Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Machinist Tools Cabinet!

Adam revisits another one of his shop infrastructure builds he completed over two years ago: his machine tools cabinet situated next to his shop lathe. While the size and dimensions of the cabinet were working well, this latest build incorporates much-needed drawer slides! Let's see if Adam can get the math and measurements right on his attempt to build this cabinet in half a day!
The original machine tools cabinet build: • Adam Savage's One Day ...
Shot by Adam Savage and edited by Norman Chan
Music by Jinglepunks
Closed captioning and descriptive audio track provided by the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP); learn more at dcmp.org
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The original machine tools cabinet build: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIWqf2iHg950Y5o Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks: kzbin.info/door/iDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOAjoin Tested Ts, stickers, mugs and more: tested-store.com

[@marveld.c1420]

Love❤ from India🇮🇳.

[@The.Pickle]

Hi Adam, I have a question I'm kinda embarrassed to ask, it will probably sound silly to most and I remember being confused by this when I was young and in tech class many, many years ago. When you measure multiple pieces of wood to cut, out of one large piece, do you add on the thickness of the saw blade?

[@dinosaurus4189]

Looks top-heavy to me. Don't open too many drawers at once.

[@freqenc]

Wouldn't want to be in there during an earthquake.

[@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time]

Topiverse Drawer Slide Tape, Slick Surface Low Friction Tape, Abrasion Resistant Glide Tape, Drag & Noise & Squeak Reduction, Apply to Wooden-Drawer Furniture Curtain Cabinet etc. 0.5 in x 10 yds Cheaper, quicker, and most important, you don't have to reinvent the wheel, which is especially important when one is nearing the end of ones lifespan, and time surely is limited.

[@arduinoversusevil2025]

Your powermatic table saw set up is almost perfect; but I see a few spots still need time to accumulate detritus. You can do it buddy!

[@microbuilder]

Hi, Uncle BF!!

[@Conanbroman]

There is a distinct lack of shmoo indeed

[@arduinoversusevil2025]

@@microbuilder Hi!

[@timberrecycling]

I really appreciate the comments about how swift you make drawers! I've been woodworking for 2 years and if I was doing something like this fresh, I'd probably spend 4 hours just staring at my tools and playing around with numbers on paper. "Context is everything" indeed!!

[@wolfe1970]

Well tbh anyone can throw a draw set together if its just screws and nails, now do it properly with dovetail joints and drawer fronts...

[@shaggyego]

Adam savages career is now pretty much just making storage solutions for tools he no longer uses because he's too busy making storage for the tools he no longer uses 😅😅

[@matthewdouglas2373]

Until he needs to use a tool to build a storage solution for another tool 🧠

[@RomanMoroniesFargingWall]

As a kid, I watched Bob Ross paint. As an adult, I watch Adam Savage build.

[@forsterruhl4153]

The New Yankee Workshop is back ! Thanks Adam.

[@blaqkkitten1]

I truly love watching Adam think through something he is building. I've always felt insecure when I create things and I make silly math mistakes (sound familiar?) or just completely overlook a detail. I'm always encouraged when I see Adam going through those same hiccups. Even as a seasoned maker, I respect that that still happens and it reminds me to give myself a little grace as someone just coming into their own as a maker/creator. Thanks, Adam!

[@jamesstenhouse7710]

Can't let yourself get caught in doing too much of that "mathing". Easy to be distracted by those newfangled ideas.

[@daveedge749]

love these, one tip for anyone following this is to make the sides 1mm wider than you measure over the runners. These runners work so much more freely when they have just a tiny bit of wiggle room, they are a touch stiff in this setup and it's because the balls aren't sitting in the intended grooves but more pushing sideways slightly. I found out the hard way too after making the first few of 37 for my garage during lockdown. worth adjusting yours Adam with maybe a power plane on the inner side as it should make a big difference to how the heavy drawers pull out without swaying the whole unit

[@runesage]

one day build! Lets goo!!

