CJ’s Vintage Electronics Steampunk Collective

24/05/2025

Atwater Kent Radio Speaker repurposed into a bespoke lamp.

The Atwater Kent Type E was a popular loudspeaker model used in vintage Atwater Kent radios, particularly in the 1920s and 1930s. These speakers were known for their relatively large size and their use of a cone design to reproduce sound. American made in Philadelphia until they closed in 1936.

With the cloth internal cover long gone, it was time to bring the magical design to life and to give it a new lease of life.

24/05/2025

Some of my recent stuff to come off the workbench. A few more still to finish up.

19/11/2023

My latest lamp goes back to proper steampunk roots and combines a vintage John cast wheel, 1950’s Westlox Big Ben clock, Ryco petrol pump gauge.and completed with a Pressure gauge. A bit of tidy up left to get this completed but such a good day to share a pic of the finalised piece.

11/11/2023

So eveyone’s heard of Wall-E right - but did you know that he has an older brother?? Let me present to you Hitach-I . He’s doing fine thanks for asking!

08/11/2023

Current workbench view

07/10/2023

Smile! Retinette IIB camera with a Schneider-Kreuznach 45mm lens and Saga Flash module.

07/10/2023

Metters No.6 Iron re- purposed now as a table lamp. The rusty patina is preserved in clear coat.

02/10/2023

My most ambitious bit of welding art yet. Presenting the ‘Mega Peli’ created by every bit of rusty metal scrap and old tools that you can think of. Now, some may see her as a Jabiru rather than a Pelican…..but that’s the beauty of art. Wire brushed to keep the rusty patina and then in clear coat to preserve her colours and that rusty glow. Her ‘lunch’ also came out pretty well. Now to place them in situ for display.

26/09/2023

26/09/2023

This ex-RAN bit of kit from HP was used in Her Majesty’s fighting destroyers post WW2.

Variable attenuators are a type of radio frequency attenuator that permits the signal level to constantly change. Attenuators are devices that decrease the power of a signal without noticeably distorting its waveform.

Now however it forms the body of my latest creation along with a vintage pair of Japanese Kelvin & James Ltd theatre glasses out of Kobe.

24/09/2023

This repurpose is quite a special one with lots of history. It’s a Stromberg Carlson Short Range Signalling Lamp. Serial number is 29084 and with proper DoD markings. It was manufactured in 1942 and was deployed for immediate action in North Africa chasing Rommel’s Afrikacorp. It is painted in desert camouflage colouring. It would have come back to Australian soil when the AIF were recalled to defend Australia but I have no further info on any further wartime action. Possibly squirrelled away until I have now acquired.
I’ve kept her wartime patina in place with a clear coat to preserve its history. I agonised over whether to install a lead and proper bulb but to do so would have wrecked it’s appearance further and so the best decision was to install an LED strip. Complete with flashing sequence as a hat tip to its former purpose.