Chrononaut Mercantile
Steampunk Design Competition October 20, 2010 09:56
An Exhibition of Innovation, Invention and Gadgetry, Opens October 22nd
Steampuffin’s 1st Annual Steampunk Form & Function Design Competition brings together outstanding Steampunk design innovations, details the design process and promotes the role of the Steampunk designer/craftsman. Along with recycled items, all Steampunk design solutions are primarily built using authentic Victorian (1850s to early 1900s) objects, salvage items, clothing and antiques that incorporate modern technology and have specific functions for modern day, practical uses.
Heather and Jeff will be at the opening reception on October 22, 2010, from 5 pm to 11 pm at The Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation. Admission to the reception is free and light refreshments will be served. Required reservations may be made by calling 781 893 5410 or by emailing info@crmi.org.
One of the items on display will be a beaded ipod made by Heather using 24k gold plated glass beads and antique french cut brass beads.
About the making of steampunk guns January 9, 2010 10:21 1 Comment
Interview with Mr. Artimis Lebeau McPhearson about the making of steampunk guns.
I wait for my muse to speak to me, often it is in places like Toys-R-Us or while surfing E-bay looking at replica fire-arms. Once I see something I think can be used to start as a modification I buy it and bring it to my underground workshop (basement), and start to draw up plans, have a cup of coffee, maybe a sandwich.
Usually I will start to place pieces of PVC pipe and use that as a base start of how the gun will look. Once I have a solid idea of what I want, it becomes a game of "find the missing pieces" which usually involves several trips to the local Goodwills, Salvation armies and consignment shops, as well as back to Toys-R-Us, Walmart, Target, Dicks Sporting Goods, Sports Authority and Taco Bell.
Once most pieces have been found, the original gun will be taken apart. I then decide if the gun worked in some way (airsoft, nerf) if it will remain working or be made static. The gun will then be cleaned, lightly sanded and primed. Once dry the pieces are separated into piles of various color paints to be used on them and the paint job continues, as do trips to various aforementioned places... Burger King might be added to the list. I also clear coat the painted pieces as a final step.
Any parts to be added will also go through the take apart, clean, sanded, primed and painted routine. Once all the painting has been done, then comes the building, or the "how the H$ll will I get all of this stuff to look like I want it to" process. I get creative in ways of how to make parts fit together, using things in ways that they were never meant to be used.
Once the final assembly is completed - all parts are put together, added on, stuck together, combined as required - I touch up any areas of paint that need it, clear coat the final product, and pictures are taken for my own records of what it is I just built, how I built it, and possibly why I built it. At this time I am finally free to come back to the surface world (i.e. out of my basement workshop) and rejoin the human race.
Artimis Lebeau McPhearson
Next interview - War Hammers
Fun with steampunk guns. January 2, 2010 15:13
We had a delightful day of photography today with a gathering of friends who passed the afternoon executing one another, engaging in firefights, and murdering each other in a variety of ways.
These modded steampunk guns will be up on the Chrononaut Mercantile site in the next couple of days. Don't forget to join the mailing list to stay up to date on all our weapons of destruction!
Trash or treasure? December 21, 2009 17:47
Giving color to the story behind our creations requires a love of strange objects, mostly gleaned from flea markets, Goodwill stores, or from the attics and basements of family and friends. I keep my eyes open for strange and fantastic objects, especially if they cost less than $2.99. Sometimes you encounter things you love, and sometimes you find things that haunt your sleep - like the lamp base made with 4 furry taxidermied feet of an unknown animal. I still might have to give that one as a gift to some lucky friend.
Muahahaha December 17, 2009 11:56
Perhaps you have been asking yourself where we get our inspiration?
With treasures like this at hand, it is hard to keep up with all the mad ideas that are constantly flowing back and forth. (Just ask Jeff).
Flea Market Adventures December 15, 2009 14:04
There is little we enjoy more than digging through piles of really old stuff, talking to the picturesque vendors (and believe me, you haven't experienced picturesque until you try backwoods Maine), and generally making trouble among the flintlock pistols and farm implements.
Our latest installation of trouble-making brought us these old tintype photos:
A tintype (or melainotype or ferrotype) is a photograph made creating a direct positive on a sheet of iron metal that is blackened by painting or enameling.
These ladies are especially lovely. (I am going to look like them when I grow up). We found these courtesy of Gerry Maxim, whose booth can be found on Saturdays and Sundays at Fort Andross, a beautifully restored textile mill on the Androscoggin River in Brunswick Maine. Look for new Neo-Victorian, pseudo-Piratical and faux-Fae inspirations as we interpret all of our new loot.
Hammer Shield November 11, 2009 16:12
We remain in love with these artfully modded nerf-guns made by our friend Mike at Hammer & Shield. Hopefully they (and other weapons of destruction) will be appearing soon at Chrononaut Mercantile. We can think of some people who really need some high-powered accessories.