[@LumenateTV]

I can't wait for the episode where Adam realizes soft close drawer sliders are far superior.

[@ADBBuild]

While I agree they are awesome, it's hard to justify the cost. They are SO MUCH more expensive.

[@LumenateTV]

@@ADBBuild yeah the cost is up there but after you have used them you never want to go back.

[@TheRavenMagi]

He knows I have heard it mentioned.

[@86fifty]

15:16 - that's really kind of you to DO, Adam, to think about your viewers and the norms that your own shop practice, so publicized online, might set. Talking about the difference between client and personal work is always appreciated as a clarifying practice, and it is appreciated! :)

[@OriginalMomo]

Off topic question, Adam. Do you have the stasis lights on the side of the Carbonite Han Solo? You know, the controls Lando checked to make sure Han was still alive after being frozen. If not it’ll be cool to add…. 🤨🧐🤔

[@geiroveeilertsen7112]

I'm guessing that that's part of what he'll be doing with it 🙂

[@Naf623]

Caution: not a hammer It makes me very happy to see my little notice pinned up in Adam's shop 😀

[@notfeedynotlazy]

Timestamp, please?

[@Naf623]

@@notfeedynotlazy 19:25 - all the way on the right

[@francisjames1377]

Awesome bro, now you have to paint it red! 👀

[@morganw.4711]

I love the moment when Adam misplaced the camera and then spots it, “There you are!” It makes me feel like we’re hiding in his shop and he’s thoughtfully moving us around so we can see what he’s up to

[@AJapaneseDream]

There is something so satisfying looking at piles of material that you prepared yourself ready for assembly.

[@shadowcat6lives639]

I feel like you made a great call for starting to building stuff with extra space. If you buy extra niche tools for you lathe then you would have planned ahead by having more space

[@OriginalMomo]

Me personally, I love shop infrastructure builds. This was a good one, revisiting an old one that needed fixing. Perfect.

[@DavidDM59]

good work

[@knarp7063]

Got to love a box simply titled "Voight-Kampff" sitting on a shelf

[@scottmantooth8785]

*oh...i want one of those*

[@NotTheStinkyCheese]

Sometimes you just need to see ideas made real before you know how you can make them better. "First time right" is a dream that we can aim for, but it shouldn't stop us from starting to begin with.

[@SAOS451316]

It's mildly distressing when Adam tosses the shims on the floor lol. Sir, you're going to have to bend down and pick those up later!

[@Drew_Snydermann]

Very cool build, needs a proper finish though. Suddenly everyone is Jimmy Diresta. 😄😁

[@BROON71]

The new tool cabinet looks amazing, Adam! Question: What is going to happen to the old (red) one that used to be in its place?

[@HardwareLust]

That's an outstanding question.

[@frjer11]

Raffle!

[@williamcooper2368]

TAKE your MEDS ADAM.❤️

[@AdamIannazzone]

I really like how you made the labels on black tape. So simple, but also so satisfying!

[@RahonaStream]

what kind of tape did you use to make the labels for the drawers? Awesome build!

[@csouverein]

How long did we wait for this? An actual ODB! 😂😂😂😂 Great job Adam. One question I've been having for some time, but forgot to ask. The First Aid box. Is it an actual First Aid box or just another one for your collection?

[@gusbert]

I love it when I hear Adam use measurements like 18" 13/16. Madness I say, madness!

[@microbuilder]

Now you just need to make a cabinet for all your other cabinets....

[@Ivanovitch2885]

Every craftsperson should hang a sign in their shop that reads, "You can have it fast, cheap, or good. Pick two."

[@TommyJobson]

I find your energy and work ethic hugly inspiring. Thank you Adam, please keep doing you!

[@asc7147]

I've been contemplating putting a drawer system under my workbench and this just inspired me to start it asap! I think Adam's infrastructure one day builds are my favorite because it always gets me thinking about how i can modify my space to better suit my making pursuits!!!

