Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks, like watching exclusive videos or asking Adam a question: ua-cam.com/channels/iDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOA.htmljoin HFS (R) Class ZZ Steel Pin Gage Set: amzn.to/3J6R07c Disclaimer: Tested may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through the links here.
I am anticipating a future episode where Adam becomes obsessed with finding the African Mask in his mom’s storage and it turns into an Indian Jones adventure. “Adam Savage and the Lost Pygmy Mask” The story writes itself.
Want to see my farm shops and bone yard? 4 generations of equipment. Like walking back in time. Slowly some of the 60's equipment is being cut up for scrap as you just can't get rid of such small equipment because it is not useful.
My husband also places things in a convenient (random) location when he gets distracted. I'm now a master of finding things that he set down "just for a second" and I offer my services to find your pin 😂
When Adam mentioned feeling overwhelmed in his display area, what I heard is that maybe Adam needs a separate space where he can display things. Perhaps a dedicated space in a different building where items in Adam's collection are shown in a curated fashion? Like his own little museum of props, builds, costumes, etc? I know it's wishful thinking and unlikely, but it would be really dang cool.
Adam - so glad you told that story about the mask. It would have been easy to answer this question with a mechanical storage or organizing solution but you answered the heart question and spoke to the feelings. Thank you.
I teared up at the mask story. I have had the experience of someone admiring something I have have made and realizing that it would increase the amount of joy in the world if they had it instead of me. Giving is always the right decision in those instances. YOU increase the amount of joy in this world every time you create. Thank you!
Its taken me awhile but Ive transitioned to giving stuff I made to people. Other people are always happier with a thing then I am.Ive learned I like making things but I dont like holding onto the end product. So theyll enjoy it more than I will
The gauge pin thing reminds me of this one thing that happened between my dad and i. I had to buy a grinding wheel for a power drill to strip some old paint off of a tool. I bought it, used it, then put it away in a place i felt was appropriate. When my dad went to use it for something else, he could not find it for the life of him so he ended up going out to but another one. Once he was done using it, he went to put it away where he felt it was appropriate and he literally placed it down right next to the one i had bought some time earlier. needless to say, we had a bit of a laugh over that one when he told me what had happened.
I have a similar story with a pair of tweezers. I was tending to my plants and picking up the dead leaves with a pair of tweezers. I placed them down for a moment then when I went to pick them up again I could not for the life of me locate them. Eventually I used another pair I had, not as nice which is why I first looked for the other, when I was done I placed them down right on top of the previous pair.
The Marie Kondo method doesn't apply to workshops. Because you never know when you'll need a certain obscure tool, part or fastener. The alternative is spending too much money to replace a bargain or delaying a project.
That is partially true. Because in making things often resource available suggests a solution. And you almost always have alternative to going obscure and esoteric. So when it is a real bargain for Biorbital Asynchroneous Conic Section Grinder with Mutate Capacity you have to understand you probably will never will use one unless you come up with a project specially designed to utilize one.
I think it does apply. Example: Do you need three hammers? Maybe if you have three different kinds, but if you always reach for the same one because that other one is slippery and that one is too big, get rid of the other two.
@@edwardfletcher7790 Well, not necessarily. Maybe they had one cheap hammer they bought when they were starting out, and it turned out to be worse than they expected, so they got a moderately ok one pretty quick after. And then much later, they went "Ok I'm tired of these patchwork solutions." and got something even better. Now they have the one that sucked so hard they immediately replaced it, the one they worked with for a while, and the fancy new one. I could see that person then going "Why I haven't I gotten rid of this thing?" and donating the first one. I'm not sure how a hammer can suck that hard, I'm just using it because that was the example given.
On the farm it's a different kind of need...when you need a tool it's often physically a great distance away and a pain to go back and forth. So for me I have a set of the most common tools (hammer, punches, wrenches, cutters etc) on my tractor, another set on my quad bike, a set in the car/ute and another in my actual workshop. The only time I risk losing a tool is when my horse comes up when I'm working in the paddock and steals them!
i ran a welding/machine shop with a good friend of mine we grew up watching mythbusters we started taking on jobs selectivly due to all the work we get
03:39 Your missing pin gauge is in the hole that is in the lower right of the screen as we are seeing it. That hole does not have a pin in it. You placed it there and aren't seeing it. That pin set has 125 pieces, but there are 126 holes. If you look close, you can see that the pin in that hole is smaller than the .750" pin to it's left.
Man, what an inspiring and interesting subject. I'm your age, always made things as a pastime, hobby and job. My little sunroom/workspace is a disaster, three current overlapping projects, an infinity mirror box, a pulse pneumatic engraving setup and acrylic casting projects. You are an inspiration, a teacher and proof that almost anything is possible, thank you.
Giving a treasure to someone that appreciates it as much as you, is a reward in itself. I’ve always enjoyed meeting someone that shares the same appreciation, and passing on something I have loved.
YES! I went through that earlier this year, I was packing and sorting stuff, and kept finding more things I packed away in the corners and closets of my old apartment.
The number one storage solution *I* have figured out is one i had to figure out on the job (I move freight trailers onto and off loading docks and then organize in the yard. Hundreds a day.) The solution I found? 80% full is 100% full. Yes. You COULD fit more. But a function of storage is retrieval and management of what you have...and you can't do that when your storage is 100% full. period. All the "where is it?" All the "where do I place THIS?" "How Do I get that out?" ALL the questions I have ever encountered is pretty much solved by "80% full is 100% full. Don't push it."
Being able to discern the “why” from the stuff is a quality trait. Knowing that the thing we’re making is for a purpose beyond just owning it or making it, and that often it’s for others, to the point of letting someone else be the “steward” of it. It helps to alleviate the burden of ownership and keeps the nest from overflowing which frees up our time and emotional “bank.”
I loved your mask story. It is true, there's a great joy in passing on something to someone who is enthusiastic about it. It's kind of a pay it forward type thing. There's joy in that.
Wow a make me cry moment, to be fair I'm getting more of them in my 50's. You never cease to compel me to do better and your inspiration should be broadcast directly to people's souls. Thank you Mr. Savage for years of education, amusement and utter genius.
