No, this is not a mix of sci-fi and fantasy. This is deep fantasy thinking right here. Along the lines of my previous post, Thought Based Cobha, this thread explores how thought-based cobha is utilized.
The essentials of the cobha system in my system of worlds is that certain words/ideas-represented-by-words will cause sudden and dramatic changes in the world of physics (called a spell), depending on the cobhaic strength of the speaker/thinker.
Thus, mathematically, any affect can be achieved through strength of mind and soul. However, some effects (such as, say, the construction of an entire wooden galleon from pure thought) take far more power than any human could naturally achieve. Enter Spell Machines.
A spell machine is cobhaic metaphysical machine that works spells on its own, essentially doing some thinking or speaking for the wielder of the craft. Thus, using a set of comparatively simple thoughts or words the user will construct a metaphysical machine that will think some of the more complex thoughts. Thus, to construct a ship, he might have one machine moving the water out of the way, then construct a machine that creates the wood, then another that arranges it into a ship, and still another for the triumphant trumpet blast he wants for dramatic effect.
As you can see, multi-tasking is when a spell machine is most important, especially in combat. A craft user will then create a spell machine for his shield (a protection against attacking spells and physical attacks, dependent on his relative strength to the attacker). Once he has that up, he only needs a little bit of thought for his shield and can begin building his attacks. The spell machine does the work.
However, even spell machines vary in complexity. Some, such as those for very strong shields, for creating semi-living beings, or for intense mind-battles, are vastly complex. These require what are known as spell tools.
This is a very simple set of thoughts, like a hammer is a simple tool. Yet they can be very handy, just as a hammer is often times nearly indispensable in making a machine work. A more complex spell tool would be like a screwdriver, not useful for much by itself, but essential to making powerful machines. Of course, the imagery is only imagery, there are no metaphysical steam-hammers or drills going on in the person's head.
The only drawback to these apparatuses is time. It takes maybe ten seconds to come up with a machine, but for those ten seconds you aren't doing anything, and in combat ten seconds is usually life or death.
Also bear in mind that for the most complicated machines and tools, like those for instantly building a massive ship, the user would have to be a plain genius (to know all the words), have intense concentration for a long time (which requires both practice and natural skill), and have to have no interference.
Don't think anything comes cheap in my worlds... if you can get it easy there is always someone who doesn't want you to, a risk involved, or it just isn't as easy as it sounds.

Next up... Spell Maps

How was the first one made? Was it developed through trial and error like the lightbulb, or some other way?

Dragons were created naturally understanding this sort of thing, but with the generations the knowledge has waned. Some machines were trial and error no doubt, but many were simply copied from the dragons. Some were learned by using spells, ironically enough, but that source is fairly limited.

Wow. The thought of thinking so hard makes my brain hurt. I can tell you've been doing a lot of thinking, too, Reiyen, to come up with this.
So, you have to create more than one machine for some jobs?

Some large tasks require multiple, or even many machines. Sometimes you will use a few machines to build a a more complex machine, etc. Oftentimes you will use multiple machines to for completely different tasks at the same time.

Wow, that is really cool. So the machines are created using thought? (just seeing if I understood that right)

Yep, the "machine" is a set of thoughts that will begin to work autonomously, independent of the thinker though still subject to him.