[@rahbekjonas]

If only I had a fraction of Adam's things to sort - I would build cabinets like this all the time.

[@cavemanvi]

the question i have is would you make redundant videos about it though

[@Stettafire]

@@cavemanvi Yes, because far from being redundant, seeing things get organised is very satisfying.

[@johnmoorefilm]

Hi Adam - I used to direct movies (we know some of the same folks) and I always used to say : “Hey, I can shoot it in a day if you guys don’t speak for a day”! It’s client requests and notes and fair accommodation that takes all the time and money!

[@DamienBoath]

I love watching Adam's builds because my workshop is just as cramped/cluttered. It's reassuring and relatble to know even someone with a high profile like Adam works like the rest of us, and doesn't have a hugely expensive, open workshop. I am curious to know, how do you cut large sheets of timber/acrylic if you need? I end up outside on the front lawn doing it. 🤣

[@Riley_Mundt]

I think when it comes to the speed of making something, you should lower your expectations. I used to use a cheap Ryobi table saw for my woodworking projects. It would never stay set in place between cuts, so every project took four times as long as it should have because I would have to cut, reset blade position, repeat. Quality of tools and materials has a massive impact on construction time.

[@Stettafire]

I think sometimes people need to focus less on speed and more on quality

[@205gti19]

Excellent build Adam, but I think I would have clear coated it all before applying the labels, just to keep dirty fingermarks off that pristine plywood.

[@Pro-cheeseburger]

I've really really enjoyed these eps but the red cab that you replaced in this ep was one of the only that I really didn't like. I noticed the sticking as well the red was just too much. Super happy to see you replace/fix it (and not go with the red)

[@SpartanFarron]

That's way better. I've been obsessed with shop organizing in the past 2 years. I find myself often staring at the background in videos to check out people's shop for ideas. When I watched the original build video for the red cabinet, I just knew the friction slides would not last being the impatient efficiency monster you are. Glad it's not red this time. The labels on black tape is a nice touch.

[@willtaylor1395]

fun to watch .. but if you would like i could teach you cabinetmaking . we could have made your project better and faster . and a lot safer

[@tomhorsley6566]

The sequencing of the videos is kinda confusing. We got the flat file drawer build before this one, but they were missing in here, and the new machinist tool drawers were already in that video in the background. It is like trying to date Shakespeare plays :-).

[@ModdBoy]

“Drawer bottoms” - that’s adorable 😊

[@jeremyzeimet3631]

Do you still have your H. Gerstner & Sons machinist box? Ever talk about it in a video?

[@scottmantooth8785]

*would love to see a build for keeping and displaying various art supplies such as paper paints, brushes or related pans for mixing the pigments...something compact and portable that looks well worn and traveled and easily to carry and set up in the field for plein air painting or discrete non obtrusive sketching or spontaneous paint studies in locations where you do not want to be actively noticed...the smaller the better but the tactile sense of the object having its own life or story to tell by appearance alone would be paramount...not a sit on the shelf and gather dust sort of build...something that gets used and appreciated on a frequent basis*

[@Stettafire]

22:11 The patina on that leather really is pretty Also I'm curious that you didn't paint it

[@Trekfan1971]

Great video, I was a little sad that we didn't get at least a time lapse of the holy sorting but I will live.

[@Stettafire]

Yes, sorting timelaspe would-be lovely 😁

[@ryandury]

Adam, may I suggest grabbing one more item for your shop: A pm2.5 meter. They are now pretty cheap and gives you a reliable visual aid of air quality. I find that when I can "see" how bad the air is in my shop, I am more likely to use a mask when making several cuts on the table saw, for instance. Keep those lungs happy!

[@Zack-us8tr]

I love your energy Adam, it’s always been the same, even from the first episode of myth busters! May the force be with you!

