Engineering Marvels Unleashed

James: I learned by doing. I’m almost completely self-taught and you can be too! I have always been interested in technology and started hacking from a young age; taking things apart, trying to fix things, trying to build things, following DIY tutorials, reading tech articles etc. I don’t know everything, every project I do, I learn something new. The best way to learn is by doing! It doesn’t matter what you do so long as you start doing something.

> Take things apart and put them back together.

> Try to fix something broken. If you fail, who cares… it was broken!

> Build something

> Follow a DIY tutorial

> Read tech related articles such as hackaday, etc.

The best way to start is with someone else’s tools and supplies. If you are in school, join a tech club. I did robotics competitions in high school.  I can’t tell you what tools you need or what you need to learn because everyone's passions are different. Just experiment and find what is right for you and you will learn along the way what resources you need. As for buying tools and supplies, Kijiji / Craigslist / Facebook Marketplace are some of the best places. Take your time and find the deals. There are many deals to be had if you are diligent and patient. I once got an entire storage locker full of tools (and a lot of garbage) for free.

If you are just starting out, try searching for tool lots to get bulk discounts. If it isn’t online, watch for sales. I rarely buy tools for full price. Don’t be afraid of doing some dumpster diving for materials; you can’t beat the price.

As for space, use what you have and grow it when you can. I started with a 30 sq ft room in my parents basement. Once I moved out, I used my spare room and kitchen as my workshop. After that I rented a house with a small garage and after that I bought a house with a large garage. Most people don't realize Hacksmith Industries was all built out of a Garage until just a few years ago!

James: I studied Mechanical Systems Engineering at Conestoga College and received a Bachelors of Engineering. It was a co-op program and I’ve had years of work experience at a machine shop, an automation facility as a mechanical designer, and even as a product developer at a tech company.

[link below] This is how I usually spent a typical day at school during my engineering degree…sometimes even caffeine wasn’t enough. It was actually a lot of fun! I would strongly recommend Engineering to anyone. Take a co-op program (often called work/study in the USA); it is worth it.

Engineering School Video

Check out our dedicated page for those projects.

We've got a whole inbox for that. Please be as detailed as possible when suggesting ideas; include links and references and remember the laws of physics (and economics) apply. If it's possible, maybe one day we'll make it real.

Submit a Video Idea

1. The easiest way is to watch, like and share our videos and posts on Youtube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

2. Become a Youtube member by clicking "Join" on our Youtube page.
Every dollar counts and you'll get exclusive perks - but if you cannot afford it, then stick with the next option.

3. Comment on videos. I get a lot of inspiration from fans and Youtube will show a video to more people if it gets lots of comments and likes.‍

Become a Member or Leave a Comment

99.99% probably not. Most of our projects are 1-of-a-kind and won't be replicated.

Reason 1: Everything we make is also expensive and time consuming to produce. It would cost us more to make than almost anyone is willing to pay.
Reason 2: Liability

If you have an unreasonably large budget and are willing to sign a release form… then maybe.‍

Inquire (serious submissions only)

Unfortunately no. If we were to build things and send them to all of our fans around the world then we would not have time or money to do anything else. We think that everyone would be happier if we focused our time on producing videos.

1. Check out our Thangs.com Page! We're making some of our models and build plans available there.

2. Check the description of the video. If there is nothing there then the answer is unfortunately no.‍

Models from Hacksmith on Thangs.com

Yes. You can send fan mail to the following address:

‍The Hacksmith
605 Beaverdale Road
Cambridge Ontario N3C2V3
Canada‍

NOTE: No walk-ins allowed. Picking up an order from www.Hacksmith.store from our office is permitted on a case by case basis. Please email the retail team for permission: support@hacksmithretail.com.

We love meeting fans! Check our calendar and follow us on social media to see when we will be at events where you can meet us in person.

Unfortunately we do not give tours of the shop. We wish we could but there are not enough hours in the day to accommodate everyone.

‍[Extremely exclusive paid tours are sometimes available during limited time project sales on hacksmith.store].

We make money in a number of ways but primarily YouTube ad revenue, Sponsorships and Youtube memberships. Generally, the more views we get, the more money we make. YouTube generally pays ~ $X for every 1000 views.

One of the best ways to support us is to watch our videos, buy from the sponsors who support us using our links in the video descriptions, and by shopping at hacksmith.store.

Send us an email anytime to discuss brand partnerships.‍

Partner Email

Check out our careers page for open positions. We also sometimes accept co-op student positions.