting dubious precision.
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۞ Noctis Gaudia Carpe ۞
Stephen Tonkin
~Possessing two eyes and observing with both~
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 7:19:52 AM
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skye at night
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Hello,
Synical me would put a large portion of that 300 sheets over the counter at Mr Ladbrokes to bet that the mag. never gets near issue 52 and the punters will have racked up 200 pounds or more on a project that will never be completed....
How many of these type of things ever run their course?
I think they wait to see what the initial take-up is before even deciding to run the full number of issues...
Steve
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 8:16:10 AM
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skywatcher
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I am always cynical of these magazines and my youngest son's experience with a 'robot' kit is testimony to the fact that it can all go expensively wrong!
£300.00 for a brass Orrery doen't seem bad at first glance but the engineering would need to be top notch to justify this expenditure and that is a bit of an unknown quantity. Although a lovely object to astronomers, this is a very niche product and could well not have the take up the publisher is looking for which would mean the despite the IAU there could be even fewer planets in the solar system!
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Regards,
Steve
The Chanctonbury Observatory
Please Click Here To Visit
Night conceals the World but reveals the Universe
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 9:56:47 AM
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clipperride
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As far as I know the magazine has just come out on sale, I got a copy yesterday 6/3/06.
As has been mentioned a lot will depend on the quality. The weight of the first two parts is rather impressive and as the first gears are with part two, we will soon be able to see if they seem up to scratch.
As for the numbers they need to sell to break even. I am not sure where a consumer would stand if they decided to cancel part way through (****ed I would expect!). I have only ever collected one other part work that ran for 3 years and without any problems.
I will keep you updated as to the quality of the parts as it is possible to get back issues for those who want to wait and see.
Cheers
Mark
_____________________________
Learning is fun! Guess I must be getting older!
8" Revelation Dobsonian
114mm Phenix Reflector
A lot of enthusiasm!
(Banbury - Oxfordshire UK) - 52.3 N 1.20 W
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 10:52:27 AM
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mba007
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quote:
ORIGINAL: sftonkin
quote:
ORIGINAL: mba007
It does look a marvellous bronze object
The blurb on the site says that it's brass, not bronze.
Yes, sorry. They start with the same letters 
_____________________________
Doc Martin
8"SCT, PST, etc...
Maidenhead AS. http://www.maidenhead-astro.net/
Reading Geological http://www.rgsberks.talktalk.net/
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 11:16:26 AM
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skywatcher
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I'll be interested to se how you get on with the quality - I have always rather fancied one of these!
_____________________________
Regards,
Steve
The Chanctonbury Observatory
Please Click Here To Visit
Night conceals the World but reveals the Universe
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[Deleted] - 7/3/2008 11:20:18 AM
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 1:53:04 PM
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clipperride
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quote:
ORIGINAL: skywatcher
I am always cynical of these magazines and my youngest son's experience with a 'robot' kit is testimony to the fact that it can all go expensively wrong!
Can I ask what went wrong and if it involved the same publisher? The more information the better!
To be honest I don't think I would have got the first issue if it had not been for Sir Patrick Moores endorsement. I realise he would have been paid to do this, but I am also fairly sure he would not put his name to a total piece of junk.
The model works by powering Mercury and each of the planets/dwarf planets steps down the speed by way of gears. As each gear is made of solid brass, as long as they mesh well together, the orrery should be resonably accurate.
On one hand I am a naturally suspicious consumer but on the other, I have wanted an orrery since I was a small child. All I can say so far is that the base plate is a heavy duty bit of brass!
I have also emailed the publishers asking what protection there is against the publication being cancelled part way through. I will, of couse, let you know what response I get. Talking to several friends that have built various things through part works, I have yet to find one that has had a series cancelled on them. I wonder if anyone else out there has? If so, please let us know the name of the publisher.
As ever, any other thoughts are most welcome
Cheers
Mark B
_____________________________
Learning is fun! Guess I must be getting older!
8" Revelation Dobsonian
114mm Phenix Reflector
A lot of enthusiasm!
(Banbury - Oxfordshire UK) - 52.3 N 1.20 W
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 2:16:19 PM
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skywatcher
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quote:
Can I ask what went wrong and if it involved the same publisher? The more information the better!
Mark, unfortunately, this was some long time ago and I have no recollection of the publisher. The problem was that somehow or other, my son missed an issue and was then unable to get a back issue and was thus unable to get a component part. This made the rest of the construction meaningless so he cancelled the whole project in the end. This was a great shame as from my recollection, the actual components were nicely produced.
I hope this build is successful as an orrery is a thing of great beauty!
_____________________________
Regards,
Steve
The Chanctonbury Observatory
Please Click Here To Visit
Night conceals the World but reveals the Universe
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 6:43:35 PM
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skye at night
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hello,
despite my personal criticism...
I do hope it works out for you and keep us posted...
I bet you will be wanting the months to tick by quicker..
As Steve Skywatcher said.. they are a very desireable thing of beauty and a good one costs a lot....
http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/acatalog/Orreries.html
Can you tell me what the mag. content is likely to be about leaving aside the orrery construction.
And let us know if they do guarantee a full issue run...
Thanks
Steve
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 7/3/2008 11:26:27 PM
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Bubbles
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Hi folks, I'm new to the forums having found them while trying to look up plans for an orrery. I've been looking off and on for a few years now but seeing this magazine has rekindled the interest again but I REALLY want to make one. Does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find plans to build a proper brass kind of victorian style orrery?
many thanks in advance for any help
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RE: Part-work Orrery - 9/3/2008 11:59:05 AM
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clipperride
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From: Oxfordshire UK
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Looking through the magazine, I noticed that it is being sold in several countries which should help them reach a profitable number of readers.
The magazine itself looks to be well written with articles about the Voyager missions, a look at the Orion constellation and a piece by Sir Patrick Moore. The piece on Kepler, for example, gives due credit to the observations of Tycho Brahe. It was also nice to see that Sir Patrick has listed the 50th anniversary of the "Sky at Night" amongst his personal milestones, saying it was "..one of the few times in my life I was overwhelmed. Nothing in the future can ever match it." (page 23) I doubt the magazine will contain much that is new to many forum members, but it would certainly make a geat introduction for new comers and a good reference source.
As for the accuracy of the model. Most orrerys seem to try and hide as much of the internal workings and gears inside the base unit as possible. This one makes them part of the display and so allows them to use much larger and heavier gears. With a modern computerised metal working machines, they should be able to churn out parts to a high tollerance all day long. The other thing that struck me was, how accurate does it need to be? I am not going to be taking measurements from it and wont be using it to predict upcoming conjunctions. As long as the orrery gives a good sense of the different orbital periods involved it should make a striking finished piece.
What I really do like about this orrery is that it shows how we currently view our Solar System. A snap shot of a way of thinking.
Regards
Mark B
_____________________________
Learning is fun! Guess I must be getting older!
8" Revelation Dobsonian
114mm Phenix Reflector
A lot of enthusiasm!
(Banbury - Oxfordshire UK) - 52.3 N 1.20 W
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[Deleted] - 9/3/2008 1:46:42 PM
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Deleted User
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