Tim I am an engineer today in no small part due to your programs I watched as a child. A deep heartfelt thank you for everything you do.

Tim, I'm happily married to my wife for over 25 years now so I probably don't scare or offend you, but I simply love you. Just like I loved my granddad. For me you're an icon of how people ideally should be and act. Big hug from a devoted supporter. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful work for so long with us. All the best, Job

Tim Hunkin you're a national treasure, long may you engineer and educate.

So nice to just watch a good honest video that's entirely about the subject matter. No silly jingles, self-promotion or sneaky sponsor plugging. No begging for cash or subscriptions, comments or 'likes', just 100% Tim Hunkin talking about stuff he knows from years of experience. Thank-you Tim, very much appreciated.

The sheer amount of work that goes into the examples here is mind-blowing. Everything he discusses is backed up with practical demonstrations. Really unrivalled on KZfaq.

i love tim hunkin because he's the kind of man who gives an interesting demonstration with his van de graff only to conclude "this does nothing to explain how today's motors work"

This slightly cracked egg, for one, is grateful for Mr. Hunkin. Every video feels like an apprenticeship. Takes me back to when KZfaq was about sharing the joy of creation rather than a soulless hall of mirrors. Thank you for being an inspiration in an age of posers and copycats.

1:03:24 "What the f***s gone wrong there!". Naughty Tim! 🤣

I love how Tim just casually has a milk jug of mercury in the workshop. Love your work Tim

I waited over thirty years to see Tim say what the fs gone wrong there!! 🤣❤️👍 Tim you're an absolute legend for this series, you and Rex could have done secret life without a production team!

Using the Trinamic stepper drivers eliminates most of the issues with steppers - they are almost magical - the motors become near-silent and super smooth even at very low speeds, and will do things like back off the current when the motor isn't moving to reduce heating. I seriously recommend you try them.

Mr. Hunkin is truly one of my all time heros. Starting watching him back in the 90's . Inspired me to what I have become today. Was so happy when he started this series.

This gets posted to youtube just at that point in the week where I need cheering up. I always forget it's here. So it's always a good surprise when I find it.

Tim! Thank you so much for producing such great content on youtube. Having grown up on and loved The Secret Life of Machines, I've always appreciated your teaching style and seemingly endless knowledge and explaining prowess. I'm so very happy to be able to continue to learn from you with your Secret Life of Components. You're truly a global Treasure! Thank you!!! p.s. Everyone that is able to, please be sure to take time to make a donation for this truly amazing builder and damn fine teacher!

"1 hour later" hahaha! Feels pretty good when it finally goes back together! This is a great episode! The first thing I wanted as a boy, at the surplus electronics shop was a motor "that went slow but was strong". The scary old man in the basement (probably in his 50s haha) said "you want TORQUE, kid" and sent me to the shelf with geared car window motors. $12 at the time. I bought 2. Made a contraption to open my curtains from my bed across the room. Just this year (30+ yrs later) I made an electric cart for collecting pallets for a wood stove in the city. I used a Chinese geared motor and PWM controller and 12V motorcycle battery. I roll around the neighbourhood with glee. I used information from the CHAIN episode to help me get that right! I am a Certified Electronics Technician and fix tape machines (just sticky tape and rust) and vintage organs and synthesizers, now for a living. It took a while to get here, but along the way I have never forgotten the wonders you and Rex showed me as a kid - and how much I wanted to understand these things myself! I think your original show was on public TV in Canada. I am surely one of many many thousand of people you helped inspire (proof is in the comments haha). I share this here just to be in such good company. thanks again!

THANK YOU!! Your Enthusiasm and Knowlege have spurred me on, with my "Quest" to become "Off-Grid" in a city bedsit!! I had been hitting some 'Sticking points',due to a traumatic brain injury,that had left some holes within my memory, and also limiting my learning abilities... However,your clear explanations were exactly what I needed,to move forwards again!! Grateful Thanks and Kindest Regards, Namaste. Andrea and Critter Family. ..XxX..

34M, USA. stumbled across an episode of The Secret Life of Machines when you were uploading the remasters during the pandemic, and am so grateful I did. just wanted to pile on to the outflowing of supremely deserved praise in the comments, and say thank you for being you, and sharing so generously with all of us! I learn, I laugh, I cry, I smile, every time. 💓☺️⚙️

This video should be mandatory viewing for all grade school children. Some will be fascinated and some excruciatingly bored, but I am sure it will plant a curiosity seed and steer many kids toward a career in STEM. I am 65 and wish sorely I’d saw my curiosity through to it’s fruition. End of rant.

Mr. Hunkin...thank you so very much. I watched your tv series on PBS channels in the US many years ago and was super delighted, informed and awestruck. Now, 40 plus years later I get to see you again. I never stop enjoying you videos. As a retired engineer I wish that all engineering students watch your series before they graduate. You bring technology and the love of science ALIVE. Words cannot express my sincere “ thank you” for everything.

I read the thank you page the other day after I sent a donation your way. I'm so glad your friend talked you out of putting all this content behind a pay wall! But seriously, guys, if you have a couple bucks to spare, it's well worth it. Thanks again Tim.

I'm learning so much from Tim. 3 x days of watching has advanced my understanding 10 years. How on Earth is he not Sir Tim Hunkin?

I can attribute my new interest in tinkering almost entirely to this man. Thank you, Mr .Hunkin.

Love to have ya back again, been rewatching the whole series again for the millionth time. Thank you for your work

That trick of using back emf to rapidly stop a DC motor is brilliant! Never seen it before.

"The Secret Life Of Machines" was inspirational for me. It's so wonderful to finally get some information about "The secret life of TIM's" machines", thanks!

Wish I had a KZfaq channel to unload all my accumulated experience and knowledge. You are doing a service, passing down your knowledge, before it's gone. People nowadays are so clueless about the world around them. Many are injured or die. For example, a person in a fiberglass company, in a layup area, had checked out a drill, to mix fibers and resins. Then stuck the stirrer into a bucket of acetone and pulled the switch. Room turned white, and people's socks were on fire, and a poor soul was in the doorway, did his first solo flight. Every one else chose pneumatic drills. If people had knowledge, there would be less accident autopsies to fill out. Keep teaching and sharing, thanks so much.

Clearly Rex finally decoded the theory of motors to enable you to make such a brilliant and insightful video. Thank you for your efforts over the years I have been a fan since the 80s and I thoroughly enjoy your videos. Please keep educating us for as long as possible. You are a national treasure.

This is the secret life of Tim Hunkin in a nut shell. He enjoys this just like when he first started those videos many, many, moons ago and I also enjoy following him.

So happy to see this, when I was 8 or 9 SLOM was my favorite thing to watch. You have inspired a generation of men in sheds.

A truly delightful hour, as all are spent with Tim.

The smile on your face when you cracked the egg💛. Excellent video as always. Just so much knowledge and hands on experience all at once. Thank you.

Mr. Hunkin, you do much of what I did with my time as a kid and on into adulthood. To my mother's horror, I took apart so many mechanical and electrical things. I absorbed all the knowledge I could by examining how things worked and eventually it became a career as a "mechatronics" specialist with little formal education, that repaired devices, then taught repair, then invented new devices, and it was a very rewarding and lucrative lifetime. Now at 72, I'm "playing with" Arduino processors just for fun and to keep my brain active. Having just recently discovered your very entertaining and informative, I've of course subscribed.

I laughed out loud at your oops when your hoist began to give way. It's great to see your commitment to the demonstration by literally putting your body on the line. 😂 I love your work.

I just watched ClearPath Ads, and they are really funny 🤣 Mr. Hunkin has the best Ads in videos, that aren't even sponsored. What a legend!

Every time I see a new video by Tim, I immediately watch it or add it to my playlist

Tim truly thank you for these amazing videos. You and your skil set is amazing..and you sir are the teacher the world deserves. You make people excited buy your joy of what you've learned and your enthusiasm in sharing with us all.. thank you kindly Sir.

The egg cracker perfectly shows the big kid inside you Tim. Since you started releasing the new videos, Thursday has now become my favourite day of the week.

It's always a bright day when I see Tim has uploaded a video. They are a joy to watch and will continue to inspire many for a very long time. Thank you for taking the time to give this to the world.

Tim, when Secret Life was brought to the States on Discovery channel, I fell in love with it as a kid. I am still watching them today. I show them to my daughter. You are absolutely one of my heroes! I miss Rex and just wished that I had met him before his passing. Hope to travel over to the UK in the near future to visit your displays and maybe, hopefully get a chance to meet you in person. That would be an absolute thrill. By the way, your book "Rudiments of Wisdom" is one of my most prized books in my small collection.

"small hadron collider coming here soon" brilliant :-):-)

Thank you so much for making these, Tim. I deeply appreciate all you've done to educate people on how our world operates.

That is the first time I have heard back emf described in such a way. It helps explain inductive resistance very well!👍🤓

I'm so glad this man is passing on his experience. Every craftsmen, builder artist can learn something new. Amazing video series.

For what it's worth, i got interested in making due to you and Rex and your original show. They say to never meet your heroes but i get the impression you're every bit the good guy that you seem. Anyway, thanks for the art, the comedy, the knowledge and the inspiration. Pour one out for Rex.

Just the work put into the title animations for this series is crazy. Thanks Mr Hunkin

Tim you are someone i look up to most in this world, and while i am not financially stable one of my wishes is to come and visit your fantastic arcades and try to understand the mechanics behind all of your machines

As a software engineer I love watching your videos because it shows me creativity and also how to think about problems.

Hi Tim. Excellent. You might have disassembled one of the tiny vibrator motors. They are used in all kinds to stuff including small remote control cars, airplanes, etc. As I'm sure you know, they are DC motors, but constructed "inside out". They are called "coreless". The permanent magnet is stationary and is in the middle and the armature is a tiny fiberglass cylinder with fine wire woven over it. There are brushes and a commutator. The cylinder rotates around the magnet.

Loads of good information explained as simply as something complicated could be explained. Thanks for sharing!

Wooo!!!! More goodness! Thank you Tim!!!

I am a scientist and inventor, in part thanks to your Ch4 series. You are a fountain of knowledge and charm.

I always enjoy watching the section of an old Robot Wars video where Rex talks about running the 12V motors in his robot Cassius on 24V to get more power, arguing that they don't have enough time to really get hot. It clearly worked. It was good to see inside the 'Fakita' drill with the brushless motor in this too.

I immensely enjoy your videos explaining mechanics! it would be required watching in high schools, if i had my way. we all interact with these things regularly, but most folks have little or no idea how or where.

I really can't express how fun it is to watch these videos!

what a pleasure to see, the world need more people like you, greetings from Chile.

I’m in the US so I probably haven’t seen Tim Hunkin as much over the years as someone who is from the UK. That said, I definitely recognize him as I have seen him now and then over the years. As I started watching this video I thought to myself, “This guy is like a UK version of Mr. Rogers, but for ~’grown ups’”. If you don’t know who Mr. Rogers is, I assure you that a favorable comparison to him is a great compliment. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

What a legend and still educating everyone with a dash of entertainment. I worked in a school for manny years and I coerced the head of department to purchase “The Secret Life of” on VHS and said it would transform pupils minds. He never showed a single episode. I asked for the tapes when I was leaving as I considered them too valuable to leave behind. He was happy to be rid of them. How short sighted. I love finding out about things and Tim provides a fantastic backdrop to explain everything so clearly! Thank you!

love you Tim. So grateful for everything you've shared with us. 🙂

You're a gem Tim. This channel and your career are such an amazing resource. I'm an electrician and your videos make me want to learn more

The most important words in the video are 'fun' and 'play'. Wonderful as ever.

Excellent video and content as always Tim. I always looked forward to coming home from school to watch the Secret Life of Machines when I was in my mid teens. I enjoyed my visit to Novelty Automation when I visited London last September for a few days holiday and thought it was a fascinating place. I will most certainly visit again some time soon. Interestingly in the Servo section of your upload/video I noticed that the Motor was produced by Moog, the Parent Company that owns the Company I work for. Thanks again Tim, Andrew,.

You're the best Tim! Keep making your dreams come true. You inspire everyone!

Another great video Tim! Thanks so much, as always learned a lot and loved your demonstrations! Cheers!

Hey Tim i watched your shows when i was a child!! im from the 80's, So pleased to of found your channel and to see you are doing well for yourself! I Absolutely love tinkering and only in recent years found out i am on the autistic spectrum! I would love a workshop like you have, i would never leave it haha!

The back emf braking circuit is a gem. And also the tip about using diodes to drop voltage to control speed, rather than resistors (which would get hotter and reduce current thus reducing torque) I'd never seen anyone suggest that before. I've commonly used a couple diodes as a poor man's voltage regulator for ICs and the like, but never thought to use them for motors. Great stuff!

Thank you for posting these videos! You're a great teacher.

Thanks Tim I have enjoyed watching. Your practical presentation is great. I watched your original series secret life of machines when I was younger and was soooo happy to find all your videos on you tube. Thanks again.

You continue to be the master explainer. It brings such joy to learn from your years of experience.

The egg cracking machine made me grin from ear to ear, seeing Tim so happy with what he made :D

Love these videos...nut the best part of all was that line at the end after asking for donatations, "I'm not starving but it does encourage me to keep at it!"

The Secret Life of Machines and Connections, two of the only reasons to own a television. Thank you for the Infotainment. I will never forget you and Rex and James Burke with his show. It was so interesting to learn about something while also being entertained. It's great to know you are still around, sir.

This is the best tutorial on motors I’ve ever seen.

Absolutely fantastic to see you producing such amazing and entertaining videos. You inspired me many years ago with your eccentric but genius ‘secret live of machines’ series.. Long may you continue to make more.. Absolute joy to see. Many, many thanks Tim

Mr. Hunkin Ive always loved every video you have ever made and I wish that one day i can come to UK and visit your arcades and perhaps meet you. You have taught me well. 😎👍

Tim is an absolute treasure.

I loved this show. I learned so much and the animation was great. I also loved that it was released to the public after it aired. Thank you for your contribution to humanity.

the torque demo is classic Tim Hunkin. Thanks Tim!!

Thankyou Tim for your quality educational teaching with added fun factor.

Thanks for that, Tim. I used to read the Rudiments of Wisdom as a child, and I watched the Secret Life of series. Probably thanks to you I became a mechanical engineer. :) I took my daughter to the under the pier show last week, and we had an excellent time. Hilarious. We were hoping to bump into you, but sadly it didn't happen. Keep up the brilliant work!

Nice hidden homage to Tim's partner, Rex Garrod (may he rest in peace), at 45:08. I like that! Otherwise a great episode, as informative as The Secret Life of Machines was in its day.

I had a similar issue on my cnc mill, with it rounding off corners. It was the G code was running constant velicity mode. Where it tries to keep the cutter moving. The fix was to change to 'exact stop' mode (G61). Where it finished the cut before starting the next. Rather that trying to blend moves. If your cnc plasma runs on G code, may be worth looking into. Thanks for the series Tim. Small donation made. Want to keep you motivated to do more!

Tim, your videos are always a pleasure to watch, explained in fun, easy to learn tutorials. Thank You sir.

Thanks again for a very well put together video! Must be great fun developing those machines!

