Impressed by the works of Yi-Wei Huang, we were inspired by the idea of ​​getting our own steam engine in the steampunk style. As the artist himself previously found out, such toys are not yet mass-produced (models of steam locomotives and steam cars do not count, this is history, not science fiction). Yi-Wei does not sell his own works for any money - they are all kept in his home, because they were created in a single copy with hard manual labor. In addition, we are separated from Yi-Wei Huang by the ocean - the maestro lives in California

Despite the lack of artificial intelligence, the bipedal machine was immediately nicknamed a robot

All that remained was to build the steam monster ourselves. Together with the editor-in-chief, we went to the Eurotrain store and bought a steam engine. Your humble servant personally undertook to build a terrifying self-propelled design. Now I want to warn my dear reader against such a short-sighted step.

Two eccentrics are responsible for the movement of each leg back and forth, the other two alternately tilt the machine to the right or left, transferring weight from one leg to the other

1. Place in history

If you decide to build a steam engine in the steampunk style, you will not be original. Yi-Wei Huang was the first to step onto the unplowed field. The artist built four- and six-wheeled cars, steam tanks with caterpillars, multi-legged spiders and even a monster with a hundred limbs. In order to at least somehow differ from Huang, we decided to build a two-legged creature - there were no such things in the master’s arsenal. The project was immediately dubbed a steam robot, although formally it is not one. For ambitious inventors, there is always a chance to distinguish themselves: to build a steam ornithopter or, at worst, an airship.

2. More heat!

Choosing the right boiler and engine can only be done by trial and error. Manufacturers of miniature steam engines do not indicate the power and estimated speed of the motors in their specifications. Most of them are designed to work with a purely symbolic load or without it at all. We purchased a Wilesco D49 marine kit, deciding that the boiler and engine from the same box should be a perfect match. It turned out that the two-cylinder engine was capable of much: having accumulated steam in the boiler, it was possible to put it into afterburner at colossal speeds. But the compact alcohol boiler turned out to be unable to constantly maintain required pressure pair. Had we known this in advance, we would have preferred a boiler with a gas burner.

3. Measure seven times

For our two-legged mechanism, we chose a scheme with four eccentrics, according to which many walking toys were built. Two eccentrics are responsible for the movement of each leg back and forth, the other two alternately tilt the machine to the right or left, transferring weight from one leg to the other. To prevent the robot from tipping over and the boiling water in the boiler from flooding the pipes, the body had to be made floating. Thanks to the levers connected to the same eccentrics, the body, along with the boiler and engine, always maintains an almost vertical position. Eccentrics, levers, turning torque into complex walking movements - all this is absolutely in the spirit of steampunk. The disadvantage of complex kinematics is the exceptional demands on the precision of manufacturing mechanical parts.

4. Dialectics of speeds

Eh, Archimedes was right when he promised to turn the Earth over with a lever! Having a sufficient supply of gears, you can be sure that the machine will work as fast as you like. weak engine, - you just need to choose the right gear ratio. Then the question of terminology remains to be resolved: if one step per half second for a robot can be called jogging, then, say, one step per hour is more likely a state of rest. The torque of our Wilesco D49 encounters six reduction gears on its way to the foot eccentrics. Finding a suitable transmission is very difficult: it is important to find not only reliable axles and gears, but also the brackets connecting them. To make a frame with all the necessary holes yourself, you need a precision drilling machine. The best way out is to assemble the transmission from a construction set. Yi-Wei Huang uses jagged and chain drives from the famous Meccano set. We had LEGO on hand. Making flexible plastic axles drag a 52cm tall iron steam engine is certainly cruel. And yet LEGO coped with the task - the robot went!

5. Search or memory

Anyone who builds an unusual mechanism has to make a decision: look for ready-made parts or make everything from scratch. Yi-Wei Huang disassembles many old mechanical toys, radio controlled models and items household appliances to select the necessary elements for your cars. We decided that looking for a mountain of useless models in Moscow was a dubious prospect, and we set out to build a car from sheet metal. In the absence of a CNC machine, I had to make friends with metal scissors, a vice and a soldering iron. Perhaps a professional tinsmith will laugh at me, but for a simple editor to make two feet, six biaxial hinges, eight levers and five body elements it took many sleepless nights. By the way, almost all parts are made from one piece of metal. The length of the flat development from which the foot is bent is 62 centimeters.

