1. Investigation 2
1.1. Why Steampunk? 2
1.2. Examples and Annotations 4
1.2.1. Example 1 4
1.2.2. Example 2 5
1.2.3. Example 3 6
1.2.4. Example 4 7
1.2.5. Example 5 8
1.3. Gear Assembly Designs 9
1. Investigation
1.1. Why Steampunk?
For my laser cut clock, I would like to construct a mechanism with a steampunk theme. Figure 1 shows the colours most commonly associated with steampunk. I would like to use this theme because it is the theme for this year’s FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) which I participate in with my team 4537 as shown in Figure 2. I believe that a steampunk themed clock will be appropriate for my living room as the curtains in my home are very like the gold/bronze colours depicted below. …show more content…
The inside of the clock shows multiple, differently styled gears connected. I believe this certainly adds to the gears/cogs and contraptions sections of my criteria. However, the example lacks a strong copper and rustic colour which does not help with its aesthetics. To improve, an airship could be added to the second or minute hand and a top hat cut out could be added to the top of the device to further explore the steampunk theme. This is a rather simple but effective design. One concerning factor about this example is that it appears to be quite thin. I would prefer a chunkier clock with multiple layers. The example is clearly made predominantly using laser cutting …show more content…
This addition of layers improves the structural integrity of the clock, making it seem less fragile when comparing it to the previous designs. This clock has the gears/cogs, copper colour, contraptions, and fuel element criterion. The assembly of gears, either visible or partly hidden, make the clock aesthetically pleasing. The arrangement of the gears and cogs can be interpreted as a solar system as they are positioned in a way that remind me of orbiting planets. Additionally, the gears are a range of colours, adding to the contrast within the design. This design could be improved by adding an airship (or space shuttle) to the end of the second or minute hand as well as colouring the plastic used copper or gold. A top hat cut out could be added to the top of the clock frame. This example has some parts manufactured using laser cutting