Mac Mini gets Steampunk'd

Steampunk. Since the late eighties, the genre has spawned a diverse lineup of books, movies and – perhaps most importantly – hardware mods. The playground ranges from Nerf guns to revamped R2D2s, but computers have likely been one of the most attractive targets for Steampunk modders. Sadly, the romantic vision of technology-sans-silicon has been heavily oriented towards the PC platform, leaving most Macs untouched by the fog of steam and coal smoke.

A new entry in the Mac category – created by one Dave Veloz for his wife – takes on a Mac Mini and forges a machine that Captain Nemo would be proud to use. The keyboard may be familiar, and the monitor is an evolution of previous works, but the treatment of the Mini and gold lettering in vintage Victorian style brings the full package together in a wonderfully Mac-centric, Steampunk fantasy vision with superb attention to detail. And all that work didn't just sit around looking pretty: the final product was set up at Dave's wedding to display a slideshow of engagement photos.

We at TUAW would like to extend a hearty "hurrah" to Dave for what may be the coolest mod ever to befall a Mini. Maybe even cooler than the Millenium Falcon mod. And yes, that can be taken as an official challenge: show us what you've got!

Thanks Jim!

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Source: http://steampunkworkshop.com/daveveloz.shtml

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Mods Mac mini

Steampunk. Since the late eighties, the genre has spawned a diverse lineup of books, movies and – perhaps most importantly –...

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David Veloz

Thanks, you can see more detailed pictures here as well: http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q133/david_veloz/Steampunk%20re-Make/

March 03 2008 at 11:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to David Veloz's comment

Jupiter119

Beautiful except for one detail. To really add an air of authenticity, the cord from the keyboard to the CPU should have been straight wire and fabric-wrapped. Curly plastic cords are late 20th century.

May 26 2008 at 3:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

robogobo

Well, you killed his website.

March 03 2008 at 8:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

punkassjim

You're welcome, Brett!

Yeah, my brother emailed this to me this morning, and I had to share. I didn't even realize there was a name for the genre, but I'm definitely a fan. The whole concept of historically branching technologies, or alternate universes where steam power and vacuum tubes would be the driving forces just really intrigues me. Wild Wild West was a crappy movie, but I dug the contraptions.

Now I want to know if there's a name for the genre that has zeppelins, fly-boys, antique cities in the clouds, like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. That stuff gets me too. Like a story told in the 1940s, not knowing what the future would hold, but with the imagination and production values of today.

March 03 2008 at 6:34 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to punkassjim's comment

StrangeBum

I'm pretty sure the genre is like a more standard retro-futurism. Which steampunk is itself, just not so mainstream I guess.

March 04 2008 at 12:18 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Peter

Now that looks stunning, what a great looking mod.

March 03 2008 at 4:58 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rich Cornia

I want to buy it. Will you make another one? How much

March 03 2008 at 4:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

mark

Fantastic, brilliant and strkingly beautiful!

I wish I could buy a set up like this. You oughta go into business Dave.

This beats the hell out of companies that just paint your computer an alternate color or laser engrave something.

March 03 2008 at 4:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Ryan Trevisol

You know, somehow, Steampunk always strikes me as fascinating, but at the same time, a complete waste of time and resources. Sorry that's just me.

And there's no way anything could be cooler than the millenium falcon mod. Unless maybe it was the Millenium Falcon Ultimate Collector's Lego Case Mod. :)

March 03 2008 at 3:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply