How Steampunk Weapons Are Born

OK I really wanted to wait to write about this little gem until I had finished it, but I'm just getting to excited about it.

I've taken up a bit of a new hobby. My wife (The Paisley) and I belong to a local group called the Seattle Steamrats. We are steampunkers. We have been doing this since last year and have met some really great folks of all kinds of talent.

You will get a chance to meet a few as I start to interview them in the coming few months.

Back the topic at hand. Weapons. Steampunk weapons to be more precise.

Last year I had to replace the engine in the Paisley's Subaru. After replacement the old engine has sat in a wooden cocoon in my father in law's garage for the past 10 months. Well a few months ago I finally got over there and started pulling the heads off the block and the old flywheel and other items that I thought I would be able to part out and recoup some of the money that the new-to-me-used engine cost.

No such luck. After a month of advertising I hadn't sold anything from the old EJ25 sitting there and taking up space.

An idea struck me as I was staring at it wonder how to unload these parts or make them useful..........Steampunk weapons!! YES!!!  

We met a gentleman in the SSR that spends his time scouring the thrift store and yard sales and other low cost and freebie sites for old lamps and candle sticks and other bits and uses them to make steampunk weapons. Pretty ingenious really. He makes some really great looking items.

If you peep my profile photo, the weapon I'm posing with is a creation that my friend made to give you some idea of his style.

This had me thinking that I could do the same, but with engine parts. This was just too perfect since my father in law has not cleaned out his garage in the 20+ years I have known my wife. He has lots of engine bits hanging about waiting for me to make strange and utterly bizarre weaponry from them.

So to shortly follow this entry I will be unveiling my first weapon from the new creative outlet of my twisted little mind.

I have to get on the ball and finish this one up. Steamcon II is coming this fall and the Paisley needs some small dainty lady like weapons from my workshop.