Adam Savage Builds the Tested Office (in Foamcore)!

Adam's big project for the summer has been rennovating and refurbishing the Tested studio, and one of the best ways to wrap his head around the space is to build an architectural scale model of the building! Adam guides us through his techniques for making a foamcore model, starting with the 2D diagraming of all the measurements he'll need to perfectly recreate our office in miniature scale--down to the Billy bookcases and hanging T-Rex skull!
Adam's previous foamcore model builds:
• Adam Savage's One Day ...
• Adam Savage's One Day ...
Shot by Adam Savage and edited by Norman Chan
Music by Jinglepunks
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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!
#adamsavage #onedaybuilds #modelmaking

[@tested]

Adam's previous foamcore model builds: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH-xlHp5j62prqc kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaTbdISrq5h-sKc Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks: kzbin.info/door/iDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOAjoin

[@erikbongnilsson246]

SHIT, have you spoken to a structural engineer that the brick pillar is safe ( at 18:00 min in)? I recently learned that there are a lot lacking when it comes to keeping up with the safety of buildings all around the US.. Just want you all to be safe!

[@mountianguy108]

Can anyone else imagine how EPIC a model railroad layout would be if Adam built it with his skills? Super realistic, detailed, functional and operational. I think it would be amazing!!!!

[@MyFingerLakesRailwayLayout]

Check out @boomerdioramas for the model railroad build. They come from similar backgrounds.

[@Hebdomad7]

Making scale props for movies definitely has similar skills. But it's not something I could see Adam doing... I Honestly think he'd just ride on scale and live steam so he could machine parts for his engines.

[@trenched9747]

Watch Luke towan he is currently building a modular train track, all his dioramas are realistic

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Not entirely sure the constraints of railway modelling would fit into Adam's process all that well.

[@MasatoKay]

Would love to see Luke and Adam meet up

[@RetroJack]

I've finally realised what I like about you - you've never had the go kicked out of you. I mean permanently, not "you get knocked down and you pick yourself up again." You're a lucky man and I continue to wish you well!

[@microbuilder]

My stepdad built his house back in the mid/late 70s, and it is a very 70s house, weird angles, high pitched roofs, very unique. So for his 65th birthday I made a roughly 10" model of his house, he really liked it, but I liked it so much I made a couple more...something very satisfying about it...

[@_WillCAD_]

I manage indoor mapping data for a living, and a major part of that is creating floorplans for spaces that have none. I have a number of methods at my disposal, but the most common is the sketch-and-measure method that Adam describes. I use digital tools - a Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) application on an iPad, laser and tape measures, and a digital angle finder - but my methodology is essentially the same as Adam's. I sketch the space out ahead of time, often (but not always) putting in empty dimension lines to highlight what measurements to take, and then measure everything in the field. I back it up with plenty of photos. From that, I draw up a final plan in a CAD application (I use AutoCAD), and that becomes the foundation of the indoor mapping data that can be used to track and assign usage and occupancy, asset management, interior design, and construction/demolition. Nice going, Adam!

[@nerdingforfunprops4487]

Fantastic build. When Sir Christopher Wren was designing St. Paul's Cathedral he built a scale wooden model to sell the idea. It is scaled so that when you put your head through a hole on the bottom it's the same view that you see if you stand in the same spot of the actual building......

[@danielclement2832]

Was waiting for the new BILLY bookcases - Adam did not disappoint! And then out came Sue... lol!

[@BlackCatBritt]

I appreciated the cheeky editing cut on Adam's sneeze at 20:44 😋 Made me giggle

[@shelleyb162]

When I was in 6th grade we had to build a model of a room in our house and I chose the living room and used cardboard. Lol. This brought back some memories. I could listen to you talk to yourself about your measurements and math for HOURS. You remind me of my dad tinkering and repairing things in his shop. I often use your videos like these as background noise/ body doubling/ mirroring/ whatever they call it now, to help me get things done around my house. 😅

[@Uwannawatch]

Binge watching from New Jersey on a rainy Saturday. Thanks for helping me procrastinate going into the shop. Very cool model.

[@danmar007]

I love Foamcore architectural models.

[@89medic]

Florida has been 94 with a “feels like 118” for days. I’m in New York today for some work and it’s 58 today.. I’m loving it!

[@zyphosa5398]

Those sneeze transitions are A1 :D

[@friedricefpv7235]

The Flite Test foamboard airplanes are also very satisfying to build.

