I am a miniature army painter. ( the things I paint are miniatures...I'm normal size. :D) In almost every miniature there is a time when it enters "the ugly phase". At this point you look at it and think "This is horrible!" and are tempted to put it away and work on something else. So in our arena we have a saying: "Trust the process." This basically means that we know this stage exists, but push on, use the techniques you know, and your own skills, and know that the final outcome will look good, even though right now it doesn't.
My husband does WH40k minis, and this is 100 % true. Opening a new box is fun. Putting together a model is fun (bits 4 life). Sitting down with a freshly prepared mini to start painting is fun. Seeing the finished model is fun. But, oh boy, are there a thousand steps in between you have to power through. Same for knitting and crochet, which are my hobbies. All hobbies have a „pile of shame“ meters high! 😂
In my mind there is a singular response to seeing someone carrying a sword, in a heavy coat, as nonchalantly as possible, on a city street. “There can be only ONE!” You Sir Savage, are that one… of a kind person, and we thank you for it! By the way, more co-op projects with fellow makers of your choosing are always, ALWAYS appreciated. Always. That is all.
If Adam did walk down the street with a sword and big overcoat, there would be a fair number of people following with phones out because he's so cool and yes, just that guy! There can be only 1 in the Savage Lands!!🤣 I can imagine him trying to look nonchalant while in a big reflective fireman's coat while carrying a sword and riding a One Wheel in the rain through hilly San Francisco! 😂 "He has a sword" Is that the only thing that stood out and not that it was Adam Savage?🤣
Don't do it, dude. Last time I said that, I wound up having to decap the guy. I didn't get struck by lightning or anything afterwards, so I think he was just crazy, rather than immortal. Still, I'm going with "good day" from here on out
For me the point when a project turns unfun is when it crosses a certain "unforseen hitch" threshold. I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what a project expects of me to complete it, but of course unforseen things happen and you overcome them, solving them as you go. But there's a certain point where the camel's back breaks and the whole thing feels like it's asking way too much of what I originally expected it to, and THAT'S when it becomes unfun.
Adam, you probably won't see this, but my day job has morphed into my being a software developer with some really terrible proprietary tools, and I am always looking forward to finishing my current project so I can work on the next one in the queue. I tell myself the next one will be easier and less stupid, and it NEVER IS. I'm already in my forties, but somehow this is the first time I've seen clearly that a lot of it is just about expectations and clearing your head when you need to. I get really frustrated, and I'm often alone battling a project for months. This little chat helped. Thank you for getting willing to step into such a mentor role on this channel. It suits you.
Was cutting a large piece of bronze round stock at work, probably 120mm, after like 30 minutes it was only like 1/5 of the way through, we changed the saw blade and it was done in 5 minutes.
The point of the first question resonated with me, and I may be getting too deep here, but it applies to life in general. Be it work, hobbies, relationships, passions, exciting things, mundane things, children, pets, family, reaching goals, whatever it may be. We will all burn out on the things we love at one point or another. Win, lose, or draw...learning to temper expectations and appreciate the process, effort, and outcome is what pays dividends in the end. Money does not buy happiness, it buys security (which is nice) but then what? Instant gratification is fleeting, persistent and not worth the chase. Stop to smell the flowers along the way. Be frustrated, disappointed, angry, walk away....that's life! Enjoy the payoff. Make your work count for something! Good, bad or ugly, ups and downs, try to be proud of your attempt and learn from your mistakes.
Always hate when that happens, but I keep what I've made so far. And sometimes I'll have my passion reignited for a project, and somewhere in my shop sits the already half made project! Feels good to finish it after a few months or even years, and may go even faster since you'll have more tools or knowledge to tackle it without getting burnt out again!
Last week I terminated* my 'dream project' of three years: the 'fun' had run away a long time ago. I took the time to look at my original motivation, to ask myself 'why this project, why now?' I am embarrassed to admit that I was trying to 'wow the Rubes' with my skills, rather than focus on a good quality build. I grew resentful of my slow progress, 'chafing under the yoke'. I guess it came down to the different 'vibe' you get working for yourself vs working for someone else. *In a shocking turn of events, I kept every scrap and scribble from this Project...might spark joy in the future!
These frustrations appear when we seem to have no control in matters that should be both relatively easy and simple to carry out. The lesson I take away is we should accept the situation for what it is, control what we can (even if it is an emotional control), reassess to find where we can improve the experience through iteration. Thanks for sharing your frustrations today, especially today. Have a great weekend!
The first question and your answer really resonates with me Adam... I'm not necessarily a "maker" per se, but for my hobby, I do a lot of machining, laser cutting and 3D printing. Most of my projects involve electric motors, gearing/gears and other moving parts. I don't usually have any difficulty keeping the motivation going, even through difficult times where something just doesn't want to work to my liking (and I'm a terrible perfectionist!). I have some weird mechanism in me that keeps me from giving up. The problem I have is that once I get the mechanical aspect of any project running to perfection, I lose interest in the cosmetic side of it. It takes a lot for me to push myself to move the non-mechanical part of the project over the finish line. Thoroughly enjoy your insight and enthusiasm... Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us!
Hi there! Your "I'm not a maker per se" line caught my eye, so I read your comment. I bring news.. you're a maker 😂 you're part of the maker space, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise 😄 you're doing great! ✌🏼
For me, if I find yourself in a situation where a fun project turns not fun anymore, it's essential to take a step back and reevaluate. Consider taking a break from the project and coming back to it with fresh eyes, or finding ways to simplify or modify the project to make it more enjoyable. And I think it's okay to let go of a project if it's no longer bringing you joy.
I keep three or four projects going, but I make sure that each one requires a different mindset, so that when I get to a stalling point on one project, shifting to another one forces me to think differently, which in turn frees my mind for when I come back to the previous project.
Thank you for sharing your world with us, including your vulnerability in sharing how you live with ADHD. Such fellowship through UA-cam, et cetera is a great encouragement to me in these increasingly wack-a-doodle times. Stay well, and give my loving regards to "The City".