Hi Tim, wonderful video, I remember both Rex and yourself explaining how a VCR worked 'with sticky tape and rust' :); those were wonderful programs. For the tidal gauge you really need a '"stilling well" then you could try the float again bit I would also recommend ultrasonic or radar sensors (there are some wonderful industrial process level sensors out there; pricey but wonderful). The stilling well is essentially an open topped closed bottom tube mounted in the water with a small opening beneath the low water line. This device smooths/averages the irregular surface of the water making measurement easier.

Although I had studied this during my undergrad, most of the time, we used to work on simulations of EM fields and motor characteristics. It reminds me of true old-school Nostalgia. Great content. Cheers✨✨

This was really interesting to watch and gave me a vivid impression of the strengths and weaknesses of different types of motors. I have a Chinese PWM controller running the heating circulation pump on my canal boat. I was wary of it when first installed but it runs all evening and night for most of the year and is still fine after 20 months. I’m glad that you make good use of Chinese electrical stuff.

Very good video Tim. I also thought you could have added that brushless dc motors can also be used as 3 phase generators and with a 3 phase rectifier you can generate dc without the friction of the commutator.

Find something useful, that’s an understatement! Loved the content and the way you simplify the theory and show practical ways to explain and demystify complicated electro mechanical devices.

Tim, thank you so much for your contribution! Your experience has definitely helped us to reduce the troubles and expenses when we are making things.

Some of my fondest memories of my father are when we used to watch your show back in the 90s. We shared a love of all things mechanical. He passed away in 99 but I'm sure he'd be happy to see you're still at it. As for me, I became an electrician so this episode is of particular interest to me.

I nearly missed this as I thought it was one of your videos. Thoroughly enjoyed watching.

I would have liked to be able to hit like again for the egg cracker. The power of the sea is immense, can’t wait to see more of it harnessed. Sure is amazing what you are doing. Thank you!

Thanks for doing these videos, they are so educational and a huge encouragement to any maker. Off the back of them I have now been to both of your amusement arcades and must say they are both inventive and pure genius, mixed with a wicked sense of humour. I'd recommend them to anyone. Keep going Tim.

Thanks for sharing These Videos and your Remastered ones. I loved watching PBS as a kid and your videos. You have a knack for putting things into perspective things that no one has yet to replicate. As much as I am not an artist and never cared much for animation visually your cartoons always made it interesting and kept me entertained long enough to push through to the next segment, Now I use electrical theory everyday as well as teach it to others. You can certainly tell all the 80's kids here are still just as fascinated today by your videos!!!. We all blow up shit like you did now just cause we can. Tim you Made alot of engineers and curious People all over the world with your videos and rexes help was Insurmountable. RIP Rex and Thank you Tim. Just finding these new Vidoes of your and you Know im gonna watch them all. From a nerd kid of the 80's to you. Thanks :-)

Has Tim been knighted yet? Imagine how many he has inspired.. I remember being 10 years old and was inspired to build an electric motor for my science project. It took a car battery to operate so I lugged a small car battery to school. Won 2nd or 1st place cannot remember. Thanks for all you do.. Diesel electric trains are polyphase (3) phase AC in USA not DC. VFD speed controls feeding each drive wheel it's own AC motor of 1000 HP each. No rectifiers or battery back-up which would make them hybrids. DC is used elsewhere it seems more logical but much more prone to breakdown (brushes, more complex). *Side note: Gone are those days of freedom. No more carrying car batteries to school.

This series has been amazing so far, I can't wait for the next installment! If you ever run out of ideas for videos It would be cool to go through your arcade machines and tell us how you developed them (especially all the problems and solutions you came up with).

Yay! Another Secret Life of Components video! =D

I agree that your legacy has made me a better engineer. I still am amazed as to how you showed how a sewing machine works.

Tim, thank you for your excellent detailed videos!

Hi ,I am new to your channel and found it fascinating, I really enjoyed watching you it reminded me of a teacher I had in the 80s ,he was a great teacher.I will work my way though your video archive and look forward to seeing your next.stay healthy, keep teaching