[vturner]

Wish I could offer more than best wishes, but I am in a similar boat: pondering some product ideas while working as a SWE.

This line caught my attention - "I also love learning about mechanical engineering and manufacturing"

How do you go about that? Have you found any good books, YouTube videos, etc. that are accessible for us SWEs?

[methodical]

This may be a difference in learning preference, but I've always found the easiest way for me to learn about new topics was to jump into them directly. Supplemental reading could certainly help of course, so I apologize that I have nothing to provide in that area, but if you're interested in it I'd recommend just jumping in with simple projects and learning on your own from there- with assistance from just searching around for fundamentals on google. I hate to be the quote person, but I think this one fits perfectly; "The best time to plant a tree was 100 years ago, but the second best time is now" or "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step". Ignoring the cliche quotes, I'd just say the best thing you can do is dive in without any direct guidance and navigate the unknowns yourself. At the end of the day, starting off in the wrong direction is better than not starting at all. Good luck on your adventure!

[vturner]

Thank-you!

[dv35z]

Search for & take tours of community maker-spaces in your city. You’ll find people (often SWE) who switched over to 3D printing, metal working, robotics, wood working & more. They have classes, so you can get certified to use the tools - and you’ll just learn by hanging out, meeting fellow makers & checking out their projects. Best of luck on the journey - it’s a ton of fun.

[iancmceachern]

Check out:

The secret life of machines.

Engineer guy

Tech ingredients

Asianometry

Fran's Lab

And soon mine!