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Print Your Emails in Style with This Steampunk Tape "Ticker Machine"

Vintage mechanical device in glass display case.

Last year, Instructables user Horatius.Steam created Dr. Brain, a small computer connected to a model brain that can tell stories and have Skype conversations. But one thing it couldn't do was print, so to solve that problem, he came up with this awesome Steampunk "Ticker Machine".

Antique device under glass dome on wooden base.

Image Credit instructables.com

A wooden base and glass dome make up the housing for a thermal printer, and the driver is hidden in a paper tube that's painted to look like wood. A slot at the bottom feeds the paper out from under the dome and a tiny glass tube in the front shows when the power is on.

Vintage mechanical device with a golden mouse figurine and paper roll on a wooden base.

Image Credit instructables.com

Paper roll dispenser on a mechanical base.

Image Credit instructables.com

He used a printer that came with a Windows driver, and it can be scheduled to automatically print emails, or to only print certain ones based off of time or keywords.

If you want to make one for yourself, visit Horatius.Steam's tutorial for step-by-step instructions.

Trying to save paper? Instead, you could try this Raspberry Pi LED email notifier that lights up when you have a new email. This tutorial requires you to have Python installed, and you'll also need the Adafruit Pi Cobbler Breakout Kit.

Raspberry Pi connected to a breadboard via a flat cable.

Image Credit adafruit.com

You can also use a thermal printer to make the world's slowest instant camera, or turn it into an awesome paper and laser video game.

Apple's iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 updates are packed with new features, and you can try them before almost everyone else. First, check Gadget Hacks' list of supported iPhone and iPad models, then follow the step-by-step guide to install the iOS/iPadOS 26 beta — no paid developer account required.