Mechanical Tellurion

I've been trying to find something like this for a while and while there are some nice-looking alternatives, this one seems to have everything I wanted in terms of size, complexity, and accuracy. And then I saw the company is Ukrainian, so of course I had to buy this one. :) (It ships from the UK, not Kyiv in case you're worried !) Construction is a very satisfying process. The model comes in flat-pack, you push the pieces out of their wooden surrounds and snap them together. No gluing or cutting is needed, just a bit of sanding and waxing using the supplied sandpaper and wax stick. The design is efficient and elegant. The parts snap together very securely and seem surprisingly sturdy - I managed to avoid breaking any, though there are some spares provided just in case. Plus you can contact the company if anything does go badly wrong. Construction took me a bit longer than the estimated 5 hours because I made a few mistakes and had to backtrack a couple of times. This is not too difficult, but some parts can be harder to undo than others. My advice is just to be slow and careful and make absolutely sure you have all the parts the right way around before finally attaching them. The instructions (clear and easy to follow) do highlight particular points where getting the positioning wrong would be worse than others, but it pays to be a bit paranoid. Anyway I found the process quite therapeutic, so taking a bit longer is no bad thing. The final constructed model is about 30 cm tall and 40 cm in diameter at maximum extent. I was impressed to learn that the rotational speed ratio is accurate : one turn of the handle causes one complete rotation of the Earth, but ~28 are needed for one rotation of the Earth around the Moon, and yes, this means you need a full 365.25 rotations for the Earth-Moon system to orbit the Sun. There's also a dial showing the phase of the Moon given its position, which is a useful education aid. But it's also designed with aesthetics in mind, so it makes a great display piece. Overall, an easy 5 stars from me. One day I'll be able to afford a brass version, but until then, this'll do nicely. I hope UGEARS will release an astrolabe in the future... :)

Very intriguing build.

A very good model for the experienced model maker - not suitable for beginners. A satisfying build if you follow the instructions VERY carefully.

My partner does them as recreation prefers roker more substantial and work

This is a good little kit and can be slightly challenging (you have to get all the gears to intermesh correctly) so not for the younger hobbyist. Customer service is excellent, especially given the problems in the Ukraine where this is made, and I got replacement parts when some broke. Tip: read the instructions carefully and use lots of wax.

I like it wooden craft model kits lot of different models kits I love it and be careful easy break very thin wood and fix it too ok

E and my boys Loved this from start to finish. Quality peice of kit, fun and enthralling to build. Beautiful price of mechanical engineering and shows my boys how the earth sun and moon move.

It's great fun to make, but not for the impatient. If you want it to work you really will have to file/sand and wax/lubricate every cog. It says this clearly in the instructions. (I also bought the Lego version, less elegant but it works really well.)

Ottimo prodotto, acquistato come idea regalo per mio padre che ha apprezzato, amante del tutto, si diletta ovviamente anche nell'assemblaggio. Il tema osservatorio astronomico è interessante e curioso, il meccanismo di rotazione funziona in maniera adeguata ma non è un prodotto da utilizzare a scopo dimostrativo, una volta assemblato è bello esporlo in una vetrina.

Un regalo estupendo. Muy divertido

Ein tolles Holzmodell, welches die Bewegung des Mondes, der Erde und der Sonne zueinander korrekt und schön darstellt. Der Aufbau war nicht schwer und ich kann keine der Probleme anderer Reviewer bestätigen. Ich bin kein Experte beim Zusammenbau solcher Modelle, habe aber durchaus Spaß daran und achte auf Details. Beim Aufbau habe ich immer wieder geschut, dass sich alle Zahnräder schön zu einander bewegen. Beim Aufbau erkennt man leider nicht woran man genau arbeitet und welche Rolle welches Zahnrad spielt. Erst gegen Ende des Aufbaus wird man dann mit der ganzen Pracht des Modells und seiner Funktion belohnt. Bis dahin muss man sich leider gedulden. Insgesamt hat mir das Modell aber Spaß gemacht. Das Modell hat mir auch geholfen meinen Kindern zu erklären, wieso gerade Vollmond oder Neumond ist, aber auch wie die Jahreszeiten entstehen, da die Neigung der Erdachse auch sehr gut dargestellt ist. Insgesamt bin ich sehr zufrieden mit meinem Kauf.

Mon Ugears préféré !

Excellent product!!!! Challenging wood construction model. When done, the interacting and turning gears are mesmerizing. It works!! Great product support...from Ukraine! Construction is not easy. Instructions are all pictorial to cover multiple languages. Careful location and orientation of parts to each other is a must. Observe and study pictures carefully. I mean really carefully. Even the designs printed on parts mean something. Parts go together with a hard and loud "snap". I was constantly thinking I just broke something. Nimble fingers and dexterous hands are required here. But when you're done (about 50 hours), It's WOW. It's a movable statue!