[@douglasbrandt4068]

The sneezes as interstitial transitions: 🔥

[@jettbrains]

Sweet, another video about Floorplan! Gotta say Adam can do marvelous work on a quick architectural floor plan.

[@behnkarrlsun]

Have you ever done a video on dollhouses? Modeling, scale, architecture? What's not to love?

[@corrinastanley125]

The Sue head was "chef's kiss". Thanks Adam and the Tested team.

[@RjWolf3000]

Now photograph the space and print images of each wall and stitch them together and apply to the model

[@TheNewBloodDan]

I hope you 3d scan your whole workshop/office soon! Would love a virtual tour and walk around in vr!

[@Algonquinthebear]

*stares at giant crack in the brick as Adam talks about girders* I may just be an apprentice mason but that concerns me 😅

[@pony3284]

Somewhere out there is a master mason with super calm explanation about how THAT crack is harmless- before doing a deep dive on this one job site where.... ..... .... .... and that's the last time they deal with XYZ business.

[@Algonquinthebear]

@@pony3284 "it's on an interior beam cover, you honestly think they use pilasters for structural in SF? With that quake proximity?Buddy lemme tell you why I'll never work in the Pacific Northwest again!" 😂

[@hydroxacte]

yeah maybe the brick sheathing isn't structural but it is still a seismic hazard. next time SF gets a little twitch (and that's when, not if) some of those are going to come down on whoever's in the office.

[@garyung3095]

I did notice that there is a wood column added with at least one anchor bolt into the cracked pilaster, so it looks like the problem may have been considered. it is possible that there is a steel column in the pilaster. I would feel better if we had more information on this.

[@martingriggs6362]

I am an Architectural building surveyor. Most people in my profession survey just like you do. When I started surveying back in the early 1990's I had to learn to draw to scale in the field. Many times we didn't have drawings for the space I was surveying, so I drew to scale as a double check.

[@erikbongnilsson246]

Then you are just the guy I was hoping would see this video. What are your thoughts on what you see 18:00.. I heard there is a lot lacking in the US when it comes to periodical inspections.. Doesn't that look like something Adam and his team should have checked up like yesterday? I know nothing about how to tell if a structure is load bearing or not, it looks like this might not be one or that the beam abooe supported by what looks to me like a 8x8 or something might have been installed to take load of that brick pillar. I sure hope so

[@bradraughley6206]

Now I'm making a 1:25 model of our apartment due to this video. The math parts take the longest, everything else is quick after. Such a useful brain tool.

[@asmith6006]

I build models, some for TTRPGs, and after watching you build your childhood home I built the tavern that our adventuring party retired to at the end of our campaign. Because it's three removable floors, I reinforced the joints in the foamcore with sewing pins dipped in tacky glue. It was pretty handy for keeping the walls together while the glue set (I have an unnatural hatred for hot glue). Thanks for all the how to. It's going to help my next project, which I'm hoping will be a 1:12 scale row house from my city.

[@kikolokopo_toys]

Im on my 2nd year of Design of Equipment and I find this video useful, even if I do chairs

[@biggysmallz77]

It would be really neat to see Adam print a 3D model of a person to match the scales of each model he has made so you can picture the scale better.

[@JKSSubstandard]

As an architect, your way of diagraming an existing space is not dissimilar to how I was taught. I generally sketch the space not to scale to capture all the bumps and columns and doors. I use an arrow coming off the wall pointing to the opposite wall instead of a full dimension string as full strings get messy on bigger areas. And our office uses a different notation for the dimensions on the plan since raw inches can get ridiculous once you start getting into the hundreds of feet. So we write the number of feet, then as an underlined exponent we write the number of inches to the nearest eigth (no contractor builds more precise than to the eigth). Then be sure to grab some AFF dimensions (above finish floor) for ceilings and windows

[@spaceghost5234]

Weird question do you round up or down to the nearest 8th, does it matter?

[@_WillCAD_]

I'm in GIS, not architecture, so when I measure an indoor space I use decimal feet. It fits better with exterior GIS data without any foot/inch conversion problems, but I also find that it's way easier to measure with a laser and tape. I set the laser to use decimal feet, but I have to use an engineer's tape measure, which are a little hard to find these days (you have to get them online). Since 1/100 of a foot is, for all practical intents and purposes, 1/8 of an inch (0.12 to be precise, close enough for gubment work), I can easily get that 1/8" precision to my measurements with both tools and write the results very quickly on my sketch.

