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Tools from Dan's Truck Keep Our Studio Going
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Every podcaster knows about microphones and mixers, but what about the trusty measuring tape? In this refreshingly practical episode, Dan and Brooke pull back the curtain on the unheralded heroes of studio maintenance - the basic tools that keep everything functioning behind the scenes.
We dive into our literal toolbox, showcasing the essential items that have saved our studio countless times. From the measuring tape that helped us reconfigure our recording spaces to the utility knife that's become indispensable for everything from wire stripping to package opening, these humble tools prove their worth daily.
Dan shares how his truck has become the unofficial hardware supply for our studio operations, with the electric drill making more trips between vehicle and recording space than any other tool.
They also discuss lessons learned the hard way, like having the right drill bits to make the drill itself useful.
Beyond the technical aspects, we explore how these basic tools enable innovation and evolution in our studio setup, allowing us to constantly improve our production quality.
Whether you're setting up your first podcast space or running an established studio, this conversation will help you build your own "studio survival kit" - or as Brooke aptly puts it, a "life starter kit."
Listen now, and you'll never look at a simple level or pair of pliers the same way again. What unexpected tools have become essential in your creative space? Share your studio hacks with us!
Introduction to Studio Tools
Speaker 1welcome back everybody to another episode of autofocus from podcastvideoscom. I'm dan craft I'm rick galligan she still stumbles occasionally over that last name. We've changed it so much over the years, professionally speaking yeah, right yeah, so guess what I was for you brick ohick.
Speaker 2Oh yeah.
Speaker 1What is that it doesn't want to roll to you.
Speaker 2Is that the electrical tape?
Speaker 1That's the electrical tape.
Speaker 2It's one of my favorite things. I actually need this later.
Speaker 1That's mine.
Speaker 2No, I need it.
Speaker 1That's not the only thing we're going to pull out, though, because today we're going to talk not necessarily about the technical tools of microphones and cameras, mixers. We're going to talk about just plain tools.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1The things you need to keep a studio like ours going.
Speaker 2We've used a lot of tools. I don't have any.
Speaker 1I didn't think I would need any, but luckily, the tools that live in my truck spend a lot of time in the studio.
Speaker 2I do yeah, and stepstools.
Measuring Tapes and Utility Knives
Speaker 1Well, stepstools for you, I need stepstools. Well, stepstools for you, I need stepstools. I heard a little city now, right now, but trust me, there's a difference. So, with apologies to my father, who spent 25 years designing for the competition, got it the cornerstone of all tools necessary in the studio.
Speaker 2Yes, the measuring tape. I remember when I walked in here I was like how big are the rooms? And everyone was like I don't of all tools necessary in the studio. Yes, the measuring tape.
Speaker 1I remember when I walked in here I was like how big are the rooms? Everyone's like I don't know.
Speaker 2So I had to go to my truck. Yeah, I was like, well, but I want to flip these two rooms. That was when I wanted to flip. So we, we had, we had rooms and I wanted to switch them. But the the setups are so different. The room, one room looked bigger than the other, and so I wanted to see if it was, and it wasn't.
Speaker 1How long are these tables? Will two of them fit in a corner?
Speaker 2Mm-hmm Yep.
Speaker 1How far off the ground are we mounting the camera? I'm looking at right now. Yep, the measuring tape is a thing.
Speaker 2Yep All the time.
Speaker 1But we need other things too.
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1All Yep all the time. But we need other things too. Yes, all the things. Let's look in the goodie box. I hope we can get away with this on YouTube, because I'm going to pull a knife on you, the standard utility knife.
Speaker 2I've needed that more than once.
Speaker 1It's been here the whole time.
Speaker 2I know, that is why I hate zip ties, because you can't just.
Speaker 1We'll circle back to that in a minute and do them the standard utility knife. Whether you're trying to strip wires, whether you're cutting the insulation to the proper size, zip ties, the utility knife will pay for itself and they're like 12 bucks. Keep one handy. I don't know if that's even just like for a studio or just general good advice.
Speaker 2It is yeah.
Speaker 1But this is also a good idea.
Speaker 2Yeah, it helps with all the boxes Since you're so adamant about the zip ties.
Speaker 1We have that episode. If you haven't seen it yet, or if it's not out yet, make sure you catch the zip tie Velcro.
Speaker 2I love Velcro yes.
Pliers, Screwdrivers, and Drills
Speaker 1Dad, zip tie man here, velcro, velcro, because if you really have to cut the zip ties, just a simple pair of side cutters, nothing special. You can pick them up at a hardware store for a couple of bucks the zip tie.
Speaker 2Look, it's just trash, because you have to do it all over again. We changed a lot of stuff. All we do is that's part of innovation is changing it.
