Making things is my favourite hobby. When you make something it is a personal thing. It’s not just because it’s unique, you understand it. The process of creating an object is often more exciting than possessing the object.

Once I get a concept in my mind I usually let it sit in the subconscious for a few days before sketching it out. Sadly I’m no artist but I can plan a project and carry it out.

MAKE magazine is my biggest inspiration for projects and I spend quite a lot of time on the internet looking at other people’s ideas.

Occasionally I will follow instructions or copy something someone has done (like Tic-Tac-Tunes) but more often than not I’ll modify the idea or incorporate it into my own idea.

Most of my projects feature electronics and I am now fairly good at fixing problems (I’ve made all the mistakes!) that come up with circuits. I nearly followed in my father’s footsteps and did a degree in Electrical Engineering but I chose Mechanical Engineering because I wanted to do more than electronics. Since I can already do pretty much what I want electronics wise I felt I’d enjoy it more as a hobby if I wasn’t studying it.

I am a sucker for nice and obscure tools (the right tool for the right job). I’ve got a fair collection now which is made up of stuff I’ve bought for myself, presents from my family and my dad’s tools I’ve borrowed and he forgot belonged to him!

I also horde parts. Like many children/engineers I enjoy taking things apart and if something doesn’t get put back together then it will be stripped of it’s parts. Printers are probably the best for bits. They have lots of belts, stepper motors and grippy wheels.

If you know me “in real life” and you have something that is broken or you don’t want anymore and you think I might like then please speak to me.