Although we may lose friends and family members their spirits continue to manifest in the things they left behind. Legendary Mythbuster Adam Savage gives us a reminder of this poignant fact in a new video showcasing a tour through the late, great Grant Imahara’s workshop in Los Angeles. And while it’s fascinating to see how the electrical engineer and television host worked in his off-time, it’s impossible not to wonder what Imahara could’ve built there if he’d had more time on Earth.
Savage, who appeared on screen with Imahara across 200 episodes of MythBusters—the former Discovery Channel series that used the scientific method to test the validity of myths, rumors, etc.—is obviously thrilled to see his late friend’s workspace. The Tested host says there may be some “nerding out” before even entering Imahara’s shop. And he delivers.
Throughout the video, which comes via Laughing Squid, Savage is very much like a kid in a candy shop. A candy shop full of CNC mills, laser cutters, lathes, paints, electronics, work tables, and, of course, multiple 3D printers. Imahara’s friend and colleague, Fon Davis, takes Savage on the tour. And each time Davis shows Savage a new piece of equipment the special effects guru lights up.
Adam Savage’s Tested
There are tons of standout aspects of Imahara’s shop, although there are a few that really get Savage going. Imahara’s six-display computer setup, for example, is definitely a crowd pleaser—and genuinely useful. The LED lighting setups behind the shelves, likewise, put a big smile on Savage’s face.
Overall Davis says Imahara was going for a “Tony Stark’s lab” kind of vibe. The late MythBuster and White Rabbit Project host certainly loved to keep things clean and tidy. He also apparently loved robots. Particularly Star Wars robots, as he had both an R2D2 and BB-8 in the workspace.
Thankfully, it sounds like Davis is going to preserve Imahara’s shop mostly as is. There are plans to sell off and donate some of the tools, but builders will continue to use the space for things like 3D printing and working with electronics. “It’ll always be in my mind, Grant’s shop,” Davis tells Savage at the end of the video. Maybe even some of his nascent ideas will bloom through the hands of other builders. (Savage put us in a poetic mood, dang it!)
