Thank you. I believe it's one of the simplest astronomical models you can make from such a small standard Meccano outfit. It's also a good machine to show to youngsters when discussing gear ratios. For the more advanced, the inaccuracies can be mentioned: There are no eclipses or elliptical orbits; distances and earth/moon diameters are not to scale.

I've since discovered that reliability is affected by the consistency of chain used in the loading arm drive. A better solution would be to use gears instead of a long chain of varying pedigree!

No, we think the Starling flew into the sports hall when the fire doors were open earlier in the day for exhibitors to set up. Then the bird was trapped inside all day. We understand he got out later though!

Haha, no, but much coffee was drunk while building! Look out for full building instructions later this year in Constructor Quarterly.

Thanks for the comment. You're right, any slippage could mess up the timing. A fully geared mechanism would remain fully synchronised at all times. However, such a machine consumes many components in order to achieve a figure which is usually only a close approximation of the true orbit timing. So, theoretically, the simpler, friction-using device could be spot-on at some time. Friction-based scientific instruments have been around for a while. Before WW2, the world's most powerful computing devices (differential analysers) relied upon friction drives. Some were even made from Meccano!

Alas, the cat is no longer with us! Sadly, the automatic feeding gadget has also expired.

Thank you Maher!

Thank you Johnny! It really was knocked together over a week or so. Like a lot of my stuff, it doesn't claim to be best engineering practice, or even anatomically accurate. From the feet up, the Manikin's scale increases. This allows a large torso for the driving mechanism, and room in the head for a few motions.

Thank you, Georg! It was good fun to build something quickly for a change! It was also quite a cheap model, without too many expensive components.

Thank you so much. I'm glad you liked it. I have made bigger models, but this is my favourite.

@@ChrisShute62 I am sure this a favourite for many ... :-) How long did it take to build it ? ( 10 years ? :-))) )

@@olivvapor4873 I built the model mostly in 1994, spending about 300 hours. At that time I had a young family, and I was working, often away from home. Since that time, I made a few modifications, to try and increase reliability. So the machine has ended up rather more complicated than necessary. It was easier and quicker to add extra mechanisms to correct problems, rather than strip away the troublesome bits. That's not always good engineering, but great fun to watch, when it performs properly!

Hi Dugan, Constructor Quarterly no.100 has building details for my first poetry machine, and a number of others. I will try to list.The writing machine you've just seen was never written up, and I have no other video. It was over 7 feet tall, but split easily for transport in a large car roof box. I'm having a long break from Meccano modelling as we try to move house. Everything is packed away and this large writing machine is no more. I began a simpler new one which uses a No.10 Outfit plus a small handful off extras. I will try to post a clip of this. I don't have a reliable laptop presently. Thanks for the kind words.

Yes, Meccano the original recyclable, educational, 'toy' patented by Frank Hornby in 1901. Parts from that era will connect perfectly with parts you can buy today. Look out for boxes of old Meccano parts at car boot sales. If you have an idea for a new invention, Meccano is a great way to get the fiddly bits done quickly, especially if you combine in with other craft materials. Thanks for the kind words, and good luck with your own projects. Chris S

I constantly search for Meccano clock videos and Chris' videos, and I've never seen this one before!

We don't mention the L-word and Meccano in the same sentence............😁😁😁😁

You're completely missing the point. Why do people spend time on any hobby?

Your only aim in life seems to be to make money. Sad.