Do-It-Yourself Engineering

Course Overview

Crack those knuckles, ’cause we’re building our very own catapults, bridges, blimps, rockets, and other feats of engineering. You can confidently tackle a working suspension bridge, airplane, helicopter, catapult, clock, and more in your own home workshop. These projects are challenging but achievable, requiring only readily available materials and common benchtop power tools.

In “Do-It-Yourself Engineering,” you’ll complete 17 engaging DIY projects, learning to approach design and construction like an engineer. Guided by award-winning teacher Stephen Ressler, you’ll use in-studio demonstrations, detailed graphics, and 3D models to navigate the entire process from concept to testing.

Video Lectures

01: Why DIY Engineering?

Follow the seven steps in the engineering design process to create a golf ball launcher that can hit a target ten feet away, applying the principle of conservation of energy.

Duration: 36 min

02: Exploring the Science of Structure

Build a cardboard tower capable of supporting a 100-pound gravity load and analyze the forces exerted on each structural element.

Duration: 34 min

03: Design and Build a Cardboard Tower

Conduct experiments to determine the size and shape of beams for your cardboard tower. Build the structure and test its strength with concrete blocks.

Duration: 36 min

04: Bridging with Beams

Design and build an 8-foot beam bridge to carry pedestrians across a stream. Analyze stresses and failure modes of various beam configurations.

Duration: 34 min

05: Make a Suspension Bridge

Create a suspension bridge, involving suspension cables draped between towers. Analyze the flow of forces and use a 3D model for planning.

Duration: 34 min

06: Design a Concrete Sailboat

Design a concrete sailboat that can safely operate in winds up to 10 mph, applying principles of hydrostatics and aerodynamics.

Duration: 33 min

07: Set Sail!

Build your concrete sailboat and apply basic aerodynamics to determine how it sails in various wind conditions.

Duration: 29 min

08: Make a Radio-Controlled Blimp

Design and build a radio-controlled blimp using helium for lift and motor-driven propellers for control.

Duration: 32 min

09: Exploring Aerodynamics

Build a wind tunnel to test different wing shapes, exploring lift, drag, and stalling in model planes.

Duration: 33 min

10: Build a Model Airplane

Choose airfoil shapes and dimensions for your model plane, and understand aerodynamic stability before constructing the airframe.

Duration: 32 min

11: Take Flight!

Assemble a rubber motor for your model plane and balance it for performance testing in an open field.

Duration: 33 min

12: Build a Model Helicopter

Adapt the Penni model helicopter design to explore helicopter aerodynamics and counteract rotor torque.

Duration: 32 min

13: This Is Rocket Science

Design a model rocket that carries a miniature camera to 500 feet, focusing on engine selection and thrust calculations.

Duration: 31 min

14: Build a Rocket

Construct your model rocket, focusing on aerodynamics and stability, ensuring it’s ready for flight.

Duration: 31 min

15: Make an Electric Launch Controller

Design an electric launch controller to safely ignite your rocket engine, ensuring compliance with electrical codes.

Duration: 35 min

16: Let’s Do Launch!

Prepare for launch by setting up the site, conducting countdowns, and executing the launch of your rocket.

Duration: 32 min

17: A Tale of Three Catapults

Explore the history of catapults and build a model ballista capable of hurling a golf ball 200 feet.

Duration: 36 min

18: Build a Ballista, Onager, and Trebuchet

Construct a model ballista, onager, and trebuchet, testing their performance to determine which throws a golf ball the farthest.

Duration: 33 min

19: Design a Hydraulic Arm

Learn about hydraulics and build a mechanical arm controlled by syringes, demonstrating your understanding of force transmission.

Duration: 35 min

20: Make a Water Turbine

Build an impulse turbine to lift a weight and apply Bernoulli’s equation to determine the required height of the water reservoir.

Duration: 31 min

21: Design a Gear Train

Test your water turbine and add spur gears to lift heavier weights, calculating the optimum gear ratio for efficiency.

Duration: 31 min

22: Make a Mechanical Clock

Design and build a pendulum clock, exploring gear design and calculating pendulum length for accurate timekeeping.

Duration: 33 min

23: Design a Motor-Powered Crane

Build a motor-powered crane capable of lifting a substantial weight, exploring torque requirements and mechanical advantages.

Duration: 33 min

24: Creative Design: A Tribute to Rube Goldberg

Create a complex machine that performs a simple task, combining elements learned throughout the course into a final project.

Duration: 38 min