Thanks, Adam. Very open and heartfelt, as always. Over the last 40 years, in those mid-project moments of intense frustration, I've taken comfort from this wise observation by Rosabeth Moss Kanter, (famous professor of innovation and change at the Harvard Business School": "Everything looks like a failure... in the middle."
One of the things I love most about this channel is HOW Adam tells a story - how he conveyed the fellow reacting to him carrying his sword made me laugh out loud too.
Dude! I had a moment today in the violin shop. Simple project and easy problem. Change hardware from a violin chinrest and make it into a viola chinrest. Two hours later and I now hate titanium and the maker of the hardware and the ebony tree and life. Because of my OCD, nobody will ever know of my strife, find a witness line or ever have a problem with this converted object. But I died for two hours over a 10 minute problem. The pain is real. Keep building stuff, whatever it is.
Adam, my uncle Harold made one of these power hacksaws as an apprentice in the late thirties, I have it now in my workshop, it's somewhat bigger than yours but I treasure it. It can even cut 45 degrees, cheers
I wonder if Adam checks his tattoo every year too see if its moved a millimeter. As always love the down to earth openness of your videos, no fluff or showing off, just real passion and info. Please never stop making these videos
I am an awesome starter of projects. I fail miserably as a finisher of projects. One way I deal with this is to work on a project until the fun runs out and immediately move to another project that I am enthusiastic about. I make sure to return to the original job somewhere in the rotation of projects. Similar to your power hacksaw, a power file is a nice tool to have.
There is strength in the struggle...in overcoming...in controlling our emotions and seeking a solution. When I'm in the shop, I try to suspend my "normal" attitude and be, as Adam said, "part of the process". The feeling when you come out the other side after a struggle makes it worthwhile.
comment to the end of your video: I used to apprentice with a sword dealer. This was back before the internet where you needed to "know a guy" if you wanted anything that was better than a knock-off bit of polished pot metal. So around the time of the Highlander TV series I'm asked to deliver a katana to a customer. At the time I got around on a matte black stripped down Suzuki sport bike wearing those old cheesy leather riding jackets and Dayton boots. I strap this sword to my back using a samurai travelling setup. I realise about 20 minutes into this ride that I am literally one smoke machine away from being in an 80's music video.
This one is timely, and hits hard. Expecting things to go smoothly, and they don't happens to me all the time. Today I was trying to fabricate a new bracket for my car battery. What I thought would be an hour or two job turned into an entire afternoon.
I find it so heartening that you can get as frustrated as I do with a project. So many times I've found myself saying I HATE DOING THIS out loud, hoping the neighbors can't hear me rant. I never give up, but I'll take a break when needed. My airplane is flying now but the wheel fairings need repair after last summer's flying. I'm amazed at how much I can resent having to still work on parts for my flying aircraft. It's like, Dammit, you're supposed to be DONE!
“My impatience is a powerful force, and it can unhinge me” That’s SOO relatable. I’m occasionally told that I give people more patience than deserved, but tbh, when it comes to my artistic endeavors it feels like there’s a gremlin being slaved around by an angry jawa in place where my brain should be. When I’ve gotten to that point, I’ve learned to force myself to take breaks with something mundane and automated (ie: driving, running, etc…), otherwise my thoughts are like a chrome browser: 10 tabs are open, 4 are frozen, and I don’t know where the music is coming from.
Indeed. For me, a novice woodworker, the excitement and anticipation of creating and finishing a workpiece is almost always interrupted or prolonged by any number of things. I just completed an extremely simple serving tray. That’s four pieces of wood and a 1/4” bottom panel. Well, just a few hours, I thought. More like 9 hours in the end. My router bit slipped out of the router ruining my last piecer of stock…off to the store. Then, in my haste, I broke my box joint jig…had to stop and fix that. The list goes on. But, in the end, isn’t spending more time in my shop a good thing? Yes, it is. 😊
That is the beauty of having concurrent projects. While waiting for a drawn-out process, like cutting stock, to complete, you have something else to work on.
Software developers experience this all the time. I started a new project but ended up working through configuration issues for 4 hours. I ended the day yesterday with it unresolved and really dreaded work today because it could be 5 more minutes or 5 more hours.
I was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia at age 26, 2.5 years after being recruited into a career, thanks to a very attentive line manager. That's now 10 years ago. We aim for 2 week sprints, but as a tiny team it's easier to delay the end date than bump items out of the sprint. While planning, no well defined task is more than half a day. A task that involves R&D or unknowns is no more than 1 day with a priority to define new sub-day tasks. You need the dopamine hit of finishing, so if a task drags, break it up so that you can at least finish one thing per day.
Im so so happy it isnt just me who struggles with impatience and who also gets salty like, i mean i know logically im not but its oddly reassuring to hear about others struggles with impatience and perfectionism, whether its adam or fellow Tested peeps. Long way of saying im glad im not the only one.
Watching any Adam Savage's Tested videos is ALWAYS a fun project, even the ones where Adam shares stories of things that go sour for him. Adam Savage forever~~~~! 😘
Adam to cut that piece of stainless take a cheap bench grinder . put a zipwheel on it instead of the left stone. remove the right stone. screw the bench grinder to a piece of 3/4 plywood. clamp that to your lathe crossfeed behind the the part. put the piece of stainless in the chuck. put a foil pan under the piece to catch the dust. then turn the piece slowly and feed the zipwheel into the piece. you will be amazed how well that works. no need for a toolpost grinder . we do this all the time to cut stuff like ejector pins and other hard rods.
Its dangerous to answer "what is the one thing" without some deep reflection on your goals. If there is "one thing", then that is the ultimate goal, and once reached the passion would disperse and you would be adrift looking for the next "one thing" to chase after (been there). That is essentially how we operate, but the "one thing" works better as either a more immediate goal of the current or upcoming project, or you make it the Holy Grail of whatever it is that you do, only to be attained at the end of your journey in your craft. One of my favorite quotes from Calvin and Hobbes is Calvin saying "I like to make everyone's day a little more surreal."
I’m not a machinist but I have cut and drilled stainless. It is a tough thing and gets tougher when it gets hot. Drilling SS pipe is much easier when the pipe is filled with water. SS stock cut with an appropriate blade in a portable bandsaw works well. Both methods remove the heat and stops the “work hardening.” The water method is obvious and the bandsaw heats while cutting but cools some as it goes around the tool. I still use a spray lube continuously while cutting with the bandsaw. I’ve seen a round billet of SS taken out of a freezer to be cut…
I think you Tested folks would enjoy watching Bobby Fingers. He’s a maker who does incredibly creative dioramas and his production value is off the charts!
I had an vintage Saw master 3114. I had tuned it up and bought high quality blades for it. Even with careful squaring and a weighted base. It jumped all over. I gave it away. I now have a HEM mitering bandsaw. model 782XL. At the time I bought it for $400. I think it's $600+ now. You need to try one. I can cut up to 4" diameter stock. I can make slice as thin 3/32. It's amazingly accurate.
Oh man, I needed this video. You have no idea. I just recently bought a couple props that I wanted to alter and weather.... man, it just didn't work out in my favor and it was such a bummer. Thanks, Adam. This video helped me see it differently.
I try to preempt the unexpected before I start a build by acknowledging that it might happen and when it does I will just do it as part of the job and enjoy the process. It happens often.
Adam, from a fellow builder albeit amateur, highly recommend that drop band saw, most I've seen are on wheels and if it were not for the cutting oil, could probably be store vertically
With anything that you're building or working on, if and when you get that annoyed with it, you have to walk away there's no question about that. I had one when I was working on an old truck of mine, an 88 Chevy. I was trying to change the starter and it would not come out. Everything was disconnected but it wouldn't drop. I got very angry after Hours of trying and I gave up for the day and went in the house. The next day I went out got underneath the truck and barely touch the starter and it fell right out on the ground... Getting frustrated with your work just makes it harder FOR YOU. That's when the saying comes in "You just gotta back off, jack off, and regroup." You can make more progress looking at a problem with fresh eyes than you can with frustrated eyes.
I'm surprised you don't have a drop bandsaw for metal. That's what we had in the shop when I did some wood and metal working. Those things are great! Of course, I was surprised with your handheld bandsaw cutter--I was thinking "That is so COOL!" when I first saw it.
Yeah... If you're doing any degree of heavy metal working, a drop bandsaw with coolant feed is a must. I've been in many machine shops over the years and that's one tool that almost every one of them had. Though now days, you see a lot of guys using carbide bladed chop saws to cut steel or SS, which seems dangerous to me, but apparently it's the new "it" tool for that job.
Just wondering ... If you knew the bandsaw blades were not up to the task why not chuck up the entire cylinder in your lathe, machine the part you wanted and then use the lathe to part off the piece or use the bandsaw on the reduced diameter stub (think cylinder, undercut stub, almost finished part) then take the parted off piece rechuck in the lathe and clean up the remnant stub from the backface? Just curious.
This right here is the best “get it done” solution! *A) direct.* You are turning the part from GO, not spending time cutting off stock *B) practice.* You get to test tooling/speeds/feeds as you turn away excess stock. *C) power feeds.* The lathe and mill have power feeds, use them!
Why a bandsaw? Whack it on the lathe, machine the stainless round bar into shape and when you’re finish use a parting tool. Using a parting tool on the lathe to cut a 2-3 inch round bar is like a couple of minutes work, not to mention very accurate.
I'd love to watch a traveling One Day Builds/Savage Builds type show where Adam travels and spends a day with his friends in there own shops to make something new in a new place every episode.
i think you need to get a new mic / work on audio settings for these streams audio is a lil harsh :) otherwise good content ! i LOVE your stories adam, you always paint a great picture !
I routinely part off short stock like that in the lathe it's quicker than the saw a decent 3mm parting tool 130 rpm plenty of coolant you can hand feed it through in 90 seconds.
I love scratchbuilding... mainly spaceships and radio control cars. I have BOXES of partially started projects. My best estimate is I am 10 years out to complete them all.
I’ve been told I have patience. Maybe because I have lost it and wrecked my work. But I want to do it and get it right also. I’ve learned if you want perfect you will spend time to get there
Working FX shops in the late 90s, I learned that when I was offered a gig, I usually had one of two reactions: "Man, this project is gonna SUCK!" and I was usually right, but not simply because of my negative attitude: It would turn out I was working for a micromanager, somebody with more ego than understanding of the work, or that sort of thing. The other reaction was "Oh, crap! I'm in over my head! Can I even DO this job? And THOSE gigs? I knocked it out of the park, and surprised myself. On ine gig, I actually got a 25% raise, four weeks into the project, and then they accidentally processed the raise AGAIN, so that six weeks into the project, I was making 50% more than I started! Working shops in L.A. was the absolute greatest era in my working life.
David Richards "Old Steam Powered Workshop" has a power hacksaw, and it works a treat. I also have a friend with a shop in his tiny garage, and he has a power hacksaw--because he didn't have room for a horizontal band-saw. I'll be keen to see your own power-hack-saw project. Super cool.
A maker's mind will always move. When you're doing a bunch of different things to make, that occupies your mind and keeps you engaged, but a slow, tedious process allows your mind to wander and wonder, "is there a better way to do this? Is this going to be as enjoyable as I think it is?"
Yep, the planning and prep for a project always gets me SOO engaged and even excited, but when it comes time to execute? I find my motivation fades rapidly. Unless I find interesting problems, not annoying problems, the interesting ones that create a challenge. Not just drive me crazy. In the middle of building and modding a high-end gaming computer right now. Already losing interest because I have to figure out a dual open-loop hardline cooling solution. It's not fun, just annoying to figure out all these fittings. Putting it all together will be fun!
It has nothing to with Adhd that is just a excuse some people use. It is more about knowing how long time a project takes in reality from what seems easy on the paper. In Adams case with cutting aluminum. If he had been a professional steelworker or engineer in a factory. He would know or someone could tell Adam how long time it would take to cut through that metal. Also personality traits, some are good at starting projects and getting ideas, but not good at finishing. Because that is for soldiers.
Pedersenist, *that* is exactly an ADHD trait. Time blindness. Both the inability to accurately estimate time and the now vs. not now view of past/present/future. You are correct that experience is a good guide for knowing how long a new task might take, how to get the best results, etc…
@@pedersenist”… that is just an excuse some people use” Obviously you don’t have ADD and I’m glad for you. ADD is a cluster of personality traits not an excuse. The most difficult part of it for me is hitting a wall of frustration or a process failure. I’m truly glad you are not experiencing it but your opinion doesn’t negate my experience.
There are a lot of comments here, so perhaps someone already mentioned it, but for the second question, the answer that popped into my head immediately was Adam looking directly into the camera and saying "building anything that would take forever with Grant...."
A powered hacksaw is the only hacksaw I would consider using. I *loathe" using a hacksaw, and an oscillating multitool has all but eliminated my personal need for hacksaws.
Love the powered hacksaw, I could throttle my dad for selling a small drop band saw... it was 3 feet long and maybe 20inches off the gound tops. Also had a tool makers lathe which he let go due to neither of us having the room... though I built 2 buildings since.
My problem is that when I hit a wall, I tend to just move to a other project instead of stopping and working through. I soon have an overwhelming number of unfinished projects, which causes huge stress.
Are used to have a metal cutting horizontal bandsaw, I would always wait minutes so many minutes to cut everything, then I went to a maker space where they had $1000 code saw. And realized you can use a cold saw to cut through a 4 x 4/4 inch wall steel tubing in about 30 seconds. Instead of the eight minutes it used to take on my bandsaw. Not too long after that I sold my bandsaw since I was never going to use it again and bought an evolution, called Sara, sort of the consumer version of professional, cold sores, and I’ve never looked back. That thing will make mince meat of all metal. I have a blade for stainless, I have a blade for mild steel, and I have a blade for aluminum. Adam talks about spending two hours, trying to cut that piece of stainless. It would’ve taken likely 2 to 3 minutes to swap out the blade, and probably three minutes of cutting to get through that entire chunk. It’s staggering how much better is spinning disk is than a thin blade under tension.
Exactly. The machine shop I work at has a $200,000 industrial band saw. Think a 2" stainless bar is painful? Try a 9.5 inch stainless bar. That sucker takes all day. The shop down the street that we farm some of our smaller jobs to has a rotary saw that cuts through 2 inch stainless in 30 seconds.
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m Virgo or maybe it’s just who I am but when it want to do something I make certain that I have the material and the tool(s) before I set out to do that which I want to do. It’s saves punching a wall mentally or physically
Every time I start a larger project I have to write it out in step by step increments so that the step I am on is the build. Other wise I get frustrated and won't come back to it for awhile.
I enjoyed the video. I've been there before when you set out to do something thinking is going to take you 10 minutes and ends up taking 2 hours. It can be very frustrating. "Dude's carrying a sword!!"
Robert Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance) referred to "hitches" as "gumption robbers" because they took away your enthusiasm. A German girl once said, "enthusiasm becomes discipline", and if you can make that happen well awesome, if you are like most of us you have to fist fight the despair, loathing and depression and just force your way through it.
Gee I dunno Adam, I'd much prefer a small drop saw over a power hack saw. Still accurate, much faster and best use of the blade length (all of it). I've never seen one without recirculating coolant. That said, I have no doubt the saw you're building will serve you beautifully.
Working with metal and working with electronics are much the same. Many times a tool or part you need you don't have. Waiting is hard. My advise, wait for it.
You need to get some free-machining stainless steel. It’ll change your life. Also, leaded alloys of steel are awesome. 12L14 machines like butter. I love it so much.
The way I would have cut that chunk of stainless with Adam Savages' tools, is to chuck in the lathe and use the porta band. With the lathe slowly turning the stainless should not work harden.
Frustration when things don't immediately happen that we want to see happen is a hallmark of those of us with ADHD. It took me years to recognize the same in myself!
That sounds like a new tested show. "24 hours with [guest]" or "a weekend with [guest]" Where you invite guests and build like a one day build type thing but with a guest.
I have the same “mental” issues, but I’m poor-ish . This is actually not a bad thing . I cannot get myself into the same situations as Him . I cannot force anything. I can’t do a great many things that He can . I used to think that was terrible….. Maybe not so much 😊
2 things I've seen this week is adam has a festool track saw the other is the festool case being used in the mandalorian ep 3 as the case they steal this should be a build :D
Hi! Love the channel and watch all the time. I think you might consider "parting off" on the lathe if you are working with cylindrical stock all the time. Its fairly quick and very accurate. Just a thought. Keep up the good fight.
I am a miniature army painter. ( the things I paint are miniatures...I'm normal size. :D) In almost every miniature there is a time when it enters "the ugly phase". At this point you look at it and think "This is horrible!" and are tempted to put it away and work on something else. So in our arena we have a saying: "Trust the process." This basically means that we know this stage exists, but push on, use the techniques you know, and your own skills, and know that the final outcome will look good, even though right now it doesn't.
My husband does WH40k minis, and this is 100 % true.
Opening a new box is fun.
Putting together a model is fun (bits 4 life).
Sitting down with a freshly prepared mini to start painting is fun.
Seeing the finished model is fun.
But, oh boy, are there a thousand steps in between you have to power through.
Same for knitting and crochet, which are my hobbies.
All hobbies have a „pile of shame“ meters high! 😂
In my mind there is a singular response to seeing someone carrying a sword, in a heavy coat, as nonchalantly as possible, on a city street. “There can be only ONE!” You Sir Savage, are that one… of a kind person, and we thank you for it! By the way, more co-op projects with fellow makers of your choosing are always, ALWAYS appreciated. Always. That is all.
