Stuff Made Here

Stuff Made Here is the channel of Shane Wighton, an engineer who has been building things since he was a small child. He says his goal is to show people the joy of engineering, and he hopes some viewers will become engineers themselves.

Each video follows one ambitious project from idea to finished machine. Shane designs parts on a computer, machines them, adds electronics and software, then tests the result. Crucially, the videos show the failed versions too, and explain why each one did not work. Projects include robotic sports equipment, self-aiming devices and locks. Shane explains the physics and maths behind each problem, so viewers learn why a design choice matters.

Some highlights include:

Shane builds a basketball hoop that tracks the ball and moves itself so the shot cannot miss.

A robotic pool cue that calculates and lines up shots is tested against unsuspecting players.

Shane designs a lock intended to defeat lock pickers and asks professional locksmiths to try it.

The channel has over 4.7 million subscribers, and several videos have passed 15 million views.

Few channels show the real engineering design cycle as honestly as this one: design, build, test, fail and improve. It brings together mechanical design, control systems, sensors and programming in a single project. It is ideal for anyone interested in mechanical engineering, mechatronics or robotics. Shane also shows how much time real engineering takes, often months for a single machine.