Schedule Your One-Hour Call

This service is a simple opportunity to Ask the Engineer with no strings attached.  We are straightforward, no-pressure, and focused on your project.

• Use the link above to schedule a time that works for you.
• We use a service for booking, which will reserve your time and send you a Zoom link as well as a reminder the day of our meeting
• Upload images, documents, or drawings in advance if you have them (optional).
• We meet via Zoom or Phone, your choice.  (Zoom allows screen sharing, and you can show things.)
• We talk through your questions and work toward answers, options, and/or talk about next steps with your project.

We only offer a limited schedule for these calls.  If you need something different, please reach out.

You choose how to use the hour – questions, ideas, reviewing a project, or talking about options.  "Ask the Engineer" is for you, to give easy access to engineering expertise without contracts or the expectation of further commitment.  This is for you.

Many people just need a little direction to move forward confidently with their project.  This service gives it.

Come with your questions, sketches, images, and/or documents (all optional).  In addition, we can share screens to visualize real-time.

If I Can, I will Give:

• Straight answers rooted in experience and engineering.
• Practical options and tips you can act on.
• An experienced viewpoint to help guide decisions.
• Clarification on risks, loads, or design choices.
• A better understanding of how to move forward.
• No sales pitch, no upsell.  Just the help you need.

If I can't help, I will let you know, and give a full refund.

If your questions need deeper engineering analysis beyond the scope of an hour call, we can talk about what to do.  However, there is no implied expectation for continued commitment.  The choice is always yours.

Things That Are NOT Included:

• The session is NOT for engineering approvals of a design.  (Engineering analysis takes time for careful consideration, not something we do under time pressure.  Please also see our main website FAQ page for more about engineering approvals.)
• These sessions do not allow time for full engineering calculations or formal design.  We can discuss loads and methods, even walk through simple calculations, but deeper work is beyond this scope.
• We are NOT a source for legal advice about what you can get away with, or if there has been an accident or incident.  We do forensic work, and we work with attorneys on analysis, but that is outside the scope of our "Ask the Engineer" service.
• You are welcome to upload drawings, images, or documents as a basis for discussion, but a full review of long or complex documents is not included.  (Everything you upload will be deleted after the session, so no worries about storage security or other issues.)
• We will NOT discuss politics or candidates or policies that do not directly relate to engineering for your project.

Please also see the Terms and Policies accordion tab below for procedural items like payments, refunds, rescheduling, no-show, liability limits, etc.

"Ask the Engineer" is a one-on-one session with the engineer who designs our trailer and tool plans.  (Please see the plans store.)  He also writes the Articles and Build Tips here at Mechanical Elements.

With many years of engineering experience in product design, development, manufacturing, and consulting, his scope is broad.

Drawing, documents, sketches, photos, etc. are all helpful in conveying your thoughts and questions, but they are not required.

If you would like to upload something for me to review in advance, that can be useful.  Do it on this Uploading Page.  On the other hand, we can share screens in a Zoom call which gives an interactive visual where you can narrate as you show me, and ask questions.

Nothing is required, so please do what you feel is best for your situation.

Absolutely.  If you have plans for a trailer or crane or other item – plans from Mechanical Elements or any other source – I am happy to review them with you.  We can talk about structure, or modifications, or customizations.  No problem at all.

On the call I cannot provide approvals for plans, but I am happy to discuss them.

An NDA – Non-Disclosure Agreement – is not really necessary since there is wording to that effect in the sign-up process.  However, if that is not sufficient to meet your needs, we should probably approach your project in a different scope.  This "Ask the Engineer" service is intended to be easy, unencumbered, and straightforward.

We do work with NDAs frequently, but only with mutual agreements.  Also, everything we say in these "Ask the Engineer" sessions is confidential to you (from our side), however, you are free to use anything we present in the meeting.

If your project requires an NDA, please Contact Us separately and we can work out a contract with you for a more in-depth service.

Sometimes.  Specifically for this "Ask the Engineer" feature, there is no commitment for anything further.  We want you to feel unrestricted and unconstrained.

Yes, we do offer Product Design services, as well as Engineering Consulting services, but that is separate from this "Ask the Engineer" feature.

If you want further engagement, we can certainly talk about what that looks like for your situation.  Just ask.

This service is intended to be simple and straightforward, so our terms are too.

• Payment is required at sign-up to reserve your session time.
• You may reschedule up to 24 hours in advance using the scheduling system.  Inside 24 hours, the appointment time is locked.
• If you need to cancel (instead of rescheduling), we will gladly provide a full refund if contacted at least 24 hours before your appointment.
• No-Show = No Refund.  If you miss the appointment, the session is done.
• The 10-Minute Guarantee applies.  If either of us decides in the first 10 minutes that the session is not a good fit, the call will end and you will receive a full refund.
• All scheduling, payment processing, and meeting services (e.g., Zoom) are provided by third-party platforms.  If hiccups occur, please let us know.
• Any follow-up work beyond the call – if requested – is a separate engagement and not included in the session price.
• Information provided in the call is offered in good faith based on the details you share.  The discussion is therefor advisory only.  You are responsible for decisions, design choices, and how you apply any information provided.  Mechanical Elements and Synthesis Engineering Services are not liable for your project performance, safety, or damages arising from your implementation of ideas discussed in the call.
• For limitations on content of the call, please see the "What To Expect" accordion above.

Our goal is to make the sessions easy and useful – hopefully educational.  Reach out if you have concerns – we are reasonable people.