(Replying to PARENT post)

Anyone who had tried to make anything, especially anything original and with mechanical components knows this to be true. Even simple machines require a lot of forethought, planning, and iteration to be able to perform consistently and reliably. When we see an every day object like a bicycle we take it for granted and think that it must be obvious. But that couldn't be further from the truth.

Take even just a single part from it, like the chain for example probably represents centuries worth of technology. Each link has to be uniform to operate smoothly on a chainring or sprocket, which indicates some form of mass production.

Chains must be hardened to withstand stress, resist stretching. Soft steel would wear and deform too quickly.

Each link is in itself a complex component composed of a uniform bushing and pin shaped oblong symmetrical down the center and also quite small. It must pivot smoothly.

I doubt there are many people, even skilled people, who could make a complete bicycle from raw metal stock.

๐Ÿ‘คsinker๐Ÿ•‘6y๐Ÿ”ผ0๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ0

(Replying to PARENT post)

The Toaster Project is a good example of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ODzO7Lz_pw

https://www.amazon.com/Toaster-Project-Attempt-Electric-Appl...

He attempted to build the basic components of a toaster from scratch. Smelting metal, molding plastic, etc. The book is a tough recommendation because he sortof gives up on the later parts and limps to a finish, but overall its a fascinating look at how difficult these processes are if you build them up from scratch.

๐Ÿ‘คscrooched_moose๐Ÿ•‘6y๐Ÿ”ผ0๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ0

(Replying to PARENT post)

I dabbled in electronics, then electromechanics then mechanics.

I'm now convinced that almost no software engineer is worth its title unless he made some physical apparatus on any complexity. Even a pair of scissors.

๐Ÿ‘คagumonkey๐Ÿ•‘6y๐Ÿ”ผ0๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ0