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Mr. Fish
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« Reply #200 on: May 27, 2008, 12:04:44 am » |
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Hmm,
did you use any sort of washers in between the stacked gears on the nested tubing side of the device?
how did you overcome the friction problem if not?
sorry for terse questions, running late....
M.
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Mechanism Man
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« Reply #201 on: May 28, 2008, 09:44:53 am » |
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Hi Mr. Fish, sorry for the late reply - too busy building in the workshop and going out earning a living to check brass goggles!
But to answer your question, I have cut the lower part of each nested tube about 10 mm from the bottom, so that the lower part of the tube becomes the washer. That has worked for the outer 3 planets, but the inner 3 planets I have not done anything due to the gears being only about 2 mm clear of each other. On these, each tube just rests on the gear below it - but I have strengthened the wood of the gear where the tube rests with a dab of very thin penetrating super glue to make the wood really hard, and then varnished over the top. The weight acting on each gear is also minimal so friction has not been a problem.
As I have discovered from the automata I used to make, for the first 2 weeks the new owner will wind the handle like mad, and after that the amount of time it gets cranked becomes less and less until it's used just once in a while when the mood takes you, or when it's time to impress gentleman visitors.
So basically, because it's hand cranked, the amount of wear in the moving parts is minimal and happens over a long period of time - the machines I made 15 years ago are still working as well today as they did when they were newly finished. So if you are building out of brass, and not hooking it up to an electric motor, don't get too hung up on wear and tear - it will probably outlive you!
P.S. More photos of mine a little later - almost finished!
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« Last Edit: May 28, 2008, 01:04:40 pm by Mechanism Man »
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Mechanism Man
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« Reply #202 on: May 30, 2008, 11:59:11 am » |
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Hello all, Well to say that it's finished would be a little premature, but it now at least looks finished - and it still works! So here are some photos of it with planets fitted, handle attached, frames pinned and glued, and just a little tweaking left to do. The last big change will be the worm in the worm drive, this will very soon be replaced with a spangly aluminium one (brass was too expensive, sorry...) which is being made for me as we speak (I really, really need a lathe...). The wooden one fitted works just fine for the moment, but is definately the weak link in the chain and will probably fail long before anything else, so it's gotta go. Other than that, it's done! Anyhow, here are the photos. Film to follow in a day or two. Hope it meets with your approval...      |
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« Last Edit: May 30, 2008, 12:24:02 pm by Mechanism Man »
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Hieronimous Stonebender
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« Reply #203 on: May 30, 2008, 12:32:02 pm » |
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That is, without any doubt, the most amazing piece of DIY I have ever had the pleasure of laying eyes upon. Thank you for sharing, and letting us take part in the process. Did you paint the planets yourself? They look great(well everything does)!
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Mechanism Man
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« Reply #204 on: May 30, 2008, 12:42:54 pm » |
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Thankyou! Yes, the planets are all hand painted wooden balls bought from a craftshop - you can buy them in different sizes, so are perfect for this application.
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akumabito
Immortal
 Netherlands
Mundus Patria Nostra!
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« Reply #205 on: May 30, 2008, 01:07:10 pm » |
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It looks absolutely gorgeous! Amazing job, MM!
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rogue_designer
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« Reply #206 on: May 30, 2008, 01:57:13 pm » |
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If you'll pardon the expression... That's fucking fantastic. Well done MM. One day, I will own some of your art. Just you wait. (Certainly until after the wedding  ) |
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Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
(Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes. But deserve a nice glass of absinthe. I have some Montemarte in the cabinet, if you wish.)
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sidecar_jon
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« Reply #207 on: May 30, 2008, 02:49:02 pm » |
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"at least looks finished - and it still works!"
Oh i know that feeling only too well! Well it did work now it doesn't, WHY!...
Looking good there, lathes are pretty cheap nowdays... and it looks like you could fully utalise one!
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macmangan
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« Reply #208 on: May 30, 2008, 03:53:43 pm » |
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Its so incredibly beautiful. I'm very happy for you that your at the very last step till completion.
Man do I miss having my free time to visit this place more often.
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Sir Newton Bridges
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« Reply #209 on: May 30, 2008, 04:02:00 pm » |
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looking at that one pic of the gears, i can almost figure out how it works, hmm....
*looks again*
nope, no clue, but is truly awsome as always
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i am living in mine zyrian fantasty
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Stella Gaslight
Governor
Immortal
 United States
Looking for a few good lobsters.
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« Reply #210 on: May 30, 2008, 04:50:58 pm » |
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That is gorgeous. Please take some video of it moving if you can when it is done. It looks like one of those things I could be mesmerized by turning the crank for an afternoon.
