Steam powered USB charger keeps your iPod alive with Victorian sensibility
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 12th 2009 5:41AM
posted April 12th 2009 5:41AM
We love this steam powered USB charging device. It's well built, useful, loud, and totally anachronistic -- the same could be said of many of our editors here. According to the inventor, the thing is based on a Jensen #75 steam engine, which is used to drive a Lego Technic motor. The motor, in turn, feeds into a voltage regulator circuit, providing a continuous 5V charge to which ever USB device you might connect to it. This prompts us to ask a few obvious questions, including: "when is someone going to build us an appropriate steampunk PMP to go with the thing?" And, of course, "aren't Legos awesome?" Video after the break.
So what provides the energy for the boiler?
Dry fuel tablets. http://www.jensensteamengines.com/hobby/h2575.htm. I had to go look. Way back when, I worked at Walt Disney World on the steam boat in Frontierland. I loved working with that boiler, which was diesel fired. I understand that they've automated the heck out of it now so those working it now don't have much to do with it.
steam engine = crapgadget.
The toy steam engine is a very old design. I had one almost exactly like it down to the stamped fake brick stand for the boiler when I was a little kid. It was German so I assume someone bought the dies and re-started production. The fuel tablets are very expensive and last for maybe a few minutes. One of em isn't even enough to get the water very hot. Even back then they were still ridiculously expensive. My dad who paid for the thing, and bought it for me for Christmas, was so underwhelmed by the device, that after wasting an afternoon and all the pellets getting the thing to run for maybe a minute or two, threw the thing away and apologized to me for getting me such a piece of crap.
Where's the crank version of this so we don't have to rely on super expensive fuel tablets? Then I'd be impressed and have #2 item for the desert island.
I'd be more impressed if he bought some slaves to spin a huge wheel to charge his ipod.
What you said = Messed up.
I'd buy one. And then I'd use it to watch Pyramid.
Not bad. The majority of people's electricity comes from steam in the first place.
That's cool and all, but who would want to keep an ipod alive?
Every time someone says "Legos", God kills a kitten. And a puppy.
@rob: No-one *I* know ever said "Legos". It's only since I got on the Internet that I saw ignorant "bags of douche juice" (whatever that means) using the alternative, inferior term. Always: "Pass me the Lego" (usually followed by a fight). "Lego" being a collective noun for a bunch of bricks. Just like you, I can use random anedotes from my life to prove a point too!
@phrogg: Why, yes, that's a perfectly valid phrase. What's wrong with it?
@"Arthur Nonamiss": by using "Lego", you're referring to the toy as a whole, not a bunch of bricks or yellow men. There's only one toy named "Lego", hence the singular form is perfectly fine.
@wickedpheonix [sic]: I'd never say "pass me the blue Legos" unless I wanted to be laughed at. I'd say "pass me the blue Lego".
Perhaps "Legos" is an American phenomenon. I've never heard it anywhere in Europe. Are there any genuine, documented examples of Lego using "Legos" as a plural in any literature, web sites, amusement parks, etc, etc, etc?
If someone laughed at your for calling them "Legos" they need as much an ass kicking as you do. I like my grammar as correct as the next guy. But, I also like to go out and make people of the opposite sex and sitting around laughing or being laughed at for mispronouncing "Lego"(s) is most likely not the best way to do that.
(Here comes the response of "I am married/been dating for blah blah years and have no problem with getting people of the opposite sex. You are a blah blah blah so go blah blah yourself you blah blah defensive blah blah.)
It's only because us Americans are so much more stupid than Europeans. I know that if anyone dares to defend America... we would be backwater hillbilly patriot Republicans. So, I won't bother. But, I will tell you this. I can afford a hell of a lot more LegoS than you can. Thank you no VAT.
que heroic speech-making music
http://cedesign.net/steam/store/index.htm
There is a site that sells all the Jensen steam engines.
This reminds me of the Harry Harrison "Stainless Steel Rat" series of books, where one semi-backward, semi-advanced world featured steam-powered robots. "Stoke, you idiot, STOKE!"
~$300 for an iPod charger? kwut?
Now this is cool :) don't you call this steampunk? ;)
old meets new,