Mechanical Engineering for Makers

Where Making Meets Mechanical Engineering 💡

If you’ve ever built something in your garage and wondered why it worked—or why it didn’t—Mechanical Engineering for Makers is your guide. Brian Bunnell and Samer Najia, both degreed mechanical engineers and lifelong makers, translate the fundamentals of mechanical engineering into language that any curious tinkerer can understand. This isn’t a dry textbook. It’s a practical companion for anyone who learns best by doing.

What You’ll Find Inside ⚙️

The book covers the core topics that matter when you’re designing and building real things:

• Simple machines and how they give you a mechanical advantage
• Materials selection—plastics, woods, and metals—and their properties
• Stress, static structures, and dynamic systems
• Fasteners, adhesives, and assembly basics
• Levers, pulleys, gears, and gear trains
• Thermal and fluid systems, including pneumatics

Each concept is explained clearly, with an eye toward real-world application. You won’t just read about gear ratios; you’ll see how they show up in everyday devices like a can opener.

Projects That Teach by Doing 🛠️

Theory is reinforced through a series of hands-on projects that range from simple experiments to ambitious builds. You’ll find step-by-step guidance for:

• An air horn project to explore airflow and sound
• A tot-size tank that demonstrates structure and motion
• The accordion project, a playful take on levers
• Claw and pulley experiments, including the Door Frame Clampy Claw
• A PVC articulated crane
• The cog gear differential
• Pneumatic paper rockets and a pneumatic cannon
• An altitude payload dropper using hobby servos, sensors, and microcontrollers

These projects aren’t just fun—they’re designed to deepen your understanding of the engineering concepts behind them. The authors share their own successes and failures, making the learning process feel approachable and human.

Learning Tools for Every Maker 📚

Throughout the book, you’ll find two types of sidebars. Tracking Further sections offer deeper dives into the math and theory for readers who want to explore more. Staying on Track sidebars provide practical nuggets of wisdom—tips and tricks the authors have picked up through years of making. A foreword by Dale Dougherty, founder of Make: magazine, sets the stage for this crossover between amateur and professional engineering.

Who This Book Is For

Whether you’re a hobbyist who loves to tinker, a student considering engineering, or a maker who wants to take your projects to the next level, this book meets you where you are. It doesn’t assume prior engineering knowledge, but it doesn’t shy away from the real principles that make things work. If you have curiosity and a desire to build, you’ll find plenty here to fuel your next project.

About the Authors

Brian Bunnell and Samer Najia are mechanical engineers who have built airplanes, hovercrafts, pneumatic cannons, RC vehicles, simulators, and more. They’ve also contributed to Make: magazine and. Their combined experience—and their willingness to share mistakes—makes this a uniquely practical guide.

Start Your Next Build with Confidence 🚀

Mechanical Engineering for Makers is an invitation to look at your projects through an engineer’s eyes. It won’t turn you into a professional engineer overnight, but it will give you the insights and confidence to tackle more interesting, more ambitious builds. If you’re ready to move beyond guesswork and understand the why behind your making, this book is a great place to start.