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Steampunk Projects
29 August 2009 11:25 amAt Marcon earlier this year, I bought a pith helmet. Of course, having done so I was now somewhat obligated to build a proper outfit around it. I already have a nice pair of boots. I ordered a Sam Browne belt on which to hang various steampunky tools, gadgets and weapons. I needed a jacket.
What I would like to have is the British Infantry jacket from the late Victorian period. You've probably seen them in the movie "Zulu" but, the later period had them in khaki rather than red. Ordering a replica of one of those would run nearly $200. So, to not spend that much money, I ordered a more traditional safari jacket. It's a slightly darker color and I'll need to change out the buttons, but it is quite serviceable to my purposes.
But I don't like the collar.
Having the open collar means that I would need to wear a shirt and tie underneath it. Cons are hot enough without wearing two shirts. Besides, I like the high military collar as a matter of aesthetics. The problem is, how to do the conversion.
Thankfully, Gentleman's Emporium was kind enough to send me a cloth belt that I'm not going to wear. That will supply me with the material to reconstruct the collar. The official collar is actually fairly low. Mine will be higher. Not the actual tunic but this is steampunk, not reenactment.
The belts seems a bit high. It would be relatively easy to remove the lower pockets so that the belt could be lower but I wonder if the holes where the threads used to be would show. Otherwise, I'd have to mod the belt a bit so that it will sit higher. I cut the belt loops off of the jacket and, if I am careful, I think it will work. I'll have to ask Euphorbia about it since she knows more about sewing than I do and will probably doing the actual construction of the collar.
I've got other steampunk projects in the queue in preparation to traveling to Windy Con in Chicago in November. The first is a Howdah Pistol based on a modded toy shotgun. I cut the stock off and repainted it and it looked pretty good. The 10 inch barrel seemed a bit long so I've just cut that in half. It's something I should have done in the first place, before painting, but the hammered-finish paint I'm using for the barrel covers up flaws pretty well so that should work out. I'll need a holster for it.
I've replaced the LeMat pistol replica that was stolen and will need to have a holster for it as well. It's to big to just buy one without paying $45, and all the LeMat holsters online have flaps on them. I want to show it off and so need an open holster. They aren't too difficult to design but I don't have the materials. I do know someone who will loan me what I need. I'd be willing to pay him to make it for me.
I bought a 1900 bellows camera that I would like to mod by putting a digital camera inside. That way, I can be looking all steampunky while taking pictures at the con.
I want to make an off-hand generator for my Tesla Foil. My grandfather had an old space heater that would have been a good base into which to build a generator-looking machine but we threw that out when we moved because it was a deathtrap. I've been periodically hitting a local flea market looking for something appropriate. I'd like to start with something more period and mod it rather than trying to build something from scratch. That way, it doesn't look like I went to Home Depot for all my parts. Not very steampunky.
I want to redo my walking cane. I want it to have something that looks like a generator. I want something that looks like a steam engine. I want moving parts and flashing lights. I bought a broken toy train and now have the parts for the steam engine. I continue to look for other pieces.
Ultimately, I'd like to build a steampunk version of the Ghostbusters Proton Pack.
I still want to build a Victorian era space suit.
And a brain in a jar.
I won't have half of this done before WindyCon but I definitely want to have the jacket and holsters ready. The Tesla Foil generator is also possibly within my envelope. Maybe even the camera.
I have a little over two months.
 |
| Safari Jacket and British Infantry (Boer War) Tunic |
But I don't like the collar.
Having the open collar means that I would need to wear a shirt and tie underneath it. Cons are hot enough without wearing two shirts. Besides, I like the high military collar as a matter of aesthetics. The problem is, how to do the conversion.
Thankfully, Gentleman's Emporium was kind enough to send me a cloth belt that I'm not going to wear. That will supply me with the material to reconstruct the collar. The official collar is actually fairly low. Mine will be higher. Not the actual tunic but this is steampunk, not reenactment.
The belts seems a bit high. It would be relatively easy to remove the lower pockets so that the belt could be lower but I wonder if the holes where the threads used to be would show. Otherwise, I'd have to mod the belt a bit so that it will sit higher. I cut the belt loops off of the jacket and, if I am careful, I think it will work. I'll have to ask Euphorbia about it since she knows more about sewing than I do and will probably doing the actual construction of the collar.
I've got other steampunk projects in the queue in preparation to traveling to Windy Con in Chicago in November. The first is a Howdah Pistol based on a modded toy shotgun. I cut the stock off and repainted it and it looked pretty good. The 10 inch barrel seemed a bit long so I've just cut that in half. It's something I should have done in the first place, before painting, but the hammered-finish paint I'm using for the barrel covers up flaws pretty well so that should work out. I'll need a holster for it.
I've replaced the LeMat pistol replica that was stolen and will need to have a holster for it as well. It's to big to just buy one without paying $45, and all the LeMat holsters online have flaps on them. I want to show it off and so need an open holster. They aren't too difficult to design but I don't have the materials. I do know someone who will loan me what I need. I'd be willing to pay him to make it for me.
I bought a 1900 bellows camera that I would like to mod by putting a digital camera inside. That way, I can be looking all steampunky while taking pictures at the con.
I want to make an off-hand generator for my Tesla Foil. My grandfather had an old space heater that would have been a good base into which to build a generator-looking machine but we threw that out when we moved because it was a deathtrap. I've been periodically hitting a local flea market looking for something appropriate. I'd like to start with something more period and mod it rather than trying to build something from scratch. That way, it doesn't look like I went to Home Depot for all my parts. Not very steampunky.
I want to redo my walking cane. I want it to have something that looks like a generator. I want something that looks like a steam engine. I want moving parts and flashing lights. I bought a broken toy train and now have the parts for the steam engine. I continue to look for other pieces.
Ultimately, I'd like to build a steampunk version of the Ghostbusters Proton Pack.
I still want to build a Victorian era space suit.
And a brain in a jar.
I won't have half of this done before WindyCon but I definitely want to have the jacket and holsters ready. The Tesla Foil generator is also possibly within my envelope. Maybe even the camera.
I have a little over two months.
