HACKER Q&A
📣 NWChen

Recommendations for videos/documentaries about building things


What videos/channels/documentaries do you recommend that watch teams of people designing/building things? For example:

1. [DarkAero (airplanes)](https://www.youtube.com/@DarkAeroInc)

2. [The Great Robot Race](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCRrXQRvC_I)

3. [PsychOdyssey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRlI72bsNRc&list=PLIhLvue17Sd70y34zh2erWWpMyOnh4UN_)


  👤 apantel Accepted Answer ✓
Primitive Technology: one man in the forest in Australia building a wide array of things from organic materials, such as kilns, bricks, buildings, tools, etc.

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCAL3JXZSzSm8AlZyD3nQdBA


👤 aantix
My kids and I have been enjoying the old Junk Yard Wars TV series. Lots of old episodes on YouTube.

One expert, three mechanic/welders/engineers per team.

They’re assigned to build something fairly complex like a “flying car”. 10 hours to scavenge the junk yard and use whatever to build the item.


👤 relwin
Clickspring: makes an authentic replica of The Antikythera Mechanism from raw metal stock. Also period-correct tools and craftsmanship. https://www.youtube.com/@Clickspring

👤 sgu999
Probably not the kind of "things" you're after, but the YouTube channel "Japanese Garden TV" is just that, team of people building something, without comments. [1]

[1] https://m.youtube.com/@JapaneseGardenTV/videos


👤 namuol
Hard to find good docs on teams, but here are two of my favorite solo creators:

Paul Elkins: Designs and builds low cost novelty mobile homes and vehicles.

https://youtube.com/@paulwelkinsdiy

Mitxela: Hardware and software hacker/inventor. Mixes circuit design, microcontroller programming, and machining to make unique pieces. Featured on HN recently.

https://youtube.com/@mitxela


👤 marttt
Estonian log house builders building a smoke sauna with hand tools. 58 minutes of beauty and true craftsmanship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN47VMnRc-U

👤 dharmab
Bad Obsession Motorsport. Their biggest project was a 6-year build of a Mini Cooper where they basically fabricated an entire car from scratch by hand.

The Warthog Project. A dude builds a 1:1 scale cockpit for an A-10C Warthog simulator, including custom electronics.

Baumgartner Restoration: A professional art restorer documents his process restoring paintings and other art.

DIY Perks: A hobbyist/inventor designs and builds practical electronics and furniture, and shares the designs for others.

Marty's Matchbox Restorations: A man repairs and repaints old diecast toys with higher detail and quality paint. (Disclosure: I am good friends with Marty's son.)

Ronald Finger: A man finds a Pontiac Fiero parked in the woods for decades and restores it to factory-fresh.

AMMO NYC: A professional auto detailer documents his process, from detailing daily-driven cars to sanitizing and restoring barn-find antiques.


👤 fwipsy
On mobile so no links, but I enjoy the following YouTube channels:

Primitive technology: researching/developing e.g. metalworking, agriculture, building techniques without using any premade tools. No voice but closed caption explanations.

Primitive skills: homesteading in Vietnam with traditional techniques, minimal outside materials/tools. No voice, closed caption explanations.

Wintergatan: years-long project to build a marble machine musical instrument reliable enough for stage performances. Lots of experimentation and some meta engineering techniques too.

Jamie Mantzel (spelling?) Used to be building a giant robot in his garage, more recently built small boats and a house. Haven't checked recently.


👤 telesilla
Hard to find the entire 10 episodes but here's the first 4 of James Burke's Connections, a look at how various discoveries, scientific achievements and world events are tied together. Pretty awesome stuff.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw7aVsjFLyMmkEqHami9AHGmc...


👤 11001100
I really enjoy the videos of "my mechanics" [0] because in addition to the peaceful restoration, he also replaces parts with new ones from time to time. In the newest episode he's not alone.

For German speakers, there is a recommended channel purely about craftsmanship from "SWR Handwerkskunst" [1].

0: https://www.youtube.com/@mymechanics

1: https://www.youtube.com/@Handwerkskunst


👤 nicbou
Pask Makes, This Old Tony, Laura Kampf are all really interesting makers. If you speak German, SWR is currently making a series about makers that's on YouTube. It's nice to watch Germans restore houses, make beer, make coffee and so on.

👤 brensmith
Sampson Boat Company's rebuilding of Tally Ho: https://www.youtube.com/@SampsonBoatCo

👤 gtsnexp
How to make (almost) anything: https://cba.mit.edu/classes/index.html

👤 astaunton
I also like Alex Steele, Colin Furze (back catalog more about making, new stuff on an underground passage / garage).

Im not sure if Ben Heck (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgeStlUnitobx8QcSxTw2aQ) is doing much lately but his back catalog is pretty good (one handed xbox controller, small electronic projects).

Diesel Brothers for trucks / snow mobiles.


👤 robotguy
Furniture restorers, horologists, metal workers, ceramicists, upholsterers and all manner of skilled craftsmen and women have been brought together in one extraordinary space to restore much loved possessions to their former glory.

BBC show but also on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRepairShop


👤 amayne
6 Days to Air: The Making of South Park

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hU83PE68oNY


👤 trebligdivad
I can suggest: https://www.youtube.com/@PracticalEngineeringChannel Mostly huge engineering projects

https://www.youtube.com/@timhunkin1 A mix of old home equipment and basic component explanations (More quirky than detailed)



👤 kratom_sandwich
Not sure if you're including podcasts in cour question - if yes, check out "How I Built this": https://wondery.com/shows/how-i-built-this/

👤 natdempk
Great question, I'm also interested in this type of content though I know few examples. Since you like PsychOdyssey also check out Double Fine Adventure and the few Amnesia Fortnight series (also on DoubleFine's Youtube channel) if you haven't.

👤 sim30n

👤 brudgers
Adam Savage’s Tested

👤 antfarm
Steve Jobs brainstorms with the NeXT team 1985: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udi0rk3jZYM

👤 drooby
The Beatles: Get Back Documentary