Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Surface Plate Cover

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As Adam levels up the precision of his machining, one of the tools he's using to measure the sizing of large parts is a granite surface plate. These massive reference plates are calibrated to be level to a high degree of precision, and as such need to be protected when not in use. So Adam spends the day making a custom surface plate protector and cover to slip perfectly over this piece of granite. A snug plywood blanket, if you will, for this important reference tool.
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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!
#AdamSavage #OneDayBuilds

[@tested]

What infrastructure builds would you like to see Adam tackle? More One Day Builds here: kzbin.info/aero/PLJtitKU0CAej22ZWBqrimPkn0Bbo6ci-r

[@Randomperson0467]

Will you merge with mark robber and have a nerf war

[@JohnnyWednesday]

I would like to see Mr Savage create a diorama of his own workshop. Ideally it would feature himself creating a diorama of his own workshop.

[@KeweenawPatriot]

You should felt the underside of that to protect the stone even more.

[@joaquins90]

Not exactly related to this build, and I don't know what's underneath that surface plate, but it should be resting over 3 points or a balancing configuration with final 3 points of contact. Just in case, might make an interesting build if it's not and you want to go fancy with it, or just adding 3 small pieces of leather underneath.

[@bmelloyello]

One day build: Take the technology from those drones that track the subject with a camera while your riding horses or jogging or what have you.. mount it to a robot arm (Z axis) attached to two tracks on the ceiling that run the length and width (X and Y axis) of the shop, and use it to shoot all future videos - hands and hassle free.

[@RjWolf3000]

Adam savage building boxes is still some of the best content on youtube.

[@stephanie.stanton]

Savage Boxes: both finished and unfinished at the same time

[@prepperpov5852]

I’m a machinist, too. Told a co-worker about your tattoo and we love it haha. It’s very cool seeing you so interesting in tools that I work with every day. Great guy that I’ve been watching since childhood.

[@shinerphilipe6104]

Same for me

[@Eastinthegoofball]

I watched since a kid to and love the videos

[@2kidsnosleep]

He needs a right arm tat in metric now🙃

[@NewVegasMPx]

I love how he has his shop! Organized enough to know where stuff is, yet using every inch of available space for any scrap he may need. A true pack rat! 😍

[@TSKseattle]

I would suggest you put a layer of felt on the inner face of the cover so that any possible bits of whatever aren't trapped against the granite, causing fretting

[@JanTuts]

But then again, that felt will trap particles (dust, metal chips, sand, ...) over time from just being around the shop, eventually causing damage all the same. I think the real solution is to not have the cover rest on the surface plate itself, but rather be supported directly on the cart cart it's on, so that there is an air gap between the cover and the plate.

[@FarmerJohn1957]

Could you possibly use like four small rubber spacers, attached to the inside corners of the box, to raise it off of the surface of the plate a little bit? That way you would have the air gap and only have four tiny little surface contacts.

[@mm9773]

Don’t they come with a padded cover anyway? Pretty sure they do. Building a wooden tray to go on top of that cover would still make a lot of sense.

[@scout702]

Have you not seen him throw/slide metal tools across the top? I doubt felt would truly matter at this time, lol.

[@mm9773]

@@scout702 Fair point. He says that he’s had this surface plate for 20 years: you don’t need to watch many of his videos to know that by now it’s closer to a topographic map of San Francisco than a reference surface.

[@JacquesDeLeon]

Always nice to see Adam disregard his own rules by putting his hands in the path of the nail gun.

[@hoshiadam]

I winced.

[@chriskelly3678]

The Chaotic Genius of shop builds. Entertainment and incredibly smart builds.

[@azlandpilotcar4450]

Recommend that you use some disposable food service or medcal/surgical hairnet/caps for your lathe chuck storage. The ones that look a little like shower caps are great for keeping off dust and condensing moisture. Good project in this video. Flat surfaces always seem to attract damage, handprints, dirt, and coffee cups. Protection is needed. Well done.

[@Russwig]

Congrats Adam, Making practical and functional things for one's shop is by far one of life's pleasures!

[@barryrott726]

Another Adam savage box … and yet I’m riveted!!! Always entertaining Adam!

[@goodstormsgames9744]

Surface plates in sets of 3 are heaven

[@Jemppu]

I love the ambient hum in Adam's shop coming through and being the ambient hum in my work space.

[@Sybreed1986]

Watching you on your one day builds, has always been very calming & therapeutic for me, love it, keep it up.

