Datamancer's steampunk laptop
I've written before about Datamancer, a master steampunk maker whose creations are some of the finest-wrought examples of the form. Now he's posted his latest creation, an elaborate steampunk fancy of a laptop, along with build-notes. It's really something.
Link (Thanks, Datamancer!)
This may look like a Victorian music box, but inside this intricately hand-crafted wooden case lives a Hewlett-Packard ZT1000 laptop that runs both Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux. It features an elaborate display of clockworks under glass, engraved brass accents, claw feet, an antiqued copper keyboard and mouse, leather wrist pads, and customized wireless network card. The machine turns on with an antique clock-winding key by way of a custom-built ratcheting switch made from old clock parts.
The steampunk, as it has been noted in this compendium
Update: Jake von Slatt sez, "Doc (Datamancer) exceeded his bandwidth but he sent me the files for the laptop page and I set up a mirror for him here."
the latest
latest episodes
'm s sck f rndm jg-ffs
mkng smthng ld-tm lkng
nd gttng tns f crd fr t bng "stm-pnk"
somebody puts out a laptop like the one from Gibson's world (all tomorrow's parties) with a sand-cast case, ebony and ivory keys and interchangeable bits... thats bad-ass....
pt sm cppr fr n t nd cll t stmpnk
nd ts mrly crp n nthr rppr.
Tcky, t bst.
I've always loved steampunk stuff, so whenever I see something *new* that big wish list inside my heart grows painfully bigger. They're incredible works of art.
My only taste of steampunk reminiscent things were form the movie Hackers, I had no idea that people actually make and sell these. Very neat.
There are all these steampunk objects, but so few steampunk costumes, nor indeed a steampunk style of dress. We all know what punks dress like and the Wachowskis have given us a vision of how cyberpunks dress, but what does a Steam-Punk look like?
Steampunks have a charming habit of cultivating waxed mustaches and wearing brass goggles where they are not so explicitly called for, and taking pictures of themselves nonchalantly checking their pocketwatches, ordinarily tucked away in their waistcoats. Also, a cog motif is popular for embroidery or screening.
I have the pocketwatch and the waistcoat, but I am having some trouble with the mustache. No matter how hard I concentrate, I just can't seem to grow facial hair.
Sherlock Holmes or something, I assume.
Girl Genius!
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/
A brillilant comic that's been exploring the steampunk spirit for a while now.
anyone have a mirror? the site is boingboing'd!
I still don't "get" steampunk, but I do admire the craftsmanship. Gorgeous, really.
Damn. Their bandwidth limit has already been exceeded. I really wanted to see the rest of it.
Also, someone needs to do one of these steampunk computer projects with a mac already!
@ Smonkey: yyyeah, I wanna see something like a Sandbenders too! I still think this looks rad.
Sort of like this, Truthfriction5? http://www.our-picks.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/thefirstapple.gif
Sweet ride.
It reminds me of the portable, removable laptop component of the "Guillotine" computer from the movie, The Final Cut. Awesome movie and awesome prop design.
Hey All,
Doc sent me the files for the laptop page and I setup a mirror here:
http://steampunkworkshop.com/datamancer/steampunklaptop.shtml
Jake.
cool
consider adding a ball and chain to it as a security measure.
i want one. even if it IS a non-mac.
if you like this, you should read Bruce Sterling and William Gibson's The Difference Engine
Doc sent me the files for the laptop page and I setup a mirror for him here:
http://steampunkworkshop.com/datamancer/steampunklaptop.shtml
Jake.
Crash said:
"There are all these steampunk objects, but so few steampunk costumes, nor indeed a steampunk style of dress. We all know what punks dress like and the Wachowskis have given us a vision of how cyberpunks dress, but what does a Steam-Punk look like?"
I say:
Lol! "Cyberpunk fashion" (or cybergoth, it seems, these days) has existed a lot longer than the Wachowskis have been making Matrix episodes, and is even well commercialised.
That said, I did run into a clothes maker in a London goth/industiral/dark alternative club recently who said he was working on a complete steampunk outfit, so we'll have to see where that ends up...
If you want to see how some people interpret steampunk clothes, go to the Steampunk Forum at the Brass Goggles blog. Steampunk clothing is mostly interpreted as victorian with various anachronistic doodads. There is no unified "look" yet, though, so you might see someone who is more punk-influenced, with various patches and piercings, or someone who is more influenced by aviation, with leather helmets, goggles and stuff. Some even dress like mad scientists.
An authoritative text on Steampunk fashion written by Libby Bullof and illustrated by Colin Foran is available in the second issue of Steampunk Magazine available for download or purchase at:
http://steampunkmagazine.com/downloads.html
Jake.
RSS feed embedded video ads for The IT Room. I read mainly via RSS feed. Starting with this post today and continuing, apparently, with every subsequent post there is now the same video ad repeated. If this is by accident, you might want to look into it. If this is intentional, you might want to question the value of this. I've just read thru about 40 or so posts, all of which contain this same ad or a slight variation. Now that I've seen them, how do I make them stop?
Thanks for being generally wonderful,
Stephen
P.S. Sorry if this is the wrong spot for this type of feedback but it's the best place I could find.