Usually this could go one of x3 ways, once the sheer level of STUFF reaches a critical mass. One, The STUFF become it's own institution and gets own museum slash public open maker space lab . Government supported with its own custodians. Think the Met. Option two, The owner gets emotionally crushed the sheer karmic weight of their possessions and one day just burnes it all freeing themselves but at a great cost. Three, owner expires at some point and similar owners converge and tear up the collection and scuttle off with the spoils to their own lairs. They will later face the same exact x3 options. There are reasons why dragon hordes are allways cursed.
lol, I've told my husband that when I die he can just put price tags on everything and they don't have to worry about keeping it because I loved it. There is only one thing that they cannot sell - the stuffed hippo I got for my first birthday. If no one wants to keep her, then I want her to be with me. ... that escalated quickly...
Mr. Savage, you continue to be an inspiration, and a wholly positive influence for so many humans on this planet. Don't ever doubt you're doing it right, and don't change a thing:)
I definitely agree with you on shop storage and being overwhelmed by stuff. My problem is I have ADHD and autism so I constantly over think things. So my go to solution is have all my frequently used tools on peg boards so I can see them and the rest is organized, stored and labeled so I can easily find it. But yet I still have problems finding things, sometimes, lol.
There is nothing I'd love more than to see you make a Hogwarts trunk! I'm not sure if you are a Harry Potter fan, but I know you are a fan of creating world accurate cases for cosplays. I'm not really a maker but my dream would be to have a trunk where I could store my uniform and trinkets!
I love listening to you Adam. Your so calming if I'm feeling stressed or angry. You have such a straight forward logical thinking mind. A wonderful mind. Thank you for your work, you won't even know how much it helps.
Overwhelmed by stuff.. YUP currently moving, and just got our stuff from our last place and from storage in boxes in my living room that I have to unpack
I can't imagine he feels overwhelmed! Or even claustrophobic! He has the best tools, material , space, knowledge, everything a creator needs Adam savage has!
Although I do it often, and artist has to eat hehe, I have gifted art pieces when someone was overjoyed by my work. It makes me smile to bring joy to someone’s life like that. The mask sounds like such a cool piece!
One of my own rules that I always stick to and helps massively in keeping my work space organised and tidy. I break down any projects into wood work, metal work, electrical etc. Every time I'm finished with one of those categories, I'll have a quick tidy up and put all the tools and leftover materials back into their homes. Not only does it keep my work space from cluttering up when you're working, but I've yet to lose any tools/attachments since sticking to this rule.
I went to my husband's godfather's house when I was in my early twenties. He had travelled in China and had collected a lot of Cloisonné pieces which he displayed in a cabinet. I was entranced with them, having never seen that delicate work before. He told me all about the pieces, each story, and about how they are made. I was fascinated. At the end of the visit he gave me a large pendant as a gift. It wasn't his best piece but he had another almost the same but better so he gave me the 'second best' piece. I was thrilled. I have been a collector of cloisonné in a small way ever since. I still wear the pendant occasionally. I will never forget the joy of learning about his collection, learning about this art form and the amazing gratitude of the gift. I totally get this.
Man, I’ve been struggling with the same issues. I appreciate the group therapy session. I feel better about facing my own shop full of stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Adam for answering my question! I feel all the same ways that you do. I also display a lot of my stuff but it hinders me from making more because I know I have to deal with the stuff sitting there. And thank you for the very inspiring and heartfelt story. That’s also such a great tip about putting things where you first have an idea of putting them. I’m definitely doing that from now on! Your book has also taught me a lot about dealing with the mental side of making.
That is funny, I've told people the same thing "When you go to put something down/away, don't be clever". However, I never knew the solution was "Think about a situation where you would want to use it and where you would look, and put it there". That is going to revolutionize my life! Thanks Adam!
Been watching you since the very first Mythbusters and still enjoy watching you and your craft. Your shows have got me through some dark times so Thank you and wish you and your family a safe and Happy Holidays.
My Dad is a machinist. At home he has a machine shop, a wood shop, and a car shop. A great deal of his putterings during retirement is the organization of these shops. Including having repeated tools in each shop so he doesn't have to trek from one shop to the other to find a the right screwdriver. His shops are not going to be featured on a magazine cover but he RARELY loses a tool. Things go where they go. It's beautiful.
I had a similar experience. I was on a cycle tour across Ireland, and in Waterford we visited a glass moulding shop. The guy showed us round the workshop and i saw this dirty, dusty glass "fat" cat. I asked the guy about it and it was a piece that had gone wrong, i asked him if it was for sale and he gave some ridiculously expensive quote that my partner was obviously like dont buy that, its too much. We cycled away for about 10 minutes. I couldn't stop thinking about the cat.. I turned around and cycled back. I gave a counter offer and je said " because you cycled back here, you obviously really like it. You can just have it". Was a wonderful experience, and a true win for humanity in my eyes.
Yeeeeesss. That "store something in the first place you think to look for it" solution is one I have been using for years now, and honestly, I don't think it has failed me yet. As a bonus, it also reveals to you a subconscious map of where different types of tools or parts should go, which helps you organize a sorting system around that, and makes you realize what things you feel are actually important and which ones aren't.
My brother bought a specialty tool working on his house and put it someplace where he wouldn't lose it 2 years later when he needed it again he couldn't find it he eventually bought another tool and when he went to put it someplace where he wouldn't lose it he found the first one.
One of the best things I did in my shop was to remove all cabinets and drawers, I went to an all open French cleat based system. Not only does it allow me to move and adapt my storage over time, as my needs change, but I can SEE everything. I have exactly ONE drawer in my shop, the one built into my bench, and even with just that one I have no clue what’s in it. Drawers and cabinets are black holes where those 17 hammers go to disappear so when you need one you end up buying no 18.
Thanks Adam ! I just watched this at work and you made me remember my father giving me stuff and it almost made me cry in front of my coworkers. They would have never let me live that down..😄
I just linked this on my FB page as "OK, part of this is a way to find a place to put something so you can find it later, but the second part on how to get rid of something by giving it away is even better."
My house sits on 1/3 acre, in a city of about 300,000, with a metro area of about a million. My older son and I were clearing some 'junk' out of our back yard, when we came to the realization that we had SEVEN lawn mowers (one electric riding, 4 electric push, and 2 gas engine). I decided, right then, right there, that I would live by the mantra, "I refuse to drown in my own excess!!!". I've started getting rid of things that can't be organized in their storage.
