Engineering Marvels Unleashed

Journey through time to discover the origins of Hacksmith, and what comes next.

The Hacksmith team standing outside of HERC. James and Ian on the roof with their hands up

Meet Our On-Screen Team

We are a diverse group of passionate individuals dedicated to engineering excellence.

HACKSMITH

Hacksmith’s mission is to make the impossible possible and inspire creativity and innovation for the next generation of engineers and inventors.

With a dedicated team of endlessly creative people, we take ideas from movies and turn them into reality. Stay tuned as we continue to push the boundaries of our sci-fi world.

James slapping Ian with a red gummy red hand
Hacksmith team member wearing an Ironman glove prototype
James wearing the Ironman glove
Charles welding something
Bogdan with a tool in his hand, smiling
History

The Hacksmith Story

2012

Inception

Although James first uploaded videos to Youtube all the way back in 2006, the Hacksmith journey began in 2012 when he created his first "make it real" projects in his garage (a set of Wolverine claws).

Photo from above of James with Wolverine claws

2015

Hacksmith Industries takes shape...

By 2015, James formally founded Hacksmith Industries and the YouTube channel exploded in popularity thanks to projects like the first Elysium Exoskeleton and a whole lot of Batman tech soon after. The channel quickly surpassed 100k subscribers, then later 1 million in 2017

James with Wolverine Claws

2019

Workshop transformation & iconic projects

2019 marked a pivotal year as Hacksmith transitioned from a garage operation to a full-scale workshop, materializing ambitious projects at a bigger scale than ever before. Some of our most popular projects come from this era - like our first lightsabers, Captain America's shields, Stormbreaker, and the Power Loader.

A power loader in Hacksmith's facility

2021

Legends of industry

In 2021, our collaborations with industry giants like Marvel and Disney solidified our status as engineering trailblazers - people around the world were beginning to take notice.

James with multiple marvels superhero's tools

2022

Hacksmith engineering research campus

In 2022, we moved our headquarters once again -this time to our permanent home - HERC, The Hacksmith Engineering Research Campus. Here, we will build a lasting legacy and even more incredible projects. Our goal is to begin transforming the property into a destination where anyone can come to innovate and create new ideas and technologies with us!

Areal photo of H.E.R.C

2023 and beyond

To the future

Finally at home in HERC, Hacksmith Industries continues to expand. This year the company launched the amazing mini-saber V2, built John Wick's bulletproof suit, the world's first self-contained lightsaber Pike, and translated the main channel into multiple global languages. We can't wait to show you what comes next...

James with the lightsaber store products
Areal view of herc

HERC - Hacksmith HQ

The best darn engineering workshop ever, AKA: 
Hacksmith Engineering Research Campus.

Cool equipment
Technology hub
always producing
fun projects

Achievements in Engineering and Innovation

Over the years we've racked up accolades and even some world records. We've collaborated with famous brands and even more famous creators. But above all: we've used our passion for engineering to turn dreams into real projects that will inspire a generation of young learners and avid fans.

14.2 M+
Youtube subscribers
2 B+
Youtube views
887 K+
Instagram followers
1.8 M+
Facebook followers
1.8 M+
TikTok followers
Ian engineering something in herc and being filmed

Frequently asked questions

How did you start making things? How did you learn to do all of this? What kind of tools will I need?

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!

What did you study in school?

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

What are the projects you're most proud of?

Check out our dedicated page for those projects.

How can I submit a video idea?

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

How can I help Hacksmith?

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

Can I buy something you've built?

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)

Can you give me / send me _________?

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.

Can you give me instructions / designs / part list for _______?

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

Can I send you fan mail?

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.

Can I have a tour of HERC / meet you in person?

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].

How do you make money?

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.

How can my company partner with you?

Send us an email anytime to discuss brand partnerships.

Partner Email

Can I work for you?

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