Steam Punk.....

[blackjohn]

Blackjohn, that's a good looking coat....

Agreed. It is cool. I figured if you hadn't made something you could use it for inspiration.

That's one of the fun things about Steampunk, I don't have to worry about being period or not. (don't get me wrong, the hard-ass authentic stuff is fun, but I wanted a "break" from it for awhile) Hey, Steampunk is not period, and never did exist, so I can play with alla the information I know about period stuff, mix it up and make something totaly unique...

Oh, I understand completely. It's just creative costuming, with a vague theme of hi-tech Victoriana. No rules. No wrongs. No rights. That being said, even they seem to have some hierarchy in their subculture, not based on authenticity, but on the ability to make things. Have you ever read this article?

http://www.datamancer.net/Kraft-steampunk.htm

Kinda like the post on your board when I typed that I wanted to make a reproduction of the Buccaneer from a Howard Pyle painting (just for funsies), and I was disuaded from it because it might confuse people because they know my stuff is more authentic, and would think it was authentic because I was wearing it.... Dang, being a bad (well whatever) example sometimes slightly limets what you can do....

How well I know that. I don't really like doing pirate festivals for this very reason. If I dress in an outlandish way for a festival, tongues will wag. People will say, "well if he can dress that way..." etc. So I try to avoid them, generally. Of course, this could be expanded upon to become its own thread...

With Steampunk, I don't have to worry/bother with that, and that  (well and making stuff) is a lot of the fun of it.

Exactly. It's about unbounded creativity.

Hey, I still like being a hard ass/core Authentic Pyrate, but I can play with something else also...... cool

My question is, after you've made stuff, what can you do with it? As a reenactor, I know I can get a bunch of people together, and at the very least, fight a bunch of skirmished during the course of a day. Costuming seems somewhat limited once the costumes are made. Obviously, you can have a fancy dress party with others. But how do you kick it up a notch?

[hitman]

Hey Patrick and crew nice to see everyone is still up to their old tricks. I was kinda wierded out by the whole stem punk thing when i first heard about it several months back mainly cause putting moderen componets in antique housing has been something my family has done for years. Not quite steam punk but I plan on building my own hd projector useing lumenlabs stuff and housing it in and old stand up radio my mom found at an antique sale. It should look great with my mp3 jukebox that I started making in an old floor model radio/record player I got when someone was throwinging it out. Just need the time and money at this point.

[Patrick Hand]

I've always modified things, so they didn't look like everyone elses, So Steampunk is just kinda a natural. It's kinda funny, when I fill out a questionare, under hobbies, I write in that " I Make stuff". There are still a few Pyrate projects that I want to work on, but Steampunk gives me a lot more things to build and play with.

Right now, I'm part way through modifying a Nerf Maveric. They are commonaly avalible, so quite a few people in the Steampunk Forum have re-painted them to look better. I'm doing more than just giving it a new paintjob, so I'll have to post pictures when it's done.

Not quite steamy, but I also just bought a pair of reproduction WWII US Army boots/shoes.(Taller than shoes, but not the ones with the buckle flap) I was going to buy a pair of straight last buckle shoes that are more correct than the funguees I currently have. But I don't wear the buckle shoes everyday, and with the Army shoes, that is what I now do. I got tired of buying cheap shoes or boots with the hollow heal and sole, and wearing them out in a few months. With my new Army shoes, I can wear them everyday, and when the soles wear out, I can have them re-soled. Plus, when I go to a work convention, all I have to do is polish them, and they look like dress shoes.

[PyratePhil]

That's one of the fun things about Steampunk, I don't have to worry about being period or not. (don't get me wrong, the hard-ass authentic stuff is fun, but I wanted a "break" from it for awhile) Hey, Steampunk is not period, and never did exist, so I can play with alla the information I know about period stuff, mix it up and make something totaly unique...

Actually, if you wanted to be "authentic", the Age of Steam does have definite dates associated with it. Example: Though steam inventions started waaay back in Alexandria 2,000 years ago, in more SP terms the first US steam engine to carry passengers didn't appear until around 1830. I think what most SP'ers are looking at for inspiration is the latter part of the 19th Century.

For the steam part, anyway - the tech stuff is definitely all over the board

And yes, there are SP'ers who are busily modifying their Nerf guns to be steam-powered photon emitters - others are making the guns from scratch with wood, brass and iron.

My favorite is still all the tech stuff they mod - the computers, etc. It's just a great visual.

[Hester]

One of my favourite Steampunkish movies is The Time Machine from 2002. I thought the art direction was really wonderful (although the plot was a bit thin, particularly in the future timeline).

I've made a fan video using clips from the movie and set it to the song "If You Know Time" by Robyn Hitchcock.

You can watch the vid on You Tube by following this link:

The Time Machine: "If You Know Time"

Cheers, Hester (aka "Pyrate Anny")

[Hester]

Here's a music video which is visually quite Steampunkish, by an Iowa band (who've migrated to London, England) called the Envy Corps:

Envy Corps - Rhinemaidens

[Patrick Hand]

Well I've been working on some new projects.....

A .50 Cal Dinosaur Rifle....

And a revolver

I also modified a Nerf Maveric (for some reason it's one of the toy guns that a lot of people modify.....)

And Made a label for Bomb Bay Gin...

[Ransom]

You never cease to amaze, Patrick! If I see any dinosaours around, I'll be sure and call you!

Actually, that Bomb Bay lable is very kewl, and would make a great jacket patch. You ever decide to do that, I'll buy one! Along with that "Pyrates Ain't PC" bumper sticker!

[Hester]

Nifty stuff, Patrick!

I'm currently working on putting together a steampunk charm bracelet. I'll post a picture when I'm done.