I used to be a master of sitting in my chair, putting something down on the desk, never leaving the chair and not being able to find the thing I put down two minutes ago on the desk for an hour. I have no idea how I managed to keep doing that. Now I take a moment to make a mental note every time I put something down to think about where I'm putting it. That thought alone makes me remember where I put something even weeks later. It works. You just have to train yourself to never mindlessly put something someplace such as your gauge pin. Make yourself make that mental note where you're putting something and you'll never lose anything again unless someone else moves it. Seriously. It works and it works very well.
Good day to you Adam; as a retired prop maker; TheCreatorMatt opened up a can of worms for me. Your videos are always a delight, inspiration and (for me, nostalgically) impassioned. But this question has made me realise that I have slipped from being a collector for projects; into a hoarder for ideas----- Overwhelmed---- I need the wonderful team I had in the 90s/2000nds and the anally retentive (in a good way) partner. This video is saved and will be used as therapy. Thank you both.
I feel this way about my barn/shop. Time poor to do a big clear out and then get stressed that it’s so full of stuff. This is going to be my Christmas holidays project, clear out the fecking junk.
Marie Kondo is not the originator of this methodology, she did however make it accessible for everyone by bringing it into peoples homes. The origin is 5S, a part of Lean Production and have roots all the way back to the 1930's with the introduction of Toyotas Just-in-Time. Thank you for sharing!
Being able to give some thing that you collect or admire to somebody else can be one of the greatest gifts a human being can give to another. I have had quite a few moments like this. I am a watchmaker and whenever somebody sees a vintage watch that I have restored and they admire it enough I do feel compelled and sometimes I do give them the watch.
My mother is dealing with all the stuff my grandfather left behind and it is daunting. Can't imagine how Adam's kids will deal with all his stuff when he goes, many decades down the road i hope.
I wonder how much that moment with the mask made you into who you are today. It is easy to overlook a thing like this as a small gesture but it really isn't, these are the types of happenings that unlocks our need to share a bit of our souls with others when we find those that are ready for it. In a way I think your joy of telling us stories and us showing up for it is part of it. Thank you, Adam and the team.
I remember you once talking about only being the steward of your things, and that if someone comes along and is maybe even more excited than you are about some thing , then that person may be a more perfect steward of that thing, and you give it to them .. I am glad to hear the story of the mask and where that wonderful philosophy came from
People mix up giving with gifts. Time is a gift, objects are gifts. But a specific object at a specific time is the start of a real gift... A giving that will not stop until the whole gift is truly given...
I've mentioned this before, but my late father was terrible about finding places to put things. He would put something somewhere, not need it for a while, go looking for it, finally find it after much searching, then pick out a new place to put it when was finished using it. So, when he needed it again, would he go and immediately find it? No. He'd go back to the place he had last found it in and, of course, it wasn't there anymore. He never grasped that you don't remember where you put things, you remember where you find them. When this comes up for me, unless there is strong reason for me to change it, I put it back where it was, not matter how unlikely that place may seem because I know that's where I'll expect it to be.
What a nice piece of memory you share with us, Adam ! That's a wonderful talent to recognize this kind of moment and and even more important talent to know when letting things go can brought to other people..
Adam, I have a question for you...what movie miniature did you work on that you had the most fun building?...the one that put a smile on your face the whole time you were working on it???...thanks for sharing all that you do with us...stay safe!
Cool story about the mask, you can see how deeply it touched and affected him. I love giving something to someone when it is just the right thing, whether I have made it or purchased it. It IS better to give than to receive.
Hey Everyone! One tip I've learned to keep things (especially all my different hobbies with smaller tools) organized is by using tackle boxes. They are awesome and come in all sorts of sizes with massive amounts of storage spots. I have at least 8 of them and need more honestly but it severely cut down on the clutter and searching for things
Some time ago I formulated a shop philosophy that is, a shop requires only 2 things; a place for your tools and the space to comfortably use them in... however, my shop was seemingly always more full of stuff, junk, stock, etc., that I had collected for future use. radically limiting my usable space... So, I built another building, right next to my shop, and actually sightly bigger than my shop lol... and that building became my warehouse. I use an app to organize all of the various rubbermaid style tubs and containers, complete with pics of what's inside them. the app allows me to search for an item and it will bring up any bins, or tubs with pics of the contents.
When I have a tool I need to set down but don't want to lose it. I will say to myself either out loud or internally, "I am putting the tool on the desk". That extra second of thought is all I need to remember where I said it down. Because if I set it down swiftly and thoughtlessly I will likely lose it and losing tools in the middle of a project is one of the most frustrating things imaginable.
I've recently hit that barrier of being overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have, and not having storage room for things. So, I've been having a ruthless clear out. Got rid of some 8/16 bit computers, all my warhammer models went, got various other things to give away. Not asked for money for any of them, they just weren't getting used and only there as part of my life's 'collection' of rubbish! Plenty of things just went in the bin too. From my workshop I've got rid of a few tools such as my mini mill, and rebuilt some storage. Just have a kayak to get rid of now to regain a load of space. It was a very cathartic experience to be honest. Still plenty to go, but it already feels so much better.
Adam, I do not think anyone else in the vast people I watch on UA-cam could have hooked me into a video about being overwhelmed about how to store/discard things, and explain only partially (if at all ) how they deal with that, and then kept my interest as you completely derailed about an African mask until the end. You my friend have the same squirrel brained line of thinking as the rest of us that make things. We all need more Adam typed people in our lives.
YES. That is why I recently put my self-stick lead sheet where it currently is; because it wasn't there when I went to get it from there! It was some other weird place it had no logical reason being.
Adams collection is well known. Its a given that over time the man cave will get pretty crowded. I think a good idea would be to display some of the collection at an exhibit. Frees up space for sure
This comes at a perfect time as I've been sorting and organizing all the tools and such a very close friend had to store in a small room. It has felt overwhelming over the last 4 days, but now that it's getting down there it looks good. I want to make sure even in the small room we can have space.
I've put a bunch of labeled boxes in my closet and then I use a Google Sheet inventory system to register which box I put something in. That way I don't have to think about a clever place, it doesn't have to look good where it is, and I can easily find it again by looking in the inventory system and going to the box with the correct label.
