M.W.Chase There was a pretty big turn out for the steampunk scene at Dragon*Con 2012. Most of the pictures I got (which turned out, anyway) were from the Dragon*Con parade, and it look like there were some really talented makers and builders of all kinds of steampunk costumes, devices, and even vehicles!
In addition to their amazing 10,000 Year Clock, the Long Now Foundation also has this most extraordinary orrery. 
From the site:
The Orrery is an eight-foot tall planetary display. It shows the relative position of the six human-eye visible planets (Mercury through Saturn). The lower six layers are a mechanical-binary calculation engine, each with a geneva output to a gear that rotates a corresponding planet… The Orrery is primarily made of monel (a nickel-copper alloy) and stainless steel. The planet spheres are ground from natural stones that resemble each planet they represent: the Sun is yellow Mexican calcite; Mercury is composed of meteorite; Venus is orange calcite; Earth is Chilean lapis; Mars is Jasper; Jupiter is banded sandstone; and Saturn is banded onyx.
That’s a beautiful piece of clockwork machinery.
For more information, check out their working prototype, or just browse the photos below:
There is also a rather nice video demonstrating both the orrery and the prototype of the 10,000 year clock:
This is a phenomenal piece of clockwork engineering: the 10,000 Year Clock, created by (or being created by) the Long Now Foundation.
From the site:
Designed by Danny Hillis, the Clock is designed to run for ten millennia with minimal maintenance and interruption. The Clock is powered by mechanical energy harvested from sunlight as well as the people that visit it. The primary materials used in the Clock are marine grade 316 stainless steel, titanium and dry running ceramic ball bearings. The entire mechanism will be installed in an underground facility in west Texas.
In 02011, The American Astronomy Society published a paper co-written by Danny Hillis that describes how the Clock reckons time over its 10,000-year design lifetime.
For more information, check out their working prototype, or just browse the photos below:
Here’s a great TedTalk on Babbage’s Analytical Engine. Although the video does not always pan over to the slides, the talk is nevertheless very informative on the general design and operation of the analytical engine. Fascinating stuff!
Well, here’s some weird and wacky war machines that never really were.
The Tumbleweed Tank:
Leave it to the British boffins conjure up this mother-of-all-wacky tanks. The Tumbleweed Tank would have been pretty awesome, if it wasn’t so obviously impractical. Oh well. That, and it could easily be defeated by a quick whack from a giant croquet mallet.
Just Glue Some Gears on it and call it Steampunk, yes? And if you believe that, old chap, I fear you are outrageously mistaken. Please observe the following musical recital to educate yourself on both what steampunk is, as well as what it most assuredly is not.
For the ultimate clockwork gizmo thingamajig watch, look no further than the Antikythera Mechanism watch!
It’s not actually available yet, but the Swiss watchmaker company, Hublot, plans to present it at the Baselworld Watch Show in 2012.
In the mean time, enjoy this video on the Antikythera Mechanism and the forthcoming watch:
To learn more, checkout the article at GizMag.com.
The oldest still-running steam-powered horseless carriage is now at auction for some $2 million (which translates to an astounding $85,000 in 1880’s US currency). Behold, the 1884 de Dion Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-a-Dos Steam Runabout!
The steam runabout participated in the world’s first automobile race, and although it won the race, it was in fact the only car in the race. Even so, it is alleged to have reached a top speed of 37 mph.
And here’s a video!
It’s to be auctioned on Friday, October 7, 2011, so start saving up now!
I know it’s the wrong season for this, but I just came upon this video of a fellow dressed like Ben Franklin playing “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” on a glass armonica. For those who do not know, the glass armonica is a musical instrument invented by old Bennie himself, which produces the most exquisite and haunting melodies. Watch the video and see for yourself.
I also quite enjoyed the comment of one YouTube poster which reads: “Benjamin Franklin not only invented the glass armonica, but he apparently also invented time travel and came to the 21st century to perform a 19th century song by Tchaikovsky.”
Fantastic!
I’ve been so busy lately, I’ve been forgetting to post neat, nifty, and otherwise various nefarious and noteworthy news to this site. Ah well–perhaps one day I will perfect my chrono-differential aetheric oscillator to regulate the flow of time more in my favor. In the meanwhile, I must sit by and lament the passing of the 2011 Steampunk World’s Fair, which I was not able to attend.
Nevertheless, for anyone who is interest, there are plenty of picture of the Steampunk World’s Fair to be found, and a pretty nice article covering the event at ConventionFanBlog.com. There’s even more pictures here (over 3000 of them).
So there you have it! Now, back to having no time around here.