The Elysian Fields

There was a post a few days ago on one of the steampunkity forums, with some pictures showing an aisle of gears.

I instantly thought of the big carbon fibre gear - I think it's 20 inches in diameter on the outside - that my dad was going to make into a clock.

I thought of how I have it sealed to a basin, with the intent of making it into a fountain. That project was set aside when we moved and hasn't been picked up yet.

I thought of how I once came across an exposed-gear clock with an antiqued look that would actually go quite nice with the gear, thus fulfilling my father's intent.

I did not think of how I didn't remember that, if I could waterproof the clock power, it would make for an awfully intetesting centerpiece for the fountain, and would certainly fit in better than the computer-related one I was working on. I did think of that now, as I typed this, so I figured I'd mention it anyway.

I thought of the various steampunk guitars I've seen - beautiful, but generally decoration on an existing guitar body.

I thought of my "white" P540, stripped of paint, currently covered in Art Adams work from a New Mutants Annual. I never could figure out what to use to seal the comic - high quality paper as it was - so it could be used. In a spot that would be covered by other materials, Peter @ Unique Strings tried some traditional material he used in refinishing, but the paper absorbed way too much and darkened beyond recognition, so I didn't go that route. So the guitar sits in pieces, in boxes in the garage and basement.

I thought of removing Art's beautiful art, and doing something steampunkity with what's left. Yeah, I could finally get that guitar up and running...

I remembered the neck, in all its scalloped beauty, is still in MA, and although I'd dearly like it back, I don't expect to ever see it again.

So I'd have to create a neck.

Carbon fibre gear.

Neck.

Whimsy: googled on gears and carbon fibre. Found carbon rods.

Rods? Pistons...

Carbon fibre just might be strong enough...

Steam pistons. Steam train. So much redesign to the body, the body isn't even used anymore.

Building from scratch, almost. Have the pickups and some of the other hardware, should I choose not to build it...

Thus, the results, which I posted yesterday.

I have to look at some of the physics - mostly for the neck, to make sure it can withstand the tension on the strings - and then I'll be looking into parts to see if I can cobble it together.

Then it's just a matter of time.

~ ~ ~

And who knows - I'll keep track of time & materials on the project, and if it works, maybe I can build some for others...