A general and somewhat workable " rule" or concept I got from a friend of mines was " if you haven't used in three years, get rid of it". I was renting his home at the time and he had a junk drawer, ( I suspect we all have one, you put stuff there you don't know what to do with but might need it later) He got on a kick of getting rid of stuff and as he was throwing it away he busted me digging in the trash to recover it "Let go, let go" he says to me Easier said than done Recycling is not always easy, your other friends don't t want your junk even for free and selling can be a pain in the life too This was low scale stuff. Not like what Adam and some of you guys are faced with and I found it difficult to manage I know a few craftsmen hoarders and I am glad I am not one of them, all that wonderful stuff that you can't let go of, What a conundrum
Being overwhelmed is when you run out of space, and you can only throw out so much of your stuff. At some point it is less painful to get more space than to keep trying to find things to throw out. Being overwhelmed is when you have so many things you can't find the thing that you want, so from the start do your best with your system for where to put things and the things that aren't readily accessible and used often, create a method for cataloging them. Even if you write a list on a piece of paper and tape it to the end of the box, at least you don't have to pull down the box and dig through it to find something.
This describes my late father so precisely. I don't know if he had a "mask" type moment to unlock this trait, but he had it in spades. You'd never leave his house empty-handed.
I absolutely love that he did that for you! My grandfather would do that for me from time to time. Or, he would make me a replica of whatever it was. I remember that there was a Budweiser clock that he had, and I told him that I loved it and it was awesome. He knew that what I loved about it was the horses pulling the wagon under the clock, so he pulled out a model that he had been given, and it was the Budweiser Clydesdales pulling the wagon full of barrels, and he gave it to me (I think I was about 6 at the time) and I just thought it was the coolest thing. That is a precarious road to walk tho. There's a little girl who comes to visit (stepdaughter of a cousin on my husband's side) my husband's grandmother (we're living in her basement apartment). One time she came down to see the cat that we had, and this little girl saw my rather extensive stuffed animal collection (mostly Disney characters and zoo animals - that I collect from zoos we visit), and immediately fell in love with a stuffed Boo that I had bought several years back (the cutest dog Boo, not a ghost or anything). She did not put it down the whole time she was there. So I told her that she could have it if she wanted. She was so excited, and now every time she comes over she tells me about how she still has him and takes care of him. Then she usually follows up by asking if she can have (insert stuffed animal here) from my collection. She's a sweet kid, but I did have to explain to her that just because I had given her one stuffed animal that didn't mean that my apartment was a free toy store that she could visit whenever she wanted. As long as she took care of them she could play with some of them, but they wanted to stay with their friends at my house.
I was looking for something on UA-cam to listen to in the background while I go through stuff in my basement. And stumbled across this. I thought the timing of UA-cam recommendations, was interesting. Thanks for the ideas on how to deal with having too much crap.
My wife and I moved our workshops together a few years ago (we make violins) I now put shared tools away where she would put them and she puts things away where I used to put them. Now the rule is to blame the other person for stealing what couldn’t be found and bam, there it is!…right where you thought that it was taken from and also where you put it.
Most of my stuff is tools and consumables in my 2 car garage workshop. I have about 14 ft long by 5 ft high worth of tool cabinets. I am always adding tools and rarely purging. I find leaving space in drawers to be essential to making sure I do not lose things. When new tools come into the shop they are put into a drawer immediately. Having catch-all bins in key areas helps a lot. I tend to put a catch-all bin in area that I tend to leave things when distracted. For example a shelf or tray by the door from the kitchen to garage, it acts like a manditory check point. When working on an autotive project I keep all my tools on magnetic parts trays, and only put tools to rest in the tray and never on the car. I will have a parts tray for wrenches, sockets, nuts / bolt, plastic fasteners, etc. I employ the same tactic with a household project but use small boxes instead.
One thing I always do is that when electronic items need to be thrown away, I dismantle it and salvage any parts that are still good. Imagine the pleasure that a computer builder has when I tell him or her that I have a few hundred motherboard screws.
Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks, like watching exclusive videos or asking Adam a question:
ua-cam.com/channels/iDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOA.htmljoin
HFS (R) Class ZZ Steel Pin Gage Set: amzn.to/3J6R07c
Disclaimer: Tested may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through the links here.
*_Remove the pool table?_*
It never fit in the first place, I say keep it.
But, weren't you moving to a large shop? Maybe I missed that episode.
Surely someone who thinks outside the box so often can invent new ways to store and access things?!
Omg that happens like all the time to me 😂🤣😭
I am anticipating a future episode where Adam becomes obsessed with finding the African Mask in his mom’s storage and it turns into an Indian Jones adventure. “Adam Savage and the Lost Pygmy Mask”
The story writes itself.
Why not build a multi piece table top for the pool table that can be stored underneath when you want to play?
The difference between a hoarder and a collector is that a collector will get rid of things.
Scrolled down to the comment section to comment exactly this.
I've said this about myself "A collector is a hoarder with OCD".
Want to see my farm shops and bone yard? 4 generations of equipment. Like walking back in time. Slowly some of the 60's equipment is being cut up for scrap as you just can't get rid of such small equipment because it is not useful.
@@robertpeacock1635 Hoarding as a disorder is OCD. My mother was diagnosed with hoarding OCD many years back.
I would be sooo excited to go to a garage/yard sale full of Adam’s “stuff”.
I would drive from Boston if Adam had a garage sale.
Me too, if no one else knew about it. Lol
Bring a Wells Fargo armored truck full of money :)
1000% lol
$400 cover charge and there would still be 1200 lines up around the corner
My husband also places things in a convenient (random) location when he gets distracted. I'm now a master of finding things that he set down "just for a second" and I offer my services to find your pin 😂
The man is blessed for life when he has woman like that near him.
When Adam mentioned feeling overwhelmed in his display area, what I heard is that maybe Adam needs a separate space where he can display things. Perhaps a dedicated space in a different building where items in Adam's collection are shown in a curated fashion? Like his own little museum of props, builds, costumes, etc?
I know it's wishful thinking and unlikely, but it would be really dang cool.
Yes , But in Texas.
@@assassinlexx1993 nonsense! In North Carolina!
@@Brave_Sir_Robin Are you crazy!? Nooo! South Carolina!
