Gizmodo has a swell interview with Datamancer, master of "prestidigital datamancery & paraphernalic technofetishism." Must see/read.
"Gizmodo:
When did you first get into creating steampunk objects? What was your first project? How do your early projects compare to your newest?
Datamancer:
I guess my first major "steampunk" modding project was The Nagy Magical-Movable-Type Pixello-Dynamotronic Computational Engine. I started that one several years ago as a minor case mod (just the PC case) and the project kept growing beneath me until it became the endearingly awkward behemoth it is today.
I think the last two years or so have marked my greatest improvement in both fabrication and design skills. I look back at some of my older projects now and am actually a little embarrassed by some of the flaws in them. I've always been a half-hearted tinkerer and customizer of all things, but I didn't really "tune" my skills to custom fabrication until somewhat recently. I think the steampunk "modding" sub-movement definitely inspired me to greater heights and caused me to devote much more time to the thing I now realize I was probably meant to do."