Box of Tricks Orrery Model Building Kit - Build a Precision Mechanical Solar System - New & Complete Set with Tools - Teen, Adult

This is a great kit, solid brass parts, easy to read instructions and an interesting finished product. The only downside was it was quite easy to construct - I was hoping to keep myself out of mischief for a lot longer.Here are some tips you may find helpful;Read the whole instruction before proceeding. The 1st half tells you what to do and the 2nd half often gives advice.There is a bag of spare screws in section 12. If you have been careful you don’t need to open this bag (they are not used in 12), however, it is useful to know they are there early on!Construct it somewhere you can leave it halfway through. I enjoyed the construction but at a couple of hours a day, it took a few days to complete.I found the brass really easily takes fingerprints!! I wore cotton gloves when handling the larger brass pieces and the assembly. This also helped in cleaning it as I went along.Stage 1 item 1 fitting the three feet. BEFORE you do this read the inset “Three New Feet” on stage 7 (page 15). Also, see 12-8 - we don’t need the feet at all if you follow my next tip.Stage 1 item 2. Do not tighten this grub screw very tight - you will be loosening it for each of the following stages. I ended up with this screw totally loose and I balanced the base plate on a wide glass so I could easily remove and replace the central column as the assembly grew. See second image.Stages 2 to 11 are very similar. Here are a few things that helped me;Remove any sellotape and loosen all the parts of the current stage, keeping them in their location. When you are trying to extract parts with one hand you will thank me.Open the bag of screws and segregate the ONE 8mm screw. That way you don’t need to worry about it until the end. Note; The supplied screwdrivers are magnetic. You can place a screw firmly on the end (in line with the screwdriver shaft) then align the part with the other hand before driving the screw home. Simples!Insert the three grub screws halfway into their holes while the parts are in pieces. As you work through the cogs get bigger, the assembly heavier and this tip will save much frustration.Stage 4 on; I found it MUCH easier to attach the planet support arm between items 2 and 3 than after the unit was on the whole assembly. Just make sure you have it pointing the right way (towards the largest cog).Stage 11 item 5; Don’t tighten the grub screw hard, It’s coming off again in stage 12 item 8Stage 12 item 1; The indented ring on the base plate is the TOP of the plate. Legs screw to the other side.Stage 12 items 4 and 5; Take care there are two different types of screws in the bag, 4 uses 2x one type and 5 uses 2x the other type.Mine worked the first time, the speed controller worked well and they supplied a UK PSU in addition to the one in the kit. Overall a really impressive Orrery.

Lovely product. Very well made from thick brass. Excellent quality. All the pieces fitted perfectly and instructions are very clear. It took me 3-4 days to complete, doing 2-3 hrs a day - very enjoyable. A nice little tool kit of screwdrivers and Allen keys is provided. Some small modelling tweezers are also useful to have to hand. The finished model is a good size - about 40cm high and 28cm radius. There is motor so you can sit transfixed and watch the plants go by. The earth and moon also rotates about its axis, which is cool. Best to wear cotton gloves when assembling the kit as it is easy to get finger prints on the highly polished brass. I have always wanted one of these, but didn't know such things existed.

It was great to build, challenging enough without being too difficult. It looks fantastic finished however I did need to buy a tapping kit to re-tap some of the fittings and there was a part missing that I am waiting to be delivered, but that aside I really enjoyed it and not its finished it looks fantastic. Overall really pleased

The metal doesn't retain quality and loses its surface coating. Hence it loses its sparkle. Not easy to assemble as some pieces are very brittle.NOT worth the money.

The construction of this orrery was a lifelong dream for me. As a young child, I was mesmerised by one in a museum, and it has taken me 60 years to realise my dream of creating one for myself!The construction manual itself is a work of art, and the precision process of construction is cathartic.What a privilege to be able to have this beautiful item in my home.Jim Buchanan.

Not cheap, but quality is fine for fascinating project. Originally supplied in subscribed 52 part magazine containing parts. The finished article performs well and is a very attractive model. Electric motor quietly set the planets in motion representing time orbiting the sun. Mercury closest moves fastest, while Eris farthest takes long time. The Earth moon can be seen orbiting home planet. Construction is clearly explained and illustrated in supplied colour manual.

As a former customer of Eaglemoss, Back to the Futures Delorean. Receiving this in one delivery as oppose a monthly subscription was great, being able to complete the model all in one go made all the difference and quite satisfying. I managed to complete the model in one sitting in about six hours. If I was to give one piece of advice to someone attempting this, it would be follow the instructions in reverse, start with the base and work you way up. After completing all the planets then creating the base with motor I found it better to disassemble the main body a reassemble from the base. This made the model more sturdy to work with but that’s just my opinion.

This looks fantastic when it's finished, it's solid brass other than the planets. It didn't take too long to complete and it is packaged in the order that the steps need to be completed in. The planets orbit the sun, quite quickly other than the last few, they move really slowly. It is pricey but considering the workmanship, it's understandable.