My newest project

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"A Specific Device for the Examination of Discrete Particles of Animated Matter"

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This started with an idea in my mad mind to create an over the top microscope type thingy that you could put an iPod or similar video player inside. It is a piece I want to create and exhibit, so I am carefully trying out different configurations of parts to get the right look before I commit.

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Today I took two wooden bases and joined them together, added three brass feet and then played with my collection of brass lamp parts to see how it all screws together.

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The lens assembly is next - I think I need to build that seperately to get the lens positions right, and then look at how it might fit to the holder I made today.

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Final part of this piece will be the addition of the iPod or similar device with some sort of old school grainy flickering animation of single cell organisms doing something out of the ordinary (like the can-can or something, I dunno!).

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Well I call it art!

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Why be a Mad Uncle...

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...If you don't make mad things for your nephews and nieces.

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David and James like to play 'rocket ships' (bless 'em) and pretend to have controls on their bunk beds. So my brother Warren asked if Maduncle Cliff could make them rocket controls for Christmas this year.

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A quick trip to the local electronics store supplimented by a poke through my collection of gauges produced this lot of goodies for the construction of two control units.

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I decided a left handed and a right handed unit were in order, lucky for me David is left handed and Peter is right handed!

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The quality of my wiring and soldering skills were once more put to the test, and lucky for me my attempts worked and I have been able to produce two control units with switches to operate exciting red, yellow and blue LED's. The lead and plugs are just for show and to encourage the boys to play together by connecting their control units together.

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Quite a fun little project, and most satisfying in that I made presents for my family rather than just bought them.

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Workshop workings two

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My old workbench has returned to me. I made this in 2004 and then needed to re-house it at dad's place due to a lack of space when I moved into town. Of course - with the new workshop space in Bundoora I was keen to get it back and add a leg vice and some blacksmith tool holders to one end of it.

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So with the bench in place, the leg vice fitted, the rod cutter bolted down and a bin full of coke, it was time to take a heat on some stock and bash it about.

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I am making a tool holder for the anvil stump, so I have somewhere to hang stuff when I travel with the forge and anvil to demonstrations. Funny how you set up a workshop to make stuff and you spend your time making stuff for the workshop!

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Weapon of mass distraction

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Well - actually I call her Bertha (following on from Desdemona and Lucrecia).

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But it is certainly a rather distracting piece.

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A work in progress, probably my slowest build ever. I think I started this one last year. So far Bertha is four foot long - and I have more to add yet.

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In other news - today I forged a few leaves and a couple of other bits up at Arthurs Creek as part of the open gardens scheme. Not satisifed with the forge exposure of the morning, I came home and fired up my portable forge and tried (and failed) at forge welding, so I then went on to start the tool holder for my anvil stump. Best part of that job was firing up the 60 year old bench drill to countersink a few holes in some steel - it is one smooth old drill press!

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Exhibition News

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Things are hotting up in the Antipodes...

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Inspired by the success of Art Donovan's expertly executed Steampunk exhibition in Oxford, I am now gathering sufficient local momentum to attempt an exhibition in Melbourne. I can see opportunities arising with the Arts festivals held in September and October each year, I think a Steampunk art exhibition would fit well with either the Melbourne International Arts Festival or the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

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Challenges abound (venue, funding, insurance, promotion, curation, etc, etc) but I know that there is a vast talent pool of Antipodean Steampunk Adventurers ready to pit their resources and make a Melbourne exhibition a reality.

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Meanwhile - here is a picture of my goggles in Oxford, courtesy of Art Donovan's Steampunk @ Oxford blogsite.

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Workshop workings one

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Good evening viewers,

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Today I spent some quality time with my tools. I am still establishing my new workshop here in Mount Cooper, but things are progressing at a rapid rate of knots. I have installed the wall benches, the mandatory pegboard for tools, and roughed in the powerpoints for extra power (more power - I need more power Igor!!!) The photo below is the workshop so far...

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The stack of timber file drawers will be coming inside into my study once I have a base to put them on. The old green bench drill wearing my workshop fedora on a rather rakish angle is my latest purchase, a 1920's champion brand bench drill, all cast iron and pulley wheels. The blacksmithing gear is off to the left, but the forge is out of shot.

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Yet to come is my old woodwork bench I built some years ago and is currently residing in dads shed. Luckily he wants the space back so I get my old bench back. Finally, some extra lighting (lights! I need more lights igor) and I am up and running.

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Then wait and see what comes out of the new Mount Cooper workshop of the maduncle.

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Mwyahahaha

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Last summer - this summer

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I am not going to go on about this other than to say -
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I was there.
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It was hell.
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I will continue to do what I can to keep our Victorian communities safe over summer in my role with Country Fire Authority.
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Please go to the link below and watch the advertisement.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSPTOWv2yTE

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