When I grow up, I want to be a Mad Scientist

Blue Lobster-Octopus thing.....

As I try to get ready for the next big sci-fi Expo, with one eye on getting ready for xmas too, panic is setting in that I'm not making enough. So as I work later, the music is getting louder and faster! Amongst this I'm playing alot of 'Rob Zombie' and many of the songs have lots of sound dubs from old horror films, all of which takes me back to when I was young, and was allowed to stay up on Friday or Saturday nights to watch horror films - of which I thought at the time the Hammer horrors were the best!

This also reminded me of the great school playground debate of  'what do you want to be when you grow up?' I thought I wanted to be a scientist, but part of me knew that still wasn't quite right.

Different angle of 'Blue Thing'

Modern scientists wear white coats, work in big bright clean laboratories, and work in big teams on complex little bits of science written up in learned publications no-one can understand. I couldn't quite put my finger on it at the time, but I knew that wasn't the type of scientist that I wanted to be. I wanted to be more like my hero's at the time; Peter Cushing or one of the 50's black and white scientists dashing around in the dead of night. I wanted to be the sort of scientist that works in a tweed waistcoat and cravat, whose laboratory is a dark dusty basement of a castle, whose colleague is called 'Igor' and helps dig up supplies from the graveyard next door, and communicates discoveries by wildly shouting 'It's alive! It's aliiiiivvvee!!!!' Yes, I wanted to be a mad scientist.

Body parts or the blue lobster before being grafted onto the body



seroastrumare duotripodes, which means 'two legged star-seaweed' all mounted up ready to go to the Expo

Of course most people don't then grow up to be firemen, policemen etc, and certainly not to be a mad Victorian scientist, and so I went and did more (mostly) sensible things. I guess this is what drew me originally to the SteamPunk genre, but it's only now that I am starting to really fulfil my childhood ambitions of creating insane creatures.



A new Red Star Spiral
 

 I do indeed have frock coat, cravat, waistcoat etc, but tend not to wear them whilst working as they are rather hot to work in! However if I was in a draughty farmhouse, castle, lighthouse, windmill etc, then it might well be worth me taking that up as work attire. Of course, what I really lack right now, is an abandoned castle/lighthouse/farmhouse/windmill to continue my experiments creating life from glass, re-creating creatures that may have swum alien seas or ancient Martian canals.

Queue mad laughter.... a sneak preview of some new limbs I have made for an even larger, even madder creation...
 

So, if you have a property that matches this description, ideally in Suffolk or North Essex, and it's at a very, very, very low rent, then I'd be delighted to hear from you! Of course if it's not too close to any villages with pitchfork totting locals who could rally into a lynch mob that would be even better.....

Isolated lighthouse at Orford Ness, an ideal location?

Back to Blog!

You may have wondered where I've been (or maybe not!) Between having problems logging into blogger and all the craziness of the Xmas season of making enough glass for the stall I've barely been on line for ages.

I really don't know where the last few months have gone, the workshop is in more than a mess than usual. I didn't expect December to be quite so crazy, which I am more than grateful for as I expect January to a quiet and lean month. I normally get through one 6kg gas bottle in a month, I got through two and the remains of a third in one month!

However I am taking the time to give myself a little rest, and catch up on some neglected projects. One of this is a Steampunk radio project, of which I finally got around to putting together. (If you check back through the blog there is mentions of the brass plate and the long valve over a year ago!)

It's pretty much done, expect for the internal lights which will shine up through holes underneath the valves to make them glow. I'll make a video when I get that done, as I also have some circuitry that will make the lights flash and pulse.

I wanted to make as many of the parts myself, and not just 'spray it brass and stick cogs all over it' - Steampunk should be so much more than that! That's probably a rant for another time, but I did use just three parts from watches. Two are the brass end caps on the horizontal red/green valve, I think they are the cases from watch springs. The third one is the tiny silver cap on the blue/green valve which is actually a winding knob. Apart from the switches, which will work the circuits, I made everything else.

The wood case is actually scraps of skirting board, the brass plate was in the off-cuts at my local model making shop, which I added a fancy paint effect to. All the little brass & copper rivets I made from tubing offcuts - bead makers will know the Impress bead liner, which usually adds silver cores to charm bracelet beads, and makes rather fun custom shapes for the valves! Add in a few bits of copper wire, lacquer, and two sturdy brass chandelier couplers, and it's nearly done!

