Adam takes a break from making spacesuits to start another long-term prop replica project, this time collaborating with other propmakers in realizing a complex hand prop. Without giving away what this part is for, Adam embarks on machining two metal rings with precise notches and non-trivial milling operations. It's going to require a little bit of math, a healthy amount of cooling fluid, and plenty of relaxing time-lapses.

Adam's in a metrology state of mind this week as he sets out to organize his collection of machining gauge blocks and gauge pins, to be kept alongside his mill. That means it's time for another shop infrastructure build--the first of the new year!

Adam welcomes @Kyle Hill to the cave for the very special One Day Build collaboration! Kyle purchased one of the original MythBusters blueprints in the recent auction benefiting the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation, and brought this piece up to San Francisco to chat with Adam about its use on the show and to build a custom display for it!

This quickie One Day Build sees Adam tackling a minor issue he has with his shop's milling machine: its motor fan runs constantly and gets too loud. Instead of swapping it out for a different type of cooling system, Adam gets in touch with the mill's manufacturer and gets a way to reconfigure the fan's operation so that it only kicks in when the mill is actively used. Time to open up the mill's service panel and dig into its electronics!

Today's One Day Build is a blast from Adam's past: a recreation of a novel ping pong ball launcher that Adam made as part of an art show when he was in high school. Adam tells the story of how important this project was to him as a budding maker, and how its subsequent fate affected him. It's why Adam is compelled to rebuild that launcher today, using the same materials he used all those years ago. And it all starts with the disassembly of a vintage grocery store pricing labeler.

In his ongoing quest to "chase zeros" in machining, Adam upgrades his lathe chuck collection with a magnetic chuck--the first time Adam is using one in his shop. But before it can be used, this old magnetic chuck needs to be completely disassembled, cleaned, and restored. This gives Adam a chance to show us how it works and how it should be calibrated.

Adam shifts his focus this week to assembling and painting up a 3d-printed prop replica of the Fremen Sand Compactor from the recent Dune movie! This wonderfully modeled and printed resin prop comes together with a little bit of machining for alignment and glue, and Adam's paint finish gives it an appropriate amount of dusty weathering, fit for use on the sands of Arrakis!

Adam experiences cute overload when unboxing and checking out this miniature C-Stand from Matthews, and can't help but make a matching set of mini apple boxes to go along with it! It's a bit of scale-model woodworking that's made easy with the help of table saw and milling machine, but also a reminder to take the time with sanding your plywood to give even simple boxes a professional feel and finish.

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.

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: RoboCop 2's Cain Robot!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Weathering the Blaster Vault!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Painting The HasLab Razor Crest!

Adam Savage Takes the Aluminum Foil Ball Challenge!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Blade Runner 2049 Helmet Parts!

Adam Savage’s One Day Builds: Head-Mounted Dart Blaster!

Adam Savage's Live Builds: KiwiCo Articulated Desk Lamp!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Special Effects Syringe!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Drill Press Modifications!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: RoboCop 2's Cain Stop-Motion Puppet!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: James Bond's Spectre Cane!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Papier-Mâché Mask!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Inglourious Basterds Knife Replica!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: The Matrix EMP Switch!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Mandalorian Vibroblade Kit!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Razor Crest Mods, Part 1!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Moby Dick Diorama Maquette!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Aliens Welding Torch!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Adding Casters to Costume Cases!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Aliens Motion Tracker Prop!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Chinatown Stunt Knife (Corridor Crew FX Challenge!)

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Custom Poker Chip Carrier!

Adam Savage Upgrades His R2-D2 Astromech Droid Build!

Adam Savage's Live Builds: KiwiCo Astronaut Starter Kit!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: AT-AT Walker Garage Kit!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Annular Cutter Storage!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Spacesuit Negative Pressure Chamber!

Adam Savage's One Day Build: Workbench Cubby Door!

Adam continues with his build of the incredible 1/48 scale AT-AT garage kit by building a diorama base for it inspired by the Battle of Hoth as seen in The Empire Strikes Back! From uneven snow-covered terrain to a crashed snowspeeder (with custom LED lights!), this base now holds the AT-AT firmly posed in place

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Flamethrower Prop from 'The Thing'!

Adam Savage Builds His Own Lightsaber!

Adam Savage's One Day Repairs: Vintage Lathe Drill Chuck!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Flat File Tool Storage Cabinet!

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

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Nagra Recorder Handle Bar

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: LEGO Blade Runner Blaster!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Smartphone Camera Rig!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Model Paint Storage Racks!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Bourne Identity Bank Box!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Knurling Tool Storage!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Han in Carbonite!

GUNDAM Build From GUNDAM EXPO USA!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Gandalf's Pipe!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Machining a Gear!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Portable Soldering Station Rebuild!

Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Kraft Paper Dispenser!