[@bzqp2]

Also one important detail that was missed - always measure the diagonals. Too many times I assumed the space was square only to then realize my model doesn't really match reality because the real room was some sort of a trapezoid.

[@WilliamBlakers]

I want to see Adam make minature versions of everything thats in the offices at the same scale to populate the model.

[@Chrispy9393]

over the years ive watched adam build a few of these. i am finally gonna do it for my house. it'll really help my wife and i when we decide to move furniture :)

[@kbill23]

I used to do draw or build to scale with a calculator, but then I got an architectural triangular ruler and it was life changing, no math involved to draw to different scales and you can measure your scale drawing after the fact to get real world dimensions. Highly recommend!!

[@Spock910]

That’s actually called an Architectural Scale. There is another that I was taught called a Civil Scale. That one shows scales as 1:10, 1:100, etc.

[@legouda8454]

I work as a modelmaker and I love seeing others building these beautiful architecture models. Could watch you for hours😂

[@Pygar2]

We're on to you! That's Star Wars Action Figure scale!

[@amphicorp4725]

Always happy to see an architectural model from Adam. The Indiana Jones dart trap episode left me hungry for more

[@blee5268]

I love to look at architectural models. I've watched Mr. Savage build a box or two, so watching Mr. Savage building these types of model are treats.

[@workshop94]

I’ve seen Adam suggest scale models before, which led me to 3D print a 1/8th inch scale model of my apartment. For the next one I just might have to pick up some foamcore! Love this!

[@WilliamBlakers]

I just watched this video this morning and this afternoon whilst walking my dog on a street I've never been on before i came across a house that had an exact replica model of the house on its letterbox. Wish i could post a pic of it.

[@yobgodababua1862]

Oh no, now he's installing TINY Billy bookcases!

[@shubinternet]

I remember growing up with my dad and all the theatrical set models they had to do, for each of the big productions they worked on. He was the Technical Director and managed the construction of the sets, so he didn't usually do the set design, although there were a few he did. And whoever did the set design, they also needed to make the model. But the models were being made for not only the Director, but also the TD, so that the approved final version could actually be made and assembled correctly. So, he had a lot of models in his office, and he usually arranged to keep the ones he liked best. I want to create a virtual model of our house, both inside and outside, and then maybe get them 3D printed. But even just the floor plan creation is proving to be difficult -- there's not a truly straight line in this house. There's not an actual square corner in this house. And even laser measuring devices have enough error in them that it's hard to get the walls to match up properly.

[@billwilson9056]

The feeling of building a full 3D model of space/building that does not exist yet, and then being in the space after construction, is un-matched. The first time was validation of a 3D model and study, being a true representation of the built environment. Architecture school pumps out concepts that rarely finish in full scale physical expression. To physically stand in the spot where you spent hours /days in a model deliberating on inches or fraction of inches, just to create a perfect moment, is unmatched. Unfortunately, those spots that we did not anticipate, and spent less time on feel like an albatross around our necks. They are never a 'mistake', just simply an oversight, but still become lessons learned.

[@Elwaves2925]

I have an architectural model of my current and last house but as a 3D polygon model. I did one room originally because I wanted to rearrange the furniture and then did the rest for fun.

[@kataseiko]

Someone from the company that planned the last house my parents built it in Blender. I took that model, put it into Unity with their VR prefab.. We could look at the house before it was even built, have them make changes (and transfer those to the Blender model).. It was something that they didn't try before.

[@Elwaves2925]

@@kataseiko That's cool. It's a great use of archviz so that people can see everything before it's all finished.

[@johnmckeighan4400]

There is nothing cooler than a model of the space in the space....love it.

[@kataseiko]

It needs a tiny model of the model inside the model..

[@j.michaelantoniewiczii5309]

​@@kataseikoONLY ONE .. let's skip the infinite recursive wormhole 😎

[@gregorymacneil2836]

You know the fast, cheapest and simplest is to draw out the floor plan in sketch up - print it at 1/4" to the foot - 3M Supper 77 the plan to foamcore - use white glue and card stock (good bristle board) to assemble walls etc - the white glue dries super fast and you only need drops of white glue to hold the parts together. You really do not need to be as big as you constructed that. The advantage of the card stock and white glue is that it is easily modified. I would have printed the trusses on overhead projector film and set them in place with hot melt. My 2 cents worth.

[@mzaite]

The little 1:25 Billy bookcases was just a great suprise.

