"Steam-Punk" ??... WooHoo !!!! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2019, 12:28:11 pm
content: I love it when Technology & Art intermix !!... Especially 'old' Technology.I remember as a 9 year old, examining various old large 'Valves/Tubes', and marveling at the beautyof their construction, like pieces of art, that actually DO something !! (I'm now a 64 y.o young'un).I remember at about 10 or 11, without my fathers knowledge, researching, and firing up the 'filaments'.Oh... That warm glow was addictive !!By about 14, I was building real circuits with them, and tellingmy dad about the vastly improved electron flow from Thoriated Tungsten, & various Tube design mods...My favorite experiments where with the "Magic Eye" tuner tubes.Anyway, This "Steam-Punk" 'art' of today, is mostly made from superfluous non-technically functioning parts,while the 'underlying' equipment and usability is real !I've decided to build my first attempt soon. And I REALLY like Copper too !!!Here's a tiny example, from others...I really like this one !!

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2019, 09:43:36 pm
content: You should be making stuff for film sets, you've got a 'Chronicles of Riddick' vibe going on there! They would certainly beat the ragged collection of old scopes and random PCBs.QuoteSome of usstilllight them up to "DO something!!" Even if they look a bit more ''form follows function' (and less Coppery)

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2019, 05:06:53 pm
content: I assume the first two are real tube amps?I generally like mostly functional steampunk, as in every part that looks like it should do something does it, regardless of how simple. It's not hard building stuff with old/custom parts, even making solid-state components look good. It all depends on what you're trying to do. Just making a lamp out of pipes or something is a nope though, just screams I have no technical knowledge just art. For example, make the lamp touch controlled, but only using tubes and relays. I already made a tube light controlled lamp.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2019, 08:45:16 pm
content: This reminds me of an old TV show 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' and an episode where the young villian owned a hotel, and used his real old steam-punk/electronics to steal the life from guests, and in fact he was like +100yo or something.

author: MT
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2019, 08:53:05 pm
content: Quote from: GlennSprigg on February 24, 2019, 12:28:11 pmI would also argue steampunk is an art form among the others , its distinctive and has a historical connection and in a way cousins with Art Nouveau. I would argue bronze is also one of the steam punk alloys, Magic Eye" tuner tubes i remember them.

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 04:40:50 am
content: Quote from: Gyro on February 24, 2019, 09:43:36 pmAmen!-Pat

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 03:21:48 pm
content: Quote from: Cubdriver on February 26, 2019, 04:40:50 amIs that intended to directly drive an electrostatic speaker?

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 04:02:11 pm
content: Nah, it looks OTL (for moving coil) to me.

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 04:16:40 pm
content: Awesome work.And indeed, copper has a beautiful look. And matches perfectly the wood cabinet. How do you protect the copper surfaces?What can I say...you are a technology artist.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 04:40:36 pm
content: I'm sure Glenn will chime in eventually. But I understand that the creations shown in the photos in the original post are not his. They are "from others", as stated in the post, and are merely shown as inspiration for a project Glenn wants to embark on.That being said, I too have been wondering how those copper surfaces are treated to prevent oxidization. Regular polishing?

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 04:55:26 pm
content: Quote from: shakalnokturn on February 26, 2019, 03:21:48 pmNo, it's an output transformerless design for driving conventional speakers. It's one of Bruce Rozenblitt's older designs - I got a kit of the boards and chassis when he discontinued it in early 2013. It's a T-16, puts out about 15 watts per channel into 8 ohms. The output tubes are Russian 6C19Pi triodes; there are 8 per channel.Here is a photo in better light:It didn't include the front panel, and years later I still haven't fitted it with a power switch because the hole is too big (in the original kit, the switch was fitted to the aluminum panel, and had to fit through that gaping hole). I power it up and down by plugging the IEC connector into the rear of the chassis. It's one of those 'temporary' things that I'll get around to fixing.-Pat

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 04:58:51 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on February 26, 2019, 04:40:36 pmMy guess would be something like Butcher's wax, or, more likey, clear lacquer.-Pat