[@rotarypumpdiesel131]

Love your approach to filming and talking to the camera as if I was there. No editing, no retakes but raw information in the way its meant to be

[@prdoohan]

For anyone building a cover for their cast iron reference surface, I recommend that you line the inside surface with a piece of carpet. It will help when you spray the surface down after using to prevent corrosion. (it helps if you can preload the carpet with a light spray of oil the first few times too)

[@wyattoneable]

I always look forward to your videos. Great entertainment and learning something is a guarantee!

[@tylermccain9153]

Adam love everything you do!

[@tonyrusso9088]

Great simple build! And ya gotta love the way the Swiss Army Knife jams along with the music @ 23:35!

[@paulcampbell5202]

Adam I made plywood table covers for my mill too, but I put on a good few layers of marine varnish so the inevitable oil stains etc. won't soak into and mark the wood (both sides).

[@danielclement2832]

Nice quick build! The need for more space to alleviate workshop clutter was particularly apparent in this video. Best of luck for Adam to create a space with more elbow room - he will surely be pleased to achieve that! also, I admit I was a little worried the granite block cover would be too precise and tight, but trust the professionals! It was so satisfying to watch it slowly settle into place - beautiful!

[@alexanderross2786]

nice, my two cents: someday soon, you will spill paint or glue or to lunch on the top. To keep the cover from gluing itself to the Granit reference surface, seal the seams with silicone & add felt to the inside.

[@cleon_teunissen]

The part with Adam requesting safe-to-play-without-risking-copyright-claim-music going awry was hilarious. The electronic assistents still have a long way to go. The electronic assistent can do a lot of things well, but what they lack is understanding of the world.

[@drewhunt9205]

23:35 the Swiss army knife dancing perfectly to the music.

[@moose3971]

At our shop we have our granit plates inspected and cleaned yearly with a certification sticker. We mostly keep our profilometers on them. Although, we also have small granit plates for our bench comparators, those receive the same level of card.

[@guitarchitectural]

did you see the last video? it will probably make you scream 😱😱

[@Point221b]

Did you see that suction - vacuum fit as the cover settled into place? Love it!

[@markg6446]

@23:34 the music makes it Swiss knife dance!!! Love it!!!

[@judsonr1]

That first music had a very A-Team build montage feel to it. Great builds!

[@ZippoVarga]

Ahhhh.....my anxiety is finally satiated! Every time I saw you just plop stuff on your reference gauge block I would cringe and I always commented.......MAKE A COVER FOR IT!!! The day has finally come. Thank you Adam! And your equipment thanks you also. Now......Hire a guy to come out and level and certify the reference table PLEASE!! Zip~

[@morganw.4711]

Adam remembering he has a video editor is priceless. 😆👍 Excellent fanfare choice, TESTED video editor!

[@griffinstreetstudios]

Morning Adam and friends

[@tested]

Morning!

[@86fifty]

25:25 - REALLY interested in the wood glue bottle on display here! Also, super glad the fancy reference surface is now going to be covered! :)

[@boxboxbox196]

Great work Adam. The lid should have a air gap between it and the precision surface. Also, I know (and see) that space is a premium in your workshop, so in the future you may rest or work with something heavy or use the precision cover as a workbench. What about making a four sided pyramid to be attached to the top of the precision surface cover some you cannot use the surface for a storage space or a workbench. Cheers

[@RobertTempleton64]

You should also have something like Starrett surface plate cleaner and a soft cloth to clean it occasionally. In interim periods, isopropyl is good to remove dirt and dust before or after use.

[@c0mputer]

The way Adam abuses and is carless about his surface plate that doesn't matter. If he were to get it calibrated and lapped then yes, that would be a great idea.

[@mkegadgets4380]

The covers for the mill, I think I would put short edges on them so round parts don’t roll off. There seems to be a lot around parts on a mill, drillbits mill cutters collects etc.

[@AlexFetters]

Adam Savage: Agent of Chaos with the Alexa callouts

[@Twlite]

I love the handsaw. not sure why it brings me so much satisfaction.

[@itsyaboi5861]

Morning everyone!

[@tested]

Good morning

[@megatryn]

Love that the Victorinox display dances in time with the music at 23:34 :D

[@vigunfighter]

In freemasonry, we call a refrence surface a 'perfect ashlar'. Historically it was a stone that had been worked so that the faces were perfectly flat, the angles were perfectly 90 degrees, the sides were perfectly plumb, and the lengths of the faces were a perfect distance. A workman at the start of the day, or any other time, could check his measuring tools against the perfect ashlar to make sure they were 'within spec'. The 'reference surface' has been around for a long time. :)

[@paulocosta4320]

Another great project 5*

[@asterisk606]

Measuring parts to build a protective cover for the surface plate while throwing down metal tools on it was great to watch haha. At least it's relatively safe now

[@nathkrupa3463]

Sir You Are Genius.

