Steampunk attracts people with its absolutely amazing atmosphere: the noise of cars, hiss of steam, strange moving mechanisms. It is not for nothing that steam locomotives are so liked by literally everyone - they are also "almost steampunk".
But if the modern world does something in the steampunk style, then, basically, creating only an appearance. Either an external resemblance, or even a computer simulation for films or games. But one enthusiast from New Zealand decided to design something absolutely amazing - a real steampunk thing, no fools.
Meet someone hiding under the nickname Asciimation, back in 2010, he designed a turntable with a steam drive. For what, someone will ask. After all, the records require the smoothest possible movement, silence, and do not like even the slightest vibration. And the steam engine creates more than tangible shaking. And there is plenty of noise from it. Well, steampunk requires sacrifice.
Asciimation started by sorting out the trash in his garage. From it, he assembled a firebox, adapted a boiler with a valve of a suitable size. After testing the resulting engine, the inventor set to work on the turntable. The first attempt, which involved a loudspeaker and a tonearm made of copper and sewing needles, failed. The tonearm was heavy and only spoiled the records.
I had to abandon the idea of a gramophone and make an ordinary turntable with an amp and speakers. An old Phillips tonearm and a bit of a computer - the drive is controlled by an Arduino - what can you do, a bigger project needs better tools and more time to work. But what happened is practically a masterpiece.
Promotional video:
Of course, the noise of the engine interferes with listening to vinyl in a truly audiophile way, but it gives a unique taste of real steampunk. And the fact that for his video Asciimation used the "Sex Pistols" disc with the song "God Save The Queen" makes steampunk even more punk.