You know that the first modern vibrator was powered by steam, yes?
Look at what this engineering major with sexuality minor came up with:
Photos & Story of Sleek Steam-Powered Vibrator
its been proven to work (and vibrate) off of compressed air, I’m seeking a more powerful boiler than my pressure cooker so I can actually run it off of steam so please let me know if you know of one.
this is prototype so its got some quirks, the engine isn’t quite as optimised as I would like (it takes way more pressure than it should to get it working) and the offset weight I need to machine some more.
it weighs about a pound (5/5: measured it and its close to 2.5lbs exactly) and is pretty damned smooth to the touch. when I tried to run it off of steam earlier though it got REALLY hot, you have to wear like welding gloves to hold it and even then its almost too hot to handle. another reason I’m using compressed air for the moment.
She says she’s going to “bend it” into a g-spot vibrator next time she’s at the shop.
I think it’s awesome. Although, I do wonder how you make welding gloves fit you on the … never mind.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Nobilis // May 6, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Steampunks take note.
2 ehrichweiss // May 6, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Steam seems to be the most illogical choice of the bunch unless other choices include a small coal burner or nuclear reactor. (seriously, STEAM WTF?!?)
Stick with compressed air. Watch the moisture level in the air as it could interfere with grease in the bearings causing them to lock(could be one reason there’s a problem with it starting).
It might be better if it could have its own tank for storing the compressed air as well.
3 Nobilis // May 6, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Erich, I think you’re missing the point.
She wanted to make a vibrator that ran on steam power.
End.
4 vniow // May 6, 2009 at 11:11 pm
@Nobilis
I’m the actual maker of this and let me just say that thank you so much for actually getting it. Anyone who is suggesting that its impractical, doesn’t make sense, why not use compressed air isn’t getting it. As you say, I wanted to make a handheld vibrator that ran off of steam. Nothing more, nothing less.
-Ani
5 regina lynn // May 7, 2009 at 9:28 am
Ani, thanks for commenting!
I love your project for a number of reasons, but one of them is that the first mechanical vibrators powered by something other than human labor (e.g., hand crank) was powered by steam, as I know you know (but not everyone does).
Here’s a sketch:
http://www.mum.org/peopcomr.jpg
6 vniow // May 7, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Thanks for posting!
Is that the Manipulator? I’ve read about it but have not seen any images of it.
-Ani
7 ehrichweiss // May 8, 2009 at 7:04 am
No, my statements of it being impractical are justified. You’re in it for the novelty. That’s another matter entirely. I thought it was supposed to somehow be practical. The blog is about sex afterall and if you can’t have sex with it then practicality is out the window.
8 vniow // May 8, 2009 at 11:54 am
@erichweiss
You really don’t think that I would go through all this trouble making it and not use it do you?
9 joose // May 28, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Ani, If you blow hot steam into something it’s going to heat up (as you’ve found out), and unfortunately metal conducts heat. So what you have at the moment is essentially a vibrating frother – I like extra chocolate in my mochas, thanks
.
If you can create a thermal barrier between the steam motor and the rest of the device, and add some vents to carry away the heat before it can pass through the thermal barrier your device will be both functional and pretty.
An abbreviated history: doctors in the 1800s advocated zero masterbation to maximize health… and charged $ to manipulate a womans genitals until she experienced hypoxia (orgasm). Apparently after doing this all day your arms get sore, so they started using steam powered vibrators and were able to treat more women, increasing profits. So the steam powered vibrators are the grandfathers (grandmothers?) of todays devices. Ani’s device seems to be a unique tribute to that history.