[@Dennis-uc2gm]

I need to do the same with mine, its always collecting stuff on it. I do try to watch what I lay on it but protecting the surface would be a good idea .

[@thy1fallen]

You got my amzzon dot to start playing "don't stop believin" and all I could is laugh, it also stoped when you asked yours to stop.

[@marklitton3473]

Surely my Alexa isn't the only one that responded to "Alexa, play celebratory music."

[@jimyeske8498]

Very nice. Recommend adding green felt to the contact surfaces.

[@peterhansen8216]

After the extended montage. Adam is now Super Woodworker.

[@Jump2218]

When I see Adam bringing the drill press way down to the deck and releasing it to freewheel back up I can hear my grandfather yelling at me for doing the same. XD

[@austinmcmurray6409]

Adam I saw you center your vice on your mill and I wanted to pass along that I was taught to offset the vice. It makes for more even wear on the ways. The ways aren't just always being used right in the center that way. If that makes since. You're more of a hobby machinist than a full time machinist so it probably won't hurt the machine just leaving it centered

[@f1matt]

A new ODB as I sit down to continue my latest scale model? Yes please!

[@notfeedynotlazy]

Adam, I give you the magic words: "Alexa, play Kevin Mcleod music"

[@sdsconstruction]

When you asked Alexa for celebratory music, my home Alexa responded and played some really good jump up and down music! Thanks Adam and the Tested Gang

[@bhaughbb4239]

I approve of the 80s style montage music early on in the video.

[@colingraham1065]

Another great video. I have a question. Do you alway leave the vice in the same position on your mill feed table and if so does this lead to a worn spot on the lead screw underneath as all the downward forces/ vibrations are concentrated in this one area?

[@Techy2493]

Out of curiosity if you've had your surface plate for 20 years without a cover, when was the last time you had it checked for correctness itself? And how often should you do that on a plate?

[@juliettaylorswift]

figured by now you would have a few ip cameras to catch more wide things to reduce how much you need to move phone around. Like table saw and high view of that whole section for when doing large things, just to name a couple angles.

[@jllaine]

Adam's next book "Every flat surface is a workbench".

[@Bedwyr7]

It might not matter much because Adam is so used to doing this, but I wanted to point out that I find it really instructive how Adam teaches with the rhythm and self-correction instinctive to working in front of a camera. So frequently we try to keep barreling through our malapropisms and and speech stumbles, but Adam clearly has the instinct to correct and re-frame in a production that will be edited later (and whoever is editing leaves it in which is endearing). That's his lifelong bag. And maybe it's a coincidence, but it also makes for good teaching, the art of making sure you're getting your explanation right so that a student's (us) first encounter with a concept or a mental model will be correct.

[@blackoak4978]

There was a video recently with Kyle where he explains that when he is explaining something, he imagines he is explaining it to his wife

[@wrongtown]

Perfect timing, I've been meaning to build a cover for my own surface plate and this gives me the kick in the pants I needed 😅 👊😌

[@tested]

Really? Wow!

[@mattchilton4950]

me too! been using foam core up until now

[@JoeyLicklider]

And everyone’s Echo freaked out when Adam asked for public domain music!

[@mlune666]

The little pin on top of the gluebot cap is to store the red rubber protector in use, so it doesn't float around

[@glewcifer]

You know he's in his flow-state when the tongue comes out!

[@MrChief101]

I'm surprised you're not putting a layer of some sort of protective stuff. Like spray polyurethane wood finish. I also like two parts of Adam's camera work-- the vertiginous roller coaster ride-- for just a second AND then when the camera mount is attached to whatever work surface is being impacted. Then we see the camera jump a bit. Just nice.

[@Bad_Wolf_Media]

Adam grew up in New York and has lived and worked in California for most of his adult life.....yet he says "Ope!" like a true Midwesterner.

[@Platinum_Squid]

I never realized how… cozy the cave was. Very close quarters

[@nunyabusiness6735]

Is watching Adam's build videos like ASMR to anyone else?

[@edbe7385]

Lol that surface plate reminds me of Rick and Morty when Rick made a patch of the garage level

[@Doodlebob563]

every tool is a hammer and every surface is a table

[@ShiftsEU]

And every machine is a smokemachine, if you operate it wrong enough :D

[@juliettaylorswift]

amazing that thee are bands called public domain. From quick google it looks like there are at least 2 groups, an english one and dutch one.

