There’s just something about steampunk art that makes me want to stare. Though I can give you plenty of reasons for the appeal of Victorian literature, steampunk is one of those things that I like but I can’t explain why. All I can say is, “That’s cool!”
Writer Nick Harkaway, commenting on the appeal of steampunk art, put it well when he wrote:
“The reason Steampunk attracts people is that it is premised on a technology which is visible and pleasing to the naked eye, and whose moving parts are comprehensible on a human scale. To unpack that: steam technology is blunt-force industrial, superficially uncomplex, intuitive technology. Nothing in its operation is mysterious. Expanding steam pushes pistons, power is delivered by mechanical driveshafts. Every aspect of it is open to anyone with even a very basic knowledge of physics, or just a curious mind, because the logic of its function is visible.
The sophisticated technologies with which we live now – cellular phones, laptops, even radio and television – require an understanding or at least an acceptance of objects we can never apprehend directly in any way.”
To put it another way, Steampunk combines the best aspects of art and utility into something bigger than both (Artility? I think I just coined a new word…).
Regardless of the emotions involved, maker joefe has produced a pretty cool little bauble. 3D printed Steampunk Cube Gears is a modification of joefe’s Amazing Gyroscopic Cube Gears. According to the designer,
“All eight of the corners and even the center piece have been steampunked. For the large gears, I wanted to add another level, so I modified them to print as two captured parts where the middle is tied to the cube center while the outside moves. This allowed me to add some interesting aspects.”
The parts print as separate, monochrome pieces so some assembly and painting is required. Joefe says,
“I felt that it wouldn’t have the full effect without being painted to fit the style, so I went to the store and got an assortment of metallic acrylic paints and a fine point paint brush.”
Plans for Steampunk Cube Gears can be downloaded from Thingiverse.com and printed on your personal printer. Alternatively you can take advantage of All3DPs new 3D printing and price comparison service 3dp.click.
License: The text of "3D printed Steampunk cube gears" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.