Orrery: A Model of the Planets

Here are the posts I have made so far about the Orrery:

Building an Orrery: Planets!

December 24, 2016

Now with the gear set assembled and turning nicely (I could hand-crank it by turning the central shaft from below the base), it’s time to add the main attraction of the planets.

Building an Orrery: Gear Construction

December 23, 2016

Construction of the gears of the orrery required more than a little patience working with the printed parts and bearings.

Building an Orrery: Bending the Rods

December 21, 2016

While the parts were printing I got to work figuring out how to best bend the copper rods that attach the planets to the gears. Ytec 3D provides a printable guide to make sure each part was the right length and shape.

Building an Orrery: Printing the Parts

December 18, 2016

An Orrery is a mechanical model of the Solar System where the planets orbit around the Sun with a combination of gears allowing for relative motion between the sun and planets. I found a great tutorial on a 3D printed version that I could make as a present for my Dad.

The build guide comes from Ytec3d’s guide which links to the instructible he wrote, be sure to check it out and support this amazing maker.