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Adam Savage is probably best known for his time on Mythbusters. On the show we see him participate in builds of various sizes and complexity. Beyond Mythbusters he also has his own website Tested.com where he shows off his maker skills. Between seeing him in both places I knew I had to give his book a read.
Evey Tool’s a Hammer is a book that should be high on the reading list for any maker. Adam uses anecdotes from both his own experiences and those of other makers to convey ways to be a better maker. Whether the topic be creating lists, using more cooling fluid, or setting deadlines; each chapter is full of knowledge. The knowledge itself is invaluable, but to be backed up with his personal failures to follow that knowledge helps cement the importance.
The more I read of the book the more I saw myself and other makers I have worked with in the stories. While everyone may not have broken a drill-bit out of impatience we can identify with rushing causing mistakes. Adam also speaks to the other side of time management where a project with no deadline never finishes. A big theme that hit close to me was also on how you can’t expect the result to be perfect in the first pass.
Adam does a great job telling you what works for him and why. From lists to checklists for tracking progress, to deadlines to provide motivation. In each case his reasoning strikes a chord. The way he shows how lists can expand creative expression instead of stifling it. How you can use check-boxes to show progress and momentum on a project. Finally, finishing project due to deadlines that mean something more than just a day on the calendar.
He also helps to show how you have to be tolerant of failure. The real trick to learning and making isn’t avoiding failure entirely. It’s in knowing how to fail, learning from it, and applying the lesson. Another important part of failing is learning to identify failure before it happens to get ahead of it.
This book contains more insight on making including tools and materials, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself. I highly recommend getting a copy of this book. If you are on the fence then go watch some of Adam’s One Day Builds, if you enjoy those then you will enjoy this book.