Newbie Question: Engineering as a hobby

[fmiller007]

First off-- I would like to say that I love what Engineers do. Absolutely fascinating.

My careeer is in Medicine but I would love to be able to delve into the world of Engineering and self-teach myself the trade, because I love the fact that one can take scraps of metal and create a machine out of it. but I wonder is self-teaching one's self of engineering at all possible, though?

Like I said-- since my career is already made up-- money or career isn't an issue, I just would like to do this in my meantime just for fun.

Is this considered Mechanical or Chemical Engineering?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Dd1tCogTc&feature=related

this simple experiement is the very essence of what makes engineering such a beautiful discipline with me. He took ordinary household supplies and made a specific application towards them.

Now-- because the device isn't necessarily a "machine" I'm not sure if this is what can be called mechanical engineering-- but at the same time, I was told chemical engineering only dealt with building power plants-- so I'm not sure if this can be called ChemE. However it must be SOME form of engineering because it IS the taking of science and applying it.

any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[fss]

but I wonder is self-teaching one's self of engineering at all possible, though?

Pick up a mechanical engineering and start reading. Let us know the results in a few months or years.

 

[fmiller007]

Pick up a mechanical engineering and start reading. Let us know the results in a few months or years.

So, I take it that it isn't possible...

 

[mcouch]

So, I take it that it isn't possible...

I wouldn't say it isn't possible. It would just take a lot of discipline and time - not really a weekend kind of thing.

Also, aside from LOTS of reading and doing problems out of textbooks, a lot of what I benefited from in my education was having the resources of the university I attended. Things like the machine shop to learn machining or the lab to learn soldering and electronics basics.

It sounds to me like your more interested in just tinkering...which I consider very different from engineering, but just as useful in its own rite. Most engineers don't do this MacGyver type of stuff on a regular basis. A lot of it is research, calculating, testing, designing, etc. My advice: if something like what you see in the video looks cool, give it a try (taking all necessary safety precautions of course), and learn from it. If you're not sure how something works, take it apart and methodically document what's going on on the inside. Do that kind of thing enough times over the course of your life, and you'll be able to fool even an engineer into thinking you're an engineer.

 

[fmiller007]

I wouldn't say it isn't possible. It would just take a lot of discipline and time - not really a weekend kind of thing.

Also, aside from LOTS of reading and doing problems out of textbooks, a lot of what I benefited from in my education was having the resources of the university I attended. Things like the machine shop to learn machining or the lab to learn soldering and electronics basics.

It sounds to me like your more interested in just tinkering...which I consider very different from engineering, but just as useful in its own rite. Most engineers don't do this MacGyver type of stuff on a regular basis. A lot of it is research, calculating, testing, designing, etc. My advice: if something like what you see in the video looks cool, give it a try (taking all necessary safety precautions of course), and learn from it. If you're not sure how something works, take it apart and methodically document what's going on on the inside. Do that kind of thing enough times over the course of your life, and you'll be able to fool even an engineer into thinking you're an engineer.

Ah! So what I'm describing is a bit different than what is typically considered engineering?

And simply by taking an object apart and studying it is sufficient enough towards learning how it works and how to put this together?

No prior form of mechanical education needed at all?

 

[russ_watters]

So, I take it that it isn't possible...

My first boss got a Professional Engineer's license via on-the-job training, self-study and taking the test. It certainly is possible. But how much time/effort it takes depends on what kind and how good/serious of an engineer you want to be.

Put it this way: if I can remove a splinter, drain a blister and self-diagnose and treat a cold, does that make me a doctor?

Ah! So what I'm describing is a bit different than what is typically considered engineering?

And simply by taking an object apart and studying it is sufficient enough towards learning how it works and how to put this together?

No prior form of mechanical education needed at all?

Yes. Again, it all depends on what your goal is. Most engineers I know have been doing that sort of thing since they were old enough to hold a screwdriver.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

Engineering as a hobby is basically garage tinkering (maybe with some better utilization of engineering practices). Things like building a go-cart, designing your own R/C airplane, building a line-following robot, or re-designing your vehicle's suspension are good examples.

All of these things are definitely doable at home, I would aim for a specific project to accomplish rather than just trying to "learn engineering" which is pretty ambiguous.

 

[brewnog]

Find a project which really interests you.

I work with a history graduate who spends his weekends restoring and rebuilding steam engines. He's got no relevant qualifications but knows more about limits and fits, tolerances, pressure vessels, machining methods and draughtsmanship than any fresh graduate I've ever employed.

 

[viscousflow]

Engineering as a hobby is basically garage tinkering (maybe with some better utilization of engineering practices). Things like building a go-cart, designing your own R/C airplane, building a line-following robot, or re-designing your vehicle's suspension are good examples.

All of these things are definitely doable at home, I would aim for a specific project to accomplish rather than just trying to "learn engineering" which is pretty ambiguous.

An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, safety and cost.[1][2] The word engineer is derived from the Latin root ingenium, meaning "cleverness".[3]
Engineers are grounded in applied sciences, and their work in research and development is distinct from the basic research focus of scientists.[2] The work of engineers forms the link between scientific discoveries and the applications that meet the needs of society.[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer"

Lets just leave it at garage tinkering.