6. Decorative passions

Have you already broken your head, thinking, why does a steam robot need a chain? Very simple: for beauty! So are the handrails on the upper deck and the wing nuts. These naive decorative elements are all that remains of Napoleonic plans to turn our car into a ship pulled ashore by a mad scientist, or into a rusty bronze artifact that lay underground for a century. Partly out of fear of making things worse, partly because of the rapidly approaching deadline, the general decision was to leave everything as it was - they say, galvanized steel already looks steampunk-like heavy and rough. Still, to make a car beautiful, you need to be an artist like Yi-Wei Huang.

7. There is no hurry

Finally the car is ready! Everyone who sees a sparkling monster at least out of the corner of their eye asks with doubt in their voice: “Does he really walk?” - and ask to “turn on” the device. Not so! To see how the steam engine works, the guest must have at least half an hour of free time. Before starting you need to refuel motor oil the manifold of each engine cylinder (a regular car one is suitable), replenish the water supply in the boiler and fill the firebox to the top with dry alcohol. It will take ten minutes for the water in the boiler to boil, another five for steam to accumulate. The first start will not be the most spectacular - the engine needs to spit out the remaining condensate of water and oil. And only then the machine will work at full capacity.

+. 100 years in two months

Despite all the difficulties, the steam robot was certainly worth building. Now, right in our editorial office, there is a mechanism created using hundred-year-old technology. And it not only functions, but does work, moving itself in space. A shiny metal robot, as if straight out of the pages of a science fiction comic, confidently strides along the table, puffs, whistles, lets off steam and occasionally spits. machine oil. It's a lot of fun, educational, and definitely worth a couple of months of work.

Steampunk is not only Victorian England, but also other planets, flying cities, Parallel Worlds

Often fantasy takes the creators of steampunk too far, and the charm of old simple technologies is sacrificed to a heap of sophisticated mechanisms. Meanwhile, you can create new technologies while remaining within the strict boundaries of style - for example, come up with unusual propulsors or combinations thereof

Among the creators of works in the steampunk style you can meet many people with engineering education

Drawing steampunk cars is quite easy

The main thing is to remember all the classic components of a steam engine, learn how to draw cylinders well from different angles (almost all structural elements are cylindrical in shape) and consistently follow the four basic steps that Yi-Wei Huang showed us

In steampunk, the author cannot refer to artificial intelligence, wireless technology and inventions of the next millennium. All structures must be on public display and subject to simple laws mechanics, for each the slightest movement must have its own drive, lever, valve. With the help of artist Yi-Wei Huang, we figured out what structural elements are present in each steam engine, what they serve and how they work.

Boiler

The boiler is the central element of any steam engine. Most often it has a round or cylindrical shape and takes up a lot of space. In a sealed boiler, water boils, steam is generated and the pressure necessary for engine operation is accumulated. Most boilers have fire tubes inside. The fire burning inside them helps the water heat up faster and release more steam.

Water tank and pump

The size of the boiler must match the engine power to provide the required steam pressure. A boiler that is too large is inefficient - why heat up excess water, waste precious heat, and then release most of the steam with the speed controller? If the boiler is small and the trip is long, you can store water in a separate tank with a pump.

Water level indicator

For normal engine operation, the boiler must always be at least three-quarters filled with water. The level indicator can be a glass viewing window made directly into the wall of the boiler, or a transparent tube led out according to the principle of communicating vessels.

Safety valve

Extremely required valve, which releases steam when the pressure inside the boiler becomes too high. The absence or malfunction of the safety valve can result in a boiler explosion. The valve is located at the top of the boiler - we need to release steam, not water. The steam released through the valve can be directed into the chimney.

Whistle

A vital accessory. The whistle helps to find out whether there is pressure in the boiler, releases excess steam if necessary, scares away onlookers and, of course, looks great.

Superheater

Steam pipes come out of the top of the boiler - because water boils in its lower part. Sometimes the “steam line” returns to the boiler to pass through the flame tubes in the form of a coil. This device is called a “superheater”. The superheater additionally increases the steam pressure in the pipes and also reduces the likelihood of moisture condensation in the engine.

