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[Araph]

My !!BIRTHDAY!! is finally here! And for it, I'm getting the most AWE-INSPIRING, USEFUL BRILLIANT gift ever! That's right, I'm getting a good 15 feet or so of half inch iron piping! WOOHOO!

That may not sound like much, but it's going to be the start of a project I have been designing for the past half of a year: a Dwemer Sphere Centurion. Sounds crazy, right? Of course it does. Which is why I'm not trying to make it autonomous or anything. It would be controlled with simple little valves that are on a panel, while the panel is connected with a hose of some kind to the Centurion. Here's a rough picture:



I have more detailed drawings, but it takes an annoying amount of effort to draw them in Paint. I'll scan them some time so everyone can see a more complete image of the Centurion.

I have plans for the boiler, body of the machine, limbs, joints, and an idea for a system of how to raise the body out of the sphere it rests in. Once I have the pipe (getting it this weekend), I'll begin construction on Monday. I'm posting this to see if anyone is interested in the project. If you have any questions, just ask. Also, if people ask how a part of it will work, I'll post a picture of that part of the drawings I have.

As for the steam machine itself, it will be made of the above mentioned pipe, which will be rust-proofed before use, and will be completely powered by steam. No electricity whatsoever. After it's finished, it should stand one or two feet tall, start as a sphere, and turn into a robot with working arms. It's based on one of The Elder Scrolls' Dwemeric inventions:



Anyone who's played Morrowind should immediately recognize it. While it won't have a hand with fingers, it may have the sword and shield, depending on whether or not I can have bars that change lengths connected to the pistons inside the Centurion's body.

Here's a picture of how the arms would (sort of) work:


And here's a picture of how the shoulder joints would (sort of) work:


Actual descriptions of these are in the posts they're from.


Please, post feedback. Anything from 'Cool idea for a project', to 'Wow. That's so stupid. It'll never work.' to even 'LOLZ u iz a tard dorkanoobasaurus, stoopid ideaz'. Preferably something constructive, though.

[bowdown2q]

...sweet, real steampunk; none of that "oh, its just a lot of brass, I made it work with circuits" bs. I hope you plan on applying a brass-color coat to all that piping!

[Araph]

I considered using copper piping, but I decided on iron due to size problems. I'm definitely going to color it a brassy color, but that's a problem for later. I'm glad you like the lack of electronics; I'm trying to stick as close to the Centurions in Morrowind as possible!

[bowdown2q]

Copper would have run you ~3 times the price, too. I think Rust-Oleum brand spraypaint is designed for that kind of thing. Idk how well it'd stand up to pressurized steam. You could use that spraypaint they use on car engines, that ought to work well.

Those joints look interesting... I assume making them hollow is to give space for a second joint farther up the limb? You might actually... you could probably use a pressure-actuated valve and that single joint, have the valve turn the limb. You'd only need half the 'muscles.'

[Araph]

Rust-Oleum is what I was going to rust proof it with. It should work with steam and pressure, but I'm not sure. I'll have to find out about that.

Yeah, the joints being hollowed is to let the sword-hand move. It should work, unless it's to loose around the edges and lets steam out. That's the main problem with that. The valve idea is a much better idea than mine, if I understand it correctly. do you mean something like this?

[bowdown2q]

Not quite. I'm thinking of a... its a single hydraulic screw; as you add pressure to it, it more it turns. I'm no engineer, so I can't really draw it...

[Araph]

I'm not entirely sure how that works... Could you either take a shot at drawing it, describe it in more detail, or post a link to somewhere describing it? I searched around for a picture or something, but I couldn't find anything.

[Nikov]

Rather than steam, I suggest a good air compressor.

[Araph]

I'm going with steam for the same reason I'm not using electricity: I want this to stick as close to Morrowind's portrayal of Steam Centurions. While an air compressor would work way, WAY better, it's to high tech. And by that, I mean it uses electricity.

[Jopax]

Yes, but it doesn't melt your face off like high pressure steam does

[bowdown2q]

I'd agree with compressed air - but only for a test. Once it works, go steam.

It'd be a screw piston. Imagine a tube with an internal thread, and a piston in it with the mate to that thread. Attached to the bottom of the screw is the moving portion of the arm. Attached to the tube - so that there's an air space in the top of the piston - is an air/steam supply.

[fakeedit]: give me a few, I'll boot up autoCAD and draw a quick X-section.

[Spreggo]

Steam can be super dangerous... you'd definitely have to test all of the steam elements for heat and pressure.

What are you heating the water with if not electricity?

[Sensei]

Making an authentic freaking coal steam engine would be inefficient, difficult and dangerous. I think you really ought to go compressor.

[Nikov]

You can always use a gas powered air compressor.

[bowdown2q]

Copper pipe coil in a coal campfire, easy way to boil water. Not steam, but.

The screw assembly:

[edit] oh god, the transparent colors came out gray. Whups.