Steampunk phonograph

Posted by Cory Doctorow, June 2, 2008 4:30 PM |
This short video demonstrates a working steam-powered photograph on display at a Danish exhibition, though the proud steampunk maker is British. Pato, whose girlfriend shot the video, says, " He stood there playing records all afternoon, tinkering with his machine while spinning tunes. How freaking awesome is that?" Link (Thanks, Pato!)

PS: Steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk. Steampunk!

posted in: Happy Mutants ,  Steampunk ,  Video ,  maker
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#1 posted by BummerOfCode , June 2, 2008 5:11 PM

Steampunk?

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#2 posted by Tenn , June 2, 2008 5:12 PM

Littlebrotherlittlebrotherlittlebrotherlittlebrother!

This post makes me incredibly happy, Cory.

I like that his girlfriend thinks his hobby is 'freaking awesome'. Better than consigning his creations to the garage.

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#3 posted by Xopher , June 2, 2008 5:22 PM

Steam-powered phoNograph, I'm almost sure you mean.

And great big hairy PUNKS o' STEAM!!!

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#4 posted by Andreas Author Profile Page, June 2, 2008 5:28 PM

I jumped straight into the post without reading the title, and your key slip had me scratching my head for a moment – trying to conjure up a vision of how a steam powered photograph would work. But then I realized that any steampunk aficionado would have referred to that as a daguerreotype and mentally corrected the error before watching the video.

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#5 posted by neurolux , June 2, 2008 7:08 PM

I only play CDs and MP3s.

All record players are steampunk to me.

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#6 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , June 2, 2008 7:18 PM

The Thermionic ElectroModulator MK VIII is coming...

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#7 posted by Takuan , June 2, 2008 7:23 PM

a steampunk synthetic ruby crystal pulse laser. Brass cooling, hand blown flash tubes, artisanal vacuum tube power supply, coal fired-steam driven generator, watchmakers verniers for hand polished mirror focus... oh yeah.......

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#8 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , June 2, 2008 7:27 PM

RF Remote control so it can be controlled from a quarter mile away for safety, staged turnon for the Mercury Vapor Rectifiers, remote volume control...

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#11 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , June 2, 2008 7:33 PM

Well, for the sake of sanity, we're going with a 650 nm, 7 mW laser diode. Remote control, of course.

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#12 posted by Takuan , June 2, 2008 7:35 PM

mmmm...mercury vapour arc rectifiers... mmmm
http://www.hawkins.pair.com/wor/wor-am-rectubes.jpg

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#16 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , June 2, 2008 7:43 PM

Yer way ahead of me. I had to take a long hike in the woods today just to work out the low level power supplies, remote control and turnon staging for the high voltage in my head.
If this doesn't work, bury what's left of me in a 300B tube and name the crater after me.

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#18 posted by Takuan , June 2, 2008 8:36 PM

must have large, pointless air capacitors, preferably run by brass clockwork to turn and turn back, turn and turn back.....

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#19 posted by Antinous , June 2, 2008 9:29 PM

pet rocks, pet rocks, pet rocks,pet rocks, pet rocks, pet rocks,pet rocks, pet rocks, pet rocks,pet rocks, pet rocks, pet rocks!

Highly collectible.

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#20 posted by Takuan , June 2, 2008 10:04 PM

steampunk... ATOMSMASHER!!! Linear accelerator (coils over plastic tube coming off big Van de Graff!) yeh! YEAH! Bakelite, copper and brass, glass tube.....

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#22 posted by eustace , June 2, 2008 10:08 PM

Those amps are (sniff) just beautiful, man.
Gonna bring that laser to Maker Faire, Tak?

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#23 posted by eustace , June 2, 2008 10:11 PM

OMFG - I looked at the price of the amp! I shouldn't have looked!!! MY EYES!!! AAAAAAUGH!

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#24 posted by Takuan , June 2, 2008 10:23 PM

Ross,if you come through, I'll, I'll.... bathe.

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#27 posted by aeflash , June 2, 2008 11:36 PM

Is it possible to have a non-steampunk phonograph?

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#28 posted by Simon Greenwood Author Profile Page, June 3, 2008 1:34 AM

So... a gramophone then...

*runs away*

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#29 posted by Anonymous , June 3, 2008 2:14 AM

Weta Workshops (they did fx for Lord of the Rings) have a great new series of Steampunk collectibles

http://www.wetanz.com/collectibles/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=9

"The Rayguns are the first pieces from Dr Grordborts Infallible Aether Oscillators line. The Rayguns are a line of 1:1 scale antique styled, limited edition, sci-fi hand weapon props."

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#30 posted by nihilarian , June 3, 2008 2:29 AM

it could be based on the auxetophone, a pre-electrical system of amplification which was originally compressed air powered:

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/COMMS/auxetophone/auxetoph.htm#aux

mr phonograph looks like he could pull it off. it would make sense to get the pressure through steam rather than compressed air, as you don't need so much energy storage (the smallest motors built have been steam driven i think). i may have dreamed that last part.

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#31 posted by Kieran O'Neill , June 3, 2008 2:47 AM

Hmmm ... vacuum tubes - now that would be perfect for my outfit on Saturday. I just don't think I'll be able to find any at short notice. Curse you Cory, for only posting about White Mischief a week before it's due to happen ;)

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#32 posted by eustace , June 3, 2008 4:18 AM

Faux vacuum tubes with LEDs - much better for costuming.

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#33 posted by whatisart , June 3, 2008 5:15 AM

That would be a creation of Mr Hudspith, an incredibly talented engineer from Dorset. Check out the Hudspith Steam Bicycle...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14751622@N00/2548216618/

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#34 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , June 3, 2008 5:29 AM

Here's some of my previous work. Ordinary non-Steampunk tube audio amps of conventional appearance. I dug up a few decent pictures and loaded them on Flickr. Most of what I do never gets photographed. I hope this HTML works. We'll see.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ross-hershberger/2548216724/sizes/o/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ross-hershberger/2547392987/sizes/o/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ross-hershberger/2547410273/sizes/o/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ross-hershberger/2548233850/sizes/o/

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#35 posted by airship , June 3, 2008 7:07 AM

Never mind the steam-powered phonograph - how do I find myself a girlfriend who gets all excited about me tinkering with one all afternoon?

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#36 posted by ROSSINDETROIT , June 3, 2008 8:17 AM

@30:
it would make sense to get the pressure through steam rather than compressed air

For practical purposes, when displayed many small 'steam' devices are run with compressed air. Eliminates fire, smoke and... uh.. steam indoors.

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#37 posted by TheRedMax , June 3, 2008 11:49 AM

A Brief Internet search brings up this BBC page regarding Mr. Hudspith's Steam Powered Phonograph.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southampton/videonation/gramophone.shtml

Lovely!

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#38 posted by nihilarian , June 3, 2008 12:12 PM

mr. Hudspith wins all the prizes. for everything. even the things he has nothing to do with. he's the steamdaddy.

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#39 posted by Rickmccl , June 3, 2008 2:27 PM

>PS: Steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk, steampunk. Steampunk!

Uh, Yeah! You go, Girl!

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