Spinning Wool Into Brass!*

A Steampunk project from Freegate Laboratories.

Wearing Goggles Since 1879!

Steampunk hearkens to an era before the world set itself so firmly on this path of quotas and deadlines and specialization.  Glorified and shamelessly embellished, the industrial revolution is now re-envisioned as a time of great personal freedom and individuality, a universe of unthinkable potential, and a population drunk on the thrill of discovery and a naive sense of mastery.  

Designed to fulfill the Steampunk alchemist's dream of spinning wool into brass, Prof. Maximilian Gunn's Rotary Sheep Reducer is therefore symbolic of Steampunk itself.  The Rotary Sheep Reducer is largely the unholy amalgamation of a perfectly fine spinning wheel and an 1890's static electricity generator.  It remains fully functional as a spinning wheel.  Its warranty however, may have been voided.
Max


 +   = 
The Spinning Wheel
The HitchHiker by Merlin Tree **		 The Wimshurst Machine
Kennedy, Rankin, 1903 edition. Electrical Installations, Vol. V, London: Caxton.
Image courtesy of Andy Dingley (scanner)		 The Rotary Sheep Reducer
The Alchemist's Dream!




The Details!
Fly-ball Governor / Flyer

 Nameplate
"Designed to facilitate the Great Discovery
of spinning Wool into Brass."


 Sheep-o-meter
Automated tally avoids the dangers inherent in the manual counting of sheep.
Collector Rod / Carry Handle

 Leyden Jar / Bobbin Storage
In place of the original, 2-bobbin Lazy Kate.


 Oil Bottle
The plastic mounting clip has been replaced,
and the original bottle is now decked in brass.
Brass Rim
A little added weight makes the wheel behave
like a much larger wheel.		 Counterweight
Offsetting the brass treadle.		 Base Plate / Lazy Kate
Holds bobbins for up to 4-ply yarn,
and stores under the wheel when not in use.




Demonstrating the Rotary Sheep Reducer outside the Steampunk Festival in Waltham, 5/1/10
Photograph by Pam Aghababian

David Paul of Merlin Tree compares the Rotary Sheep Reducer against his original design (left foot version).
Maine Fiber Frolic, 6/6/10



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*Still working on that, actually.  We've had some small success reducing Poll Dorsett sheep, which should be of no surprise given their Australian origins, but have thus far produced nothing more useful than low grade copper/lint alloys. Our research continues with Pomeranian Coursewools and Qashqai.

Photographs and other content are copyright 2010 by John Wilson unless otherwise credited.

** Photo by Merlin Tree.  Used with permission.


This web site was created and is maintained by John and Lee Wilson. Removeth not the back panel; there are no user serviceable bits therein.

This page was created 4/7/10, and last updated on 6/6/10.