I must admit it's not exactly how I'd orginally planned it, some bits I didn't use at the last moment, and added ones I didn't expect to, but I'm quite pleased with how it's come out. I already have another one in mind, which is going to take a bit more research, and will be mostly clear glass, and hopefully quite a size!

New Work Space

Excuse the lack of blog update for the past few weeks, but
I've been moving! No, not house, but workshop.

I hadn't realised how little space I've been working in,
until I wanted to find somewhere for the new kiln, and find somewhere to spread
out the parts for some Steampunk sculptures. Until now the only spare space has
been the top of the kiln, not really an ideal workspace! It was actually on
suggestion from "the other 'alf" who felt that as I was working in
there 24/7 it only made sense I took over the spare bedroom/study which was
being used more for storage than any work! She also rather fancied this smaller
room as her office too. A quick advert in the local paper and the sofa bed was
gone, and then the grand move around could begin.

It's still work in progress, I've spread out a bit but I
still realise there isn't quite as much room as I thought, but I have managed
to put in a massive 6x3ft table to work on, in addition to the lampworking
bench! My old room is finally getting a makeover and decorate, and is already
filling up with books that until now have been spread around the house.

I've been able to drag out some old bits of treasured
electronic 'tat' too, including my Denko 1946/7 shortwave valve radio. It's an
amazing radio, I snapped it up years ago for £5.10 when I was still at college;
it really should have cost a lot more, however I got it in an auction and the
guy I was bidding against seemed to have got distracted and didn't realise he'd
been outbid by 10p! I remember listening to radio Australia
in the mornings between 8 and 9.30am
before the signal faded as the sun interference increased and the signal faded
out.

One thing I haven't set up yet is a photographic corner, so
still no new listings yet, but I've been working like mad so it shouldn't be
too long before I can start refilling my Etsy shop. I have been playing with
the new kiln, and have managed to try out a few kiln casts.

Its quite exciting
and nerve racking to do, I feel like I've got lots to learn, but have managed
to make a few nice casts already. I will hopefully add a new dimension and
styles of glass to add to what I already make, there will be much more about
this to come!

Micro SteamPunk Adventures

One of my latest experiments has been adventures into micro-steampunk. Now, I don't know if such a thing exists, but it makes sense that it should! I've even seen film of nano technology where they made a simple cog and wheel that moved, it seems everything starts with cogs!

Doubtless you've been previously battered by one of my rants about 'sticking cogs on stuff and calling things Steampunk' and I tend to avoid using cogs just for the sake of it. However for some ideas I've been mulling over for the past year or two they suit it perfectly. And yes, there will be glass involved too.

I can't use glue for what I have in mind, so engineering wise it makes sense for me to screw parts together. Problem is there doesn't seem to be many tiny teeny nuts in your average watch or grab bag of steampunk watch components. So, as I always figure, if you can't buy it, make it!

First step is to making tiny thread, for which I needed a tap and die set to make matching micro-nuts and bolts. I thought the £20 I paid was rather pricey, for a faily unimpressive plate of steel and pack of taps, until I looked at 'proper' ones from watchmakers catalogues. A professional set a mere £395!!!!!!! I've given them a quick go, and they work rather well on soft brass, but a little stiff on stainless steel. I even managed to make a tiny thread using one of the larger cutters on an old thin mandrel! So far I've made a very good threaded hole and bar thats only 0.7mm!

I also figured a small watch lathe would help when boring micro holes neatly and squarely into the ends of brass rod to make nuts. (I am looking at sizes between 0.9 - 0.4mm) I had an old baby wood lathe, which although ok, didn't have a second chuck to hold work.

A quick scrounge around I found an old hand drill which had rusted solid, but the chuck was still good.

It took alot more to get free than I expected, but finally got it out, including cutting it out of the nice cast iron frame, which was a shame.

I was originally going to leave the bevelled gear on it, but it didn't mount very well. A look overhead and I found an ideal bit of old curtain pole (knew I kept that for a reason) which made an adequate stock holder.

Although I drilled the stock with the mini drill to make sure it's level, (that wood was harder than expected, it even started to smoke!)

the set up isn't ideal. I've given it a test drill, it needs refining such as a turned thread instead to ease the work into the drill, also I need to stiffen everything up as the mini drill isn't steady and can easliy be knocked off centre. However, it is a start!

The top quick pictures are of my first micro-thread; I used the plain end of a piece of threaded rod from an old watch. The thread is about 0.7mm to 0.74mm, so quite small, but I am looking at making it even smaller. That hole in the brass bar really is threaded, with a nice shiny penny for scale!

