Steampunk has had my attention for a while now, and fascinated me with their attention to detail.  Steampunk mods for computers have been springing up all over the place, with varying degrees of modification.  The great thing about Steampunk, in my opinion, is that it focuses on the aesthetic, with form and function both being important.  But also, there is a huge focus on technologies that have been abandoned because of varying reasons.  

As such, there are very different ideas as to what makes Steampunk “Steam”.  Some say it requires the presence of some sort of Steam component, such as a steam engine.  Others say that anything Victorian is fair game.  Still others focus on the gothic and punk aspects with brass and leather thrown in.  The thing is, they are all correct in their assumptions!  Steampunk is still in it’s infancy, and more people are finding that they fit in this designation.  To me, Steampunk is characterized by the following: 

Victorian Technology
First of all, the Steampunk genre is a reflection of the Victorian era, when science and art blended together.  Beautiful creations of brass, iron, steel, and hand-carved wood accent this beautiful period, and meets the craftsmanship of the earlier eras while providing a scientific advance in technology.  The reason why it’s called Steampunk is because the primary locomotive method of the time was Steam.  Some may argue that it still is, as all our internal combustion engines use expanding gasses to operate, as do Steam Engines.  

And then, there were the early science fiction writers, like Verne and Wells.  While many of their imagined inventions have come to life, others are still in the realms of fantasy.  These men and women were responsible for many advancements because of their imaginations they provided.  And what’s more (and arguably more important), they romanticized science by appealing to our most basic nature in discovery.  That is what makes their work just as compelling today as it did in the 19th century.  

Adventure and Exploration
I’ve been a strong supporter of space exploration ever since I saw Star Trek.  I couldn’t understand why, or even why the show was appealing to me.  But then it hit:  It’s because of the adventure of finding something new.  Growing up my friends and I would try to come up with new ways to travel, if just for that experience in exploration.  Steampunk continues that same experience.  

Rudyard Kipling and Egar Rice Burroughs exemplified these feelings of exploration with their books.  Ever since I saw and subsequently read the “Jungle Book” and “Tarzan”, I was hooked.  The idea of living in the wild, with new and exciting things around the next tree appealed to me.  And of course, the lack of a lot of people around.  That in particular appealed to me.  ^_^  Exploration and adventure is just something that I feel reflects the spirit of Steampunk, whether it be the adventure of a new land, or the adventure in a new skill.

Romance
My wife will be the first to tell you that I’m not a very romantic person.  I’m not the type that buys flowers (I prefer to grow them myself and cut them for my wife), nor am I the type that likes to watch a romantic comedy (unless it’s “While you were Sleeping”, where I can watch the kid wipe out on his bike on the sidewalk ^_^).  But I do feel romance and infatuation:  I love my wife in all aspects, and not because of any one characteristic.  

And this is the same with Steampunk.  Quality is more important than any one aspect.  Technology that just works is nice, but it has to have the form to go with it.  Would you prefer just plastic, or does a polished Oak finish turn your eye?  Those things that are real, tangible, grounded, physical… these things are of benefit to the Steampunk community because they can be enjoyed beyond the simple function.  

The Intangible
Having just explained the necessity for the tangible, I’m now making an argument for the intangible.  Those forces that are not explained, not understood, and not documented.  Partly supernatural, partly fantastic, the Steampunk genre focuses on the unknown.  From Vampires and wizards to unexplained power sources, Steampunk makes tangible devices that can interact with the intangible.  

The Darker Side of Steampunk
Disasters, governmental collapse, colonial defense from the “Horde”, it’s all part of the darker side of Steampunk.  Part Gothic, part Cyberpunk, part “Mad Max”, you find that Steampunk can survive well in this situation.  And how?  By building their own machines, generating their own power, being resourceful in dismantling the old and worn out, then breathing new life into it.  