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 05:10:10 pm
content: I love the art displayed here, especially when tied to vacuum devices. It gives me inspiration to make something like that as well...

author: jmelson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 26, 2019, 10:36:01 pm
content: Quote from: Cubdriver on February 26, 2019, 04:55:26 pmHmm, seems to be sitting on top of an R-390A receiver, too!Jon

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 04:23:33 am
content: Micro CRTs from old camcorders are a good source for screens.If you want to mess with big stuff, old high power equipment is awesome, tungars, mercury arcs, exc. Seeing that stuff running is awesome.Cardinal Sin: never put LEDs (or any light source) under tubes, looks like cheap chinese junk. Ideally they should actually be performing some function, but if it is just for a movie prop or something power the heater (don't leave them dark either).

author: @rt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 04:45:38 am
content: There’s better artwork out there, but I won’t have anything useless on my stuff for decoration only.

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 05:19:36 am
content: Quote from: jmelson on February 26, 2019, 10:36:01 pmIt is indeed - good eye. It's one of the Stewart-Warner made ones.-Pat

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 05:36:13 am
content: (FTR, I agree with the song, but mostly it annoys me when objects aren't created with a cohesive aesthetic and mechanisms have been tacked on with no thought to what purpose they even pretend to serve. Most of the stuff in this thread is cool, even if it's not technically steampunk)

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 03:18:06 pm
content: EEEWWW, an LCD!There's always nixies, numitrons, decatrons, panaplex, backlit/edgelit or even just a VFD. But not a chinesium LCD!

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2019, 05:37:09 pm
content: Here is the automobile equivalent of steam-punk known as "rat rods", which I've always enjoyed looking at. Very much a Mad-Max sort of thing happening (I tried to find a picture without the obligatory scantily clad female draping the hood):https://youtu.be/kOARAPvFYrYApparently if you are into this kind of thing, it is more likely to attract attention than a flashy supercar (Ferrari, Lambourghini, etc).I wouldn't want to crash into anything in this kind of car, the interiors aren't exactly comfortable and lack any sort of safety whatsoever. Imagine hitting the inside of this compartment:There is definitely a peculiar esthetic around the steam-punk style. Personally, I'm more fond of the Art Deco style. There are not too many electronics from that era but here is an example of a radio and a car that show the style:And the cars...The movie that mostly sums up the style is one of my favourites.... Metropolis (with and without the Giorgio Moroder soundtrack):

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 11:16:32 am
content: Quote from: ebastler on February 26, 2019, 04:40:36 pmThanks mate. Yea, I meant to clarify that, but have been dealing with my mate next door's death. With him at home when he went, just after playing the music he likes. Helping with the funeral, slideshows/music, & eulogy. He was a big part of our life, and now missed...Yea, the example pics I uploaded were not mine, but just samples from thousands of othersAnd people are right, saying that the 'parts' should generally 'do' something !!! In regards to valves/tubesthen at least wire up the Filaments !! When I make one, the Copper-Tubes will actually pipe liquid nitrogenfor device cooling !!(Ok, I'm bull-shitting).Re: Protecting the Copper... Yep, probably just a light spray of semi-matt lacquer.I mentioned too, that I loved playing with the old 'Magic-Eye' tubes, which others have commented on too.Here's a webpage, with schematics, to re-purpose these old beauties as a 'VU Meter'....http://boginjr.com/electronics/lv/magic-eye/Keep in mind too, that depending on the brand/model/style of some old valves/tubes, that a lot of themwill fit into a standard more contemporary Octal pin RELAY Base, as per the following photo.Thanks to all, for commenting...

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 11:23:35 am
content: Quote from: Cubdriver on February 26, 2019, 04:55:26 pmWOW !!... They are some POWERFUL gravitational field generating toroidials there, that ripped the wall right off !

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2019, 11:27:43 am
content: Quote from: Cubdriver on February 26, 2019, 04:55:26 pmIt doesn't look very transformerless, going by the photograph, which is good, since a transformerless audio amplifier would be a death trap, unless the speakers were in an adequately insulated/earthed cabinet and connected with a mains cable.