Decorative brass effects & Steampunk Radio sculpture revisited

A few months ago I posted a picture of a brass plate I was working on, which then got put back on the back-burner once again. Pulling it out a few weeks ago when I had five minutes spare I realised I'd made a daft mistake. I'd forgotten to put a sealing layer over the initial brass before putting on the decorative paint coat. The masking I'd used to make the pattern had left some glue and grot, when I tried removing it it had only made things worse. Doubtless some people would say it adds character, but I know it's there and shouldn't be!

It's taken me a while to decide to start a fresh, hopefully learning from my mistakes along the way - but then isn't that what arts and crafts is about? Here is a picture of the new bright and shiny brass plate.

To make this brushed brass finish is actually quite easy and takes no time at all. If you pop down to Maplin's or an electronics stockist you can buy a rubberised polishing block which is normally used for degreasing and cleaning the copper on PCB's (printed circuit boards for the non-technical) prior to etching them or soldering components onto them. Their part number is HX04E http://www.maplin.co.uk/polishing-block-2109 if you want one too! It works really well on many soft metals such as copper and brass, and lasts for years if looked after, although mine looks a little grubby from the dirt I took off this apparently clean brass sheet!

To get a good finish it's just a matter of polishing in one direction, then the other, and back again a few times until you get the finish you like. Just make sure you keep it flat against the brass as you do, and go in nice long and even strokes.

It's no good for really deep scratches, but will certainly buff up most boring bit of brass and copper. To help hold it use some double sided sticky take to fix to a bit of scrap card; saves those finger marks on the edge! (Neat trick I got from an instrument maker!) Brush off the remaining dust with a soft cloth, and lacquer or spray varnish to protect that finish.

If you are feeling really fancy, after you've got a nice finish with the brushing marks going one way, using just the corner of the block make some figure of eights over the surface to produce a unique decorative look. If you don't like how it looks, just polish again to remove it!

I'll try and post some more pictures as this comes along, and also explain what I'm going to do with the bag of cogs and this odd little (and surprisingly expensive) little metal gadget too.

The Plague!

My plans to get stuck into lots of projects over the Xmas break really didn't go to plan. Just before Xmas we were wiped out with the flu/cold bug that was going around this year, and still haven't really got over them even now. It did rather put a damper on the festivities too, as we didn't go anywhere but alternated between lying on the sofa or bed! We got in a few treats to nibble on, but a lot of the nice rich food has gone to waste as chicken soup was about as much as we could manage. Unfortunately it seemed to go to my chest, and next trip to the bottle bank won't see me taking lots of post new-years champagne and beer bottles but cough mixture bottles!!!

This has put a delay on working on the shaver handles and big-holed silver cored beads that I wanted to have ready in the new year. I did manage to get this little bit done on my Steampunk radio project before I got too wiped out. The paint effect on the brass plate has been drying for about two weeks, and needed a little bit of touching up where I took the masking away, but it's looking quite good. I originally was going to have it flat, but couldn't remember how I did that so went for this stippled texture which I think makes it stand out a bit more. There is green and blue in there to give a slight peacock iridescent effect.

The box will need a few more coats and rubdowns to get it right. I am using ruby shellac varnish, which I mix up myself. It needs gently rubbing in with a cloth, followed by rubbing back, then re-applying. The more layers I can add the better to give that feeling of age and depth. I need to leave the plate at least another week now for the touch ups to dry, so it'll give me time to keep adding layers before I start assembling it. I am not sure I am yet up to sitting over a hot torch with large lump of hot glass to make shaver handles so I think the next job will be the silver cored beads. I've got some test beads made, so now I need to anneal then core them, then hopefully I might be up to getting back to glass!

Merry Xmas and a Steamy New Year!

Over the next few weeks I am hoping to work on a few neglected projects, that's as long as I don't eat too much! Apart from working on some more shaving brushes, I want to finally get around to a little Steampunk sculpture/gadget I've had in mind for over 6 months now. I've got some of the glass for it made, but it was only a few weeks ago I managed to put together the main wooden carcass. I am sitting around indoors awaiting the Post Office to (hopefully) deliver several overdue parcels, so have brought a few bits in from the shed to work on them (all the glass melting equipment being too noisy for me to hear any knocks at the door!)

