Adam Savage reveals his three favorite workshop tools and setup hacks
Every workshop has its secrets, those tiny details and unrecognized workhorses that transform a chaotic room into a temple of creation. A beautiful build is never an accident. It is the result of deliberate choices, from the way we hold our cameras to the blades we keep within arm's reach.
The perfect camera rig relies on robust metal hardware
Many makers struggle with flimsy plastic mounts when filming their builds. Adam Savage avoids this headache entirely by combining heavy-duty components. His primary mobile filming platform uses the 3-Footed Monster magnetic base paired with flexible, adjustable Loc-Line hoses. To secure his phone without triggering side buttons, he relies on a meticulously machined aluminum Stalman Clamp. This setup provides rigid stability and swift adaptability.
Unsung workshop heroes keep the creative momentum fluid
Certain tools are so ubiquitous they become practically invisible. For Savage, the single-edge razor blade is a foundational instrument. It excels at scraping, slicing, and even leveling wooden surfaces when combined with protective Scotch tape. He also keeps dedicated scissors in every room of his house. These basic blades, alongside Blu-Tack adhesive putty, form the essential grammar of his daily making process.
A clear workbench is a gift to your future self
Workspace organization directly dictates creative endurance. An untidy, cluttered workspace creates immediate mental friction and kills creative momentum before a project even begins. Clearing off the workbench at the end of a long work session acts as an investment in your future motivation. Walking into a clean, empty workspace the next morning instantly inspires you to start building again.
- 3-Footed Monster
- 20%· products
- Adam Savage
- 20%· people
- Blu-Tack
- 20%· products
- Loc-Line
- 20%· products
- Stalman Clamp
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The Unsung Heroes in Adam Savage's Workshop
WatchAdam Savage’s Tested // 9:34
Adam Savage’s Tested is a content platform and community playground for makers and curious minds. On Tested.com, the highly- engaged Tested YouTube channel, and at conventions and events, dynamic makers share ideas and inspire each other to build their obsessions. Led by Adam Savage, the Tested team explores the intersection of science, popular culture, and emerging technology, showing how we are all makers. Adam also takes viewers behind the scenes of films, TV shows, theater, and museums, shining a spotlight on the craftspeople and artists who make the magic we all enjoy. Tested is also: Norman Chan, Joey Fameli, Josh Self, Kristen Lomasney and Thomas Crenshaw.