element14 Community
element14 Community
    Register Log In
  • Site
  • Search
  • Log In Register
  • About Us
  • Community Hub
    Community Hub
    • What's New on element14
    • Feedback and Support
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Personal Blogs
    • Members Area
    • Achievement Levels
  • Learn
    Learn
    • Ask an Expert
    • eBooks
    • element14 presents
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Spotlight
    • STEM Academy
    • Webinars, Training and Events
    • Learning Groups
  • Technologies
    Technologies
    • 3D Printing
    • FPGA
    • Industrial Automation
    • Internet of Things
    • Power & Energy
    • Sensors
    • Technology Groups
  • Challenges & Projects
    Challenges & Projects
    • Design Challenges
    • element14 presents Projects
    • Project14
    • Arduino Projects
    • Raspberry Pi Projects
    • Project Groups
  • Products
    Products
    • Arduino
    • Avnet Boards Community
    • Dev Tools
    • Manufacturers
    • Multicomp Pro
    • Product Groups
    • Raspberry Pi
    • RoadTests & Reviews
  • Store
    Store
    • Visit Your Store
    • Choose another store...
      • Europe
      •  Austria (German)
      •  Belgium (Dutch, French)
      •  Bulgaria (Bulgarian)
      •  Czech Republic (Czech)
      •  Denmark (Danish)
      •  Estonia (Estonian)
      •  Finland (Finnish)
      •  France (French)
      •  Germany (German)
      •  Hungary (Hungarian)
      •  Ireland
      •  Israel
      •  Italy (Italian)
      •  Latvia (Latvian)
      •  
      •  Lithuania (Lithuanian)
      •  Netherlands (Dutch)
      •  Norway (Norwegian)
      •  Poland (Polish)
      •  Portugal (Portuguese)
      •  Romania (Romanian)
      •  Russia (Russian)
      •  Slovakia (Slovak)
      •  Slovenia (Slovenian)
      •  Spain (Spanish)
      •  Sweden (Swedish)
      •  Switzerland(German, French)
      •  Turkey (Turkish)
      •  United Kingdom
      • Asia Pacific
      •  Australia
      •  China
      •  Hong Kong
      •  India
      •  Korea (Korean)
      •  Malaysia
      •  New Zealand
      •  Philippines
      •  Singapore
      •  Taiwan
      •  Thailand (Thai)
      • Americas
      •  Brazil (Portuguese)
      •  Canada
      •  Mexico (Spanish)
      •  United States
      Can't find the country/region you're looking for? Visit our export site or find a local distributor.
  • Translate
  • Profile
  • Settings
Business of Engineering
  • Technologies
  • More
Business of Engineering
Forum Advice needed.
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • Documents
  • Quiz
  • Events
  • Polls
  • Files
  • Members
  • Mentions
  • Sub-Groups
  • Tags
  • More
  • Cancel
  • New
Join Business of Engineering to participate - click to join for free!
Actions
  • Share
  • More
  • Cancel
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 19 replies
  • Subscribers 239 subscribers
  • Views 2295 views
  • Users 0 members are here
  • getting-started
  • help
  • inventing
  • befuddled
  • advice
Related

Advice needed.

malus_lupus
malus_lupus over 8 years ago

I been struggling with a question since I was in 3rd grade what do I want to be when I grow up and at age 28 I finally figured it out like a few months back. I want to be an inventor. One issue I am a poor boy from a poor family and I do not mean temporarily poor I am disabled so 700 a month (actually more like 70 since most go to bills) is my budget currently. I was curious as to what do you recommend for a person who wishes to invent or reinvent pretty much everything.
Mostly tools and such.

 

My skills are 3D graphics artist for 10 years.
Auto mechanic skills
Web designer/developer skills (not full on have yet to learn java script)
of course electronics repair.

 

 

My weakness is coding which is bad.

 

 

Now I of course cannot go into details of what I want to invent til I patent them and there are some pro bono patent lawyers actually around here dunno if I can trust them but what else is there.
I plan to save up over time to get tools and such but my general idea is a bit short I feel. That is where you come in what are some good broad range tools as in cnc and such but cheap-ish and what is a good set of tools to start off with.

 

So far the list I have to get is.

 

 

 

3D printer.
Welder.

plasma cutter.

cnc machine.

 

 

(thought about laser cutter. I have several tools at my disposal as is including electrical stuff as stated I repair electronics for funsies.)

Yeah that is all I can think of currently. Will take years to save up for much of that. Also got to build a work shed and such my bedroom is kinda crowded (yes it is my current garage per se).

I am aware I need to learn a great deal as well but me and books do not get along I get too anxious while reading and feel like I have to do something else audiobooks and youtube I can deal with. Any advice on learning and such will help as well. I watch many channels AVE, eevblog, and ben heck to name a few. If I am missing other questions and such toss me the answer or some help.