[@Dardrum]

Love the "Sue" at the end of the vid

[@zimmy1958]

Loved the T rex at the end.

[@jimdavis3051]

I am currently finishing a 1:25 model using my 3D printer for making walls, furniture, appliances, tv’s, etc. The 3D printer allows me to use different colors and add realistic details. Love your channel!

[@kataseiko]

I have learned that the best result is with dark gray or black filament. The black one is especially great if you want to paint it metallic. All the other colors have usually just made it harder to get a good result and made me use more paint to cover it up.

[@TomSomniac]

​​@@kataseikotip: use primer before painting. Then it doesnt matter what color filament you use either.

[@danielberg7644]

Now you need to make millions of miniatures of your collection.

[@SyntheticFuture]

29:38 almost exactly liking up the scale model with the real model. That was very cool and probably very unintentional 🤭

[@addingletters465]

Wow. Starting at 3:33 gives me a almost haunted vibe off the start. Then I see a scary face with red eyes at 3:58 and Adam was almost scared too! (from my perspective at least) xD Fun channel. Its a dream watching it, can't even fathom what's it's like to be apart of.

[@afstud85]

This takes me back to my high school drafting class, thank you Adam for the walk down memory lane.

[@bzqp2]

18:05 Umm... Not to worry you guys but I'd get that pillar checked ASAP. Seems like it's no longer supporting the girder on top :o

[@bzqp2]

I see there is some wooden reinforcement there but it does not inspire confidence...

[@XenaT]

I'm so glad you mentioned Sue! I saw her show up in the office when you did the Ikea Bookshelf build and was surprised it wasn't mentioned! That shot was a moment of fulfillment for the Model.

[@magreger]

I made my childhood house In unreal engine 1 editor when I was young and my plan was to take pictures of everything in the house and import them as textures even down to the spines on the books on the book shelves. I never got around to doing it but it's still a dream of mine. Adams scale models remind me of that feeling. I would really like to try this.

[@smallpants]

This is pretty well timed because I just finished drawing a floor plan for the house I'm hoping to build next year.

[@Vinnero0]

Love when you do these! I have been working on our house in Revit, we bought a couple of years ago. Once done I am going to attempt to 3D print.

[@user-me5eb8pk5v]

Now if it had a tiny hvac system, you could cover it in clear plastic to keep it warm, add reflectors and disco lights, eventually it needs a place to be put so it is in charge of our world to make changes we are waiting for. How did you do it?

[@sensationalfailure]

This video has made me strangely happy. 😊 Please keep us in the loop about the offices.

[@GxldStXrDxst]

Wow 🤯 moving castle 🏰

[@joenestor1673]

Are the cave and the office the not the same building? I always just kinda assumed the offices were next to or above the cave lol

[@unforgivenromantic]

10:50, I'm now imagining you getting a bunch of 3.75" figures of yourself and the Tested crew for display when everything is done.

[@AndrewOlinek]

Have you thought of saving a hugh step in conversions, just take me measurments in mectric to start with. Team Metric.

[@rikvdmark]

Very cool! And satisfying to see it all come together! Oh and one again I loved the editing of the video, gotta give the editor some love :) Edit: Adam’s laugh at the end was perfect. Always perks me up ^^

[@mustang_orbit170]

Interesting video as always. I think Adam said the build is 1:18 scale. Interested to see the Haslab RazorCrest (Norm's or Adam's) next to it for a size comparison. You could populate this office-build with standard Star Wars figures too. (Maybe a well designed workshop in the Outer Rim).

[@jettbrains]

Beautiful!

[@MoneybagsUkulele]

The filling in of blank dimensions on shop drawings is common practice in finishing commercial construction projects.

[@JonHarrisTech]

Thankyou for a nostalgia flashback Adam - a few years ago, I was on the set of a TV game show that had been rebooted - they needed to recreate the set from the 1990's, and the original set designer came back - along with a model of the set which was made from foamcore! I'd only seen photo's of this item in the media, but to see it person really helped put things in amazing perspective. Such great and wonderful times! Thank you again!

[@josemercado7756]

I had to look it up😊. Relaxifying is not a real word. Lol. Sorry Adam. 😂😂😂😂

[@Budaniel]

I've done this kind of thing many times in 3D graphics programs, and the best part is definitely being able to - when you've made it correctly to scale - hop into build in first person and walk around the space. Being able to see and really feel out the space as it would be if you were there helps so much when planning and designing layouts.