I’d definitely buy a ticket to see Adams collection on display!
@@Brave_Sir_Robin
One word WINTER🥶
Adam - so glad you told that story about the mask. It would have been easy to answer this question with a mechanical storage or organizing solution but you answered the heart question and spoke to the feelings. Thank you.
That was the best part.
I teared up at the mask story. I have had the experience of someone admiring something I have have made and realizing that it would increase the amount of joy in the world if they had it instead of me. Giving is always the right decision in those instances. YOU increase the amount of joy in this world every time you create. Thank you!
Its taken me awhile but Ive transitioned to giving stuff I made to people. Other people are always happier with a thing then I am.Ive learned I like making things but I dont like holding onto the end product. So theyll enjoy it more than I will
Of course you realize,
The day that new pin comes,
You will find the old one.
#truth
Sounds like what happened when I lost my keychain Leatherman. I found it on the driveway just before the replacement arrived from Amazon. :D
The gauge pin thing reminds me of this one thing that happened between my dad and i. I had to buy a grinding wheel for a power drill to strip some old paint off of a tool. I bought it, used it, then put it away in a place i felt was appropriate. When my dad went to use it for something else, he could not find it for the life of him so he ended up going out to but another one. Once he was done using it, he went to put it away where he felt it was appropriate and he literally placed it down right next to the one i had bought some time earlier. needless to say, we had a bit of a laugh over that one when he told me what had happened.
That's a great story! 😄
Once you replace a lost item, the lost item will reappear. Thems the rules.
@@RyanConnell5150 Exactly. And the other rule, as soon as you've sold you disused tool/materials - that's when you need them
I have a similar story with a pair of tweezers. I was tending to my plants and picking up the dead leaves with a pair of tweezers. I placed them down for a moment then when I went to pick them up again I could not for the life of me locate them. Eventually I used another pair I had, not as nice which is why I first looked for the other, when I was done I placed them down right on top of the previous pair.
Adam has such a pure soul. What a great human being, much respect!
The Marie Kondo method doesn't apply to workshops. Because you never know when you'll need a certain obscure tool, part or fastener. The alternative is spending too much money to replace a bargain or delaying a project.
That is partially true. Because in making things often resource available suggests a solution. And you almost always have alternative to going obscure and esoteric.
So when it is a real bargain for Biorbital Asynchroneous Conic Section Grinder with Mutate Capacity you have to understand you probably will never will use one unless you come up with a project specially designed to utilize one.
I think it does apply. Example: Do you need three hammers? Maybe if you have three different kinds, but if you always reach for the same one because that other one is slippery and that one is too big, get rid of the other two.
@@thiadesg if someone has three hammers in a workshop it IS because they're different kinds...
@@edwardfletcher7790 Well, not necessarily. Maybe they had one cheap hammer they bought when they were starting out, and it turned out to be worse than they expected, so they got a moderately ok one pretty quick after. And then much later, they went "Ok I'm tired of these patchwork solutions." and got something even better. Now they have the one that sucked so hard they immediately replaced it, the one they worked with for a while, and the fancy new one. I could see that person then going "Why I haven't I gotten rid of this thing?" and donating the first one. I'm not sure how a hammer can suck that hard, I'm just using it because that was the example given.
On the farm it's a different kind of need...when you need a tool it's often physically a great distance away and a pain to go back and forth. So for me I have a set of the most common tools (hammer, punches, wrenches, cutters etc) on my tractor, another set on my quad bike, a set in the car/ute and another in my actual workshop. The only time I risk losing a tool is when my horse comes up when I'm working in the paddock and steals them!
I have been watching you since the very first mybusters and I now own my own engineering firm because of your influence on my life. Thank you
i ran a welding/machine shop with a good friend of mine we grew up watching mythbusters we started taking on jobs selectivly due to all the work we get
03:39 Your missing pin gauge is in the hole that is in the lower right of the screen as we are seeing it. That hole does not have a pin in it. You placed it there and aren't seeing it. That pin set has 125 pieces, but there are 126 holes. If you look close, you can see that the pin in that hole is smaller than the .750" pin to it's left.
Damn .. you're right !
@Adam Savage's Tested I hope this is something you see.
Man, what an inspiring and interesting subject. I'm your age, always made things as a pastime, hobby and job. My little sunroom/workspace is a disaster, three current overlapping projects, an infinity mirror box, a pulse pneumatic engraving setup and acrylic casting projects. You are an inspiration, a teacher and proof that almost anything is possible, thank you.
Giving a treasure to someone that appreciates it as much as you, is a reward in itself. I’ve always enjoyed meeting someone that shares the same appreciation, and passing on something I have loved.
There's an axiom I've realized. "You don't realize how much 'stuff' you have, until you have to move it."
YES! I went through that earlier this year, I was packing and sorting stuff, and kept finding more things I packed away in the corners and closets of my old apartment.
The number one storage solution *I* have figured out is one i had to figure out on the job (I move freight trailers onto and off loading docks and then organize in the yard. Hundreds a day.)
The solution I found? 80% full is 100% full.
Yes. You COULD fit more. But a function of storage is retrieval and management of what you have...and you can't do that when your storage is 100% full.
period. All the "where is it?" All the "where do I place THIS?" "How Do I get that out?" ALL the questions I have ever encountered is pretty much solved by "80% full is 100% full. Don't push it."
Being able to discern the “why” from the stuff is a quality trait. Knowing that the thing we’re making is for a purpose beyond just owning it or making it, and that often it’s for others, to the point of letting someone else be the “steward” of it.
It helps to alleviate the burden of ownership and keeps the nest from overflowing which frees up our time and emotional “bank.”
I loved your mask story. It is true, there's a great joy in passing on something to someone who is enthusiastic about it. It's kind of a pay it forward type thing. There's joy in that.
Wow a make me cry moment, to be fair I'm getting more of them in my 50's. You never cease to compel me to do better and your inspiration should be broadcast directly to people's souls. Thank you Mr. Savage for years of education, amusement and utter genius.
Usually this could go one of x3 ways, once the sheer level of STUFF reaches a critical mass.
One, The STUFF become it's own institution and gets own museum slash public open maker space lab . Government supported with its own custodians. Think the Met.
