The Contraption 2009

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 4:36 pm

ilmarinen wrote:See, I always think of Steampunk as a time that never was but should have been. So I don't think it's reasonable to limit it to set historic periods.

I agree. Sometimes I sort of hold it in my mind as an alternate future in a parallel universe that slowly diverged from our current one long about the late 1800's to the early 20th century.

True, but in the case of Steampunk I find that the term Victorian is often used as shorthand for the time period...

Yep... as in the old Victorian houses that still reside so well kept on the west coast. And yet, even though that definition spans boundaries, when referencing Steampunk it almost always conjures up images of turn of the century London or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, even in my mind. This may well be old news and only now dawning on me personally, but my thought was that I'm seeing a growing emergence of a odd American (maybe even North American?) facet of Steampunk.

I think its probably been coming on for some time (As Dusza Beben mentioned, Jim West and Artemis Gordon), but even that was sort of focus primarily on the American West.

Hmmmmâ€¦ Maybe the part that is currently most interesting to me is the recognizing of something that is reflecting some Midwest and Southern aspects into the mix.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 4:39 pm

Box Burner wrote:sounds like you are not that far away from putting a radiator on it. hehe.

Would you believe that the first engine I was gonna put on it had one? Look through the pictures in the 2.0 thread, probably 2/3 of the way through or so. Somewhere in there is a pic of it and you can see the radiator mounted above the engine.

There was something wrong with the carb on that one and I went with the Hercules instead. Glad I did too, since I like the look of it better.

Box Burner · Post by **Box Burner** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 5:42 pm

Oh yeah the engine you got has much more class.

By the way how did the finches make out?

Dusza Beben · Post by **Dusza Beben** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:40 pm

Box Burner wrote:Oh yeah the engine you got has much more class.

By the way how did the finches make out?

Ask the cat. Not Le Chat Noir, the other cat...

DB

Zulegoona · Post by **Zulegoona** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:22 pm

The one attractive aspect of British Steam punk is the flash and class of the costuming. America with its economic class system instead of the traditional British aristocracy has less to offer. The second sons of our aristocracy didn't distinguish itself in the military, unless it was on a path to the white house. We do have western wear with a little class but the styles have been absorbed and used in pop culture to the modern day.

The late eighteen hundreds American machinery has a lot of class, I've used a number of formally belt driven woodworking machines that had beautiful curves and lines and worked better than there modern counterparts.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:37 pm

Zulegoona wrote:The one attractive aspect of British Steam punk is the flash and class of the costuming. America with its economic class system instead of the traditional British aristocracy has less to offer. The second sons of our aristocracy didn't distinguish itself in the military, unless it was on a path to the white house. We do have western wear with a little class but the styles have been absorbed and used in pop culture to the modern day.

The late eighteen hundreds American machinery has a lot of class, I've used a number of formally belt driven woodworking machines that had beautiful curves and lines and worked better than there modern counterparts.

Now thereâ€™s an interesting observation. And I like the visual of working classerâ€™s in greasy duds cranking the handles of a machine with elegant curves.

I was thinking earlier tonight about how there used to be more soul in buildings, machines and day-to-day things that seems missing now. Though I do see it coming back in places and think its because people are craving it. The whole Steampunk thing may be a parallel development springing from something akin to that same sort of lacking.

By the way how did the finches make out?

I asked, but the cat in the yard ain't talkin' She did get back from getting "fixed" today though, so that could be why.

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:35 pm

I was thinking earlier tonight about how there used to be more soul in buildings, machines and day-to-day things that seems missing now. Though I do see it coming back in places and think its because people are craving it. The whole Steampunk thing may be a parallel development springing from something akin to that same sort of lacking.

I second that notion.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:16 pm

Dusza Beben wrote:
theCryptofishist wrote:Come on, "Victorian" is legitemately understood to be English. Was she ruling Germany? Nevada? India? Chi--wait, scrap the last two. Nineteenth Century is a possible work around.
True, but in the case of steampunk I find that the term Victorian is often used as shorthand for the time period not as a empire and scope defining
ultimatum for the genre. In fact it is very difficult to get two steampunks to agree on the timespan of steampunk, some stop at 1901 and others consider the end of WW1 to be the terminus. All of this is just platitude though as I find steampunk to be extremely open to individual interpretation. One persons steampunk is another persons "what in the hell is that?".

Boy, you sure take the joy out of being pissy and pedantic.

Of course, around San Francisco, they practice Anchor Steampunk.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:18 pm

LeChatNoir wrote:
Zulegoona wrote:The one attractive aspect of British Steam punk is the flash and class of the costuming. America with its economic class system instead of the traditional British aristocracy has less to offer. The second sons of our aristocracy didn't distinguish itself in the military, unless it was on a path to the white house. We do have western wear with a little class but the styles have been absorbed and used in pop culture to the modern day.

The late eighteen hundreds American machinery has a lot of class, I've used a number of formally belt driven woodworking machines that had beautiful curves and lines and worked better than there modern counterparts.

Now thereâ€™s an interesting observation. And I like the visual of working classerâ€™s in greasy duds cranking the handles of a machine with elegant curves.

So, how steampunk is Lang's Metropolis?

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:25 pm

Now there's a grand movie worth watching several times. I've got a pretty good version of it on DVD. The whole city is pretty fitting of the steam part, at least. Not sure how much punk there is in it, but the underground city is wonderfully gritty.

I'd like my Steampunk with a heaping side of Art Nouveau, please.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:26 pm

And I like my feline friends with a healthy dose of ecclecticism.

