SteamTorch (a steampunk flashlight)

"The velvety darkness pressed in around them and soft, muffled, and yet mysteriously menacing sounds crept towards their ears. The captain reached into his rucksack and took hold of his torch, with a slight whir and then a click, it blazed into life and the creatures shuffled off"

Having been a while since my Steampunk USB Flash Drive, my fingers grew restless and took hold of the plastic, and rather plain, flashlight sitting on my desk. An idea formed just in time of for the Flashlight Contest! If you Enjoy this instructable please rate and when the time comes vote!

Here are a few pictures of the completed project. If you would like to know how to build this relatively easy project read on!

Step 1 Gather Tools and Supplies

"With a carefully controlled chaos the men and women of the airship rushed about packing and moving the crates onto the Albatross. Amid the hustle and bustle the steam vents screeched out their chorus while the orders barked out by the officers provided the rhythm. Preparations were nearly complete now and soon they would embark on the voyage of the century."

As with any project like this, the actual materials and tools needed will vary depending on your taste. If you want to make it exactly like the pictures, however, you'll need the following tools and materials:

• Soldering Iron
• Pliers
• Pipe cutter (small) or a jeweler's saw
• Torch (the flame kind)
• Drill and bits
• Handy Hands (or something else to hold your work steady)
• Plumber's Epoxy Putty
• Wire
• Solder
• Brass Tubing
• Centerpunch
• Rub 'n buff or other gilding material
• Bonsai Wire (or other darkly colored very soft wire)
• Gears of some kind, I used lego gears
• Black Paint (depending)
• Precision Files
• Wire cutters/strippers
• A cheapo plastic LED flashlight

Again you may not need all of this and may need more depending on how you go about this. I had all of this laying around and so, for me, this project was free. You should expect to spend about 15-30 USD on it if you use a cheapo flashlight (dollar store) if you don't have anything. The tools will cost you more but thankfully they're all very useful and common. Read on to begin Modding your flashlight!

Comments

[DaPope]

I'm just getting into Steampunk and really enjoy seeing how each person takes a different item and transforms it.

[GWJax]

LOL, I hear ya. The more I look at Steampunk items the more want to make and design some cool looking things.. I'm being dragged into this whether I like it or not.. LOL

Jax

[Kaelessin]

that's what sucked me into it! I also love that the cost can be as low or high as you like! this one cost me nothing!

[Burnsides]

AWESOME.

[cowscankill]

Much better than the one I posted, great job!

[Kaelessin]

lol hey don't bash it! Yours is cool too!

[cowscankill]

Haha thanks :D

[SinAmos]

I think an initial sketch of your plan would help your instructable. It just seems like a bunch of pictures without planning.

[Kaelessin]

definitely true! Some of my other builds feature diagrams and scaled measurements. This one, however, did not need to have such precise measurements and diagrams since i only cut a few pieces while the rest of them were simply fitted. I do have a sketch but it's almost completely gestural (the drawing equivalent of shorthand) and I didn't feel that such an abstract concept sketch would benefit. What do you think? still post the sketch? retouch?

[SinAmos]

The way others learn is key to this suggestion because visually explaining is an art-form. Plus, it gives another layer to your instructable and could you with your next project.:)

[Kaelessin]

I'll see how well it scans. Thanks for the input!

[Frogzard101]

very cool!

[farzadbayan]

Also Nice!

[ChrysN]

Nice!