Steampunk and its growing following

[Sir William Marcus]

[groomporter]

Inspired by a discussion of 19th century spiritualism and Steampunk fiction, I came up with my own pseudo-science explanation of spirit communications. ;-)

The MacGregor Theory
Spirits are weak and immaterial and incapable of communicating directly with living, they are however able to send communications that can ride on existing electromagnetic signals. (A modern comparison was a proposal of distributing high speed internet traffic through the existing electrical distribution grid. With the proper modems the plan was to piggy-back the data signal through the electric power lines. I don't know why it didn't take off sounded like a great idea)

With the increasing presence of electrical technology during the late 19th century there is a growing number paths for these communications to follow and sensitive people are able to sense and interpret these piggybacked signals. But the signals are intermittent and frequently filled with the equivalent of static, so only the best mediums can reliably get messages through, but even their abilities can be inconsistent when there is competing background EM radiation in the local environment.

The task now is to build an device that can detect when these signals are riding the EM waves as well as amplify and interpret/translate them into a message that is readable to those who are otherwise not sensitives. I'm visualizing an antenna of some sort attached to a vacuum tube-filled box. The early prototypes would be attached to a Morse code clicker and later improved models with a ticker-tape output so there is an automatic, permanent copy of the original communication.

[Sir William Marcus]

[DeadBishop]

Here's a couple more of my arsenal that I've been working on.  Of course, gotta have the obligatory Nerf Maverick.

Cheap+cool+easy to mod= awesome!

Before and after pics of the Maverick...







Also some other random nerf knockoff...wasn't sure I liked it until I actually finished the makeover.  Looks fantastic now!

[Taffy Saltwater]

Mavericks rock!  Great job, DB!

[groomporter]

I got a nice compliment at CONvergence on one of the Nerf mods I did. I replaced the barrel with a flashing light stick I found cheap at Walgreens and rewired it to work off of the trigger. I also added a couple of empty CO2 cartridges in the holes underneath that originally stored the spare "darts", and a silver colored finial thingie to the back of it to replace the plastic rod that cocked it.

Before:



Here's a little video of it turned on before I added a couple copper tubes running from the CO2 cartridges to the butt of it.

There's usually a selection of other lights at Walgreens for as cheap as a dollar or two that could be used for adding to other things. Like little LED reading lights that can clip on to things. Like these:

http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00WGzEmPQCuaUeM/Led-Clip-Book-Reading-Light-With-Flexible-Cord.jpg

http://www.lighting-b2b.com/b2b/pics/LED_Clip_Book_light_TL401_5.jpg

[Grov]

Damn you DB!!!  Matched my color scheme almost exactly, haha.  I originally didn't want to go for the Mavericks but after seeing them I had to admit, they are just too good to pass up.  The revolving cylinder makes it for me.  Think I'll pass on the weathering (dry brushing) and just lay in some highlights.  Already have some lightie things, just haven't had time to figure the best rigging for them.  I want to be able to replace the batteries so fashioning a battery door is stalling me.  That and a bad lack of time.

[DeadBishop]

Damn you DB!!!  Matched my color scheme almost exactly, haha. 

Not hard when the best SP weapons are brass, copper, and silver.    I'm sure there are a lot of similar Mavericks out there.

I wasn't originally going to get them either, but can't beat the price on these.  Picked them up for $8 a piece. 

[Grov]

Wait, you said silver?  Thought that was glare..but I should have known better from a master photographer like yourself.  I'm hammered copper, gold and brushed metallic black before highlights.  That's different enough for me.

[groomporter]

I used the silver spray paint that dries to have kind of a hammered finish. It helped camaflauge the places where I had trouble sanding off the word "Nerf"

[DeadBishop]

I used the silver spray paint that dries to have kind of a hammered finish. It helped camaflauge the places where I had trouble sanding off the word "Nerf"

Yes. I found the hammered finished paints to have a more realistic look to them versus the outright metallics.

[captmarga]

I used the silver spray paint that dries to have kind of a hammered finish. It helped camaflauge the places where I had trouble sanding off the word "Nerf"

A quick trick from someone who sands and paints 1/12 scale resin figurines.  Get the DAP lightweight Fill and Finish.  Powdery white, in a tub.  It's just wet enough to smooth into a divot.  You can then lightly sand with a fine sandpaper.  Most times, you can sand it completely flush, and never know there was a divot, or logo, etc.   It's cheap, keeps well if you properly reseal the tub, and Wal-Mart carries it.

Capt. Marga

[Grov]

Oh yea, I also removed all insignia and raised lettering.  Couple different grits of sandpaper and the hammered copper covered them all.

[DeadBishop]

Oh yea, I also removed all insignia and raised lettering.  Couple different grits of sandpaper and the hammered copper covered them all.

Yeah, I forgot to do that on the first model.  I look at it as just a test.  I have #2 all in pieces in the garage at the moment that have had all that sanded off as well.  My dremel made quick work of all that. 

I'm actually going to take it one step further and add "battle damage" to one of my Mavericks.  Make it look like it's been through a few battles and such.

[Grov]

Oh yea, I also removed all insignia and raised lettering.  Couple different grits of sandpaper and the hammered copper covered them all.

I'm actually going to take it one step further and add "battle damage" to one of my Mavericks.  Make it look like it's been through a few battles and such.

Good idea.  A couple dings show use.