Name
Will Gorecki
Where are you located?
MILWAUKEE
What is your day job?
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
What kinds of stuff do you make?
Various engineering projects, but currently my main project is a jet engine powered suit that I can wear with the goal of being able to fly like Iron Man.
How did you get started making stuff?
I grew up interested in engineering and I was always helping my dad fix stuff around the house since he’s a mechanical engineer. I started building my own projects in high school where I made my own motor bike and I was involved in Battlebots. when I got into college I really started to work on a lot of programming and electronics and built various different projects throughout college like my own electric skateboard and a bunch of other random electronics projects.
What is something that you’ve made that you’re really proud of?
My current project which is a working Jet Suit that I can almost fly with. I have spent 16 months working in my free time on top of a full time engineering job. I have done basically everything myself on the project including mechanical design, electronics design, firmware, fabrication, and testing, and I’m really close to being able to fly.
What is next on your project list?
Im going to keep improving my jet suit until I can have stable flight over a long period of time
what is something you’d like to work with but you haven’t yet?
Id like to get into more heavy duty fabrication with welding, CNC Mills and Routers, and 3D metal printing, as well as carbon fiber molding. Basically Id like to be able to make any part that I need myself.
Any advice for people reading this?
Its only crazy until it works. Whenever you’re going after something new and audacious, people around you are going to try and convince you not to do it, but if you really believe in what you’re doing, then you need to stick with it. Also, don’t be afraid of failing. Failing is the only way we learn anything, and the faster you can fail and learn from it, the better off you’ll be. people get too caught up trying to get it perfect on the first try, and that will often take far longer than just starting and learning from your mistakes. Whenever you’re trying something new you’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to look stupid, but that’s all part of the process, and if you can keep pushing through that, over time you will learn and grow and become far more competent than you would have been if you tried to be perfect. There is no perfect time to start, you just have to do it and learn as you go.
Are you going to show off at a maker faire in the near future?
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