Speaker 1Another big part of innovation is the tools. Out to Dan's truck.
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1What else we got down here? All this fun stuff Pliers, adjustable pliers, because something is always stuck.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1Also, if you don't have a hammer, it works. She's needed these more than once too. In fact, a couple times I've even had to go for the big lace grips when this wasn't cutting it, but for a standard basic kit in your podcast studio, definitely. I really feel like this has got applications way beyond podcast studios.
Speaker 2It's your tool.
Speaker 1This is going to be a general life.
Speaker 2Yes, when you go out on your own, this is the toolkit you need for survival.
Speaker 1Screwdrivers.
Speaker 2Both, both yeah.
Speaker 1Well, both the two most popular. Anyway, philip said flathead Also yeah.
Speaker 2Also. That's how we mark marks on the black walls.
Speaker 1That's one of like six ways we can do it. But yeah, now probably the most popular yes Tool, and this time I don't have to apologize to dad because he gave it to me.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1The drill. I use a drill. Yeah, I put that next to the mic on purpose.
Speaker 2Now, we use that a lot.
Speaker 1This thing runs in and out of the truck more often than any of the rest of this. The. The rest of this lives with me, except when they want it. This one's pretty familiar with the office.
Speaker 2Yes, yes, I love that one.
Levels and Basic Studio Tool Kit
Speaker 1She's not a fan of the charger it's too loud, it is very loud. But here's an important thing Get yourself a decent drill, but know that when you go to use it, the tip you have in the drill, much like the screwdriver you have available will never be the right one. So, in addition to the drill, go ahead and get yourself a decent set of tips. Yeah, torques, squares, phillips, all of them, all of them. You never know, because whichever one you need will be the one you don't have.
Speaker 2Yeah, it'll be the last one you find.
Speaker 1And it makes the drill pretty much worthless. Otherwise, yep Good deal.
Speaker 2What else we got, one you don't have.
Speaker 1Yeah, it'll be the last one you find, and it makes the drill pretty much worthless otherwise, yep Good deal.
Speaker 2What else we got? I don't know. You're like Santa Claus.
Speaker 1Really am. This won't pop because it's bright orange. It's just a tiny little level. Yeah, that's too small. Actually, it works pretty well for.
Speaker 2No, it does.
Speaker 1Yeah, several things. When we tried to level out the sound panels, the TV. More things need leveling in this office than you would imagine. I think I actually got this free with like a couch or something. Yeah, it came in the package. You can buy one at any hardware store for just a couple of bucks. Is this table level?
Speaker 2Well, Isn't it yeah?
Speaker 1It says it is. But you know what? Let's double check. This one happens to be bright orange too. I'm so proud of my color choices today.
Speaker 2Yes, this was the one I like to use.
Speaker 1Well, now we're on three different tables, so it's definitely not level. It's not so bright orange that it's led an easy life, but occasionally this doesn't cut it. This literally, is almost as wide as the bed of my truck, so it doesn't live here in the office.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1They don't request this one as much as I would have thought. This one actually has a twin that lives here in the office next to the tape measure.
Speaker 2Yeah, I can see that.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2I like this one better though.
Speaker 1I mean, that's not all the tools I've ever dragged in here. Oh no, no, as a matter of fact, I had to use my floor jack today, but that wasn't for the studio really, that was just to change Coco's tire.
Speaker 2Yeah, and we almost broke out the car hearts because it was really cold.
Speaker 1Okay, we've used plenty more than this, even just in this studio, not counting the build, which we had a lot more in here, which we were actually building up, we were actually building up. This is just to keep it running and innovating.
Speaker 2Innovating, changing everything, flipping the studios yeah.
Speaker 1But that's a pretty good base for what we would use Now, occasionally, if I'm not here. Bob has a drill too, but he has to remember to bring it. We do keep a screwdriver or two around here. Nobody can ever find them. I don't know where they are. We need them, yes, but that is the basis of the very minimum. You would need to keep a podcast studio running.
Speaker 2Just life running.
Wrapping Up Essential Studio Tools
Speaker 1Yes. Yeah, if you're going out on your own, this is your starter kit Life starter kit there's a smaller version of this if you really don't have the space for the four-footer. But there you go basic knife, cutter cables, lots of bits for the drill, screwdrivers galore, and you too can keep a podcast studio up and running. Yeah, you can keep innovating. Anyway. So since we've said basically nothing about podcasts, we should probably wrap this episode up and go back to some podcasting stuff for the next one, right?
Speaker 2That sounds like a great idea.
Speaker 1Okay, your basic tool set everybody Autofocus, two-speed drift. That's Brooke Galligan, I'm Dan Kraft. This has been Autofocus, see you later. Brooks.