[@snallygaster5]

In the Dune Sand Compactor build you said you did another one day build while it was drying, is this it?

[@ericbartu3274]

I need all the patches

[@tested]

We can relate.

[@ajonh71]

Public Domain, Kickin' it to ya man! Bass in the place London! 🤣

[@MrGooGone]

It wouldn't be a Savage build without him dropping things 😂

[@jimhorton9111]

Where did you get the wood glue dispenser?

[@sithus1966]

" I need to make a cover for my granite plate to protect it!" Proceeds to use it as a workbench while having a maple workbench behind him. :(

[@mwiz100]

This is oddly timely as I JUST picked up a surface plate from a auction not even a week ago.

[@AlexanderLabial]

What tool is that on your belt? And What pouch is that as well! 🤗

[@FredPaul0222]

Ok Adam quit turning on my Alexa lol

[@grendel1960a]

did you not consider a simple sheet with a strip that would drop into a t slot for the mill covers?

[@Ramthul]

The "Burned your finger on a soldering iron" batch is definitely missing.

[@mariomariotto6646]

"BELLISSIMO"

[@LLCoolJeanLuc]

Adam, can I suggest you do a stillsuit for your next cosplay costume, with later plans to do full sardaukar armor as we see them more in forthcoming films?

[@ucitymetalhead]

Adam had my Amazon echo talking.

[@Hoggaforfan]

Could you show how to do fake plate walls? Like inside a ship etc

[@WDCallahan]

@5:03 Was that the instrumental track for The Neverending Story?

[@bilborg]

And you're not wearing your blunnies on this rare occasion. I have a great appreciation for your shop meta builds.

[@kervinmckellar2684]

Hey have you ever build a gaming table for board games looking for references for a gaming table but want it to be portable

[@bigdinsa656]

My Alexa played the appropriate celebratory music that you requested!

[@timhansen2577]

I'd love to see how they make the granite flat. You could chase the standards down the rabbit hole for a video!

[@robertsneddon731]

The makers of higher-end surface blocks use optical interferometry to map the high and low spots over the surface, working to fractions of a wavelength of light. If the irregularities can't be ground out then they can at least be recorded and mapped for the owner to compensate where necessary when using the table. Workshop-grade granite surface blocks are actually not that expensive, about a hundred bucks for a 400mm x 250mm 0 grade plate, maybe 120 bucks for a 00 grade plate (accurate to 0.007mm), ideal for hobbyists.

[@peterkelley6344]

I believe he has!

[@jonahbrame7874]

There’s a great video on Tom Lipton’s channel Ox Tools that features a full reflattening and calibration and they discuss the whole process with the expert while they do it.

[@koreyherr5151]

Any background story on the giant Swiss Army knife you have on the wall Is it clock?

[@nobleathenian3945]

It’s a prop / advert for stores. Used to see them in store windows or above the counter.

[@craigkokay5363]

With space being a premium in the workshop, I would not have added handles to the surface plate cover. Also I would have made two other changes, 1. made it deeper, the OCD is not liking that it doesn't cover all of the granite block, 2. put felt underneath.

[@ClintonAllenAnderson]

Best fanfare ever! Lol

[@PontusWelin]

How does one make a reference surface? With a reference surface?

[@NLGeebee]

18:50 I predict a Japanese hand saw in the near future. Within next minute: Yes!

[@oxivanisher]

You also triggered my Alexa ... OK, playing some Rage against the Machine 😂

[@sjmaguirepdx]

I kid you not. The second time Adam said “Alexa play Public Domain music” my device sitting next to me respond exactly the same in sync with his. Lol. Even played the same song.

[@jstephenallington8431]

I always love your builds, and I'm incredibly jealous of your shop and tools. But it does give me a goal to aim for. The surface plate that you have likely isn't an actual solid block of granite, but instead is a block of granite composite, somewhat along the lines of a piece of concrete, but with a bonding compound kinda like glue. For this reason, you're not ever supposed to use any solvents when cleaning it off. Unfortunately, I found that out the hard way. I was guilty of cleaning the shop's inspection plate with acetone, and was caught in the act one day. Boy, did I ever get my @ss handed to me. Again great interesting content, I look forward to seeing the next video.

[@AooV]

cold mornings in the shop are the best!

[@joelchaney5607]

Another question, what is the white pouch with red cord?

[@baileyhobbs3238]

It's a Tom Sachs space program leatherman.

[@TheJamurphy99]

everyone wanting the house, i just want your garage lmao