Option two, The owner gets emotionally crushed the sheer karmic weight of their possessions and one day just burnes it all freeing themselves but at a great cost.
Three, owner expires at some point and similar owners converge and tear up the collection and scuttle off with the spoils to their own lairs. They will later face the same exact x3 options.
There are reasons why dragon hordes are allways cursed.
lol, I've told my husband that when I die he can just put price tags on everything and they don't have to worry about keeping it because I loved it.
There is only one thing that they cannot sell - the stuffed hippo I got for my first birthday. If no one wants to keep her, then I want her to be with me.
... that escalated quickly...
Mr. Savage, you continue to be an inspiration, and a wholly positive influence for so many humans on this planet. Don't ever doubt you're doing it right, and don't change a thing:)
I definitely agree with you on shop storage and being overwhelmed by stuff. My problem is I have ADHD and autism so I constantly over think things. So my go to solution is have all my frequently used tools on peg boards so I can see them and the rest is organized, stored and labeled so I can easily find it. But yet I still have problems finding things, sometimes, lol.
There is nothing I'd love more than to see you make a Hogwarts trunk! I'm not sure if you are a Harry Potter fan, but I know you are a fan of creating world accurate cases for cosplays. I'm not really a maker but my dream would be to have a trunk where I could store my uniform and trinkets!
I think some makers are weary about making HP stuff because of the actions of the writer :/
This one gave me that really good, feel good feeling.
Adam, you talk with so much love and passion for the things you do. ❤
I love listening to you Adam. Your so calming if I'm feeling stressed or angry. You have such a straight forward logical thinking mind. A wonderful mind. Thank you for your work, you won't even know how much it helps.
Overwhelmed by stuff.. YUP currently moving, and just got our stuff from our last place and from storage in boxes in my living room that I have to unpack
I can't imagine he feels overwhelmed! Or even claustrophobic! He has the best tools, material , space, knowledge, everything a creator needs Adam savage has!
Although I do it often, and artist has to eat hehe, I have gifted art pieces when someone was overjoyed by my work. It makes me smile to bring joy to someone’s life like that.
The mask sounds like such a cool piece!
One of my own rules that I always stick to and helps massively in keeping my work space organised and tidy.
I break down any projects into wood work, metal work, electrical etc. Every time I'm finished with one of those categories, I'll have a quick tidy up and put all the tools and leftover materials back into their homes.
Not only does it keep my work space from cluttering up when you're working, but I've yet to lose any tools/attachments since sticking to this rule.
I went to my husband's godfather's house when I was in my early twenties. He had travelled in China and had collected a lot of Cloisonné pieces which he displayed in a cabinet. I was entranced with them, having never seen that delicate work before. He told me all about the pieces, each story, and about how they are made. I was fascinated. At the end of the visit he gave me a large pendant as a gift. It wasn't his best piece but he had another almost the same but better so he gave me the 'second best' piece. I was thrilled. I have been a collector of cloisonné in a small way ever since. I still wear the pendant occasionally. I will never forget the joy of learning about his collection, learning about this art form and the amazing gratitude of the gift. I totally get this.
As skilled as you are as a maker, your ability to tell a story and your generosity of spirit is what compels me to watch this channel.
Thanks for your comment; we'll pass it along to Adam!
Man, I’ve been struggling with the same issues. I appreciate the group therapy session. I feel better about facing my own shop full of stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Adam for answering my question! I feel all the same ways that you do. I also display a lot of my stuff but it hinders me from making more because I know I have to deal with the stuff sitting there. And thank you for the very inspiring and heartfelt story. That’s also such a great tip about putting things where you first have an idea of putting them. I’m definitely doing that from now on! Your book has also taught me a lot about dealing with the mental side of making.
Adam giving something away just because he sees it spark joy in someone shows how kind he is.
That is funny, I've told people the same thing "When you go to put something down/away, don't be clever".
However, I never knew the solution was "Think about a situation where you would want to use it and where you would look, and put it there".
That is going to revolutionize my life! Thanks Adam!
Been watching you since the very first Mythbusters and still enjoy watching you and your craft. Your shows have got me through some dark times so Thank you and wish you and your family a safe and Happy Holidays.
He was so nearly crying telling that story at the end. Such a nice guy.
My Dad is a machinist. At home he has a machine shop, a wood shop, and a car shop. A great deal of his putterings during retirement is the organization of these shops. Including having repeated tools in each shop so he doesn't have to trek from one shop to the other to find a the right screwdriver. His shops are not going to be featured on a magazine cover but he RARELY loses a tool. Things go where they go. It's beautiful.
I had a similar experience. I was on a cycle tour across Ireland, and in Waterford we visited a glass moulding shop. The guy showed us round the workshop and i saw this dirty, dusty glass "fat" cat. I asked the guy about it and it was a piece that had gone wrong, i asked him if it was for sale and he gave some ridiculously expensive quote that my partner was obviously like dont buy that, its too much. We cycled away for about 10 minutes. I couldn't stop thinking about the cat.. I turned around and cycled back. I gave a counter offer and je said " because you cycled back here, you obviously really like it. You can just have it". Was a wonderful experience, and a true win for humanity in my eyes.
Im definitely trying your system. I hate misplacing tools. Thank you
Yeeeeesss.
That "store something in the first place you think to look for it" solution is one I have been using for years now, and honestly, I don't think it has failed me yet.
As a bonus, it also reveals to you a subconscious map of where different types of tools or parts should go, which helps you organize a sorting system around that, and makes you realize what things you feel are actually important and which ones aren't.
My brother bought a specialty tool working on his house and put it someplace where he wouldn't lose it 2 years later when he needed it again he couldn't find it he eventually bought another tool and when he went to put it someplace where he wouldn't lose it he found the first one.
One of the best things I did in my shop was to remove all cabinets and drawers, I went to an all open French cleat based system. Not only does it allow me to move and adapt my storage over time, as my needs change, but I can SEE everything. I have exactly ONE drawer in my shop, the one built into my bench, and even with just that one I have no clue what’s in it. Drawers and cabinets are black holes where those 17 hammers go to disappear so when you need one you end up buying no 18.
Thanks Adam ! I just watched this at work and you made me remember my father giving me stuff and it almost made me cry in front of my coworkers. They would have never let me live that down..😄
I just linked this on my FB page as "OK, part of this is a way to find a place to put something so you can find it later, but the second part on how to get rid of something by giving it away is even better."