Chimney

As in a stove or fireplace, on a steam engine the chimney serves to ventilate the fire that burns in the firebox and boils water in the boiler. The chimney can be of almost any size and shape. Sometimes an outlet pipe with exhaust steam from the engine or directly from the boiler is inserted into the chimney through a valve. The release of steam under pressure creates a vacuum inside the chimney, promoting additional air draft.

Firebox

To convert water into steam, you can burn anything that burns well in a firebox - coal, wood, gas, kerosene. The fuel supply must be regulated, providing precise control over engine power. In the case of gas and liquid fuel, valves and valves do an excellent job of regulation, but when it comes to coal or firewood, the role of the valve has to be played by the fireman. For each type of fuel, it is necessary to provide storage - a gas cylinder, a kerosene tank, a coal container. In addition, the combustion intensity can be adjusted by changing the air supply. Air dampers are used for this.

Engine

Steam engines can have different numbers of cylinders and different configurations. The cylinder is the main element of the motor; it hides the piston, which moves under steam pressure. Next to the cylinder there is a manifold - a valve that alternately directs steam from different sides of the piston. Both the piston and the manifold are connected to the crankshaft by almost identical connecting rods. On crankshaft a heavy flywheel is required. It makes the engine run smoother and eliminates stalling at a dead center.

Lubricator

This small cylindrical reservoir is usually located next to the manifold on the steam pipe and provides lubricant to the engine. Together with the steam, the oil gradually enters the manifold and cylinder. In some cases, the lubricator is equipped with a hand pump.

Centrifugal regulator

The most spectacular device on a steam engine limits the engine speed. Obeying centrifugal force, the heavy metal balls rise higher, the faster the “carousel” rotates, and carry with them the rocker arm that opens the valve. As soon as the speed reaches the set value, the valve releases the steam pressure, preventing the engine from developing more than high revs. To operate correctly, the regulator must be positioned strictly vertically.

Capacitor

The condenser collects waste steam containing oil. The oil condenses along with the water, and pure steam comes out. The capacitor is not necessary for the operation of the engine; rather, it takes care of the environment and the cleanliness of the passengers’ faces. The exhaust steam can then be discharged through pipes into the chimney - then white clouds will come directly from the main pipe. Alternatively, you can use a capacitor to replenish water reserves, thereby increasing the power reserve.

Pointer pressure gauge

The pressure gauge is a classic and very effective element of a steam engine. Pressure gauges can be located in different places, indicating the steam pressure in the boiler and other parts of the system. The more arrows, the more impressive the car looks.

Thermal insulation

In the 19th century, thermal insulation was most often used on ship engines to minimize heat loss. You can insulate the boiler, steam pipes, and engine cylinders. The most effective thermal insulation is wood. It gives the car a characteristic antique look.

Gears

Various gears are a symbol of everything mechanical, from watches to drawbridges. The torque of a steam engine often had to be transferred to a propeller with a larger gear ratio. To achieve this, complex combinations of gears of different diameters were used. The more gear wheels- the more impressive the design looks.

Levers

Levers can do anything: open and close valves, operate clutches, connect or separate gears, brake wheels. The main thing is to have as many of them as possible!

Translator's note: steam translated from in English means steam, and therefore the terms steampunk And steampunk have the same meaning.

The purpose of this lesson is not to teach you how to draw. This lesson is designed to teach artists who don't quite understand how steam works how to draw steampunk machines. The trick is to learn how to add enough logical details to your drawings to make your cars more believable.

It seems to me that sometimes fantasy takes steampunk designers too far. Their projects start out so well, but in the end they lose all their momentum. important view, the charm of old steam technology. I make really working steampunk machines. My steam site: Crabfu SteamWorks, contains many neat, real working, live steam machines. Through trial and error, I learned that I needed to create something that not only looked like it could work, but actually worked.

