Steampunk? In *my* pack? It's more likely than you think.

Equipment Proton Packs
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So my first build is about $40 away from being done (spectra and friends) and I’m getting the feeling that packs are like tattoos: Once you make one, you want to make another. But driving down the same road again is a little too stale. This is where the steampunk comes on.

I like the genre, a lot, I like seeing my favorite movie characters and props redone all steampunked out however, I noticed with a lot of steampunked packs they are lacking that certain authenticity and attention to detail that visitors of this board have come to acquire. It seems the makers of the SP packs are steampunkers first, proton pack enthusiasts second. That usually leads to a steampunk pack that has a cyclotron looking thing at the bottom, a bunch of boxy stuff at the top and a gun. Granted, they do look cool but we all look at them and think, “Where’s the PPD on this thing? How come there’s no Power Cell?”

So, what I’m aiming to do, in my build, is instead of making a steampunked pack, I’m going to make steampunk pack components and assemble them into a pack, giving each of our favorite pack players the attention they deserve: a steampunk N filter, a steam punk crank case, etc… You get the idea. I really want to make a genuine Steam Pack.

Since I’ve never made anything steampunk in my life and just admire it from afar, like I’m sure some of you do, I was hoping to share some ideas and resources and make this a little more interactive since the whole thing is open to creative interpretation. If you’ve ever had an idea you thought would be cool to do on a steampack, please, throw it out here!

I’ll be using the rough dimensions of Stefan’s plans, like I did on my Proton Pack. The only thing that will be 100% the same as a Proton Pack will (likely) be the ALICE frame and the motherboard; everything else will be damn close to original dimensions and I plan to preserve the essence of each piece.

I’ve spent a few days drawing up a very detailed outline/blue print/brain storm of each of the pack’s components and features (which will likely change but it’s a start). I’m going to put some work into it this weekend with my personal favorite part (Crank Generator).

So, my first question to the general gb public is; can anyone recommend a fairly inexpensive but robust site or web store for browsing and buying steam punk components (think: gauges, meters, bolts, gears, tubing, pipes, collars, valves etc…). Like I said, I haven’t dabbled in steampunk so this is probably my biggest hurdle; transitioning into that sub-cultural for the build.

I look forward to working on, and sharing, my experience building this thing.

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WOO!

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Honestly, I’m not sure you’ll find many steampunk supporters around these parts, and I personally think it’s done to death, especially with ghost hunting archetypes.

If you want decent parts to use, I’d scour eBay for antiques like clocks, and stuff off old boilers.

Other than that, I would scrounge junkyards.

4

If you are going Steampunk, it’s best you avoid two things.

Hot Glue

and Nerf Mavericks.

Trust me.

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Ya. Steampunk, from what I can see, has attracted a bunch of half-assers and dullards, as far as making something with some true inspiration. It doesn’t make me like the real thing any less though. I think a real Steam Pack will look the ■■■■■ and I want to see it done right.

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Also, I got a good lead on some clockwork components (small gears, keys and such) which will come in handy for some sections, particularly the thrower and the base of the booster. The stuff I’m looking for, mainly, is gauges, valves and “heavy” machinery coverings and actuators…think locomotive.

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Don’t forget the “heavy” part. It adds up fast.

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Good luck on your efforts, fellow New Englander. Your work is cut out for you.

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Wow, you guys weren’t kidding about the Nerf gun thing. I thought you were joking, or exaggerating. They actually have a bunch of tutorials on how to paint your Nerf gun. One of them consisted of applying copper colored paint; end tutorial. I also saw a hat for sale that basically had a bunch of watch gears sewn to it. Jesus.

It’s actually really hard to find some good 'how-to’s on making SP type stuff. Like, way harder than I thought it would be. I haven’t found a single one that I pulled good info out of. I was hoping to find some ideas on making quality faux rivets and faux metal gearbox casings and cast iron, stuff like that. Been searching for hours over the past few days and got nothing worthwhile. It’s mostly fashion garbage.

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sounds alot like steam punk.

urban dictionary defines it this way

so true. so true.

more original and satisfying protonpacks can come from styles other than steam punk. its a ridiculous fad that just doesnt seem to go away.

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The common steampunk aesthetic (gears, gears everywhere!) is meh. I find it a lot more interesting when it stays closer to a more genuine Neo-Victorian/Industrial Revolution aesthetic like in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea/League of Extraordinary Gentlemen/Wild Wild West.

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To be honest, that is more what I am aiming for. Now that I’ve done a lot of digging into the genre, I kinda regret tagging my Steam Pack ‘steampunk’. I’ll relabel is when I start the build, and wash the affiliation away.

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Uh, that is Steampunk. The gears-on-everything, paint-a-maverick-copper? That’s not. Most of us who actually give a damn about the genre despise the morons who think putting gears on something and painting it copper makes it Steampunk. Don’t even get me started on the nerf gun thing, either. :roll: Stick to the 20,000 Leagues/WWW/ LoEG kind of look and you’ll be fine, because that is actual Steampunk.

For advice on gearboxes/rivets/etc, have you tried Brassgoggles? They have an entire how-to section and a very devoted group of people making all kinds of non-■■■■■■ steamy weapons, some of which are actually functional. If anyone can help, it’ll be the folks there. I believe someone also had a listing of sources for hardware like gauges. I wish I could help, but when I built my Steampunk pack I got lucky, and an engineer friend of my mum’s gave me a bag full of gauges and parts that were going to be thrown away, so I didn’t have to go looking. I can tell you that other parts, like any good quality brass or copper parts are probably not going to be cheap, uless you get lucky and find a discount source or salvaged bits.

Believe me, I share the sentiment of not wanting to be associated with the idiots who think that gears alone make Steampunk. I really, really do, and the ■■■■■■■ who think that sticking a feather and a handful of watch parts on a hat make an ‘Awesome Steampunk Accessory!!!11one!1’ make me want to punch them in the reproductive organs. Why not still call your pack Steampunk and ignore the idiot craft/fantards? It certainly will be if you go the route you’re planning, and we need all the props that aren’t craft-painted nerf guns we can get.

I see your point on the Steampunk pack, but there is one thing to think about: you’re talking Victorian-era tech vs modern tech. The modern pack was invented after we had access to nuclear energy and other 20th century tech; a Steampunk pack would have come about in a time where things were/are mostly steam-powered, maybe with some of the same things we have being powered in the same way, but for the most part, steam-based tech would have evolved differently. That’s why the packs can diverge so much in design, I think. You can’t really have something that looks exactly like a modern pack, with the same modern components that function in exactly the same way because then you’re just dressing up a modern pack with steamy trappings. You can take some of the modern elements, I think, but figure out a semi-plausible way for them to exist within steamy technology. Of course, I’m one of those people whose Steampunk packs looks literally nothing like a modern pack save for having a hose/gun attachment (which is essentially a steam rifle with a boxy body that the hose plugs into), so you can of course tell me to ■■■■ off if you like. I just realy like seeing mashups of Steampunk with different fandoms I’m in and I think that there’s always room for more decently-done Steampunk Ghostbusters, so I figured I’d throw out an idea here.