My house sits on 1/3 acre, in a city of about 300,000, with a metro area of about a million. My older son and I were clearing some 'junk' out of our back yard, when we came to the realization that we had SEVEN lawn mowers (one electric riding, 4 electric push, and 2 gas engine). I decided, right then, right there, that I would live by the mantra, "I refuse to drown in my own excess!!!". I've started getting rid of things that can't be organized in their storage.
I used to be a master of sitting in my chair, putting something down on the desk, never leaving the chair and not being able to find the thing I put down two minutes ago on the desk for an hour. I have no idea how I managed to keep doing that.
Now I take a moment to make a mental note every time I put something down to think about where I'm putting it. That thought alone makes me remember where I put something even weeks later. It works. You just have to train yourself to never mindlessly put something someplace such as your gauge pin. Make yourself make that mental note where you're putting something and you'll never lose anything again unless someone else moves it.
Seriously. It works and it works very well.
"I have ordered another one.". The BEST way to find the one you misplaced because as soon as the new one arrives . . .
Adam is such a great story teller and his enthusiasm is so contagious. Thanks Adam.
Good day to you Adam; as a retired prop maker; TheCreatorMatt opened up a can of worms for me.
Your videos are always a delight, inspiration and (for me, nostalgically) impassioned.
But this question has made me realise that I have slipped from being a collector for projects;
into a hoarder for ideas-----
Overwhelmed----
I need the wonderful team I had in the 90s/2000nds and the anally retentive (in a good way) partner.
This video is saved and will be used as therapy.
Thank you both.
I feel this way about my barn/shop. Time poor to do a big clear out and then get stressed that it’s so full of stuff. This is going to be my Christmas holidays project, clear out the fecking junk.
Marie Kondo is not the originator of this methodology, she did however make it accessible for everyone by bringing it into peoples homes. The origin is 5S, a part of Lean Production and have roots all the way back to the 1930's with the introduction of Toyotas Just-in-Time. Thank you for sharing!
Being able to give some thing that you collect or admire to somebody else can be one of the greatest gifts a human being can give to another. I have had quite a few moments like this. I am a watchmaker and whenever somebody sees a vintage watch that I have restored and they admire it enough I do feel compelled and sometimes I do give them the watch.
I love that you and i have so many of the same philosophies. If I'm not making random people smile, I'm failing!
The ending of the mask story was a real "awwwwww" moment of joy for me. Thank you for that, I shall endeavor to do similar things in my life.
If more people experienced the joy of giving/receiving for the sake of happiness as a child, this world would be a better place.
My mother is dealing with all the stuff my grandfather left behind and it is daunting. Can't imagine how Adam's kids will deal with all his stuff when he goes, many decades down the road i hope.
You may have too much stuff on hand. But there’s not too much out there that feels better than needing an item, and already having it around.
Working in Imperial units sounds EXHAUSTING !
I wonder how much that moment with the mask made you into who you are today. It is easy to overlook a thing like this as a small gesture but it really isn't, these are the types of happenings that unlocks our need to share a bit of our souls with others when we find those that are ready for it. In a way I think your joy of telling us stories and us showing up for it is part of it. Thank you, Adam and the team.
Adam is my absolute hero!! "I bought this second geek item so that I can give to someone just for the reaction".... Just a beautiful thing to do 😊
I remember you once talking about only being the steward of your things, and that if someone comes along and is maybe even more excited than you are about some thing , then that person may be a more perfect steward of that thing, and you give it to them .. I am glad to hear the story of the mask and where that wonderful philosophy came from
People mix up giving with gifts. Time is a gift, objects are gifts. But a specific object at a specific time is the start of a real gift... A giving that will not stop until the whole gift is truly given...
I've mentioned this before, but my late father was terrible about finding places to put things. He would put something somewhere, not need it for a while, go looking for it, finally find it after much searching, then pick out a new place to put it when was finished using it. So, when he needed it again, would he go and immediately find it? No. He'd go back to the place he had last found it in and, of course, it wasn't there anymore. He never grasped that you don't remember where you put things, you remember where you find them. When this comes up for me, unless there is strong reason for me to change it, I put it back where it was, not matter how unlikely that place may seem because I know that's where I'll expect it to be.
Wow. That was really cool. The take away for me is - It's not the thing but what you can bring with that thing. What you can teach. Very nice.
So respectful, this is the most wholesome youtube channel.
What a nice piece of memory you share with us, Adam ! That's a wonderful talent to recognize this kind of moment and and even more important talent to know when letting things go can brought to other people..
Adam, I have a question for you...what movie miniature did you work on that you had the most fun building?...the one that put a smile on your face the whole time you were working on it???...thanks for sharing all that you do with us...stay safe!
Cool story about the mask, you can see how deeply it touched and affected him. I love giving something to someone when it is just the right thing, whether I have made it or purchased it. It IS better to give than to receive.
Hey Everyone! One tip I've learned to keep things (especially all my different hobbies with smaller tools) organized is by using tackle boxes. They are awesome and come in all sorts of sizes with massive amounts of storage spots. I have at least 8 of them and need more honestly but it severely cut down on the clutter and searching for things
Some time ago I formulated a shop philosophy that is, a shop requires only 2 things; a place for your tools and the space to comfortably use them in... however, my shop was seemingly always more full of stuff, junk, stock, etc., that I had collected for future use. radically limiting my usable space... So, I built another building, right next to my shop, and actually sightly bigger than my shop lol... and that building became my warehouse. I use an app to organize all of the various rubbermaid style tubs and containers, complete with pics of what's inside them. the app allows me to search for an item and it will bring up any bins, or tubs with pics of the contents.
When I have a tool I need to set down but don't want to lose it. I will say to myself either out loud or internally, "I am putting the tool on the desk". That extra second of thought is all I need to remember where I said it down. Because if I set it down swiftly and thoughtlessly I will likely lose it and losing tools in the middle of a project is one of the most frustrating things imaginable.
I've recently hit that barrier of being overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have, and not having storage room for things.
