Steampunk Aether Rifle on tripod!

Wow! it was quite a wrestling match with my computer to get the final models together in one document and get them rendered off but it's finally done. Here's the images showing all the details. I'm planning on making this into a poster for mounting over mantles like it is a real rifle. I've also gotten a number of inquiries about duplicates of the quarter scale model when it's done. Drop me a line of you have any interest and I'll look into the economics of it.  I'll let you all know when that's done but for now, I hope you enjoy the results so far. more to come.
Cheers, Kevin

Steampunk Aether Rifle Lacette's moment

Steampunk aether rifle tripod

The design for the tripod that supports the immense Aether Assassin Rifle is well underway so I thought I'd share some of the images with you. It has to be built quite sturdy to steady a rifle that is shooting from almost two miles away with lots of ability to adjust it. It's also an artisan item, fully handcrafted and a one of a kind design. Lacette has very strong beliefs and specific rituals she adheres to as she prepares to take a life and that obsessive attention to detail is seen in all the unique tools of her trade as well.
Best, Kevin

Aether rifle tripod

Aether rifle tripod raising mechanism

Aether rifle tripod crank handle

Aether rifle tripod attached plumb bob

Steampunk Aether rifle new stock

It's interesting how sometimes, there's a single detail that makes a design really take on life. I had always intended to add extension to the tips of the butt stock like some of the marvelously decorated moorish flintlocks of the 1800's. I translated the whippet-like extensions into brass hardware and just added them to the design today. I am very excited about the effect it's had on the whole design and gesture. Now it is finding it's steampunk unique identity.
There's still more to go so keep checking back and I'll keep posting as it develops.
Enjoy and cheers, Kevin

Aether rifle side view new stock

Aether rifle gear detail

Aether rifle three quarter view

Aether rifle new stock close up

Aether rifle stock extensions

Aether rifle stock closeup

Steampunk Aether Rifle Video

I thought I'd add a flyby video of Lacette's Aether Assassin rifle. It's fun to get a sense of just how outrageous a six foot long rifle that can harvest a man's life force from over two miles away is. This is definitely not a handlheld killing tool. It has to be used with either the monopod or the tripod (that is being developed next).
The rounds themselves are fun because once the prongs pierce the skin, the lifeforce of the victim is rapidly drawn off into the round. Then when Lycette arrives, she transfers it into an Aether containment vial for transport and gathers up the round leaving little more than four small holes and a bruise on her victim,
As I had covered in the earlier post showing the development illustration, there is no gunpowder being used here. Once she has sighted you in on the glowing scope, she has your aether signature and pulls the first locking lever near the trigger. Once the trigger is pulled the targets own lifeforce shoots a carrier bolt of energy to the gun and the round rides it to the victim. Just before the round hits the target often swoons and feels dizzy as they are supplying the force of the hit.
Hope you enjoy.  Cheers, Kevin

Steampunk Aether Rifle in 3D!

Hello all my friends.
I've been updating this post with new images and details of the Aether rifle. I've been down a rabbit hole lately with several projects. Even so, I've been able to work on bringing Lacette's Aether Rifle design to life as a 3D rendering. It's been so much fun doing this because once you can move around something and really see it, ideas and opportunities to evolve the design and add to the idea just start exploding. Now it's a proper assassin's rifle!

It isn't done yet but its far enough along to share with you. There's more details to come yet on the gun itself as well as the ammunition and its box for storing the life force of the victims. I'm also designing a tripod for those really long distance shots where the fold out monopod just isn't enough. There's more adjustments to come on the Aether scope but for now, I can show it both turned on and off.

In modeling this, I didn't want to take the approach of just making lots of gears and bits and then free form placing them about to "kit bash" a design together. That's a valid way to work but for the designs in Frahnknshtyne, I wanted everything to have that strongly grounded sense of visually being "purpose made." There's an industrial integrity liberally mixed with a sense of victorian exquisite handcraft that is important to me. Every knob, hold down, ferule and finding is custom designed on this rifle. I'm even considering doing a rapid prototype of it to see what it would look like as a nice 24 inch long model.

Anybody out there up for making a full sized rifle? :-)

Hope you enjoy a bit of gear from the world of Frahnknshtyne. Always good to feed ones own addiction to Steampunk tasties and share with others who like the same.
Cheers, Kevin

Aether Rifle full view

Aether rifle 3/4 view

Aether rifle scope mount

Aether bullet

aether rifle loading chamber

Aether rifle bullet prongs

Aether rifle view down the barrel

Aether rifle declination mechanism

Aether rifle fittings

Aether rifle strap fittings

Aether rifle brass housing

Aether rifle barrel view

Aether rifle scope skull