If Adam did walk down the street with a sword and big overcoat, there would be a fair number of people following with phones out because he's so cool and yes, just that guy! There can be only 1 in the Savage Lands!!🤣 I can imagine him trying to look nonchalant while in a big reflective fireman's coat while carrying a sword and riding a One Wheel in the rain through hilly San Francisco! 😂 "He has a sword" Is that the only thing that stood out and not that it was Adam Savage?🤣
Don't do it, dude. Last time I said that, I wound up having to decap the guy. I didn't get struck by lightning or anything afterwards, so I think he was just crazy, rather than immortal. Still, I'm going with "good day" from here on out
For me the point when a project turns unfun is when it crosses a certain "unforseen hitch" threshold. I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what a project expects of me to complete it, but of course unforseen things happen and you overcome them, solving them as you go. But there's a certain point where the camel's back breaks and the whole thing feels like it's asking way too much of what I originally expected it to, and THAT'S when it becomes unfun.
"All the living people" is the best answer ever, even if what just happened in Montreal makes it a little bittersweet.
Adam, you probably won't see this, but my day job has morphed into my being a software developer with some really terrible proprietary tools, and I am always looking forward to finishing my current project so I can work on the next one in the queue. I tell myself the next one will be easier and less stupid, and it NEVER IS. I'm already in my forties, but somehow this is the first time I've seen clearly that a lot of it is just about expectations and clearing your head when you need to. I get really frustrated, and I'm often alone battling a project for months. This little chat helped. Thank you for getting willing to step into such a mentor role on this channel. It suits you.
Was cutting a large piece of bronze round stock at work, probably 120mm, after like 30 minutes it was only like 1/5 of the way through, we changed the saw blade and it was done in 5 minutes.
The point of the first question resonated with me, and I may be getting too deep here, but it applies to life in general. Be it work, hobbies, relationships, passions, exciting things, mundane things, children, pets, family, reaching goals, whatever it may be. We will all burn out on the things we love at one point or another. Win, lose, or draw...learning to temper expectations and appreciate the process, effort, and outcome is what pays dividends in the end. Money does not buy happiness, it buys security (which is nice) but then what? Instant gratification is fleeting, persistent and not worth the chase. Stop to smell the flowers along the way. Be frustrated, disappointed, angry, walk away....that's life! Enjoy the payoff. Make your work count for something! Good, bad or ugly, ups and downs, try to be proud of your attempt and learn from your mistakes.
That's why the super wealthy say they never have enough and will always need more!
Always hate when that happens, but I keep what I've made so far. And sometimes I'll have my passion reignited for a project, and somewhere in my shop sits the already half made project!
Feels good to finish it after a few months or even years, and may go even faster since you'll have more tools or knowledge to tackle it without getting burnt out again!
I just cleared out a bunch of half finished projects and got them done after a family vacation lol. Some of them were from years ago 😅.
Last week I terminated* my 'dream project' of three years: the 'fun' had run away a long time ago.
I took the time to look at my original motivation, to ask myself 'why this project, why now?'
I am embarrassed to admit that I was trying to 'wow the Rubes' with my skills, rather than focus on a good quality build.
I grew resentful of my slow progress, 'chafing under the yoke'.
I guess it came down to the different 'vibe' you get working for yourself vs working for someone else.
*In a shocking turn of events, I kept every scrap and scribble from this Project...might spark joy in the future!
These frustrations appear when we seem to have no control in matters that should be both relatively easy and simple to carry out. The lesson I take away is we should accept the situation for what it is, control what we can (even if it is an emotional control), reassess to find where we can improve the experience through iteration. Thanks for sharing your frustrations today, especially today. Have a great weekend!
The lesson I take away (or at least, what I do in practice) is to buy more tools.
The first question and your answer really resonates with me Adam... I'm not necessarily a "maker" per se, but for my hobby, I do a lot of machining, laser cutting and 3D printing. Most of my projects involve electric motors, gearing/gears and other moving parts. I don't usually have any difficulty keeping the motivation going, even through difficult times where something just doesn't want to work to my liking (and I'm a terrible perfectionist!). I have some weird mechanism in me that keeps me from giving up.
The problem I have is that once I get the mechanical aspect of any project running to perfection, I lose interest in the cosmetic side of it. It takes a lot for me to push myself to move the non-mechanical part of the project over the finish line.
Thoroughly enjoy your insight and enthusiasm... Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us!
Hi there! Your "I'm not a maker per se" line caught my eye, so I read your comment. I bring news.. you're a maker 😂 you're part of the maker space, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise 😄 you're doing great! ✌🏼
For me, if I find yourself in a situation where a fun project turns not fun anymore, it's essential to take a step back and reevaluate. Consider taking a break from the project and coming back to it with fresh eyes, or finding ways to simplify or modify the project to make it more enjoyable. And I think it's okay to let go of a project if it's no longer bringing you joy.
I keep three or four projects going, but I make sure that each one requires a different mindset, so that when I get to a stalling point on one project, shifting to another one forces me to think differently, which in turn frees my mind for when I come back to the previous project.
Agreed. Kinda sucks when that project is life itself though.
Thank you for sharing your world with us, including your vulnerability in sharing how you live with ADHD. Such fellowship through UA-cam, et cetera is a great encouragement to me in these increasingly wack-a-doodle times. Stay well, and give my loving regards to "The City".
Thanks, Adam. Very open and heartfelt, as always. Over the last 40 years, in those mid-project moments of intense frustration, I've taken comfort from this wise observation by Rosabeth Moss Kanter, (famous professor of innovation and change at the Harvard Business School": "Everything looks like a failure... in the middle."
One of the things I love most about this channel is HOW Adam tells a story - how he conveyed the fellow reacting to him carrying his sword made me laugh out loud too.
Adam is sooooo entertaining. He's like an incredibly happy mad scientist with attention deficit disorder. His enthusiasm is contagious.
Dude! I had a moment today in the violin shop. Simple project and easy problem. Change hardware from a violin chinrest and make it into a viola chinrest. Two hours later and I now hate titanium and the maker of the hardware and the ebony tree and life. Because of my OCD, nobody will ever know of my strife, find a witness line or ever have a problem with this converted object. But I died for two hours over a 10 minute problem. The pain is real. Keep building stuff, whatever it is.
