For the last couple of weeks, I'm been working on a steampunk ghostbuster's backpack unit. That build is nearly complete; all I need to add are a few finishing touches, some antiquing, and of course the straps that will (hopefully) keep the back on my back.
But the pack is only half the device. There's a hand-held 'thrower' unit that attaches to the pack via a thick cable. The thrower emits the stream of luminescent rarefied aether which allows our intrepid steampunk hero to capture pesky specters.
My thrower comes with a built-in surprise, which I hope will lend a bit of theater to the Con's opening ceremony.
Below are the parts which went into the thrower:
As you can see, there's nothing extravagant here. Mostly, it's sturdy high-pressure (schedule 40) PVC pipe and a few fittings. The gray thing with the red handle is a 2 inch ball valve. The gauge is a working 0 to 100 PSI air pressure gauge. The other metal item is a simple air fill valve.
After drilling and threading holes for the valve and the gauge, I used PVC solvent to build the rest. Then I painted it copper and added a few touches of texture here and there. The thrower isn't quite finished, but you get the idea.
What's the surprise, you ask?
It's a surprise. Some of you have probably already figured it out. If not, I'm saving it for the MidSouthCon 33 opening ceremony.
Here's the pack and the thrower, shown together from various angles:
This thing is going to be beautiful once the final finish is applied. Beautiful and heavy -- I think the pack alone weighs around 35 pounds.
I also picked out a hat, and it's on its way here. I choose a John Bull top hat, shown below:
Hey, you can't be a proper steampunk gentleman without an excellent hat. Going about hatless just isn't done, old chap.
All the Turns of Light -- Airships! Sea Monsters! Magic gone mad! And coffee, lots of coffee...
The Five Faces -- A murderer taunts his victims with drawing depicting the date and manner of their gruesome deaths. The killer hasn't been wrong yet -- and now Markhat's drawing has arrived. Can any man, even Markhat, escape Fate?
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The Darker Carnival -- Out in April, so be watching for it!
But the pack is only half the device. There's a hand-held 'thrower' unit that attaches to the pack via a thick cable. The thrower emits the stream of luminescent rarefied aether which allows our intrepid steampunk hero to capture pesky specters.
My thrower comes with a built-in surprise, which I hope will lend a bit of theater to the Con's opening ceremony.
Below are the parts which went into the thrower:
As you can see, there's nothing extravagant here. Mostly, it's sturdy high-pressure (schedule 40) PVC pipe and a few fittings. The gray thing with the red handle is a 2 inch ball valve. The gauge is a working 0 to 100 PSI air pressure gauge. The other metal item is a simple air fill valve.
After drilling and threading holes for the valve and the gauge, I used PVC solvent to build the rest. Then I painted it copper and added a few touches of texture here and there. The thrower isn't quite finished, but you get the idea.
What's the surprise, you ask?
It's a surprise. Some of you have probably already figured it out. If not, I'm saving it for the MidSouthCon 33 opening ceremony.
Here's the pack and the thrower, shown together from various angles:
This thing is going to be beautiful once the final finish is applied. Beautiful and heavy -- I think the pack alone weighs around 35 pounds.
I also picked out a hat, and it's on its way here. I choose a John Bull top hat, shown below:
Hey, you can't be a proper steampunk gentleman without an excellent hat. Going about hatless just isn't done, old chap.
Hey Look I Still Have Books to Sell!
Wherein Our Hero plugs a few of his titles, because 2 inch ball valves and elegant top hats aren't cheap.All the Turns of Light -- Airships! Sea Monsters! Magic gone mad! And coffee, lots of coffee...
The Five Faces -- A murderer taunts his victims with drawing depicting the date and manner of their gruesome deaths. The killer hasn't been wrong yet -- and now Markhat's drawing has arrived. Can any man, even Markhat, escape Fate?