Aristocracy
Another interesting aspect of Steampunk is it’s tendency for Oligarchies or Aristocracies.  Many Steampunk proponents adopt aristocratic names, “Baron”, “Dutchess”, “von”, “Sir”, and so on.   This suggests a need to be set apart, above those that are more “common”.  Perhaps it’s a feeling of elitism, or perhaps it’s the need to feel important and unique.  My inclination is to believe the latter.  

Education
Those of the Steampunk genre that are not particularly connected to the aristocracy will generally adopt an education title, “Dean”, “Professor”, “Doctor”, and so on.  What is interesting is that most of the Steampunk participants that I know actually hold those titles: a suggestion that the Steampunk genre appeals best to the most educated.  

So those are my theories behind the genre of Steampunk.  It’s interesting because it appeals to so many people on so many levels, and still manages to create a community around it.  Don’t believe me?  Try getting some land in Caledon in Second Life.  This is a Steampunk/Victorian land that is very, very difficult to join.  Once my land is complete, I’ll post a link to a friend of mine, Sea Beaumont.  She is building a repository of all things Steampunk, and will be housed across the street from my home in Caledon Downs.

So the question you can now ask yourself is whether or not you would fit into the Steampunk genre.  Do you like anything above?  And in particular, do you like to craft anything by hand?  

I’m not generally one for video shorts, though I have seen thousands (particularly computer animated shorts). I also have a fairly limited field of likes when it comes to film, with most of the movies I enjoy coming from before the 60′s. That being said, I read about this animated short on various websites, and decided to give it a try.

The Animation
The first thing that actually drew my attention was the animation. I’m pretty sure it is computer animation because of the precision, but it looks like shadow puppetry. That in and of it self is really cool! Shadow puppetry hasn’t been seen in mainstream US markets (as far as I know) for years. It’s neat to see someone take such an artistic turn in their animation. I’m really impressed.

The Setting
The setting is in a very steampunk world. Airships, coat tails, mad scientists that would rather kill others than think logically on how to get a monster back to a city. Yes, it just screams steampunk, and as such captured my attention. The machines used for locomotion are heavily geared, and there appears to be no natural ground. All land is floating in the air (rather cool, I’d say), and makes one wonder what kind of physics governs the world.

The Story
Something I have learned from watching years of animated shorts is that the animation can be excellent, but if the story is lacking the experience suffers. Apparently the creators of this little gem understood that, and wrote a complex story that is grounded in a history as to yet explained, giving the experience a richness that is usually lacking in other animated shorts. The story could have fallen directly from Jules Verne. It’s rich, has just enough reference to technology to make geeks drool, and has such an intense ending that you are left wanting more.

A quick synopsis: A young navigator, haunted by a fatal mistake in his past, has been reassigned to his old ship. The crew are on a routine mission to a new trade route when they came across a derelict vessel, with all the crew dead, and yet still in complete working order. They follow their old heading at the behest of their one passenger, a biologist, and discover an uncharted island. The adventures start there, with excitement, horror, and a discovery of just what man can do when determination overrides reason.

If you have not seen this short, which has won many awards and was nominated for an Oscar in 2006, I would highly recommend that you do. If you can’t find the DVD to purchase, you can find it on iTunes for $1.99 (plus tax). It’s 26:05 minutes long, and every minute is gripping. I highly recommend it.

Recently I started a new project. Many of my old projects may have gone by the wayside, but this one should stick. You see, I intend to build a steam-powered model airship, and have it be functional. I will be building this airship with parts I have around the home, putting them together, and then finally have it move under it’s own steam power when I’m finished.

The Engine
I started by working out a design for the engine. The steam engine is perhaps the most important part of this project, as it will be the central power core. I based the design off of a model steam engine I saw for sale on eBay, and changed it from a piston engine to a turbine. Why a turbine? Because it’s actually easier to build than a traditional piston engine, particularly at that size. ^_^

I originally intended to have the engine built together in the gondola, and then run a drive belt between the turbine drive axle an a new axle that would run the full length of the airship’s envelope. That would of course require multiple gas bladders in the envelope, and make inflating very complicated.

