How to Start Making Things

This morning, I woke up to see the guys at Tested.com had posted a new interview with my favourite maker, Adam Savage.  Titled “Getting Started Making” I knew it was going to be interesting.  The video [seen here] inspired me to write a quick column about how I go about “making things.”

A lot of my friends are interested in building and creating their own things.  Be it a coffee table, a robot, a custom motorcycle, or a copy of their favourite movie prop, they all have in common a desire to create something.  But a lot of them don’t know where to begin.  They feel they don’t have the skills or the time to commit to putting something together. So I’m going to outline a few different ways of getting started, and offer some useful tips to help.

To begin with, you have to know what you want to build.  When I was a kid, I would always get the urge to build something, but I never knew what.  Eventually, I would just get frustrated and go play in the mud, or some such.  So it is important that you know what it is you want to build.  You also have to understand that the project doesn’t have to be done in a week.  Sometimes you might only be able to work on it an hour or two here and there, but that's fine.

Secondly, you need to have a very good understanding of what it is you want to build.  I don’t mean to say you necessarily need to have all the skills required to successfully complete the project, but you need to have a good picture of what you want the final result to be.  Typically, I like to iterate the design in my head a few times, before I even begin to write anything down or draw pictures.  Once I have a slightly better understanding, I will throw together some quick sketches or mind maps of what I want the project to be.  

From here, I generally like to throw together a quick 3D model on the computer using a number of different tools such as Solidworks or the free SketchUp.  This gives me a manipulable 3D picture of where I’m headed.  Then I begin rapid prototyping.  In the last few years, rapid prototyping has been growing exponentially, especially for the home workshop.  With the advent of low cost 3D printers, and the aforementioned free 3D modelling software, it has become quicker and easier than ever before. However, most people still do not have free access to these tools.  If this is the case, I recommend just sticking to the tried and true methods.  You can build a scale model out of cardboard, using nothing more than a sharp knife and hot glue. Or you can carve a scale model out of styrofoam with a sharp knife, or even better, a hot wire foam cutter (If you don’t have one, make one!)  Or, if you happen to have, like me, 17 metric tons of lego and meccano lying around, use that!

Once you have a decent prototype put together, iterate some more.  Keep looking at it, thinking about it, and making all the necessary changes here and there.  Ask for advice.  Don’t ignore critical input, it will only make the end product better.  Keep doing this until you are ultimately happy with the design, and then you can move on to building the final product.

When you begin to construct the final piece, unless it’s a simple project, build three or even four copies of the more complex parts if possible.  That way by the time you’ve put together the last one, you’ve made all the mistakes on your earlier ones, and are left with at least one perfect piece.  More importantly, don’t ever worry about not having the necessary skill set to accomplish your goal.  There is no better way to acquire the requisite skills than by learning while you build.  

Finally, enjoy the process, and enjoy the end result regardless.  The designing and construction and work you put in are all part of the story that the final object will tell.


Here are a few tips and links to resources that might help in your journey:

- Making anything is basically learning how to take one object, shaping it how you want, and joining it to another.  This is transferrable for anything from woodwork, to sewing, to electronics, and so on.

- Build models.  Model airplanes, model boats, model anything.  Build them from kits, or from scratch, or a combination of the two; it’s a great way to learn painting techniques and joinery.  Tamiya offers some very interesting mechanical kits for you to try.

- Browse websites such as Make or Hack A Day or the Replica Prop Forum or Instructables.  These are great places to get ideas and learn new techniques for almost anything.

- Pepakura is a great tool.  With it, you can import 3D models and it will convert them into printable 2D patterns that you then cut out and glue together to make yourself a physical 3D object.  A great learning tool.

- Visit your local college or university and wander around the halls of the engineering and physics or even art buildings.  Staff and students will often be more than happy to take you on a tour of the different projects they’re working on.

- Maker Spaces are a great place to meet like-minded people and to get access to great tools that most home workshops lack.  Tools such as CNC milling machines, metal lathes, laser cutters, and so on.  Here is a database of maker spaces around the world.  If there isn’t one near you, start one!

- Maker Faires and Mini Maker Faires.  These happen all over the world, so try and find one near you and go have a visit.  Great place to talk to other makers and to see some incredible projects.

- Check out things on Etsy.  There are some truly wonderful creations people have come up with on that website, most of which you can buy for yourself.

- If you have access to a 3D printer, go to Thingiverse and check out all the 3D files you can download and print out for yourself.  If you lack the printer, try Shapeways or Ponoko!  They can print things off for you in many different materials.

- Electronics are not that difficult.  In fact, they generally follow some very basic rules.  Pick yourself up an Arduino microcontroller and learn to build a robot or automate a greenhouse, or whatever suits your fancy. Digikey is a great place to get components.

- Looking for places to get materials?  Go to your local hobby store, hardware stores, and flea markets. Go to garage sales and drive around residential areas - people often put “free junk” along the road.  Or try going to businesses in your local industrial park and ask if they have any scrap materials they’re looking to get rid of. Or try places online such as Ebay or Craigslist. Most importantly, use your imagination.

- Experiment and don’t let a project's difficulty stop you from trying it!


Thanks for reading! I will post more in-depth descriptions of how I work on an ongoing basis.