Allow me to introduce you to Doctor Phineas Waldolf Steel.  On the surface, Doctor Steel appears to be a humble mad scientist bent on world domination.  However, upon scratching that surface, what lies underneath reveals his true genius.  Though sufficiently and somewhat clinically described in Wikipedia and other media sources, the only way to truly understand Doctor Steel is to let him speak for himself, and you really should listen to him.

I’m in…  However, despite my clear and obvious motivations, I would like to continue discussing what makes Doctor Steel such an interesting individual.

No matter how fun your next SteamPunk event is, chances are you’re going to be doing a lot of standing.  Daniel Valdez has the right idea.  He can sit down, pour himself drinks, and move about freely.  He’s not just wearing his technology, he’s making it work for him.

The Steampunk Professor Xavier Wheelchair by Daniel Valdez was made from a Victorian rocker from 1875, a Permobil C300 powered wheelchair, some pistons from a steelworks, an Arduino-based audio kit, and a drinks dispenser. You know, for the vodka and cranberry juice.

Via: Geekologie

Not to mention it’s a beautiful and creative piece of work.  Seriously, I want one.

Just when I had finished my therapy dealing with the unreasonable fear that mechanical men would someday destroy mankind…

A sinister and evil villainess of a scientist goes and creates this.  The Complete Mechanical Womb, disguised as SteamPunk art by the “artist” Porkshanks, clearly illustrates a failed prototype.  Just another experimental step in this woman’s diabolical plan to usurp human rule on Earth, and replace it with her own twisted vision of a perfect dystopia.

I approve…  🙂  I’d rather serve the Queen of the Damned (bite me Anne Rice, you traitorous bitch) under the rule of a benevolent leader such as El Presidente Porkshanks, than live another day under the current United States administration.  And with that statement, I will now end up on the Terror Watch list, and my boarding passes shall forever read “SSSS”.

Finally, a good SteamPunk jewelry store (and I have been looking).  Check out Velvet Mechanism, they’ve got corsets, goggles, bracelets, cuff links, earrings, hair stuff, necklaces, pins, medals, rings, and a few other things.  It’s all very reasonably priced.

The SteamCon II SteamPunk Convention is scheduled for November 19th – 21st, 2010.  They’ve just announced a new website (much of it still under development), which is very nicely done.

The 1st SteamCon was a huge success.  I had sent Omega7Red’s own infamous Captain Jamison Dao of the HRMAS Prometheus to the SteamCon event.  However, he failed to report back.  Apparently, he was killed in a duel, most violently.  (hit the more to read on)

Usually, I look at most SteamPunk jewelry, and I think “Meh…”  There’s some pretty creative stuff out there, but usually not something you would wear to work.  However, this ring is fairly well done, and worthy of attention.

It’s also functional.  You can create your own nervous habit of spinning the counter-rotating rings on your finger.  Or, if you’re like me, you can give them “the finger” with style.

 The Gear Ring from Kinekt has functional gears in the middle that allow the bezel to rotate. And that’s pretty much it. No lasers or anything. They’re available in US sizes 9-12 for $165, and may need to be oiled from time to time. Not unlike the Tin Man! Who, fun fact: is not a robot. Don’t get me wrong, I’d still crush his ass on my face like an empty beer can, he just isn’t a robot. No laughing, Lion, you’re next.

Via Geekologie

Most impressive…  Steve Wozniak, Apple’s co-founder, and an impressive engineer has made himself a functional and practical Nixie-tube watch.  I don’t know why I have such a hard-on for Nixie’s, but it’s certainly more impressive than the steampunk toilet that came across my desk recently.  Seriously, some of you steampunkers have too much in common with pot-heads; instead of trying to make a bong out of everything, you try to make everything into a vacuum tube, like this Model 420 Pneumatiform Infumationizer.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak shows us that a nixie tube watch is probably a better idea in theory than it is in practice. It’s so bulky. Sure looks like a lot of trouble he has to go through just to change the time zone. Never mind that, if they could just make these things a whole lot smaller, we’d really be lusting after one.

via: DVICE

BTW, pot-heads suck.  Read my Official Position on 420.

Now, this is cool, no matter who you are.  A self-propelled Victorian house.  This is an HDRI photo of the Neverwas Haul.  And it’s not just pretty, it’s actually functional.  It even sports a pseudo-periscope called a “Camera Obscura”.  I only wish that there were more photos of the interior; as well as a generous amount of scantily-clad Victorian prostitutes and Whiskey.

Neverwas Haul, a self-propelled 3-story Victorian House, made from 75% recycled equipment and materials, returns with new interiors, operating system, and collections from its travels around the world (i.e., oddities of the Jules Verne era including a Camera Obscura, described below). The Haul measures 24 feet long by 24 feet high and 12 feet wide and is built on the base of a 5 th wheel travel trailer.

A cooperative effort of a number of artists, photographers and lens makers, the Camera Obscura is installed in the turret of the Haul. With the support of a trained technician, the public sees many a spectacular view. A camera obscura is a series of lenses creating an image that is projected onto a concave screen table (sketch included below) [not on this site]. The size of the unit is approximately 12 feet tall by 3 feet wide and is made from hand-made glass lenses, recycled brass fittings and antique ironwork.

Check out the Site for full details: neverwashaul.com

I ran across this recently, but I can’t tell if it’s real. It looks like a really good 3D rendering. Plus, the surface mount components on the PCB kind of ruin the valve tech feel.  Now, take this case and make it a “ship in a bottle”, that would be awesome.  Anyways, it’s interesting but not as cool as the Nixie Clock with GPS Accuracy that I recently posted.

BTW, I encourage you to subscribe to the RSS feed so that you can know when there are new posts.  If you don’t know how to use RSS feeds, figure it out; it’s the only way to keep up with your favorite blogs.  Sorry I’ve been out for a while. I had to move from California back to Arizona. California can fall off into the ocean, and I hope it does and takes Florida with it.

Oh, man.  Super nice models of the Nautilus (Disney version) from the Nautilus Drydocks (go there for more pictures).  I’m looking at the 66-inch model, and there’s exceptional attention to detail.  You could almost shoot with this as the hero model.  Even the wheelhouse is fully detailed.

They even have additional options to convert it to a Radio Controlled sub that can go into the water.  But you’ll never catch me putting such a toy into the drink.  Knowing my luck, somebody with a model HMS Warrior would come along and sink my sub.