Steampunk

Flickering gas lamps puncture a thick London fog. A metallic,
rhythmic noise begins to drown out the normal sounds of the
evening. An army of copper clockwork automatons comes
marching out of the darkness. Overhead, a looming dirigible
barely clears the tallest buildings. Brass nozzles emerge
from the airship's gondola, blasting fire down upon the
rooftops. This is the world of steampunk.

­The term "steampunk" originally referred to speculative
fiction -- science fiction, fantasy and fictional historical
tales -- set in an alternate Earth's 19th century. In this
universe, Victorian inventors made great leaps in
technological advancement with materials like iron and brass
and using steam engines for power. From a fictional
standpoint, real-life inventor Charles Babbage might have
succeeded in building his proposed Difference Engine,
an early computer. In reality, Babbage never saw his
computational engine realized.

Today, people use the term "steampunk" beyond its literary
meaning to refer to a style of art and design. There are
dozens of artists who modify or create objects to achieve
a steampunk aesthetic. Some of these projects have
a practical purpose, while others are pieces of artwork or
part of a costume. The designs merge the mundane with the
exotic, and many steampunk artists have enthusiastic fans who
will pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for one of their
creations.

What sort of people create steampunk gadgets and what tools
and materials do they use? What's a typical steampunk gadget
modification (mod) like? And just what do some of these
strange contraptions do? Keep reading to find out.

Steampunk Materials and Tools

The typical steampunk artist is also part inventor, part
engineer and part mad scientist. Many describe themselves as
gadgeteers or tinkerers. Steampunk art has a very industrial
appearance. Some feel that the use of materials like metal
and wood make objects appear more permanent than technology
made out of plastic and other modern materials.

Many steampunk artists are self-taught and work out of
basements or garages. Most treat their art as a hobby. The
amount of time and effort that goes into creating a single
piece of steampunk art makes it difficult to make a living
from selling art alone. Some are happy to share their design
and building processes, even including step-by-step
instructions so that others can create similar pieces.

Steampunk artists regularly use certain materials to achieve
an antiquated appearance. The most common materials in
steampunk art and design include:

* Metals like copper, brass, steel and iron
* Rivets
* Gears and cogs
* Wood
* Glass
* Antique light bulbs
* Leather

There aren't any stores that sell steampunk gadget kits, so
most artists have to do a lot of legwork to find materials
for their projects. Many scour arts and crafts shops,
pawnshops, thrift stores, flea markets and antiques shops for
parts. Some regularly search the Internet, particularly eBay,
for material.

As for tools, every artist has his or her own favorites. For
many artists, the most important tool is a drafting table or
similar design space. The most intricate pieces of steampunk
art require a lot of forethought in the design process. For
this reason, most steampunk artists own traditional drafting
tools like compasses, protractors, rulers, drafting triangles
and T-squares. By drafting meticulous designs, artists can
avoid problems when they're in the building phase of the­
process.

Other common tools include:

* Band and table saws
* Sanders
* Drills
* Screwdrivers
* Hammers
* Pliers
* Wire cutters
* Soldering irons
* Metal files
* Vises
* Glues or epoxies

Some of these artists have created designs that turn mundane
devices into gadgets that look simultaneously atiquated and
high-tech. Pieces of steampunk art can be pretty expensive,
but there are ways to commission a less expensive piece. One
cost-cutting technique artists sometimes use is to spray
metallic paint on their creations to achieve the desired
look. A can of copper metallic finish might cost one-tenth
as much as a sheet of copper.