benjacobson.me — mechanical engineer

Ben Jacobson smiling outdoors

Hey, I’m Ben Jacobson.

  • Mechanical engineering student
  • Maker
  • Podcaster
  • Ultimate Frisbee player

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I built this tennis ball machine from scratch.

Tennis-ball machine launch wheels with grip tape
Tennis-ball machine frame during assembly
Tennis-ball machine carousel components
Tennis-ball machine ball tube sensor

An Arduino-powered ball machine for on-court training, featuring brushless servo motors and custom-built pan, tilt, ball-feeding, and timing mechanisms.

Check out Tennis Ball Machine

And this mechanical arcade game, too.

Ice Cold Beer arcade game during assembly
Sensors used in the Ice Cold Beer arcade game
Ice Cold Beer arcade game mechanism and playfield
Lighting inside the Ice Cold Beer arcade game

A fully functioning replica of the 1983 mechanical arcade game Ice Cold Beer, featuring a hand-drilled playfield, custom circuit boards, 3D-printed mechanics, lights, and sounds.

Check out Ice Cold Beer
Protein Bar Guillotine Chime Machine Pneumatic Cannon Motorized Windmill Outdoor Sofa Concrete Dumbbells Seismic Base Isolation Coding Projects

I’m always working on something.

Explore all engineering projects
Beyond ME podcast cover artwork

I’m also the producer and co‑host of a podcast.

The show where mechanical engineering students go beyond M.E… and where the things we talk about are beyond us.

Check out Beyond ME
Apple Podcasts Spotify