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Lady Penelope
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« Reply #211 on: May 30, 2008, 05:40:32 pm » |
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Color me extremely impressed!  |
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von Corax
Immortal
 Canada
Leverkusen Institute of Paleocybernetics
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« Reply #212 on: May 30, 2008, 07:31:04 pm » |
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Hope it meets with your approval...
Wow. "Approval" doesn't even begin to cover it. |
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By the power of caffeine do I set my mind in motion
By the Beans of Life do my thoughts acquire speed
My hands acquire a shaking
The shaking becomes a warning
By the power of caffeine do I set my mind in motion
The Leverkusen Institute of Paleocybernetics is 5838 km from Reading
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Alastair Smythe
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« Reply #213 on: May 30, 2008, 11:42:12 pm » |
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My word, did you hand-paint the planets? Extraordinary!
If you were to sell identical versions of this, how much would you charge?
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Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. And it'll look really cool, too.
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Jemima Annabelle Clough
Rogue Ætherlord
 United Kingdom
When you're tired of tea, you're tired of life
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« Reply #214 on: May 30, 2008, 11:45:20 pm » |
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That looks gorgeous!
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Remember: Stressed backwards spells desserts
---
Fellow of the RS
Botanist and sometime adventurer
Wife of A E Clough
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Flame throwing priestess of the really hot fire
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Mechanism Man
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« Reply #215 on: May 31, 2008, 01:03:25 am » |
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Thank you all for your extremely kind comments, it's very much appreciated and is great for keeping the enthusiasm going. Having got this far with it, and having received so much positive feedback from several different sources, not just Brass Goggles, my plan is to put it into some kind of production in the very, very near future. Pricing is still an ongoing issue, but I'm probably going to pitch it at around the middle ground of orreries already for sale out there, and go for around £1000. I know, sounds hideously expensive doesn't it, but it's got to be worth my while time wise if I want my wife and kids to still be on speaking terms with me come the end of the year. This first one will get minutely measured and photographed over the coming week or two, and when I'm happy I've got all the info off of it I could pssibly need, it will then be sentenced to 9 days on E-bay before going to a new home somewhere else in the world. This first one will also be unique, in that I've already thought of things that will be subtly altered on the MK II production run - nothing major, but little things that will mainly make it easier to build, as well as some minor aesthetic changes. I will get a film of it posted tomorrow at some point, but thank you all again in the mean time. Right, it's 1:00 in the morning, I've just finished work, so it must be time for bed.  |
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Sir Newton Bridges
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« Reply #216 on: May 31, 2008, 01:56:52 am » |
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go for around £1000.
whats that in united states dollars? |
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Unkillable cat
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« Reply #217 on: May 31, 2008, 02:06:37 am » |
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go for around £1000.
whats that in united states dollars? 1,979.20 USD at the time of this post |
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Sir Newton Bridges
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« Reply #218 on: May 31, 2008, 02:15:55 am » |
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go for around £1000.
whats that in united states dollars? 1,979.20 USD at the time of this post  im doomed.....never gonna be able to afford that |
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Unkillable cat
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« Reply #219 on: May 31, 2008, 03:17:54 am » |
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As a rough guide, with the current difference in strength between our currencies whatever you read in pounds double for dollars.
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Reverend Redmond Farrier
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« Reply #220 on: May 31, 2008, 03:18:40 am » |
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Makes me wish I had a couple of thousand to spend. It sounds expensive, but when you consider that it was hand crafted and not assembly line stuff such a price can be seen as much more reasonable. I am truly amazed at your craftsmanship!
Rev. R. Farrier
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Commander Obadiah
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« Reply #221 on: May 31, 2008, 06:21:17 am » |
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Yeah, it's not bad. You could have at least made it out of brass, though.
Commander C. Obadiah
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The Steampunk code: 'To delicately dismantle the system from within, if it's not too much trouble'
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sidecar_jon
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« Reply #222 on: May 31, 2008, 01:25:35 pm » |
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a grand isn't out of the way price wise. Dnot forget you can also sell the plans etc..and when you get that late you can set it up for making brass gears!
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rogue_designer
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« Reply #223 on: May 31, 2008, 03:45:30 pm » |
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Yes - it's priced very fairly for a handcrafted original piece of artwork. MM - I'm still on the list. Once the wedding is over in the spring I'll be giving you a shout. |
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Mechanism Man
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« Reply #224 on: May 31, 2008, 04:10:55 pm » |
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If it makes you guys and girls from the States feel any better about things, a gallon of fuel over here is now about £5.46p - thats about $10 a gallon... We really need every penny in our green and pleasant land at the moment. Anybody got any jobs going near the Atlantic coast for a family wanting to emigrate..?
Bring back steam and ditch the infernal combustion engine, thats what I say!
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« Last Edit: May 31, 2008, 04:13:50 pm by Mechanism Man »
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