Adam Savage's Mythbusters Toolbox

lucifred

lucifred

New Member
Hello There,
I think I found my first project: Adam's Toolbox.

So far, I have found the following pics:

http://curbly_uploads_production.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/0000/0001/1460/toolbox_large.jpg

The box itself looks like riveted alluminium. I can pull that off no problem, but the handles and latches are unknown thus far (latch visible on the left).

The handle, which must come from a leather briefcase, is visible in this other shot:

http://www.maclife.com/files/u20/toolbox-web_0.jpg

The part that's a real killer is the double-scissor jack base - I am having serious trouble finding any double-scissor jack that small, and it does not look like Adam fabricated that bit.

I of course would love to get tips from Adam himself, but assuming he is too busy mythbusting for that, I hope others among you have tips.

And remember... new member! What may be obvious propmaking or procurement to you, is not necessarily to me.
 
Looks like the alluminium boxes had leather predecessors: from Adam's site:

http://www.adamsavage.com/images/pix/OldBoxesOpen.jpg

and a small shot of the rebuilt ones:

http://www.adamsavage.com/images/pix/toolboxes.jpg

he writes:
"[SIZE=-1]Ahh, my toolboxes. Obsessed with working quickly, I've spent[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]years designing toolboxes with what I call 'First Order Retrievability'.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]That is, that nothing need be moved out of the way to get to anything[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]else. Above is version 2.0. The Scissor lifts are so that, when seated,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]I needn't lean over too far to get to the tool I need.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=-1]With 60 some-odd pounds of tools, the old leather of 2.0 eventually failed. I[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Rebuild them completely from aluminum sheet. Version 3.0. Working all day and all night,[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]they were completed in 24 hours. But after 600 rivets, I found my hand unable[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]to hold a pencil the next morning.[/SIZE]"


I am glad I have a hydraulic riveter :) But the scissor jack quest continues!
 
Good luck with that one.

Cant wait to see what you come up with.

Also: I dont know if they still sell them, but when i worked at Harbor Freight Tools, we sold some smaller sized double scissor lifts.

Sorry, cant remember the item number or price.
 
Zander said:
Good luck with that one.

Cant wait to see what you come up with.

Also: I dont know if they still sell them, but when i worked at Harbor Freight Tools, we sold some smaller sized double scissor lifts.

Sorry, cant remember the item number or price.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip Zander! I will try to see if I can find something on their catalog.
 
I started a thread very similar a while back, and Adam contributed! Not sure where it went (yep, I searched), if anyone can find it I'd be very grateful.
My own isn't really started yet, materials being difficult to source. I can get sheet steel but not aluminium. But I've sourced the clasps, the base is taken care of, some aluminium edging's been purchased and I've made a pattern.
Time, materials, available space and noise, the four apocalyptic horsemen dooming any working person's projects in rented accommodation. Maybe when I move out of here things can make some progress.

EDIT:
The thread's definitely expired (the link goes nowhere), but here's what I was sent:

I hand built those scissor lifts. They were a combination Aluminum square tube and angle iron. The upright struts were originally hardware store aluminum c-channel, but that stuff is too soft. Eventually, I had a bunch of 1" thickwall (1/8") square tube, which I table sawed into c-channel. I used 10-32 all thread with nylock nuts and R&S brass as spacers for the pivots.
If you point me to the thread, I can post some pix. I didn't know it was happening.

So if you drop him a PM via here, you might get a repost of some of the images from the thread.
 
Last edited:
Here you go kids:

The main body of the bags is done in .040 6061 plate. All the angle iron from the toolboxes themselves is hardware store stock (the really soft stuff).
Rivets were all 1/8" steel rivets. I made both toolboxes in a single night. With a hand-riveter. Couldn't hold a pencil the next day because my hand was so sore. But it was worth it for the look on my co-worker's faces.
I'll post some pix soon


Wayne R. said:
I started a thread very similar a while back, and Adam contributed! Not sure where it went (yep, I searched), if anyone can find it I'd be very grateful.
My own isn't really started yet, materials being difficult to source. I can get sheet steel but not aluminium. But I've sourced the clasps, the base is taken care of, some aluminium edging's been purchased and I've made a pattern.
Time, materials, available space and noise, the four apocalyptic horsemen dooming any working person's projects in rented accommodation. Maybe when I move out of here things can make some progress.

EDIT:
The thread's definitely expired (the link goes nowhere), but here's what I was sent:

I hand built those scissor lifts. They were a combination Aluminum square tube and angle iron. The upright struts were originally hardware store aluminum c-channel, but that stuff is too soft. Eventually, I had a bunch of 1" thickwall (1/8") square tube, which I table sawed into c-channel. I used 10-32 all thread with nylock nuts and R&S brass as spacers for the pivots.
If you point me to the thread, I can post some pix. I didn't know it was happening.

So if you drop him a PM via here, you might get a repost of some of the images from the thread.
Click to expand...
 
propologist said:
That looks like it came out of wattos shop. Very Cool indeed , now you can add a cup holder to it and have everything
Click to expand...

Well, the truly neat extension would be to make the toolboxen track bluetooth on Adam's cellphone, and have them follow him around :)
 
If you don't have the skill or tools to make the scissor lift you can get a mower lift.

streamlinedistribution_2089_571461560


I used one for several years. It was hooked to my air supply and raised with a foot pedal. There was a safety bar to hold it in the raised position. With the table off, it looks a lot like Adams rig.
 
Those are the kick-assingest toolboxes I've ever seen! Awesome, and exactly what I'd expect of the most recognizable prop replicator geek in the world! :)
 
That's a cool Tool Box.

It looks like the lifts have some sort of latch. Perhaps unlocked with the little pedal?

I can't imagine setting even 100 steel rivets, let alone 600 :eek It makes my forearm cramp just thinking about it.
 
Had some time on my hands, did some dimensioning using the "into" shot #2 and the show with the two boxes in parallel.

Units: altoid mint tins :)
length: 3.681 Altoid lengths (Al)
width: 2.066 Al

height, rectangular section: .336 of length
height, rounded section: .444 of length

Now, I need to get back home and measure a tin - I am pretty sure the measures will round to some sensible number in the proximity of these :)
 
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