Adam, my uncle Harold made one of these power hacksaws as an apprentice in the late thirties, I have it now in my workshop, it's somewhat bigger than yours but I treasure it. It can even cut 45 degrees, cheers
I wonder if Adam checks his tattoo every year too see if its moved a millimeter. As always love the down to earth openness of your videos, no fluff or showing off, just real passion and info. Please never stop making these videos
I am an awesome starter of projects. I fail miserably as a finisher of projects. One way I deal with this is to work on a project until the fun runs out and immediately move to another project that I am enthusiastic about. I make sure to return to the original job somewhere in the rotation of projects. Similar to your power hacksaw, a power file is a nice tool to have.
this is so real and relatable.. can build stuff in my mind in seconds that i am simply not tooled to build in reality and it is maddening
There is strength in the struggle...in overcoming...in controlling our emotions and seeking a solution. When I'm in the shop, I try to suspend my "normal" attitude and be, as Adam said, "part of the process". The feeling when you come out the other side after a struggle makes it worthwhile.
comment to the end of your video: I used to apprentice with a sword dealer. This was back before the internet where you needed to "know a guy" if you wanted anything that was better than a knock-off bit of polished pot metal. So around the time of the Highlander TV series I'm asked to deliver a katana to a customer. At the time I got around on a matte black stripped down Suzuki sport bike wearing those old cheesy leather riding jackets and Dayton boots. I strap this sword to my back using a samurai travelling setup. I realise about 20 minutes into this ride that I am literally one smoke machine away from being in an 80's music video.
This one is timely, and hits hard. Expecting things to go smoothly, and they don't happens to me all the time.
Today I was trying to fabricate a new bracket for my car battery. What I thought would be an hour or two job turned into an entire afternoon.
I find it so heartening that you can get as frustrated as I do with a project. So many times I've found myself saying I HATE DOING THIS out loud, hoping the neighbors can't hear me rant. I never give up, but I'll take a break when needed. My airplane is flying now but the wheel fairings need repair after last summer's flying. I'm amazed at how much I can resent having to still work on parts for my flying aircraft. It's like, Dammit, you're supposed to be DONE!
“My impatience is a powerful force, and it can unhinge me”
That’s SOO relatable. I’m occasionally told that I give people more patience than deserved, but tbh, when it comes to my artistic endeavors it feels like there’s a gremlin being slaved around by an angry jawa in place where my brain should be.
When I’ve gotten to that point, I’ve learned to force myself to take breaks with something mundane and automated (ie: driving, running, etc…), otherwise my thoughts are like a chrome browser: 10 tabs are open, 4 are frozen, and I don’t know where the music is coming from.
Indeed. For me, a novice woodworker, the excitement and anticipation of creating and finishing a workpiece is almost always interrupted or prolonged by any number of things. I just completed an extremely simple serving tray. That’s four pieces of wood and a 1/4” bottom panel. Well, just a few hours, I thought. More like 9 hours in the end. My router bit slipped out of the router ruining my last piecer of stock…off to the store. Then, in my haste, I broke my box joint jig…had to stop and fix that. The list goes on. But, in the end, isn’t spending more time in my shop a good thing? Yes, it is. 😊
That is the beauty of having concurrent projects. While waiting for a drawn-out process, like cutting stock, to complete, you have something else to work on.
This situation is called motivation. Rock+ you+ hard place = projects get done/ you learn things.
Software developers experience this all the time. I started a new project but ended up working through configuration issues for 4 hours. I ended the day yesterday with it unresolved and really dreaded work today because it could be 5 more minutes or 5 more hours.
I was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia at age 26, 2.5 years after being recruited into a career, thanks to a very attentive line manager. That's now 10 years ago. We aim for 2 week sprints, but as a tiny team it's easier to delay the end date than bump items out of the sprint. While planning, no well defined task is more than half a day. A task that involves R&D or unknowns is no more than 1 day with a priority to define new sub-day tasks.
You need the dopamine hit of finishing, so if a task drags, break it up so that you can at least finish one thing per day.
I love the fact that you use your ruler tattoo on your arm for actually measuring.
Im so so happy it isnt just me who struggles with impatience and who also gets salty like, i mean i know logically im not but its oddly reassuring to hear about others struggles with impatience and perfectionism, whether its adam or fellow Tested peeps.
Long way of saying im glad im not the only one.
Watching any Adam Savage's Tested videos is ALWAYS a fun project, even the ones where Adam shares stories of things that go sour for him. Adam Savage forever~~~~! 😘
Adam
to cut that piece of stainless take a cheap bench grinder . put a zipwheel on it instead of the left stone. remove the right stone. screw the bench grinder to a piece of 3/4 plywood. clamp that to your lathe crossfeed behind the the part. put the piece of stainless in the chuck. put a foil pan under the piece to catch the dust. then turn the piece slowly and feed the zipwheel into the piece. you will be amazed how well that works. no need for a toolpost grinder .
we do this all the time to cut stuff like ejector pins and other hard rods.
"Dude is carrying a sword" - best one yet! :D
This is the exact video I needed to see today. Helpful to reflect on my own frustrations this weekend. Just got to push forward and figure it out.
You're doing great! 👍
Its dangerous to answer "what is the one thing" without some deep reflection on your goals. If there is "one thing", then that is the ultimate goal, and once reached the passion would disperse and you would be adrift looking for the next "one thing" to chase after (been there). That is essentially how we operate, but the "one thing" works better as either a more immediate goal of the current or upcoming project, or you make it the Holy Grail of whatever it is that you do, only to be attained at the end of your journey in your craft. One of my favorite quotes from Calvin and Hobbes is Calvin saying "I like to make everyone's day a little more surreal."
Not even having watched all the way through, this great. Human, emotional, and overcoming challenges with self and environmental, procedural reality.
I’m not a machinist but I have cut and drilled stainless. It is a tough thing and gets tougher when it gets hot. Drilling SS pipe is much easier when the pipe is filled with water. SS stock cut with an appropriate blade in a portable bandsaw works well. Both methods remove the heat and stops the “work hardening.” The water method is obvious and the bandsaw heats while cutting but cools some as it goes around the tool. I still use a spray lube continuously while cutting with the bandsaw. I’ve seen a round billet of SS taken out of a freezer to be cut…
I think you Tested folks would enjoy watching Bobby Fingers. He’s a maker who does incredibly creative dioramas and his production value is off the charts!