So, I've been having a ruthless clear out. Got rid of some 8/16 bit computers, all my warhammer models went, got various other things to give away. Not asked for money for any of them, they just weren't getting used and only there as part of my life's 'collection' of rubbish! Plenty of things just went in the bin too. From my workshop I've got rid of a few tools such as my mini mill, and rebuilt some storage. Just have a kayak to get rid of now to regain a load of space.
It was a very cathartic experience to be honest. Still plenty to go, but it already feels so much better.
Adam, I do not think anyone else in the vast people I watch on UA-cam could have hooked me into a video about being overwhelmed about how to store/discard things, and explain only partially (if at all ) how they deal with that, and then kept my interest as you completely derailed about an African mask until the end. You my friend have the same squirrel brained line of thinking as the rest of us that make things. We all need more Adam typed people in our lives.
Great story. Happy holidays, team Tested!!
YES. That is why I recently put my self-stick lead sheet where it currently is; because it wasn't there when I went to get it from there! It was some other weird place it had no logical reason being.
Adams collection is well known. Its a given that over time the man cave will get pretty crowded. I think a good idea would be to display some of the collection at an exhibit. Frees up space for sure
Adam, you are such a great guy! Rarely have I related this much with a persons views and philosophy!
This comes at a perfect time as I've been sorting and organizing all the tools and such a very close friend had to store in a small room. It has felt overwhelming over the last 4 days, but now that it's getting down there it looks good. I want to make sure even in the small room we can have space.
What intrigued me most is your compassion for your builds
Frack! The philosophy and story here.. soul nourishing 🙏🏾
We so need another tour of the Adam Museum of collectibles and creations from Film and Television
I've put a bunch of labeled boxes in my closet and then I use a Google Sheet inventory system to register which box I put something in. That way I don't have to think about a clever place, it doesn't have to look good where it is, and I can easily find it again by looking in the inventory system and going to the box with the correct label.
A general and somewhat workable " rule" or concept I got from a friend of mines was
" if you haven't used in three years, get rid of it".
I was renting his home at the time and he had a junk drawer, ( I suspect we all have one, you put stuff there you don't know what to do with but might need it later)
He got on a kick of getting rid of stuff and as he was throwing it away he busted me digging in the trash to recover it
"Let go, let go" he says to me
Easier said than done
Recycling is not always easy, your other friends don't t want your junk even for free and selling can be a pain in the life too
This was low scale stuff. Not like what Adam and some of you guys are faced with and I found it difficult to manage
I know a few craftsmen hoarders and I am glad I am not one of them, all that wonderful stuff that you can't let go of,
What a conundrum
Being overwhelmed is when you run out of space, and you can only throw out so much of your stuff. At some point it is less painful to get more space than to keep trying to find things to throw out. Being overwhelmed is when you have so many things you can't find the thing that you want, so from the start do your best with your system for where to put things and the things that aren't readily accessible and used often, create a method for cataloging them. Even if you write a list on a piece of paper and tape it to the end of the box, at least you don't have to pull down the box and dig through it to find something.
This question could not be more timely for me. I am in that overwhelmed state right now.
This describes my late father so precisely. I don't know if he had a "mask" type moment to unlock this trait, but he had it in spades. You'd never leave his house empty-handed.
I absolutely love that he did that for you! My grandfather would do that for me from time to time. Or, he would make me a replica of whatever it was. I remember that there was a Budweiser clock that he had, and I told him that I loved it and it was awesome. He knew that what I loved about it was the horses pulling the wagon under the clock, so he pulled out a model that he had been given, and it was the Budweiser Clydesdales pulling the wagon full of barrels, and he gave it to me (I think I was about 6 at the time) and I just thought it was the coolest thing.
That is a precarious road to walk tho. There's a little girl who comes to visit (stepdaughter of a cousin on my husband's side) my husband's grandmother (we're living in her basement apartment). One time she came down to see the cat that we had, and this little girl saw my rather extensive stuffed animal collection (mostly Disney characters and zoo animals - that I collect from zoos we visit), and immediately fell in love with a stuffed Boo that I had bought several years back (the cutest dog Boo, not a ghost or anything). She did not put it down the whole time she was there. So I told her that she could have it if she wanted. She was so excited, and now every time she comes over she tells me about how she still has him and takes care of him. Then she usually follows up by asking if she can have (insert stuffed animal here) from my collection. She's a sweet kid, but I did have to explain to her that just because I had given her one stuffed animal that didn't mean that my apartment was a free toy store that she could visit whenever she wanted. As long as she took care of them she could play with some of them, but they wanted to stay with their friends at my house.
Awesome video. Love your content Adam. I identify completely, my shop is super full.
Organized hoarding chaos. I know it well. Great advice Mr Savage. I will use it for my hoard. Thank you.
What a nice story and gem of wisdom. Thanks, Adam
I was looking for something on UA-cam to listen to in the background while I go through stuff in my basement. And stumbled across this. I thought the timing of UA-cam recommendations, was interesting. Thanks for the ideas on how to deal with having too much crap.
My wife and I moved our workshops together a few years ago (we make violins) I now put shared tools away where she would put them and she puts things away where I used to put them. Now the rule is to blame the other person for stealing what couldn’t be found and bam, there it is!…right where you thought that it was taken from and also where you put it.
I love that story. It seems that that one action helped shape you in some way.
Thanks Adam, That was a beautiful story.
Most of my stuff is tools and consumables in my 2 car garage workshop. I have about 14 ft long by 5 ft high worth of tool cabinets. I am always adding tools and rarely purging. I find leaving space in drawers to be essential to making sure I do not lose things. When new tools come into the shop they are put into a drawer immediately. Having catch-all bins in key areas helps a lot. I tend to put a catch-all bin in area that I tend to leave things when distracted. For example a shelf or tray by the door from the kitchen to garage, it acts like a manditory check point. When working on an autotive project I keep all my tools on magnetic parts trays, and only put tools to rest in the tray and never on the car. I will have a parts tray for wrenches, sockets, nuts / bolt, plastic fasteners, etc. I employ the same tactic with a household project but use small boxes instead.
That story has a very good moral, thank you for sharing
Lol, the 'where to put it hack' feels like a self hack version of the 'you'll never guess where I'm taking you for dinner' hack
One thing I always do is that when electronic items need to be thrown away, I dismantle it and salvage any parts that are still good.
Imagine the pleasure that a computer builder has when I tell him or her that I have a few hundred motherboard screws.