[@srwapo]

Haha, I remember how I was thinking that I would use drawer slides when watching the build of the original one. I mean, I've built one cabinet in my entire life, so I knew what I was thinking!

[@cooperd83]

I hope the red set of drawers finds a good home. Nice project as usual.

[@Craftlngo]

I remember the built as if it was yesterday. I was baffled by his colour choice, because he never cared to paint anything of his shop furniture before.

[@mandarazlim1677]

It's been awhile since I've stumbled into one of your videos Adam, can't say how relieved and comforted I always am to see you.

[@stuartball3538]

Love this video and how detailed it is .Just a thought, I would love to see you do a large wall draw, cupboard unit behind your large drill (24mins in to video) as a person with ocd it could do with a sort out

[@ganzyland]

I wish Adam was mic’d up more, anyone else feel like the audio is muffled at times?

[@lewisreid7395]

I loved the “where’s the camera?” Moment. I felt like saying “over here Adam!”

[@SkogKniv]

I used to be able to immediately view Adam's videos when YT would notify me. Here I am a day later after this video posted finding it in recommended because YT never sent me a notification.

[@lontraboi]

Thank you for saying that one can take more than four hours making something like that. I think it would take me a week.... And that would cost a pretty penny... But as a curiosity why don't you reuse the drawers you already had and Just build the other ones you wanted and another carcass?

[@FearsomeWarrior]

I appreciate the pace and speed this is done. There is a lot of focus to push through on this. Many of my projects turn into weeks and months but it’s more because I’m enjoying it. Kind of like stopping yourself from putting a lego kit together in one sitting. Binging TV shows in one go instead of limiting yourself to one episode a night. I do not understand why the he made the drawers so shallow. Even considering weight the drawers and cabinet do not use the available space back there in the corner. Three inches deeper and it’d be so many cubic inches gained and the space is empty behind it. I made a ‘Poor man’s Lista’ years ago. It’s two-by-two feet using 1/2 ply bottoms. They’re deeper drawers and I use wooden caddy/trays to organize. I guess he just wants them that size or I don’t understand the available space in the corner. I’d love to see a deeper cabinet of drawers below it. Like a good old stacking tool chest.

[@chiphill4856]

I believe the reason for the shallow drawers is simply due to size of what he intends to put in them. He can keep everything in one layer in each drawer, increasing visibility and reducing the chance that objects will go in there and die. Of course, I'm interpreting the word "depth" to indicate the distance from the bottom of the drawer to the top edge of the drawer.

[@stroopwafelfalafel]

2:12 the tilt to reveal han solo on your wall and a shark on the ceiling! my jaw dropped!

[@krtwood]

If you have to make drawers that are much wider than they are deep and you don't want to or can't afford to put full extension slides on them, the way to do it is to have a center runner on the bottom rather than slides on the sides. This adds a lot of complexity to the case and the drawers for that matter and wastes space inside the cabinet but the drawers will work amazingly well.

[@bmhd6598]

What tape and pen are you using for the signage?

[@williambiggs3699]

Hi, Adam, there's a story about an artist, who was doing some sketches in a park. A lady came up behind him and watched untill she decided to ask the man to do a sketch of her. She praised him on his ability and asked. He agreed and began sketching. Two minutes later, the lady was astounded to find that he had drawn a perfect likeness of her. She asked, how much for the sketch, and the artist told her $500.00 dollars. She was taken aback by the price, and said,"500 dollars?, That only took you 2 minutes!" The man said, "No ma'am, that took me my entire life." The man's name was Pablo Picasso.🎨🖌️🎨🖌️🎨🖌️

[@WreckDiver99]

Comment on build time and cost: You pick two from the following; Cheap, Fast, Good. You want it fast and good, it won't be cheap, you want it cheap and fast, it won't be good. you want it cheap and good it won't be fast (and then it probably won't be all that cheap). If you are after a "high quality" box, look no further than H. Gerstner...there's a reason those cost $2K for a new one, and used ones even 70 years old can fetch $800 or more. Proud owner of two used Gerster's (now a 2610, but they used to be the O11), one dates to the early 50's and the other is from the mid-70's. Love those boxes!