I had an vintage Saw master 3114. I had tuned it up and bought high quality blades for it. Even with careful squaring and a weighted base. It jumped all over. I gave it away. I now have a HEM mitering bandsaw. model 782XL. At the time I bought it for $400. I think it's $600+ now. You need to try one. I can cut up to 4" diameter stock. I can make slice as thin 3/32. It's amazingly accurate.
Oh man, I needed this video. You have no idea. I just recently bought a couple props that I wanted to alter and weather.... man, it just didn't work out in my favor and it was such a bummer. Thanks, Adam. This video helped me see it differently.
I try to preempt the unexpected before I start a build by acknowledging that it might happen and when it does I will just do it as part of the job and enjoy the process. It happens often.
Adam, from a fellow builder albeit amateur, highly recommend that drop band saw, most I've seen are on wheels and if it were not for the cutting oil, could probably be store vertically
With anything that you're building or working on, if and when you get that annoyed with it, you have to walk away there's no question about that. I had one when I was working on an old truck of mine, an 88 Chevy. I was trying to change the starter and it would not come out. Everything was disconnected but it wouldn't drop. I got very angry after Hours of trying and I gave up for the day and went in the house. The next day I went out got underneath the truck and barely touch the starter and it fell right out on the ground... Getting frustrated with your work just makes it harder FOR YOU. That's when the saying comes in "You just gotta back off, jack off, and regroup." You can make more progress looking at a problem with fresh eyes than you can with frustrated eyes.
I'm surprised you don't have a drop bandsaw for metal. That's what we had in the shop when I did some wood and metal working. Those things are great! Of course, I was surprised with your handheld bandsaw cutter--I was thinking "That is so COOL!" when I first saw it.
yep or worst case scenario a large angle grinder
Yeah... If you're doing any degree of heavy metal working, a drop bandsaw with coolant feed is a must. I've been in many machine shops over the years and that's one tool that almost every one of them had. Though now days, you see a lot of guys using carbide bladed chop saws to cut steel or SS, which seems dangerous to me, but apparently it's the new "it" tool for that job.
Just wondering ... If you knew the bandsaw blades were not up to the task why not chuck up the entire cylinder in your lathe, machine the part you wanted and then use the lathe to part off the piece or use the bandsaw on the reduced diameter stub (think cylinder, undercut stub, almost finished part) then take the parted off piece rechuck in the lathe and clean up the remnant stub from the backface? Just curious.
This right here is the best “get it done” solution! *A) direct.* You are turning the part from GO, not spending time cutting off stock *B) practice.* You get to test tooling/speeds/feeds as you turn away excess stock. *C) power feeds.* The lathe and mill have power feeds, use them!
Why a bandsaw? Whack it on the lathe, machine the stainless round bar into shape and when you’re finish use a parting tool. Using a parting tool on the lathe to cut a 2-3 inch round bar is like a couple of minutes work, not to mention very accurate.
We love Simone. You should collaborate more
I'd love to watch a traveling One Day Builds/Savage Builds type show where Adam travels and spends a day with his friends in there own shops to make something new in a new place every episode.
Crack open McMaster Carr and order a chunk of metal you need that falls within your design parameters that would require minimum machining.
i think you need to get a new mic / work on audio settings for these streams audio is a lil harsh :) otherwise good content ! i LOVE your stories adam, you always paint a great picture !
I routinely part off short stock like that in the lathe it's quicker than the saw a decent 3mm parting tool 130 rpm plenty of coolant you can hand feed it through in 90 seconds.
I love scratchbuilding... mainly spaceships and radio control cars. I have BOXES of partially started projects. My best estimate is I am 10 years out to complete them all.
I’ve been told I have patience. Maybe because I have lost it and wrecked my work. But I want to do it and get it right also. I’ve learned if you want perfect you will spend time to get there
Working FX shops in the late 90s, I learned that when I was offered a gig, I usually had one of two reactions: "Man, this project is gonna SUCK!" and I was usually right, but not simply because of my negative attitude: It would turn out I was working for a micromanager, somebody with more ego than understanding of the work, or that sort of thing. The other reaction was "Oh, crap! I'm in over my head! Can I even DO this job? And THOSE gigs? I knocked it out of the park, and surprised myself. On ine gig, I actually got a 25% raise, four weeks into the project, and then they accidentally processed the raise AGAIN, so that six weeks into the project, I was making 50% more than I started! Working shops in L.A. was the absolute greatest era in my working life.
David Richards "Old Steam Powered Workshop" has a power hacksaw, and it works a treat. I also have a friend with a shop in his tiny garage, and he has a power hacksaw--because he didn't have room for a horizontal band-saw. I'll be keen to see your own power-hack-saw project. Super cool.
Bags for fishing rods are perfect for carrying swords around. If you pick one with the right shape even a longer crossguard can fit.
I love how he uses his ruler tattoo at 1:05 to check sizes
A maker's mind will always move. When you're doing a bunch of different things to make, that occupies your mind and keeps you engaged, but a slow, tedious process allows your mind to wander and wonder, "is there a better way to do this? Is this going to be as enjoyable as I think it is?"
Yep, the planning and prep for a project always gets me SOO engaged and even excited, but when it comes time to execute? I find my motivation fades rapidly. Unless I find interesting problems, not annoying problems, the interesting ones that create a challenge. Not just drive me crazy.
In the middle of building and modding a high-end gaming computer right now. Already losing interest because I have to figure out a dual open-loop hardline cooling solution. It's not fun, just annoying to figure out all these fittings. Putting it all together will be fun!
That sounds very frustrating. Sorry you're struggling
Perfectionism and ADHD are horrible twins, they always come hand in hand but are always at odds.
Yup..it took me ages to kill off my perfectionism when im drawing. Still fight with it though
Makes sense😂
It has nothing to with Adhd that is just a excuse some people use. It is more about knowing how long time a project takes in reality from what seems easy on the paper. In Adams case with cutting aluminum. If he had been a professional steelworker or engineer in a factory. He would know or someone could tell Adam how long time it would take to cut through that metal. Also personality traits, some are good at starting projects and getting ideas, but not good at finishing. Because that is for soldiers.