It's really not looking very impressive yet, the next job is to put a decorative finish on the brass plate using a technique I came across by accident a few years ago. Its an oil based finish, so might take a couple of weeks to dry, plus I am not sure I can remember exactly how I did it originally, so it might be a few weeks before I have more of this project to show. If it comes out well, then I might build a bigger and more complex one. In the back of my mind I sort of know what it is, but explaining might take some doing, so you'll have to wait to see how it progresses.

Although I'll be around over the Xmas and New Year break I might not be on line as much, so let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me over the past year with helpful comments, ideas, inspiration, and by buying from me! Do have a happy Xmas and great New Year!

Real-life SteamPunk For Dangerous Ladies

I can't think of anything more Steampunk than these! They are beautifully made antiques, with plush boxes, and one even has decorative motifs cut into the side. They are wearable, and gadgets with a real use even though not a very nice one!

I am not sure who would want to wear a revolver as a ring, but seeing the recent fashion for Steampunk's wearing all manor of pistols and ray-guns I am sure this will inspire someone to create a non-lethal version! Many thanks to Alain of www.littlegun.be for his kind permission for sharing his pictures of these wonderful antique with you.

Yes, they are real revolvers! The first one was made in London in 1870, and the box says it all! Mind you, can you see many blokes loading those fiddly but -oh-so-cute!!!! little bullets?! I am not sure if the recoil would do more damage to the wearer rather than the victim, but then would you cross anyone who wore a loaded gun on her finger? They do say the female is more deadlier than the male, and here we have proof of that! This first one even has seven shots rather than six!!!

Alain has pictures of two others, one is called 'Le Petit Protector,' and another more decorative one is unnamed. He has loads more curios on his site too if you want more crazy Victorian gun inspiration - even a miniature canon that fires at midday by being triggered from a lens on a sundial!!

And The Answer is.....

Thank you to everyone who had a go at guessing what strange glass items I was making last week. The answer was..... Dog Whistles!

Set just above the range of human hearing but they can be heard by dogs (and cats, but they are above being summoned by a whistle!) these whistles can be used as a training aid. The metal is gold plated, giving it that bright brass look without having to polish! At the other end is a link which can be attached to a keyring, bag, belt, or hung around the neck on a cord. I have made a hollow borosilicate glass centre with lots of colour to make it more eye-catching.

I imaged them straightaway as being an ideal addition to a Steampunk utility belt or purse. As Steampunks are likely to get into many scrapes and adventures, I can see this being quite useful; whether it's crash landing an airship in the Artic and needing to get the attention of a passing huskies train, or distracting werewolves in the back streets of London, I am sure this will do the job while adding a touch of extra style to any outfit!

SteamPunk Saturday & Competiton

It feels like ages since I've been at the torch, what with so many events and things going on. One thing I've been wanting to do is make more Steampunk inspired stuff, but I seem to be easily distracted by pretty shiny new glass and techniques to try out.

I'm trying to make a conscious effort not to do 'sticking cogs on stuff.' I'm not saying there is anything wrong with 'sticking cogs on stuff,' but the genre is more than cogs. I guess it's part of the genre becoming more known, and thus more commercial, and cogs and gears are quite iconic. There is a whole other host of motifs that have yet to be explored. Also, making cogs out of glass is difficult. I know, I've tried.

One very common yet now seldom seen Edwardian design was faux marbling. You still see it on old books, and was done by floating oil based inks on water, making pretty swirls in it, then passing the paper under the water then up to 'stick' the colour on. Faking marble with paint on decor is even older, I have a copy of a 1600's book on how Paper Mache and wood was made to look like tortoiseshell and marble.
When I started making the razors (some exciting news about them coming very soon!) the first comment my 'other half' said was the effect reminded her of a tortoiseshell. Since those early ones the handles became more colourful, and now they remind me more of these old marbling effects. The name 'Steampunk Tortoiseshell' seemed to have stuck though!

I am also too practical for my own good, and even when I try to make Steampunk stuff often they don't get finished unless they 'do something!' This weekend I've been marrying up my 'Steampunk Tortoiseshell' glass with some brass parts (no cogs!) to produce something that does something, and is also wearable. Whether that 'something' is useful is another thing altogether! I'll announce what it is in a few days time when I start listing 'it' in my Etsy shop. However if you'd like to leave a comment with a guess the first one to get it right I'll send a free handmade marble to! No limit to the amount of guesses, and as an extra clue this device is unisex, and can easily be held in one hand. I can't wait to see your guesses!