Dimension 20 Prop · Picture Machines

Rotary orrery

A motorized table for Dimension 20 — CAD, CNC, stepper drive, and DMX — built so the map could turn on camera.

Finished orrery table on the Dimension 20 set

Overview

The visible piece is a painted map and a set of planets. Underneath it is a rotary mechanism: a CNC’d deck, an aluminum ring, a stepper, and enough control to run it from the stage plot.

I designed and built the drive — CAD through to the assembled base — so the table could rotate quietly and repeatably under lights.

CAD model of the rotary table base and ring — Base and ring, CAD

Aluminum ring assembled on a CNC-cut plywood deck — Ring on the CNC deck

Build

Plywood structure, aluminum ring, stepper and Arduino in the well, DMX for show control. The NANO mark is cut into the deck. The finished table sat on set with edge light and the map dressed on top.

Drive electronics and motor assembled inside the rotary base — Drive assembled in the well