 

 

I know how people say if you an inventor why patent and cash in. Well money makes the world go around and I am tired of living on a razors edge of almost being homeless. I decided why not do something I love doing, tried being a 3D artist but no one here (in my state) really wants that and then I thought about other things and inventing is another thing I love. I know inventor is on par with 3D artist but it does not require waiting for a response per se you invent, patent, and sale the latter may require a wait for response but while wait I can keep inventing. 3D art is not welcomed much in my state as is, my state is more mechanics and big rigs state. Though 3D art will be handy for a lot of what I do.

 

Sorry for my amazing rambling skills and remarkably bad grammar. I swear I am smart my grammar may say otherwise but my brain runs really fast and it is hard to keep up with. I may be missing tenses and such that happens far too often and I have no clue why pretty sure being taught to always write in present tense for essays  made that happen.
Thanks for any help and do not worry about answering this swiftly I am in no hurry right now

 

(also this thing glitches out on me randomly putting extra space in, and also randomly moving the place I am writing sometimes... may be the autosave)

 

PS: this may be in the wrong place if so I do apologize but I have no frigging clue where to put this since it is so broad and varied.

  • Sign in to reply
  • Cancel

Top Replies

  • jw0752
    jw0752 over 8 years ago +4
    Hi Malus, I am not sure if a person can learn to be an inventor. Inventors are people who see a "Need" and then make an answer to the need. If you are in the habit of making modifications to the things…
  • DAB
    DAB over 8 years ago +4
    Hi Justin, I wish you luck. Since I was disabled, I have re-engineered the universe and found a solution for Einstein's unified field theory. All while in constant pain and pain induced ADD, so if I can…
  • ajens23
    ajens23 over 8 years ago +3
    Hi Malus, I guess the first question is how disabled are you? What can you do without assistance? Sounds like you can run a computer OK. Then you also claim automotive and electronic skills. Both of those…
Parents
  • shabaz
    shabaz over 8 years ago

    Hi Malus,

     

    Like others are mentioning it is good to build on what you already know, it could help to get a step into new roles where your existing skills are like an extra tool in your Swiss Army Knife. For example, since you're into 3D art and you have some practical mechanical experience, maybe offer your services to do 3D industrial design in some small way that could help you slowly step into new skills to bolt on to your existing skills.

    Perhaps some smaller businesses would be willing to pay a consultancy fee for you to design the style of (say) their industrial products if you can find businesses that ordinarily might not consult a designer. Or maybe take the hit and offer the service for free to build up a portfolio.

    I knew a firm which had a product with a front panel design that was engineering-led (i.e. imagine an aluminium plate with display and buttons and stuff) with some shaping that was purely functional, but they were willing to pay a fee for a designer to style their front panel, and the result looked great, was still clearly robust and functional but looked better, and they adopted it.

     

    This is just an example, I wouldn't want you to become disillusioned if initially businesses turned down this offer.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +2 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
  • malus_lupus
    malus_lupus over 8 years ago in reply to shabaz

    I have exactly 0 job experience and mechanic wise I am an intern at a shop on and off randomly whenever they need me. So my mechanic skills are subpar ish. Disabled since I was 16. Tired of living the way I do, and inventing seems better than 3D art to me as in a possibility of nailing some money to the wall. I am not trying to be greedy with money but as stated I need it. Inventing may not get me it but I do love creating stuff and I want to create stuff so if it doesn't I still will try to save me some money up to continue doing it.

     

     

     

    I looked around my state and art is not needed in any form. Besides you need a degree though I have the skills of those with a degree I do not have one. Here certificate is actually what they offer so a bachelors in arts is not even possible. My state seems like it wants to give me the middle finger actually my fault for following what I like doing, but I am hard headed so I will continue to do that, lol.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
  • malus_lupus
    malus_lupus over 8 years ago in reply to malus_lupus

    I have done some calculations and for a few inventions here are the prices.

     

     

    Invention 1. 10k

    Invention 2. 75k

    Invention 3. 20k (and probably a team of at least 5 people. Though plausible to do alone)

    invention 4. 5k

    (there are more ideas but this is just for the general gist)

     

    This is for decent prototypes.

     

    Yeah I do dream big.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +1 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
Reply
  • malus_lupus
    malus_lupus over 8 years ago in reply to malus_lupus

    I have done some calculations and for a few inventions here are the prices.

     

     

    Invention 1. 10k

    Invention 2. 75k

    Invention 3. 20k (and probably a team of at least 5 people. Though plausible to do alone)

    invention 4. 5k

    (there are more ideas but this is just for the general gist)

     

    This is for decent prototypes.

     

    Yeah I do dream big.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +1 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
Children
No Data
element14 Community

element14 is the first online community specifically for engineers. Connect with your peers and get expert answers to your questions.

  • Members
  • Learn
  • Technologies
  • Challenges & Projects
  • Products
  • Store
  • About Us
  • Feedback & Support
  • FAQs
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal and Copyright Notices
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies

An Avnet Company © 2025 Premier Farnell Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Premier Farnell Ltd, registered in England and Wales (no 00876412), registered office: Farnell House, Forge Lane, Leeds LS12 2NE.

ICP 备案号 10220084.

Follow element14

  • X
  • Facebook
  • linkedin
  • YouTube