SteamPunk Lamp

Paul B · May 31, 2017

I am building another steampunk fish and another lamp. (at the same time).

Right now just gathering materials. I am having trouble finding good drill bits. I have dozens from when I worked and they were all great US bits which I can't get any longer. Now I can get cheap. garbage, useless, worthless, bits from China which are good if you want to drill a hole in butter. I just used three of them to drill a very tiny pinhole in a bolt but I couldn't do it. My old bits are to worn now to do the job and I can't sharpen needle size bits so I am on a quest for a good US drill bit. I know they are still out there.

erk · May 31, 2017

You may be able to find some good bits off of McMaster-Carr. Just have to make sure they explicitly state the bits are made in the US. Still, it's going to be difficult. US tool makers are becoming harder to find and the ones around are expensive.

So are you going to add a small DC motor to your next fish to get some movement? You could rig it up with some steampunk style gears and cams so the mouth and fins all move. Hide the motor and put all the gears and linkages in view.

Paul B · May 31, 2017

I found US bits and will order some. I just can't stand Home Depot tools as they are all junk. They are good for a homeowner who wants to drill a hole in sheetrock or Brie cheese but if you need to make a hole in a real piece of steel, you are wasting your time.

I was in a hobby shop today looking for an actuator to make the next fish have some movement
I didn't yet find exactly what I am looking for, but I am still looking.
I found cheap plastic stuff but I don't want that.

erk · May 31, 2017

I agree about the big box stores. All of the smaller bits I buy from them usually snap. The larger bits lose their edge too quickly. Please share the link with the company you went with. I'd like to get a good set of bits.

For the gears, look out for an old clock. Grandfather, mantel, or maybe cuckoo clock. They should have gears and if the movement is small enough, maybe you can incorporate the clock into your fish and use the winding mechanism to power the fish movement.

Paul B · May 31, 2017

I am going to order from here. They have American bits, but not all of them so I pick and choose American only.

http://buydrillbits.com/

Bob Bennett · Jun 3, 2017

Paul B said:
I found US bits and will order some. I just can't stand Home Depot tools as they are all junk. They are good for a homeowner who wants to drill a hole in sheetrock or Brie cheese but if you need to make a hole in a real piece of steel, you are wasting your time.

I was in a hobby shop today looking for an actuator to make the next fish have some movement
I didn't yet find exactly what I am looking for, but I am still looking.
I found cheap plastic stuff but I don't want that.

Walgreen's has better selection of drill bits than Home Depot, like they are forcing us to order online, luckily Ace Hardware is close!

Paul B · Jun 3, 2017

Ace hardware, Lowes and Home Depot only sell inferior, Chinese drill bits. I can't, and won't use those as I need real bits that I can actually drill into something, not a cheap reproduction of a drill bit. I have a bunch of Chinese bits and they are OK to use once or twice but the metal is cheap and even though they are very cheap, you can't use them for anything besides a simple home owners project.
I still have some real bits from many years ago but even those don't last forever.
Here in New York I have 3 Ace Hardwares, 5 Home Depots and 2 Lowes with in five miles from my house. Every time a big store goes out of business they put up a Home Depot. Like how many Home Depot's do I need?
Hardware is easy to find, good hardware is very difficult to fine.
I was just searching on Amazon for American Sneakers and I always buy New Balance so I searched for them. I have to go to their store which is also near here because I can't find American New Balance sneakers on line.

Bob Bennett · Jun 3, 2017

Paul B said:
Ace hardware, Lowes and Home Depot only sell inferior, Chinese drill bits. I can't, and won't use those as I need real bits that I can actually drill into something, not a cheap reproduction of a drill bit. I have a bunch of Chinese bits and they are OK to use once or twice but the metal is cheap and even though they are very cheap, you can't use them for anything besides a simple home owners project.
I still have some real bits from many years ago but even those don't last forever.
Here in New York I have 3 Ace Hardwares, 5 Home Depots and 2 Lowes with in five miles from my house. Every time a big store goes out of business they put up a Home Depot. Like how many Home Depot's do I need?
Hardware is easy to find, good hardware is very difficult to fine.
I was just searching on Amazon for American Sneakers and I always buy New Balance so I searched for them. I have to go to their store which is also near here because I can't find American New Balance sneakers on line.

Love those American New Balance sneakers too. Still looking for real drill bits though, Ace had many more than home depot, have begun a aquarium build that will require about 3000 rivets into 1/8" aluminium , did a sample build, new hood over my tank, took 3 bits to do 90 rivets, new build will have a " offspring of a freaky night between a airstream trailer and a grumman canoe " look. Love you projects, fish is very cool.

Paul B · Jun 4, 2017

Thank You. I am working on a new Steam Punk Fish and a new lamp.
Bits should last a very long time drilling aluminum as long as you don't over heat them.
Love those Grumman Canoe's

Billdogg · Jun 10, 2017

Paul - what you have created is amazing. Like several others have said, I'm now in big trouble because you have put the proverbial bug in my ear and now I am just itching to get it out.

I needed another hobby.......

Paul B · Jun 10, 2017

The new fish I made, I think it totally awesome and blows the other one away. I will take a picture of it after it is wired and completed. I ordered another copper float but I am not sure what type of fish I want to build. I hope some idea hits me soon. I am obsessed not and I can't stop, it is a disease but I really need to do some maintenance on my tank soon or all my fish will swim like steampunk fish

tcarter1936 · Jun 11, 2017

At least it won't get ich with all that copper hehehe[emoji23]

Paul B · Jun 11, 2017

That's what I am thinking

Paul B · Jun 23, 2017

How is the new one coming along? It is 3/4s finished. I still need to finish wiring it, install the "nuclear Reactor and the base.

Here it is next to the finished one.

Katrina71 · Jun 23, 2017

Ever make a steam punk lava lamp?

Paul B · Jun 23, 2017

No, but this one has bubbles. I was originally going to make it a lava lamp and it would be very easy to convert is as all I would have to do would be to empty much of the water and use some colored oil. The lamp on the bottom is an LED bulb so it wouldn't make enough heat and I would have to change that to a regular bulb.
I am designing another lamp with bubbles but it will be totally different than these. I built some of it but the steampunk fish and my boat are taking up all my time.

Paul B · Jun 26, 2017

New SteamPunk "light thing" angler fish is completed.

Now I need to know which one people feel is nicer so I can keep it, the other one will be sold at the art show.

I can't decide.

I am designing a porcupine fish but am still having some difficulties with the design.

Chasmodes · Jun 27, 2017

They're both awesome. If you are keeping one, then I'd say keep the one that you like the most and sell the other one. That way, the buyer will be happy and so will you.

Paul B · Jun 27, 2017

I am leaning toward the first one with the spines. But I do like them both.
Today I ordered another copper float and some stuff that I think I can make spines out of for a porcupine fish. But I don't think I will electrify it. I think it will just be an art piece. I will see how it comes out. It may just end up to be scrap metal.