The nice thing about the turbine is that it doesn’t matter where the axle is located, as long as steam can get to it. So, I can move the turbine portion of the engine to the back of the air ship’s envelope, as long as I have a tube running from the main boiler to the turbine.

Now the question comes to what power source to use. I had originally wanted to use a candle, but I am unsure if the head would be enough to build steam. There are a couple of other options, one of which is using an alcohol based fire. This is something that I will be working on this next week.

The Lift
Once the weight of the engine (and water, and fuel) has been figured out, I can calculate how much helium would be necessary. Helium has a lift factor of 1.113 grams per liter, meaning that it’s weight is that much more lighter than air. So, from that I should be able to calculate how many liters of helium would be required to lift the engine and enclosing envelope. Then it is just a matter of building the envelope, and the gas bladder.

The Envelope
I intend to build a semi-rigid envelope, built out of paper-maché. The frame will be made with twine dipped in either starch or paper-maché glue. Either way, it will be roughly the shape of a Zepplin, though I reserve the right to make changes if necessary. ^_^

The rigid design will allow the turbine in the back to function with little addition to the weight of the air ship.

Future Plans
Once the initial design has worked, I plan to add a generator to the turbine (in a new design), and add electric servos and a radio control. That way, it will still be steam powered, but I can do more with it than move in one direction. I will also enclose the turbine, and recycle the steam into water, reheating it and making the engine more efficient.

Perhaps, once I can get the design worked out, I will hold a race with anyone else who is so inclined to build their own steam-powered airship. ^_^

I love History, as anyone that knows me will tell you. I have been interested in history since I knew that my family had a history (and quite a colorful one at that ^_^). So historical artifacts and retro-looking objects have been an interest of mine for some time. I have Victorian oil lamps, camping oil lamps, a wood-burning stove, and some other older devices (like a 1953 Willys Jeep). But, oddly enough, I hadn’t even thought about steampunk before. Then my friend, Joseph Hall, introduced me to the Steampunk keyboard Mod at the Steampunk Workshop.

This keyboard is really cool, with beautiful brushed metal bindings in brass. Now I think I understand my appeal to the Apple computer: the brushed metal. It’s all about the brushed metal. I also like the keyboard, because growing up we had an old Victorian manual typewriter with which we constantly played. Instantly I was hooked.

This was months ago that Joe introduced me, and since I have been pretty much floating in a steampunk mood. I like the idea of large machines, brushed metal parts, clockwork, and the like. Something that is easy to manage in that each part has an obvious function. This follows the utilitarian philosophy that pervaded the Victorian years, and as such becomes a fascinating movement in and of itself.

So I started to think about all the facets of our lives that can be effected by steam technology. Imagine if you had a motorcycle that could run for 2 hours, just on steam? Also, that steam could be created from burning alcohol, instead of gasoline. Thereby, you create a viable and powerful mode of transportation that is eco-friendly, carbon neutral (or closer to it), and can potentially look really cool.

But what about the problems that plagued the steam engines of the past, you say? True, boilers would tend to blow up after so many uses. But that was more to do with the type of metal used, not really the design. Brass, bronze, copper, and iron were all used early on because they were readily available, and less expensive than steel. But they also were softer metals, and would slowly melt away with each firing until the walls were too thin to handle the pressure of the steam. They would then blow up spectacularly, causing injury. There are plenty of new alloys that could take the place of copper or brass.

And now many of you are probably thinking: Wouldn’t it be more fuel efficient to create a combustion engine to run on alcohol? Sure! That would also be potentially more safe assuming you use a copper boiler for your steam engine. But is it just as cool? Is it easy to get? Is it something that you can show to your friends and have them say, “wow, I don’t know why you did it, but it looks just so cool!”

So, does this mean I’m going to build one soon? Probably not. It takes a level of engineering that I just don’t have (yet), but I am going to start with some simple mods of my own. I think I could come up with some pretty cool mods given the time. But until then, I’ll keep following the Steampunk Workshop. I wonder if he will make an optical mouse telegraph sounder?