Steampunk Style Fan

Steampunk Style Fan


I do love me some Steampunk :) This is a fan that I built one weekend that has a steampunk flair to it.

This is sort of a cross between an instructable and a slide show. I did take some pictures during the build of my fan, but not enough to be a complete walkthrough. Odds are, you won't have the exact pieces that I used to make my fan anyway - so hopefully this will inspire you to see what you have available to make your own steampunk creation!
 
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Step 1Gather your parts

Gather your parts
I'm a packrat, of sorts. I do alot of poking around at fleamarkets in the area and I'll snag stuff that find interesting even if I don't have a need for it right away.

I had an old Brass Bladed Fan in my garage with some major damage. The armature and oscillator mechanism was broken off, and there was no switch. I used the motor housing, blades, and cage from this fan.

To this, I added a brass pump insecticide sprayer (c. 1910) that had been gathering dust on a shelf in my shop for several years. I also planned to use the cast iron base to a lamp that I've always liked due to the face images molded into the pattern.

I tinker with clocks, so I had some old mantle clock feet that I bought off ebay with other parts a while back. I had an old sewing machine motor and a router speed control that I didn't use, so they went into the parts pile as well.

I ordered 3 feet of #25 nylatron roller chain and a couple of #25 cogs from Small Parts Inc..

I went to Lowes, and bought an oak board and a length of brass braided water supply hose.

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83 comments
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Aug 16, 2011. 7:03 PMWin Guy says:
This is SUPER-DUPER-AWESOME! 5/5 and faved. I'll try my hand at a version of this as my second Steam-Punk project!
Win Guy
Mar 18, 2011. 8:45 AMMurphyHarris says:
wow. a must have for my desk.
thanks for sharing.
Feb 27, 2011. 2:13 PMrandomray says:
Very interesting , at first I was wondering why the chain and all that as I have a slightly older fan that still works .
Jan 20, 2011. 7:04 AMMontrose says:
Very Very nice. I love the chain drive. I would guess that the motor is a Singer Sewing Machine motor. Its D.C. do you use as a variable speed controller? A variation on this could be a Machine Age style with chrome and using a worm drive with a long threaded rod to turn the fan......oh man Im not going to sleep tonight. Great Project! it looks really good.
cheers
Dec 26, 2010. 10:00 PMwilldeh2 says:
This is really incredible. Great display of your skill and ingenuity.
Apr 24, 2010. 10:45 AMMissBetsy says:
It's not just awesome, it's outright beautiful!
I would like to build this at part of my future steampunk den but unfortunately I have not 1 single part to use for this :(
Using the brass insectizide sprayer for this was probably a mistake though, you could have gotten millions on eBay for it ^_-
Oct 23, 2010. 3:07 AMWarlrosity says:
Millions? Seriously? No, really?
Aug 27, 2010. 3:49 PMLowney says:
I love this :D
Aug 8, 2009. 11:40 AMgrt57 says:
Nice Job Mano! I dig it deep!
Jun 16, 2009. 6:07 PMIW5 Industries says:
this....is....the definition of steampunk!!!!!!!!!!
Jun 1, 2009. 6:41 AMbinkyb says:
Oh! I forgot the link to the website:
http://www.ClandestineCeltic.com/themusic.html

May 28, 2009. 5:41 AMbinkyb says:
Hi Paladin, How cool (ha ha) is that? Bet you haven't got little ones around to get fingers caught in that chain! But it looks soooo good and works so well - BTW what is the piece of music on your video? Shazam doesn't recognise it!
Jun 1, 2009. 6:40 AMbinkyb says:
Many thanks for that - i found them and the website and the music and ordered it hopefully the new singer is as good as she. So if they ask - you are selling their music for them! Regards
May 24, 2009. 9:56 AMsansuifidelity says:
do you think that the chain will need lube during prolonged use?
May 31, 2009. 7:57 AMsansuifidelity says:
i have to commend your creativity i have began planning a larger floor version of your design
May 13, 2009. 6:50 PMcdizzle says:
wow thats badass man
May 4, 2009. 8:39 PMSilver Buttons says:
This is really nice! I like old fans to begin with because I remember the ones my mom had, that made such a nice humming sound. I know a guy who has a HUGE vintage fan--it's about three feet in diameter and is on a stand that's almost six feet tall. When I turn it on, it's like airplane propellers revving up! I wish he would sell it to me so I could Steampunkify it! XD
Apr 26, 2009. 6:34 AMMaureclaire says:
Fabulous ! Love it ! Hey, what's that song ? Love that, too ! LOL
Mar 30, 2009. 11:42 AMwobbler says:
Great design, but that chain/sprocket combination looks finger snappin' good. Either fit a cover with a glass window/viewing hatch or a wire safety cover. Alternatively, go the other way and hit the maximum danger stop on the risk meter.. Replace the chain and make it belt driven, where the belt is also used to charge up a van der Graff generator on top. That way, the fan can blow your hair about as 10Megavolts stands it on end and the fan will glow nicely at night.
Apr 15, 2009. 5:46 PMcorey_caffeine says:
even better to make a wimhurst...
Apr 16, 2009. 5:37 PMwobbler says:
Is that for real or just a whim?
Apr 25, 2009. 6:59 PMcorey_caffeine says:
my head.... /ASPLODE
Apr 26, 2009. 3:33 AMwobbler says:
That'll teach you to stand so close to the Wimshurst machine. Next time, to stop your head exploding I'd suggest you wear a rubber bathing cap (with obligatory Steampunk goggles of course). It will also stop you needing to redecorate should your head explode again (assuming you didn't like the cranial artex on the walls).
Apr 1, 2009. 12:31 AMwobbler says:
I think it's definitely got potential, I'm just not sure I've got the energy to build it, reluctant_paladin.
Apr 17, 2009. 5:36 PMalex-sharetskiy says:
looks like something Nicola Tesla could have made!
Jun 21, 2008. 6:21 PMalxjpow says:
Really amazing job! I laugh at the idea of a 'real' steam fan though.. running a fan via a coal fire :D
Jun 24, 2008. 9:57 AMA good name says:
Lol, wouldn't it kind of defeat the purpose to have a heat source power a fan to cool things down? lol
Apr 1, 2009. 12:33 AMwobbler says:
In an extended way, we actually do with a fan, it's just that the heat source is far removed in the power station usually. Unless it's wind power, in which case we use a fan to power a fan. How incestuous is that?
Jun 21, 2008. 7:41 PMalxjpow says:
OH WOW! That's amazing :D That reminds me of those portable kerosene refrigerators.. maybe someone should make a steampunk version!
http://www.howstuffworks.com/refrigerator5.htm
Aug 24, 2008. 4:01 PMmweston says:
The nylon Chain and all is really creative
Aug 21, 2008. 10:46 AMKaptinScarlet says:
I love this, I'd love to make something like this. Pure quality 5/5
Aug 13, 2008. 5:45 PMeuphemism says:
Oh wow, this is very nice! Funnily enough I bought a small fan for my room yesterday and was planning on giving it a steampunk flair. I found this today...great minds think alike eh?
Aug 1, 2008. 4:51 PMMissPennyFarthing says:
Wow! That is absolutely fantastic!! Have you considered a career making movie props? I can just see this fan in a Jules Verne sci-fi movie!
Jun 26, 2008. 6:56 AMtrampart says:
It's not steam, guy. It's a gas!
Jun 24, 2008. 5:51 AMtw2sheds says:
Does it have a"UL" sticker? Approved by Underachievers Laboratory? Nice job anyway
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Author:reluctant_paladin