When Your Client Thinks They've Outsmarted Physics

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My favorite saying is "The best place to start, is anywhere". Meaning, of course, to just start the thing. Don't spend so much time thinking about where or when, and just do it.

"If it works and im totally wrong about physics, more power to you, thats great. But i dont think im wrong." LOL Adam

6:11 wait, i have a point of view that surprises me. Life long advice, people. If you ever find a human being that honestly says that, chain yourself to them and never let go Just being around them will make you a better human

First answer is an absolute gem and I wholeheartedly agree. This is how I get moving on the sets and props I use for micro-budget filming, as well as a high proportion of ideas for household and hobby builds. Foamcore, cardboard and hot-glue are my everyday playground, to which I would add: wire coat hangers, table-tennis balls, and bamboo skewers

I am a mechanical engineer that leans more towards straight lines and I have an old 2000 edition of 3d AutoCAD that I picked up back in the day and is what helps me get to that actual building stage instead of trying to build things from just my head. It helps to get certain things down solid to allow your mind to focus on the puzzling part.

Regarding client expectations and physics— I was a freelance shoe shiner for many years, most recently at a barbershop. A barbershop client kept turning down my services until one day he brought in a pair of black cowboy boots. “You’re only going to have to do these ONCE because I’m going to spray these down with NevrWet when I get home!” I explained that the spray will stick to nothing but the polish, which isn’t permanent by any means… Nope, he had outsmarted physics, and his idea was going to work! It did not.

I know a guy who makes large scale sculptures, like oversized full 3D portraits and stuff like that. Out of cardboard, old boxes and stuff. It’s amazing to see what he does with it.

I believe I know who Adam referenced about the flying car. I followed the progress of that man and company for many years (even spoke to him in 2002). Then small hobby drones came onto the market while that flying car remained grounded. And to this day that flying car has flown only a couple of times and only for a few minutes while tethered to the ground.

When thinking about human computer interaction and software design, prototypes are built at the lowest fidelity first. I was taught that this lowest fidelity could be a drawing on a napkin. What I have come to learn is starting at this low fidelity engages our other senses in the design process. Seeing something is different than thinking about something. Building with cardboard has the same effect.

I was working for the marketing department. But we have a workshop where they make prototype projects (industrial automation). 3 months later I started doing small projects with the engineering team. A year later I transfered to the enginering team full time and work in CNC Milling and Turning for prototypes. Awesome Job

I'm on the admin team for a makerspace in Toronto and generally at least once a year we get someone reaching out to us for help building their free energy machine. Many times the individual has already found someone to try and build it and the entire reason it doesn't work is only because that builder didn't know how to make it as they told it to us so I really think you want to stay away much as possible.

I think I'd still run. Well you didn't make the bearings frictionless... Well you didn't use the massless rods... Well your lack of faith... Well you sabotage (listen, all y'all) it... If they think they can break the laws of fizziks... ...they don't think much of your contract either. These people tend to be nice people. And earnest. And you want to help them. And they want to tweak the contract/deliverables/design after it has been signed, and work has started, and substantially complete has been reached, and delivery has delivered. And you'll want to help them, because they're nice, and earnest and you'll bend the rules and you'll break the contract and you'll still not get paid because it doesn't work. And gee, thanks for your collaboration and input on my project but I'm afraid it just didn't work out. "Excuse me, um.." "What?" At least add the annoying client 100% surcharge up front. It will not have been enough. I think I'd still run.

I instantly knew the flying car comment had to be about the Moller m200 / m400 skycar. Googled it to find pics of the shop. The shop looks like its the photocopier room from a 1980's office building that someone parked their flying car concept in.

One thing's for sure along with making sure your contract doesn't stipulate you have to make this machine work, you should also get paid up front! Don't be stuck trying to get them to pay you when they're disappointed and in denial about their caca mania ideas, and blaming you for the failure.

Adam, sometimes people that can't get started because they overthink isn't due to the project not being fully fleshed out. Sometimes it is due to anxiety/fear of failure. I'm not sure if that's what's stopping the OP, but I do know that it's often what stops me.

A client who wishes to build a free-energy machine is destined to be an unhappy client and you (who wrote to Adam) are destined to have that unhappy client (who will make you unhappy). Unless you have no other work and need to feed starving children, ask him to look elsewhere and spend your time, and be paid by, other clients whom you will make happy (and you will be happy, too).

I will go start my project with corrugated cardboard! Thank you for this Adam ❤❤❤❤

You just have to put on your best Scottish accent: “I canna break the laws of physics!”

"The perfect being the enemy of the good." Thanks for that Adam, long time now I have been trying to define that feeling.