Is it acceptable to ask for input on how to fix my design?

[DefinitelyAnEnjinear]

Hello there,
So, I'm not actually an engineer, but I'm designing something (completely mechanical) for the fun of it.

I am now stuck on a (pretty simple) mechanism I've come up with - I managed to figure out the math behind my idea, but turns out in practice there's a problem I did not expect and can't figure out how to solve.

I am looking for a place where people who actually know what they're doing might point me in the right direction (be it "give it up, it won't work", "have a look at this mechanism, it works and does what you want", or "the answer is in this chapter of this book").

So I don't expect it would have much educational value, as despite the fact I'm pretty sure I have the mathematical background to understand what I'm doing on a deeper level, I fear that if I get into that, I will never finish my project.

So, is it acceptable to ask for that kind of help here?

I figured before I piss someone off in the mechanical engineering forum by making them read something long only to conclude the thread should be locked, I should piss someone off in this forum first by making them read something slightly shorter...

 

[anorlunda]

Welcome to PF.

Answering questions is why we are here. Feel free to post questions in the Mechanical Engineering Forum. Just make sure that it really is a question, and not an assertion of fact, or are you asking us to review an article or a whole design.

A really long question doesn't break the rules, but it could be less likely to attract good answers because nobody takes the trouble to read the long version. Try to stick to the point and ask the short version of your question first. If we need more information, we'll let you know.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm designing something

Is it a perpetual motion machine?

 

[russ_watters]

Right, so as long as it doesn't violate our rules on safety or banned topics (perpetual motion), we love "help me improve my design" threads.

 

[DefinitelyAnEnjinear]

Is it a perpetual motion machine?

no, but it does involve a violation of Newton's laws, with reality slapping me in the face and me being unable to provide an equal and opposite reaction

 

[Ibix]

Are you saying that you have a design where your maths violates Newton's laws and you are seeking help to correct it? Or do you think that you can build something that violates Newton's laws?

 

[DefinitelyAnEnjinear]

Are you saying that you have a design where your maths violates Newton's laws and you are seeking help to correct it? Or do you think that you can build something that violates Newton's laws?

I don't think my design violates any physical laws, I just meant that in reality it turned out to have a problem I didn't see coming. I suspect that if my 3d printer were incredibly accurate it would've even worked.

but either way, I'm aware of the rules - no attempts to violate the laws of physics, I promise

 

[DaveE]

Welcome to PF. Yes go ahead and ask your question (especially because now I'm curious). But in a different forum (like Mech. Eng.?) to get a better response.

Sorry for the previous posts, similar to a cop pulling you over and asking if you were going to run the next red light. I would bet that people that ask in advance about rules aren't the ones most likely to break them in the future.

Personally, I've got no problem with well meaning people that may ask about machines that may, in fact, be perpetual motion and such. It's a learning opportunity. Someone will tell you that that's what it is, and isn't worth pursuing. However, people that persist won't be well received, then, to quote Walter Sobchak, "Your entering into a world of pain."

 

[DaveE]

Also, for engineering questions, a drawing is a great way to get better responses from people. It can be awfully hard to understand a question that's just words without a schematic or drawing. In my case, I will often skip responding to questions that I think are too much work to understand, even in subjects that I know I can answer. It doesn't need to be a pretty drawing, even a photo of a hand drawn sketch is probably good enough (sometimes it's even better, since you may only sketch the salient features).

 

[DefinitelyAnEnjinear]

Welcome to PF. Yes go ahead and ask your question (especially because now I'm curious). But in a different forum (like Mech. Eng.?) to get a better response.

Sorry for the previous posts, similar to a cop pulling you over and asking if you were going to run the next red light. I would bet that people that ask in advance about rules aren't the ones most likely to break them in the future.

Personally, I've got no problem with well meaning people that may ask about machines that may, in fact, be perpetual motion and such. It's a learning opportunity. Someone will tell you that that's what it is, and isn't worth pursuing. However, people that persist won't be well received, then, to quote Walter Sobchak, "Your entering into a world of pain."

heh, well, I'm afraid that as I was typing the question, I came up with an idea for a variation that may solve my problem. but I promise that working or not, I'll be back to ask for input. If there's a way to improve upon my ideas, I'd like to know it ;)

No worries about the questioning, I'm exactly the same - we are best at deceiving ourselves, and I see no point in disputing peer-reviewed research without the background to be able to understand my own claims

 

[DaveE]

It's surprising how often you can answer your own questions while your describing the problem to others. I guess because of some enforced clarity in thinking to communicate well. Similar to the saying "you don't really understand a subject until you can teach it to others".

 

[DefinitelyAnEnjinear]

It's surprising how often you can answer your own questions while your describing the problem to others. I guess because of some enforced clarity in thinking to communicate well. Similar to the saying "you don't really understand a subject until you can teach it to others".

I once practiced a lecture in front of my laptop and it went to sleep

I recall reading about how we're decieved into thinking we understand something when we just recognize it. practicing recall is a better way to learn, and indeed, teaching to someone is a great way to learn

 

[Ibix]

Sorry for the previous posts, similar to a cop pulling you over and asking if you were going to run the next red light.

I'd say it's more like he asked for legal advice and got legal advice. I agree your point about people who ask about the rules probably not being a problem, but if he asks about the rules and whether he'd be breaking them if he did X then we're going to talk to him about the rules and whether he'd be breaking them if he did X.