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 2:50 am

ilmarinen has this sexy pic of The Contraption.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:07 am

Nice photo.
An issue with cylinder heads is enough cavitation from boiling to insulate the hot spots.
My big V8 uses a high pressure water pump to deal with this.
Don't know if it would be good for this, but check out evans fluid.
Particularly good for diesels.

I remember large air cooled tanks that acted as radiators, some built into the side or front of a car.

Dusza Beben · Post by **Dusza Beben** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:10 am

theCryptofishist wrote:
Dusza Beben wrote:
theCryptofishist wrote:Come on, "Victorian" is legitemately understood to be English. Was she ruling Germany? Nevada? India? Chi--wait, scrap the last two. Nineteenth Century is a possible work around.
True, but in the case of steampunk I find that the term Victorian is often used as shorthand for the time period not as a empire and scope defining
ultimatum for the genre. In fact it is very difficult to get two steampunks to agree on the timespan of steampunk, some stop at 1901 and others consider the end of WW1 to be the terminus. All of this is just platitude though as I find steampunk to be extremely open to individual interpretation. One persons steampunk is another persons "what in the hell is that?".
Boy, you sure take the joy out of being pissy and pedantic.

Of course, around San Francisco, they practice Anchor Steampunk.

Stand back! I've got an opinion and I'm not afraid to use it!

DB

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:31 pm

Here is a game where you can make your own contraption. You gotta check this thing out.. too friggin cool.

http://fantasticcontraption.com/

karine · Post by **karine** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:19 am

Woah. If that ain't a bit disorienting....

MozyBonz · Post by **MozyBonz** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:14 pm

hey look it's one of those steam punk cars....

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:01 pm

Karine ran across one pic on the interweb (flickr maybe) somewhere that had the description under it of â€œAn old car that was on the playa, and it still ran!!â€

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:33 pm

That's hillarious.

But also important: It illustrates how different people's priorities and skill sets and thought patterns are in this world that we all must live in together.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:17 pm

The Taylor One-Wheeled Vehicle
How many of these are on the playa so far?

http://www.me.berkeley.edu/one_wheel_vehicle/
There's an article about it in the latest Hemmings.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:27 pm

That's an interestng concept. I'll look at it closer later tonight.

I think this one-wheeled vehicle, called a"Riot Wheel",has been to the playa at least once, though I've never seen it with my own eyes.

Here's a You tube video of it:

[youtube][/youtube]

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:28 pm

Yep... here's a video from the burn:

[youtube][/youtube]

karine · Post by **karine** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:19 pm

Wow. I am liking THAT!

Dusza Beben · Post by **Dusza Beben** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:17 am

Toolmaker wrote:Here is a game where you can make your own contraption. You gotta check this thing out.. too friggin cool.

http://fantasticcontraption.com/

That game is pure evil genius. Thanks Toolmaker, I spent two evenings addicted to it.

I will not buy the full version...
I will not buy the full version...
I will not buy the full version...

DB

Dusza Beben · Post by **Dusza Beben** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:32 am

LeChatNoir wrote:Yep... here's a video from the burn:

[youtube][/youtube]

From what I've read he is supposed to be building a "mark two" version that will be lighter overall. I guess the original kept overheating the centrifugal clutch. Hope he does it! That's one cool ride.

Just found it. (the site that is)

[/url]http://www.theriotwheel.com/Tech_RIOT2and3.html[url]

[/url]

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:15 am

unjonharley wrote:How about using engine heat to pre heat your water tank. Nothing go's bang like something hot hitting cold water..

Maybe a copper feed tube that runs from engine up "into" the feed tank. Make that a loop to form a syphon. The loop/loops would carry heat up from the engine to the feed tank.. Run the feed tube into the engines cooling reservoir then value submerged.. So the heat radiates through the water.

Sounds like a long way around. huh? It hurts when I try to think

I think that you'd have to run a loop from the back-up tank down and around the engine. If it boiled the steam would circulate the water in the holding tank and if it didn't no harm done. A second line down to refill the engine's water tank as needed.

Personally I like the finned tank cover idea. This seems like the best way to conduct heat away. The boiling speed may appear very fast because the boiling temperature is lower at high altitudes. (Possibly the energy required for the state change drops as well?)

The engine could well be running at higher than 212 degrees. It has a lot more mass than a paper cup and iron is a relatively poor conductor of heat. The parts in contact with the water may be around 212 but other parts could be hotter. I have an electric stove and the coils are well above the temperature of the pot of water sitting on top of them.

So, what's the plan LeChat?

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:05 pm

I was trying to form a plan so you didn't add cold water. Cold water go bang!!!

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:47 pm

I was thinking of some sort of loop as well. My first thought was, as unjon was saying, a simple loop down into the water tank and back up to the reservoir. But I think I might like the idea of a loop around the head of the engine or similar. Could be an interesting look and done fairly easily with soft copper tubing, providing there is a space big enough to allow it. The cam rod guides might make this hard, but I'll have to go look.

My thoughts for the reservoir itself are to make it out of a rolled tube of copper sheet, maybe 6-7" dia and 14" tall or so. Rivet it and band it with steel bands to mount to the pump tower just above the engine. The lower end could be formed to a hemi-sphere and all pipe fitting brazed in place. Then for the top some sort of closable lid with a clasp.

Any other ideas?

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:07 pm

Octogonal or hexagonal tank.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:28 pm

How about a "big" spoon sticking out of the cooler tank? I use one for my tea. Cools right down