In the meantime, I ran across these steampunk'd drawings of Doctor Who stuff that look very cool:

http://voyagesofdrfabre.blogspot.com/2007/...unk-dr-who.html

[Captain Pogue]

Patrick,

I just came across this thread and recognized your dino gun from BG. I go by Samuel Crowe over there. Your name got mentioned on Friday night at a Portland Steampunk meetup. Emily, apparently her brothers are big into pirates.

Thought I'd say hey and that we were talking about you

Can't wait to see your finished guns

[Red-Handed Jill]

No surprise there - Patt is a sensation wherever folks appreciate fine craftsmanship.

Patt - you should do a series of shirts with that Bomb Bay logo - I'd buy one!

[Hester]

Here are some gorgeous chromolithographs dated 1910, from the National Library of France, showing artist impressions of what the year 2000 would be like. (Lots of flying cars...)

http://instructabless.blogspot.com/2007_09...01_archive.html

Original source:

http://expositions.bnf.fr/utopie/feuill/index.htm

[blackjohn]

HA! I love the one with the pilot grabbing the glass of wine as he flies by the waiter. Brilliant!

I don't remember if I said this here before or not, but my money is on Steampunk being the next big geek trend.

Just looking at the numbers, it seems the Steampunk board gets a helluvalot of activity!

[Hester]

Just looking at the numbers, it seems the Steampunk board gets a helluvalot of activity!

Could you provide a link to that Steampunk board, please, Blackjohn?

my money is on Steampunk being the next big geek trend.

You may be right about Steampunk being the next trend.

For some mystifying reason, today the second "O" in Google is a very ornate hot air balloon. Clicking on it takes you to pages relating to the history of hot air balloon flight, such as this one:

http://www.eballoon.org/history/history-of...ballooning.html

Perhaps Google is tapping into the general interest in Steampunk era technology.

And of course, there was the recent ill-fated record skydiving attempt of Michel Fournier, who intended to use a hot air balloon to take him to the edge of the stratosphere:

Hot air balloons and airships are definitely floating through the popular imagination these days:

For summer reading, I'm looking for Steampunk-themed novels. This collection of short stories looks interesting:

(Apparently one of the stories even includes a pirate!)

And I've just received this paperback in the post:

I'm considering getting this "young adult" book:

And this more high-brow tome:

Any further suggestions for Steampunkish literature (particularly involving dirigibles, time travel, or an aviatrix heroine) please let me know!

[Patrick Hand]

This is the Brass Boggles page,

http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/brassgoggles/

And this is the Steampunk Forum.

http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/index.php

[Ransom]

I've been silently cruising the Steampunk forum for about two weeks now. For never having heard the term before, I find the whole genre facinating. Probably because I've collected victorian jewelry and clothing since I was in high school, and because I love Jules Verne, Sherlock Holms, and Dr. Who. What I like even better about Steampunk, and which I think is the reason it attracted Patrick, is that there is no real PC correctness. You take Victorian, and just run with it. A lot of fun!

I also love the Steampunk artwork, and jewelry — killer!

Hummmm, may have to join that forum. Another excuse to make/wear kewl stuff.

And Hester, where the hell do you find those books of yours!

[Hester]

Ta very much, Patrick!

I love the fact that, in the Steampunk Forum, under the topic heading "Anatomical" the subheadings list...

...Vivisection, Personal Grooming, etc...

I guess in the Steampunk universe, vivisection could be considered a really extreme form of personal grooming!

[Hester]

I've been silently cruising the Steampunk forum for about two weeks now.

And Hester, where the hell do you find those books of yours!

Hey Ransom,

I wouldn't say that the Steampunk Forum is addictive, but my bathwater went cold while I was browsing there!

I found those books just by Googling around, but now I've started a thread asking for fiction suggestions on the Steampunk Forum, and I've already got a couple of responses:

http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/ind...hp?topic=9479.0

[1stMate Matt]

Nice work Mr hand. I have been trying to figure a way to get Steam Punk into the magazine for awhile.

[Ransom]

Yeah Hester — My bathwater, my pot of tea, and my nuked Grapenuts — all cold.

Just came from BG and saw your post. Also tracked down Patrick's intro – P. 23 of the intro thread. Too funny, and just soooo Patrick.

I'll probably log onto the forum, but under a different name. Something more steamy. I'm contemplating one even as I write. After having read about 15 pages of intros, I found it interesting that a lot of the members have similar anacronistic backgrounds to mine, such as SCA. Lots of artists, writers, costumers, jewelers, inventors, etc. Very kewl. Another fun place to play.

See you there soon, if you can spot me.

[Hester]

I'll try to spot you, Ransom ... but I haven't even found Patrick yet!

Patrick: what's your Steampunk alias, m'dear?

[Captain Pogue]

I think your after the infamous Airship Pirate; Silas P. Morgan.

[Hester]

Thanks, Captain Pogue!

[blackjohn]

What I like even better about Steampunk, and which I think is the reason it attracted Patrick, is that there is no real PC correctness. You take Victorian, and just run with it.

Strange as this may sound, that is also one of the reasons why I like it. However, if you look around there long enough, you'll see even they have some dogma and the occasional argument.

[Captain Pogue]

You have no idea... I know some of the pirates take what they do very seriously, Black John being one of them, but I think most of them still know that they do "the pirate thing" for fun above all else. Regardless if your historically accurate or hollywood. I've seen Black John and others be critical of some people in the context of historically accurate, when asked about historically accurate issues. They've got the experience and knowledge, they're great resources to get a very well educated answer from. Hats off to Black John and all the others that have helped so many of us

But, some of the people over at Brassgoggles take it way to serious... It is a pretty diverse group though, there's always bound to be issues. But it doesn't beat the atmosphere over here at the Pyracy Pub