**Adam Savage Shares Insights on Managing a Shared Workshop: A Candid Discussion**
In his recent video, Adam Savage delves into the challenges of managing his workshop, particularly when others use it without the same level of care and organization he expects. Known for his meticulous approach to tool management and shop maintenance, Adam offers valuable insights on how he navigates these situations, sharing personal anecdotes and practical advice.
**The Role of Shop Assistants**
Adam begins by reflecting on his experience with his shop assistants, whom he describes as "terrific" in their ability to manage tools and maintain the workspace. He attributes this reliability to the fact that they are not just employees but also partners in maintaining the integrity of his workshop. Their shared commitment to order and proper tool use ensures that the space remains functional and respectful for all who work within it.
**Teaching Responsibility to His Kids**
A poignant part of Adam's discussion revolves around teaching his sons respect for the workshop. As they grew older, he allowed them limited access but emphasized the importance of responsibility. He recalls instances where they invited friends without permission, leading to confrontations that tested their understanding of boundaries and respect.
Rather than reacting with anger, Adam chose to approach these situations as teachable moments. By discussing the value of the workshop and the consequences of misuse, he fostered a sense of responsibility in his sons. This dialogue not only taught them the importance of respecting shared spaces but also reinforced the idea that their actions impact others.
**Dealing with Sloppiness: A Lesson Learned**
Adam humorously acknowledges his own past sloppiness in Jamie Hyneman's shop, an experience that served as a crucial lesson. He emphasizes that while neatness isn't the goal, minimizing mess is essential to avoid disrupting others' work. This realization led him to prioritize cleanliness and order in collaborative settings, understanding that it not only respects others but also preserves the functionality of shared tools and space.
**Advice for Others**
For those facing similar challenges in managing a shared workshop, Adam offers practical advice. He suggests fostering open communication with users of the space, explaining the importance of maintaining order and tool care. By leading by example and addressing issues constructively, individuals can cultivate an environment where respect and responsibility are valued.
**Conclusion: The Importance of Collaboration**
Adam concludes by expressing gratitude to his patrons for their thoughtful questions, which prompt reflections on important aspects of workshop management. He encourages others to approach shared spaces with mindfulness and patience, recognizing that collaboration requires mutual understanding and respect.
In essence, Adam Savage's insights highlight the importance of empathy, communication, and teaching through example when managing a workshop shared with others. His experiences, both with his team and family, underscore the lasting impact of fostering responsibility and respect in shared environments.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey everybody adam savage uh in my cave answering uh some questions about my shop and my shop infrastructure for tested patrons uh and today's question comes from jamie vs who says in the past or present how do you deal with other people using your shop who might not have the same affinity for order and proper tool use as you that isthat is i'm good i was i was going to say that it's luckily a problem that i have not had to deal withnow i'm examining why i meanthat's a crazy sound out therethat's a far out sound anyway today's question comes from jamie vs and he says in the pastor present how do you deal with other people using your shop what the hell is going on out there who might not have the same affinity for order and proper tool use as you um that's not really a problem that i havei'm trying to figure out why i mean part of the reason is that i'm the boss right so like the the people who come in here mostly are working with me and for me uh my shop assistants have all been excellent that's why they've been my shop assistants they're all terrific at tool management and care and feeding of a shop same thing goes for all my tested compatriots who do come through here from time to time sean charlesworth or jen schachter you know might need to use a tool and that is totally fine so in terms of that respect thing i don'tthat would be difficult for me if someone was coming in and using the shop improperly and leaving stuff in poor places i mean i do that but like you know i'm allowed the other place that i've dealt with that is with my kids um just a little bitright because there was this you know when they were really young there's no way i'd let them in here alone right because they just cut their hand off on the bandsaw and then there's a point at which they're like12 13 14 they're starting to get more competent starting to you know be able to deal with stuff and each boy screwed each of my sons screwed up here uh and got caught by that i mean like both sons like had friends over in the cave to play pool without telling me and i caught both of them just by accident and as a parent it is a ca for me as a parent it has been a careful moment when i catch when i when when that happens that kind of confrontation a rule has been broken i see it broken right in front of me what do you do and in the past um i feel lucky that i have not hit the roof for things like that i view it as like it's like a trust exercise and the way i treated both kids when i caught each of them throwing parties and at this point they were like in 16 to 18 years old in that zone 17 to 19 right right around there um in both cases like i know that they're not like hey we don't care like that's definitely not the thing that's going on it was mostly just like they didn't want to bother me and maybe they just didn't want the mental exercise of asking me to use the cave but in each case i caught them and in each case i was cool about it i mean it was like you're gonna have to wrap this up but i wasn't like yeah or angry andthat is really i feel like one of that strikes me as potentially one of the reasons that my sons both now treat this space with such great and loving respect uh thing two was in here last week uh all evening with a couple of friends making um some some board for uh practicing climbing techniques i use a rock climber and he left the shop just delightfully lovely the other one has been in here playing pool and again they both demonstrate a respect for the shop but that was something that i kind of engendered in them i didn't maybe that's the thing that i'm saying with the story about catching them i didn't force them to respect the shop i worked with them to see how important it was to me and thus they both treat this shop as like a an important thing and that's that's delightful um i imagine that there are all sorts of different circumstances around the world you may live in a building with a basement where a bunch of people share a shop you may work in a collective artist space where the shop is cooperative and that can be really difficult when somebody is does not have the same uh proclivities that you do in terms of tool management and storage and neatness and cleanliness that is a rough one um if you would be a maker it is a really good idea to pay careful attention to your cleanliness when working around others it's really specific i know i say this having been so famously shitty to work with for jamie on mythbusters i leave his shop a total mess and stuff like that yeah now i know i get it like mia copa yeah mia maxima culpa but you would be wise to cultivate your neatness and not necessary you don't have to be a neat freak you just the goal is to not be so sloppy you're affecting somebody else's work that that's it it's not about neatness it's about lack of sloppiness yeah um i had to do thati imagine i would do the same thing i did with the boys which would be to work with that person to express to them what is important about the space and how i want to collaborate using it i would use my words thank you jbs for that lovely question i'm not positive that i answered it but uh it's a it's an it's an important question to be asking uh and to look at how you respond to that question from both sides of the equation yeah because we all have to work together we all have to work together thank you guys thank you tested patrons for these awesome questions uh keep submitting them i will keep answering them and i will see you guys next time\n"