Pedersenist, *that* is exactly an ADHD trait. Time blindness. Both the inability to accurately estimate time and the now vs. not now view of past/present/future. You are correct that experience is a good guide for knowing how long a new task might take, how to get the best results, etc…
@@pedersenist”… that is just an excuse some people use” Obviously you don’t have ADD and I’m glad for you. ADD is a cluster of personality traits not an excuse. The most difficult part of it for me is hitting a wall of frustration or a process failure. I’m truly glad you are not experiencing it but your opinion doesn’t negate my experience.
There are a lot of comments here, so perhaps someone already mentioned it, but for the second question, the answer that popped into my head immediately was Adam looking directly into the camera and saying "building anything that would take forever with Grant...."
Hence, patience is a virtue… the realization that some things just take time …
This question hits deep. This is my life with projects always
A powered hacksaw is the only hacksaw I would consider using. I *loathe" using a hacksaw, and an oscillating multitool has all but eliminated my personal need for hacksaws.
Love the powered hacksaw,
I could throttle my dad for selling a small drop band saw... it was 3 feet long and maybe 20inches off the gound tops. Also had a tool makers lathe which he let go due to neither of us having the room... though I built 2 buildings since.
I just experienced this feeling while building a rolling cabinet for my table saw.
My problem is that when I hit a wall, I tend to just move to a other project instead of stopping and working through. I soon have an overwhelming number of unfinished projects, which causes huge stress.
Are used to have a metal cutting horizontal bandsaw, I would always wait minutes so many minutes to cut everything, then I went to a maker space where they had $1000 code saw. And realized you can use a cold saw to cut through a 4 x 4/4 inch wall steel tubing in about 30 seconds. Instead of the eight minutes it used to take on my bandsaw. Not too long after that I sold my bandsaw since I was never going to use it again and bought an evolution, called Sara, sort of the consumer version of professional, cold sores, and I’ve never looked back. That thing will make mince meat of all metal. I have a blade for stainless, I have a blade for mild steel, and I have a blade for aluminum. Adam talks about spending two hours, trying to cut that piece of stainless. It would’ve taken likely 2 to 3 minutes to swap out the blade, and probably three minutes of cutting to get through that entire chunk. It’s staggering how much better is spinning disk is than a thin blade under tension.
Exactly. The machine shop I work at has a $200,000 industrial band saw. Think a 2" stainless bar is painful? Try a 9.5 inch stainless bar. That sucker takes all day. The shop down the street that we farm some of our smaller jobs to has a rotary saw that cuts through 2 inch stainless in 30 seconds.
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m Virgo or maybe it’s just who I am but when it want to do something I make certain that I have the material and the tool(s) before I set out to do that which I want to do. It’s saves punching a wall mentally or physically
"Dudes carrying a sword..." 😂😂
Every time I start a larger project I have to write it out in step by step increments so that the step I am on is the build. Other wise I get frustrated and won't come back to it for awhile.
This video rings so true with every bright idea i get.
NGL, this one really hit home HARD.
I enjoyed the video. I've been there before when you set out to do something thinking is going to take you 10 minutes and ends up taking 2 hours. It can be very frustrating. "Dude's carrying a sword!!"
Robert Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance) referred to "hitches" as "gumption robbers" because they took away your enthusiasm. A German girl once said, "enthusiasm becomes discipline", and if you can make that happen well awesome, if you are like most of us you have to fist fight the despair, loathing and depression and just force your way through it.
Only in SF can you find a well seasoned swordsman on a one wheel washing off the salt of the day in the rain. Never change Adam 😊
Gee I dunno Adam, I'd much prefer a small drop saw over a power hack saw. Still accurate, much faster and best use of the blade length (all of it). I've never seen one without recirculating coolant. That said, I have no doubt the saw you're building will serve you beautifully.
Working with metal and working with electronics are much the same. Many times a tool or part you need you don't have. Waiting is hard. My advise, wait for it.
"Dude's carrying a sword." Thank you so much for the laugh.
You need to get some free-machining stainless steel. It’ll change your life.
Also, leaded alloys of steel are awesome. 12L14 machines like butter. I love it so much.
The way I would have cut that chunk of stainless with Adam Savages' tools, is to chuck in the lathe and use the porta band. With the lathe slowly turning the stainless should not work harden.
A old friend of mine that I learned machining, from had a massive powered hacksaw from the 60s that took a three foot blade.
Frustration when things don't immediately happen that we want to see happen is a hallmark of those of us with ADHD. It took me years to recognize the same in myself!
It's actually great seeing Adam use his tattoo
Aww gees, time estimation vs project cars vs how much one expects to pay for car service/repair...
Greatest mystery/frustration of life.
That hack saw could easily be used for safer tree branch removal, lovely design 😊
Yeah, if I had been walking by Adam I would also have gone "There can be only one!!"
I have an image in my head so clearly of that "dude's carryin a sword" moment. lmao
Those were made back when my grandfather was a machinist it’s called a Racine machine I currently have a jr model still working ❤
That sounds like a new tested show.
"24 hours with [guest]" or "a weekend with [guest]"
Where you invite guests and build like a one day build type thing but with a guest.
I have the same “mental” issues, but I’m poor-ish . This is actually not a bad thing . I cannot get myself into the same situations as Him . I cannot force anything. I can’t do a great many things that He can . I used to think that was terrible….. Maybe not so much 😊
2 things I've seen this week is adam has a festool track saw the other is the festool case being used in the mandalorian ep 3 as the case they steal this should be a build :D
Adam on a project together with Colin Furze. It would be like Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny meeting Wallace and Gromit. Epic!
Hi! Love the channel and watch all the time. I think you might consider "parting off" on the lathe if you are working with cylindrical stock all the time. Its fairly quick and very accurate. Just a thought. Keep up the good fight.
Cutting or drilling stainless is surprisingly difficult. Based on it's hardness, you'd think it would go easy. IT DOESN'T!
Great question
hahahahahaha
"dudes carring a sword"
That's GREAT
love these types of videos as a younger viewer!