It had been the most accurate piece of machine work ever done on Earth.
In conversations with historians, this account is disputed, as he was never trained in machine work.
Generally he could make a full machine work, even if he had to dismantle the whole thing to find out why it wasn't operating.
The only way I can be sure is to see the machine work.
"One of the energy screens has gone down; and he needs some machine work before he can put up another."
She visited his rink, saw the machine work and asked him to make one for her.
The idea is to link several work stations into a network, and have each machine work on part of a problem.
I can't make the machine work, and I'm afraid it's broken; it exploded.
This is the best approach only with problems that are themselves rational, i.e., "How do you make this machine work?"
"Don't tell me, you can't make the machine work," he said, his eyes nearly arrogant as they stared down his nose at her.