[@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time]

Topiverse Drawer Slide Tape, Slick Surface Low Friction Tape, Abrasion Resistant Glide Tape, Drag & Noise & Squeak Reduction, Apply to Wooden-Drawer Furniture Curtain Cabinet etc. 0.5 in x 10 yds Cheaper, quicker, and most important, you don't have to reinvent the wheel, which is especially important when one is nearing the end of ones lifespan, and time surely is limited.

[@gregmead2967]

I confess that as a woodworker who's made furniture on occasion for home and shop, I cringed at how Adam put the drawers together. Butt joints and brads? I've made box joints, drawer lock joints, even a few dovetailed joints, and they'll long outlast the joints that Adam made. Drawer lock joints would have added a fairly small amount of extra machining and been far longer, and they can easily be made on the table saw, especially during a production run like you're doing. I know you're going for speed and understand why you wouldn't want box joints or dovetails (although Norm Abrams would be horrified), but unless you're pretty gentle with these drawers, I expect you'll have loosened joints within a few years. Even gluing in the bottom plywood panel would have substantially strengthened the drawers. Sorry about the buzzkill, but I couldn't stand it.

[@Doublethizzle]

4 hours to build a custom cabinet. Piece of cake? I actually build mid, to high-end custom furniture for clients. These pieces are truly one-off pieces. And what I find to be the biggest shock for those that are new to the custom world of buying furniture is not the price. And quite honestly the price for custom, in quite a few cases, is not far from retail prices. Of course, when I say retail, I am referring to design shops and boutique stores not national chain stores. But the biggest pill to swallow for new shoppers to custom built furniture is . . . TIME! Far too often they come in with ideas and expectations of a week or two. Maybe three weeks at the most for completion. When I tell them their extra-long buffet could take 6-8 months to complete, it takes them a few minutes for them to process that. So yeah, 4 hours to build is, umm, yeah - that's *NOT* the norm.

[@freilichr]

I was screaming at the screen when you began to paint the sides of drawers on the original cabinet. NEVER, EVER PAINT THOSE !!!!! Sand and wax instead and with sufficient tolerance will operate smoothly without slides.

[@gangleweed]

Adam, you definitely need a Kindle Scribe......you can do all your sketching and planning on it without using a single sheet of paper......it saves the sketches like a note book....thousands of them.... and you can delete or rub out lines as you go........for years I sketched ideas on bits of paper and note pads in folders and they took up space I didn't have......and being only 5mm thick it's very portable in the workshop.......you can also have books on the Kindle to read etc.

[@heyimamaker]

My Dad built a wooden toolbox and it held a few hundred pounds of stuff. He used graphite powder I think for locks or it's a lock lubricant. Probably not the solution but a good wood on wood dry lubricant.

[@tendrel_sound]

infrastructure builds are my favorite! nice work Adam!!

[@r.m.vaneeden1493]

2 remarks/quistions on this nice build: First question is why you did use this type draw-sliders? There are sliders that makes it possible full extension so that the hole drawer is open and even the backside is in reachable. Total overview, nothing in the shadow of the drawer above. Second remark is the missing fixing to prevent tilting. The relative height to depth with heavy loads in the drawer .... is there this risk?

[@TECsta76]

Would’ve taken 8 minutes fitting a back panel on that?! (And the precise measurement drawer) All that dust and atmospheric protection?? 🎉👋

[@alexisw4362]

Adam could free Han Solo from carbonite, but, no, shop infrastructure comes first. Adam's obviously doing the work of the Empire here. 😜

[@kbendle1556]

Have you ever consider finding a dedicated ‘museum’ space in another building to display your ‘treasures’?? That would open up more space to Make. Maybe allow people in to see your museum.

[@rickstine7107]

I know I'm a late comer on this video but I am now in the middle of doing organization in my own little shop, It is very important and I for the last two months I've been obsessed with organizing things. 🤣🤣🤣👍

[@master582]

I figured it out watching this. The term "Ride the dopamine" Equitare in dopamine should be on the Savage family crest. LOL

[@osvaldimar132]

Já entendi, o problema, é que em muitas das vezes, algumas pessoas cobram pela "Disposiçâo de Tempo" e tambem , na maioria das vezes, o empresário ou o organizador, não obtem lucro suficiente pelo tempo das pessoas

[@OscarSommerbo]

No paint? I feel slightly ripped off. The previous chest of drawers was resplendent in its fire engine red. Now we and the shop must make do with untreated plywood? For shame, good sir 😉

[@spdcrzy]

I'm sorry, THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY operations in an hour and a half?!? What in the actual fuck lmao.

[@RobbBoswell]

You forgot to tell us about the sweat equity at 21:11 that is definately required for this buld 😁🤘🏼🇺🇲

[@jamesstenhouse7710]

Dude, you have to be careful about trying to use those new fangled ideas like 'mathing'. They can really mess up your woodworking.

[@JM-co6rf]

Empathy Kindess Respect....also we'll throw in jail for not giving half of your income to pay for a violent mega monopoly.

[@TicoMachi]

Whenever a tested video starts with the violent creaking/adjusting of Adams camera stand you know he's just had a spur of the moment thing pop into his head he needs to tell us.

[@justinhicks306]

People always give me shit for putting wheels on everything in my shop… while they’re moving things around on those wheels… hmmm??!!!

[@TeKillaShot]

Adam PLEASE stop drinking snapple. Sugar-free is just as bad if not worse than sugar we want you to be around a long time

[@Tatellini]

Can someone please tell me what is getting sucked up in the tube behind Adam's saw table when he's adjusting it at 9:20 in the video? What is the purpose of this tube and how does it work? I love it as part of the shop esthetics haha

[@adrianjames4447]

I love it, i have to have organisation with my tools too, altho my collection is somewhat tiny to yours i totally appreciate where your coming from. Might have to get myself one of those ruler tattoos 👍🤓🤓

[@WilliamBlakers]

I think Adam should build his own coffin and have a Adam Savage in carbonite as the lid. Good to scare future archaeologists.

[@Mr.Reality3000]

Adam, why the air blower for the dust?, better using an air vaccum cleaner don't you think? :)

[@BillMulholland1]

Again where’s Norm Abram? 🤣 They don’t call him Adam (Savage) for nothing 🤣🤣

[@molekulaTV]

Why to build this? Adam: to keep the things I use for building these.

[@ardennielsen3761]

the bits of 0.00008'' steel bits that come off while cutting... "picked up the dust bunny with hands"

[@heatherfraserdaley460]

What kind of tape measure are you using? That green on black looks like it would be easy to read. Plus the Vader tape looks bad ass!!

[@MGower4465]

"Measure twice, cut once." Or, if you're me. "Measure five times, still mess it up, change the plan."

[@tatari.noneym]

Hey adam why not make a metal nameplate for your cabinet using electro etching or acid etching for sure you got the resources for that you can also add your own logo for professional look

[@mmyers3970]

Can anyone tell me what pen Savage is using to write on that tap? I have the sharpie and white out pens he uses but nether will write on the tape? Thank you in advance for any help.

[@jamesstenhouse7710]

Dude, was nice to see you get rid of that leather to do some real woodworking, even though you build things like a carpenter.

[@TravisWalden]

Once he starting applying labels, I was thinking, "He mentioned painting it, right?" Yea, @ 8:41.

[@thinktank8286]

Wonderful video. What are the labels made from at 37:00? Is that black masking, gaffers tape and a paint marker?