Steampunk My Mini

[Caseymini]

I got to the party a bit late! See what happen when my attention is elsewhere. I am back for Deb's Steampunk convention now. I have a lot of Steampunk on my blog. There is the Clockwork Cottage(unfinished)and the Clockwork Trailer(finished). Then if you scroll down the labels list there are several different Steampunk sections.

I ordered the Brimble's Mercantile kit at the April Fool sale. It is going to be a Steampunk Emporium... Yes, Sometimes I am a Mini Steampunker and proud of it!

Deb, may I join your club?

[Selkie]

I also love Automatons..I have drawn up a design for a automaton display.. let see what one I get to first *lol*

The first time I saw the Automatons of Jaquet Droz I was totally creeped out. The way the eyes keep moving really gave me the shivers.

[chesterfieldzoo]

I know a clock repairman. I should give him a call and ask for some junk clock works. I have been thinking about this all day.

[Jane S]

The first time I saw the Automatons of Jaquet Droz I was totally creeped out. The way the eyes keep moving really gave me the shivers.

The silver swan was the first one I ever saw when I was a child, still in love with it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOXqCuqDOiI

[pin1056]

oooo Steampunk! yes I've done a bit of it its so much fun

My latest creation is ....The Steam O'Lantern....still not finished but you know how it is once the creative mojo leaves a project lol

[pin1056]

geeze sorry about the size of that pic hahahahhaa

oops and this...I need to research how to make em smaller on this new system :/

[Stacey6163]

That is awesome Linda !

I am really excited about this build , whichever house I don't steampunk will be a witches house.

[Stacey6163]

The scrapbook section at JoAnn's has packages of assorted gears in large and small, twelve to a pack. Had to get a couple of those.

[moonberry]

Can the Mods please Pin this post so that we can find it more easily in future (I'm thinking long-term here).

Brae, oo-la-la! You are super talented. And I just LOVE your long hair (mine is just as long, but nearly black). Just think of the mischief we could get up to in matching steampunk outfits hehehehehehe. I've been meaning to alter an outfit for Dubai Comicon, but every year April jumps out at me and I still haven't done anything.

I found 3 brass/glass portholes a while back, so I'm starting to collect bits and pieces to incorporate somehow. I've always loved gears and I have 5 SUPER large 20 inch or more gear wall ornaments. Maybe I can incorporate them into a house shape somehow? I'll try and dig them out to take a picture (so keep an eye on the gallery over the next few days).

My Harrison is on the way, so I'm thinking of doing crazy Alice in Wonderland theme along with some steampunk for the Mad Hatter.

I wonder how I could incorporate some brass porthole windows in there? Any suggestions?

While we're on the subject, I have some copper sheets I bought years ago. Cutting is easy (they are thin), but how do I join them together if I cover wood blocks with the sheets? They are perfect for ageing naturally - you just touch it and the fingerprint starts oxidizing!

I also bought a load of wooden wedges (to put in place next to an axehead when it starts coming loose from the handle) and they are bound to end up in some interesting creations.

Ooooo - and I can alter my plastic horse & carriage that I found at the toy shop - the horse is too plasticky to be natural, maybe I can make it a steampunk robotic horse!!!!! (See my gallery "Various Miniatures").

[Caseymini]

Lene, did you know that you can age copper with amonia and salt. It's a bit hard to control, so you have to watch it. I haven't tried it yet, but I have plans for a couple of machines that I want to use it on. http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/easy-patina-finishes-for-copper-and-brass/ The whole site is interesting for metalworking techniques. Have fun!

I'm back. This is the one that makes the aqua color. I think that this is the one I am going to try. I feel more comfortable with vinegar and salt. Besides, this one makes that aqua patina that I like on copper.

http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/vinegar-and-salt-patina/

[minigrandma10]

Oh, and, I did Steampunk myself:

http://www.otterine.com/blog/blog3.php/steampunk-holiday-part-8

Very cool!

[minigrandma10]

This is my steampunk dome;

[moonberry]

This is the one that makes the aqua color. I think that this is the one I am going to try. I feel more comfortable with vinegar and salt. Besides, this one makes that aqua patina that I like on copper.

http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/vinegar-and-salt-patina/

Casey, thank you for the links! I like the aqua colour too. How do you join two sheets of copper together? Do you glue it? Hammer little nails in it? I'm not sure how to do it, but I have sheeting and I have blank wooden blocks that would make awesome foundation structures for some steampunk-machinery.