A small disclaimer: I am an animator and artist by profession. However, it is only my dedication to the steam hobby that allows my steampunk projects to achieve a level of authenticity that is often lacking in steampunk art.
Below I have tried to explain quite concisely how to draw and design a car that looks convincing.
Please keep in mind that all these descriptions are very simplified, I think professionals will tear the descriptions of the components of steam engines to pieces. I just think it's important to highlight the main idea, and there's no need for dry and boring details. I'm not an expert on steam engines. This information is taken from my personal experience working with little ones steam engines. Most of the examples below are model engines that operate on the same principles as the larger ones. This is only a guide. There is no specific set of rules for concept art. In other words, this is steam for artists, not for introducing you to the details of the structure of steam engines! :) However, it is important to understand some of the basic principles of this steam power so that your drawings begin to look believable, as if your concept was actually created in the Victorian era. You must first understand steam and how it works through observations of the individual parts of the machine.

Steam Engine Components

Boiler (boiler)

Most boilers have a cylindrical and elongated shape. They are designed to boil water, original, isn't it.

Most boilers have fire tubes inside, which look like a bunch of tubes inside where a fire burns, allowing the water to heat and boil faster. The steam pipe should be drawn at the top of the boiler, where the steam comes out. In some cases, the steam pipe may come out in a different place visually... But, in order to keep things simple, draw the pipe coming out from above. The boiler needs to draw a chimney needed to ventilate the fire that burns in the firebox. The size and shape of chimneys varies greatly. In other words, a chimney of any shape or size should come out well and balance the design perfectly.

Firebox/burner

High temperature and, in fact, fire can be obtained different ways. They are usually released by a fuel source, be it coal, gas or something else that can burn really hot. If it's coal, you should draw a container with a door through which it will go inside. It is necessary to leave some space in front of this door for the unfortunate person who will throw coal or firewood there. If you are using gas, you should draw a gas burner that will be attached to the base of the boiler. Pipes must lead to the burner to supply gas from a container of any shape (although most often it is cylindrical). By mixing the gas with air during the process, it will control the intensity of the fire using the valves on the gas container.

Engine

There are many types of steam engines.

The engine operates due to the expansion of heated steam, which presses on the piston or blades steam turbine, whose movement is transmitted to others mechanical parts, including the rotating axis. Without delving too deeply into the structure of steam engines, here are the basic principles of drawing them.

Draw a large cylinder. The piston is inside and is not completely visible; it comes out of a large cylinder and looks like another cylinder, small and long. Steam passes through the cylinder and acts on the piston from different sides. If the impact is simultaneous - from both sides at once - a manifold, valve must be attached to the cylinder rectangular shape, or, more simply put, a box. As a result, we just have a cylinder with a box on the side.

Although some steam engines have a slightly different appearance, there’s probably no need to complicate things.

Flywheel

A flywheel is a large, heavy wheel. Without it, the car will drive jerkily and may stop. The flywheel is attached to the axle to which the pistons drive. This wheel allows the car to move more smoothly.

Lubricator

The lubricator (lubricator) is designed to lubricate the engine. It is usually attached close to the cylinder or very close to it, say on a pipe leading into the engine. Provides lubrication of the pistons in the engine - oil gradually enters the engine along with the steam. The lubricator may look like a cylinder-shaped container.

Centrifugal regulator

The regulator looks very impressive. Two rotating balls driven by the main axis of the motor. They are needed to regulate the amount of steam entering the engine. When the engine rotates, both the governor and centrifugal force makes the balls rise. After the speed reaches the set value, the mechanism will move a special connection, which will limit the amount of steam supplied to the engine, preventing the engine from gaining speed further. The regulator must be positioned strictly vertically to operate correctly.

Capacitor

The condenser traps the engine's steam exhaust, which contains oil. Inside, the oil condenses along with water, and only pure steam comes out of the condenser. The exhaust steam can be discharged through pipes into the chimney, and then the smoke from the main pipe will be white and fluffy. Not that the capacitor is an absolutely necessary mechanism for the engine to run, but without it everything will become covered in dirt and oil. Either way, it's just another cylinder that costs nothing to draw.

Valves

The valves look cool, especially when there are a lot of them. Manually operated valves control a variety of things, but mainly they trap or allow steam to pass through.

Safety valve

Necessary for safety. So, if the pressure in the boiler becomes too high, safety valve will release steam to prevent the boiler from exploding. It is located at the top of the boiler because it releases steam rather than water. Can also release steam into the chimney.

Water level indicator

It is needed so that you can see how much water is in the boiler. If the boiler dries out and continues to work, it will end very badly. The indicator can be either a glass viewing window or glass flask, brought out.

