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Prototype Like a Pro
Most inventors build their prototype wrong. Not because they're not smart — but because nobody told them that a prototype isn't a miniature version of the final product. It's a tool for answering a specific question. And using the wrong tool for the wrong question is one of the fastest ways to waste time and money in product development.
 
Prototype Like a Pro teaches you to build with purpose. You'll learn which prototyping method to use at each stage, how to test with real users (not just your friends), when to stop iterating and commit, and how to get from prototype to a production-ready product without losing your mind or your budget.
 
Whether you've never built anything before or you're an experienced maker looking to tighten your process, this guide gives you a practical framework and a full toolkit to work from.
 
Written by the makers at Redtail Innovations, who build prototypes for inventors and product companies every day.

Prototype Like a Pro

$19.99Price

  • 8 chapters plus appendix:

    • Chapter 1 — The Right Way to Think About Prototypes: The five prototype types and the one-question rule that will change how you build
    • Chapter 2 — 3D Printing: Your Best First Tool: FDM, SLA, SLS, and MJF explained — plus a complete filament comparison guide
    • Chapter 3 — CNC Machining: When Accuracy Is the Point: When to machine instead of print, and the design rules that keep your machined parts affordable
    • Chapter 4 — Laser Cutting and Sheet Metal: How to get real hardware fast using flat-material fabrication
    • Chapter 5 — Hand Building and Mixed Methods: Why foam and cardboard are still some of the most powerful prototyping tools around
    • Chapter 6 — Electronics and Working Prototypes: The step-by-step path from breadboard to custom PCB
    • Chapter 7 — Testing Your Prototype the Right Way: A simple test plan template you can use on your next prototype this week
    • Chapter 8 — Getting From Prototype to Production: The documentation, design freeze checklist, and pilot run strategy that makes the handoff clean

    Plus: A method comparison chart and pre-build checklist in the Appendix.

  • - First-time inventors building a physical product

    - Entrepreneurs who have an idea but don't know how to get it into prototype form

    - Product designers and engineers who want a smarter iteration process

    - Anyone who's ever wasted money on a prototype that didn't teach them anything useful

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