[otterine]

Thanks, Stacey, Lene and Gail!

Maybe I'll get to this style in mini someday but for now I live vicariously through the forum! Great stuff!

[Caseymini]

Lene, in the past, I have done a lot of cylindrical objects with copper sheeting. I do the connecting by turning one side back on itself to the outside then I wrap it around to we're it meets and turn that side under. Both of the turndowns are about 1/8" or less. The two sides hook together for the full length of the tube, which is essentially what you are making. If you wanted to make the same thing with corners, you would simply crease the corners to fit what tou are covering and make the same kind of "hook folds" that would be made on the round one. It could be at one corner or in the middle of one side. That would probably would be easier.

I invested 8.00 in a roll of chrome waterproofing tape this morning,at Walmart. I was looking at some jewelry making on the net and someone was making that look like old metal. I had to run right out and get some to try. I will mess with it and let you see what I come up with on the blog. It was really interesting. If it works, it would be a lot easier than sheet metal.

[moonberry]

Hmmm.... chrome waterproofing tape - now that sounds interesting indeed!

:idea: I just hopped on over to Amazon to see if they have it in copper and I found some copper adhesive tape. It gets very pricey for wider rolls, but 55 yards will last a long time! I like the copper look, and if I'm going to be steampunking a large building, I might need to invest in enough to cover a large area.

I have some of the normal aluminum adhesive tape, I wonder how the chrome tape differs from that.

You do certainly find some interesting things to share.

Looking forward to seeing progress on your blog!

[Caseymini]

I am looking forward to just starting on the emporium, but so far the Brimble's hasn't been shipped... It is coming directly from the manufacturer... Greenleaf... I want my Brimble's! I have to finish Daisy's cottage fast!

[Stacey6163]

I love your blog Casey, so many fantastic projects !! I'll be looking for some of the tape you mentioned my next trip out. I am anxious for my kits to arrive also, can't wait for them to get here and open the boxes and let the ideas start. I have a couple of clocks I gutted for room boxes so now I have a use for all the innards, yay steampunk!!

[Caseymini]

Lene, my tape doesn't say anything about aluminum or chrome on the label. I called it chrome because it I very shiny. What I'm going to try with it, should dull it down a bit and make it look old.

[Selkie]

Hmmm.... chrome waterproofing tape - now that sounds interesting indeed! I just hopped on over to Amazon to see if they have it in copper and I found some copper adhesive tape. I have some of the normal aluminum adhesive tape, I wonder how the chrome tape differs from that.

Lene, my tape doesn't say anything about aluminum or chrome on the label. I called it chrome because it I very shiny. What I'm going to try with it, should dull it down a bit and make it look old.

This might be similar to what Casey was using. It's the kind I use. It's shiny but holds under water. I've used in on the kiddy pool and it works great.

[Caseymini]

I played with the tape. I think that it has all kinds of possibilities in the mini world. Especially for Steampunk. I will put the results on the blog tomorrow.

Lene I have some of the copper tape in narrow and use I quite a bit. I never thought to look for wider. I bought the roll I have at least twenty years ago, when I was doing stained glass. It is still good. How wide did you find? The silver stuff that I am playing with is 1 7/8".

[morgansmith]

Deb, I must say, your topic and enthusiasm have got me thinking quite hard about a few different steampunk mini's. I must keep quiet because I am hoping for a fling and if so, steampunk is a top choice Also, I'd like an excuse to use my fascination with 1:144, or fairies, mice...it's fun how we can play out a wide variety of real life interests in miniature.

I love the big clocks used in steampunk and hot air balloons.

[Dalesq]

I used copper tape on the roofs of both Smokey's Place (SF 2013) and the Big Tennyson. I just buy the snail guard at the hardware store.

[Dalesq]

Deb, in answer to your question, yes I'm thinking of a half scale Rosedale and a half scale Buttercup (two different builds) done in steampunk.

[Caseymini]

Debora, how wide is it? And is it always copper? I have never heard of it before. We don't have a snail problem here in the desert.