Water pump and water tank

Water pumps and tanks are needed to pump water into the boiler. Pumps can be either manual or motor driven. From the tank, water is supplied directly to the boiler. Not absolutely necessary thing, but extends the operating time of the machine, especially if the boiler is small.

Sensors

Pressure sensors (pressure gauges) indicate pressure in this moment. Small disks, they do not have much variety, they are easy to draw, but they look quite impressive and impressive. These are mainly steam pressure sensors in the boiler and other parts of the machine.

Thermal insulation

Thermal insulation is an attempt to minimize heat loss. Insulate boilers, pipes, engine cylinders. Wood paneling looks the coolest, I often paint it like this, it gives the work the look old technology. Of course, any modern insulation that is capable of preserving high temperature, can also be used. The pipes are often coated with rope or a white substance, and I have no idea what it is made of.

Gears

Gears, lots and lots of gears. Gears need to be drawn with spokes, sometimes curved. A lot of gears will look cool anyway, but make sure you line them all up correctly.

Sprocket (sprocket), chain

Sprockets and chains are good for moving something that is far away from the engine. They are also simpler than gears and I often use them in my steam robots. However, sprockets and chains can break.

Connections

There are many types of connections... in a drawing, to be convincing, they only need to to look like correct, but they don’t necessarily have to be correct work. In order for connections to look correct, it is necessary to logically justify their placement in one place or another, especially if the connections are large. Basically the connections are simply attached Roundabout Circulation something else. You can find masters of such things.

Levers

Levers control a lot of things. They engage and disengage gears, regulate the direction of steam movement, brake the wheels, etc. Draw them bigger for the driver...remember, you just want to make them look right, don't think about what they are for.

Whistle

Steam whistles are attached to boilers, or at least some kind of pipe that goes into the boiler. The steam passes through it through a kind of lever and produces that classic steam whistle. The larger the whistle, the deeper it sounds, but the more steam is consumed.

Now I know about all the important components, where should I start?

Keep in mind the basic shapes and design of the components described above (cylindrical objects are the most common). Look through each of the parts above and collect images of the necessary components, photographs of old steam transport, locomotives to use as references. Once you have all the necessary parts figured out, you can start sketching, and don't forget to use references to make your work look believable.

Think through your idea first. Decide what exactly you want to draw. Maybe it's a two-legged robot? automobile? tank? multi-legged walking machine? Add a little personality and character to your cars, even if they're inanimate. The goal must be well developed, thought out and balanced. Be concerned about how your car will perform once you've sketched it out roughly, otherwise it won't be worth the effort.

The work will be sloppy at first, even if you want to end up with a detailed and well-developed project. Personally, I choose the careless and lazy path, I just sketch out a sketch and tell everyone that it’s good as it is. As long as the work expresses your idea, you don't have to carefully draw out every tooth of the gear - people will think well of even a few connected lines if they make some sense. However, you can detail your object as you please, it's just a matter of taste.

For demonstration purposes, I've concocted the wheeled steam engine concept below. What is this? heh, I have no idea...
Draw the boiler first, as this is the largest and heaviest part of the entire mechanism. Pay attention to its weight and center of gravity. The boilers are filled with water and are well designed, so they are very heavy. They can be located vertically, horizontally, and even at an angle. Don't forget about space for the firebox or burner. When drawing wheels, keep in mind that they need to support a really heavy weight. Then build some cylinders... almost everything in steampunk machines is built on cylindrical shapes... Capacitor, fuel tank, water tank, axles, etc... Learn how to draw cylinders from different angles, this will come in handy. Then draw the principal axes and determine where the force must be applied to achieve movement.

Then decide where to draw the engine(s). The motors can be placed at any angle and function perfectly in any position. Draw some gears or a sprocket that will be visible.

Design the body, try to preserve the feeling of the old equipment from the work. If you are confused and don't understand how a particular mechanism works (as often happens to me), you can cover certain places with body panels. However, it seems to me that the whole beauty of steampunk lies in the open and simple things, so I like to show all the mechanisms as much as possible possible extent. At this stage you can just cover up any mechanical parts, whose work you don’t understand and are too lazy to find out.