[@ClairvoyantTruth]

The ending shot is beautifully framed.

[@billturner685]

“When a space is important to me …………. I put it in my body” 😂😂

[@TheBeddoeFamily]

The bubbles are a good idea. I was just leaving a space between the leader lines. Also like the idea of sketching on foam core. As a CAD jockey, I usually then take that immediately to CAD and model in 3D. Reason for this is to make sure my proportions are correct so things like, "gee, that door can only be 13 inches wide" become obvious.

[@28Cryptic743]

I've created my current house in Sketchup in a 3D model. glad you measured your shop in inches

[@DWINC]

This is soooo soothing and educational at the same time.

[@camrontabler7543]

This is great. I was just thinking about making one of these for my place. Thank you for showing the build and the method!

[@steve-175]

Love to see the model of his whole shop, how everything is laid out,

[@alanh5000]

Why was the staircase not included in the model? It definately affects the room layout.

[@shubinternet]

Yeah, seeing the actual office with that staircase to the loft, I now see that should clearly have been included.

[@KevinKoperski]

Is that Norm's senior class high school portrait at 28:49? Awesome.

[@deathrev0859]

You should build one based on the monolithic concrete domes!

[@Poo-Peater]

I absolutely love how easily you made that model for your space, now I want to do it for my space

[@Rodya1967Matebal]

Wow, so cool

[@AmpHibious]

this is perfect for me right now, im in the planning stages of building a 1/144th scale city diorama based on Gundam 08th MS team. and ive been sort of stuck as far as building techniques on that scale, this is giving me great ideas!

[@klutchar5725]

bless ya

[@matiko280]

Bless you!

[@jakd.rabbit]

I'm glad to see another video like this, I just wish there were some resource links related to the materials used for these types of projects as I'd like to do some of this stuff myself but I live in the backwoods of Tennessee and my local Hobby Lobby and Walmart locations don't carry styrene sheets (they carry bags of really small scrap bits) like you used on the childhood home model, and the foamcore can be over priced at HL but they at least do carry that while my Walmarts do not (all of those are severely understocked in many departments for some reason).

[@doc_brown]

I have a tattoo of Sue. It'd be neat to see the real thing someday, or at least a life-size replica like Adam's.

[@patrickdiehl6813]

Very cool build 👍

[@bzqp2]

I'm pretty sure that in 100 years this film slate will be displayed in some museum, lol

[@bzqp2]

Also - in 6 years of my architectural studies I've never heard of the empty bubble technique for inventoring. Quite a nice idea!

[@daldanus]

"Posted 1 minute ago" LESGOOO! Thumbnail looks amazing! Can't wait to watch the vid.

[@schoolisdeath]

Very cool been wanting to do this for a long time

[@particle_wave7614]

Man I wish 80 degrees was considered hot in west Texas. It’s the 2nd day of fall today and it was nearly 100 degrees.

[@JohnDlugosz]

4:00 You have a 1/48 scale model of this shop space that you're in... It should contain a model of itself, on the wall of the shop (at least conceptually). And that model in a model will contain its own model on its wall, and so on. This is an interesting application of the FIxed Point theorem, Which tells us that the position of these converge to a point; _and_ the harder to understand theorem that there must exist a point in the lab that is exactly on top of the corresponding point in the model. And it would be really cool if you marked that point with a red dot or LED.

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thamks.

[@jeanmalo7173]

You realize that now you'll have to 3d print all the furniture to populate the model...very cool model, stay safe!

[@erniedouglas123]

The teeth to feed the glue stick into the gun! I thought I was the only one.

[@thom17043]

As an Architect with a Structural Engineering background, that crack down through the pilaster makes me uneasy!

[@garyung3095]

I did notice that there is a wood column added with at least one anchor bolt into the cracked pilaster, so it looks like the problem may have been considered. it is possible that there is a steel column in the pilaster. I would feel better if we had more information on this.

[@thom17043]

I did see the wood post and assume that it was signed off on. I'd want some more lateral support, but it is hard to say with just a brief video of it as opposed to a detailed examination.

[@nathkrupa3463]

Great video sir

[@musashik4483]

@20:44 Bless you.

[@darksendkilla]

the only thing missing is the staffs reactions!!!

[@larrynixon5979]

The huge crack in the brick support scares me

[@lolrofllmao97]

Amazing! How do you account for the thickness of the walls?