The hobby that waited for me.
I first saw an aeromodel while I was in NCC Air Wing. It was one of those things that did not simply catch my attention—it stayed with me. The idea that a machine could be designed, assembled by hand, understood piece by piece and then actually fly had me hooked.
As a student, though, aeromodelling was an expensive hobby. Radios, electronics, airframes, batteries, hardware and the difficulty of sourcing the right parts made it hard to pursue seriously. So the interest stayed with me, waiting for the right time.
The long way back to the workbench
I went on to study mechanical engineering, complete a master’s degree from BITS in Strategy and Consulting, and spend around a decade working in process optimisation and engineering. My work kept me close to systems, efficiency, problem-solving and the discipline of turning messy problems into something that works.
Then the maker world changed. 3D printing became more accessible, digital design became more flexible, and building complex things at home stopped feeling out of reach. Somewhere along the way, adulthood also brought the very practical invention called a credit card. The old itch came straight back.
So I decided to restart—but this time, not alone.
Why Jinu’s Garage exists
Model aircraft are a brilliant way to learn engineering without feeling like you are sitting through an engineering class. A single build can make you work with design, mechanics, materials, aerodynamics, electronics, control systems, wiring, fasteners, tolerances, troubleshooting and iteration. You may begin by following a clear playbook, but every part you assemble teaches you how real systems fit together.
And then you fly what you built. That closes the loop between theory and reality. My fascination with model flying began through NCC Air Wing, and it remains one of the most rewarding ways I know to understand how an aircraft behaves. An RC aircraft is not a full-size plane, of course—but it is a very real start. And who knows where learning can lead? Never say never.
To me, this kind of hands-on learning builds capability far beyond the hobby itself. In a digital era, and through constant changes in jobs and technology, the ability to understand a system, make something real, test it and improve it remains a powerful skill.
I want to make the hard part easier
One of the hardest parts of getting back into the hobby was not the building—it was sourcing. Finding the right part, the right size, the right connector and the right quantity can become a project before the project even starts. Jinu’s Garage is here to remove that friction: parts sold in useful quantities, practical kits and bundles, build guidance, and Just What You Need—a BOM-aligned shopping experience designed to prepare the right cart without forcing you into supplier box quantities you do not need.
When a build list is ready, the aim is simple: go to garage.jinujose.com, find the parts, kit or bundle that matches the project, and spend more of your time building.
Build together
I would love to run Creative Weekenders on alternate weekends where we come together, work through a build, learn from each other and leave with something handmade, functional and genuinely exciting—including, when the project calls for it, your own flying model.
I will share the mistakes, experiments and lessons from my own journey as openly as I can. My hope is that Jinu’s Garage helps more people discover the satisfaction of being a builder, not just a buyer—and helps bring a stronger builder culture into a digital era shaped by fast-changing technology and job cycles.
Three lines, one garage
RC aircraft were the first runway, but the garage is broader than one hobby. I am building Jinu’s Garage around three simple lines:
- Fly — aircraft, flying projects, flight testing, failures and fixes.
- Make — useful 3D-printed and workshop products that I build, test and put into real use.
- Bots — robotics, electronics and useful automation as I learn and build them.
The rule is the same across all three: build something real, test it honestly, share what fails and what changes, and only deploy it when it is ready for real use.
Build. Test. Deploy.
Connect with the garage
Follow @jinusgarage and keep an eye on what comes off the workbench next: