21x03 - Lace, Antique Frame Replicas, Orchids, Unicycle Wheel Hubs

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: after water,

Tea is the most consumed
beverage in the world.

The different types
are determined by

The degree to which
the producer

Lets the harvested leaves
oxidize

Before drying them.

Green tea, for example,
is barely fermented,

Whereas black tea
is greatly fermented.

Oolong falls
somewhere in between.

In chinese,

Oolong means "black dragon.&Quot;

It's a semi-oxidized tea

Fermented more than green tea,

Yet less than black tea.

Its taste, aroma, and color,

From light yellow to dark red,

Vary according to how
the tea leaves are processed.

This amber oolong
produced in thailand

Has a rich, smooth
roasted taste.

Like most teas,
oolong is made from

The leaves of
a flowering plant species

Called camellia sinensis.

Harvest time is during
the plant's peak growing season,

Which, in thailand,
is from may to november.

Workers handpick
what's known as the flush,

A grouping of
two young leaves and a bud,

Which grows
out the top of the plant.

At this time of year,
the plant produces a new flush

Every 7 to 15 days.

An experienced tea master

Directs
every phase of the processing,

The first step of which
is called solar withering.

Workers bring the leaves
into a glass-roofed building,

Then spread them out in the sun
for 15 to 20 minutes.

This kick-starts the
oxidization fermentation process

As the chlorophyll enzymes
inside the wilting leaves

Start breaking down.

At the same time, the moisture
inside begins evaporating.

Workers
keep moving the leaves around

To ensure
a thorough exposure to the sun.

Then they gather up the leaves
for step two --

Indoor withering.

The leaves lie on bamboo trays
for six to eight hours,

Where, gently stirred
every two hours,

They oxidize further.

Step three -- disruption.

The leaves go into
a rotating drum.

As they tumble,
they bruise and tear.

This breaks down
the cell structures,

Enabling oxygen
to penetrate deep inside,

Greatly accelerating
fermentation.

This also releases
the leaf juices,

Which help draw out
the taste of the tea.

When the tea master determines

The leaves
have sufficiently oxidized,

They stop the oxidation process

By tumbling the leaves
in a gas-heated dryer

For 10 to 15 minutes.

This fourth step of the process
is called fixation

Because it fixes the oxidization
at the desired level,

Which can be anywhere from


Depending on the
variety of oolong in production.

This is the most critical
part of the process

Because it determines the tea's
taste, aroma, and color.

The next step forms the
tea leaves into tiny pellets.

First, workers shake the leaves
on a sieve

To filter out
the dust-like particles.

Then they bag the leaves
in a cotton cloth

And place them
first in a kneading machine,

Then afterward
in a rolling press.

Kneading and rolling the bag

Twists the leaves inside
into tiny pellets.

Forming these pellet shapes

Intensifies
the flavor of the tea,

And, when the tea is
steeped in hot water,

Releases that flavor slowly.

They repeat the sieving,
kneading, and rolling cycle

Up to 35 times

Until the tea master
is satisfied with the result.

Then and only then
does the final step begin --

Firing.

They transfer the tea
to an oven,

In which it undergoes
three drying cycles

Of 20 minutes each
at a temperature of

Approximately


This dries the damp tea,
reducing the moisture content

To the target level of
less than 5%.

The firing
also brings out the fragrance.

The traditional way to
brew oolong is in a clay teapot,

Using about


Ideally, the water should be


Steeping time
is from 3 to 10 minutes,

And you can brew the same leaves
up to five times.

Narrator: originally crafted
from stone by the greeks,

Finials are still on top.

Perched on peaks and gables,

These roof ornaments

Are a crowning touch
to any structure.

They can make
even an ordinary home

Look a little more grand,

And after all,
every home is someone's castle.

On many structures,
finials still rule the roof

And give people
a reason to look up.

The design of these
roof ornaments usually reflects

The style of the building
and the owner's taste.

They're often custom made
for the client

And entirely hand crafted.

To make a copper finial,

The artisan first
draws the design on paper.

Like many finials,
this one will have a point,

A central orb,

And skirting.

Once the design has been
approved by the client,

He draws larger versions of it
onto poster board.

They'll serve as templates
for the copper parts.

Here, he draws the patterns
for the elaborate scroll work.

To execute the design,
he gets creative.

He uses copper refrigerator
tubing to make the scrollwork.

It's malleable
and can easily be shaped.

He positions a pipe cutter
device at the cut line.

The device grips the tubing,
but can still be turned

To cut the pipe cleanly
at the desired location.

He flattens one end
with a sledgehammer

So it can be
tucked into a groove

In this large pvc plumbing pipe.

With the end secured,
he physically

Bends the copper tubing
around this pipe

To give it
the desired curvature.

He compares the curvature
to that of the pattern

And makes adjustments.

He continues shaping the pipe,
now using

Only the scrollwork pattern
as a guide.

He'll make several of
these copper scrollwork parts

For one roof ornament.

With an etching tool,
he now traces

The shape
of the skirting pattern

Onto copper roof sheeting.

He cuts reference points
for the bends

And removes the pattern.

He then extends the bend lines
with the etching tool.

He now cuts out
the skirting part

With standard hand shears

Following the etched outline.

One last trim along the edge,

And the skirting is ready for
the sheet metal bending machine.

He clamps it into place

And pulls a handle
to apply hydraulic pressure

And bend the part
along the etched lines.

He repositions the skirting
and bends it

At the next
etched marking point.

He continues until there are

Six evenly spaced folds
in the copper.

This transforms it into
a hexagonal pyramid.

To seal it where the ends meet,
he prepares the surface.

He applies an acid called flux
to clean the copper.

He ignites the torch
and melts solder into the seam.

The solder
is half-lead and half-tin

And provides a good seal.

He sands the soldered seam
against a fine, abrasive belt

To blend it with the copper.

The finial skirting
is now complete.

He now drills holes
into a hollow copper orb.

He slides the orb onto
a long copper spike

That's been installed
in the base.

He cleans the copper
where the two parts meet

And solders them together.

He adds a second smaller orb

And the extravagant scrollwork.

He now solders the spiked cap
to the finial.

This adds height and drama
to the rooftop ornament.

This finial is now complete
and ready for high places.

Making one has truly been
a pinnacle achievement.

Narrator: artificial flowers
have been used as decorations

For hundreds of years.

Initially,
silk flowers made in china

Were displayed in homes
and not commercially sold.

As far back as the 12th century,

Italian flower makers using
dye-colored silkworm cocoons

Were the first to sell
their floral arrangements.

Modern imitations of
natural flowering plants

Are endless in variety,
stunning in color,

With realism so impressive,

They can look and feel like
the real thing.

Since the '70s, most are
made of polyester fabrics.

A worker
places an iron cutter blade

On top of non-woven polyester

And then applies several tons
of hydraulic pressure

To complete the cuts.

The result is


The worker wraps
piles of 100 petals

In elastic bands
and sets them aside.

Another worker places petals
into a heated mold

To give the fabric texture.

Using a glue g*n,

A worker completes
the flower's petal structure

By assembling
two different shapes

Of non-woven polyester petals.

This is part of the flower head.

In the coloring department,

A worker paints the
pieces of non-woven polyester

Using watercolor.

She paints
the edges of the flower heads

In bundles of 100 at a time.

The painted flower heads
go into a microwave

For two to five minutes.

The dried flower heads
now undergo silk screening

One at a time
using acrylic paint.

Customers can choose among

More than 50 different
color patterns.

The flower heads
have been pressed

To simulate natural curving.

Using a glue g*n,

A worker
connects the flower head

To the petals of
this phalaenopsis orchid.

The goal is not only to

Make the flowers
look as real as possible.

It's also to make them
feel as real as possible,

Which takes us to
the next stage.

An employee
puts two flowers together...

...lines them up,
then adds a stick,

Which will be held
in the next part of the process.

She encircles them tightly
with an elastic band.

Another worker
dips the two flowers in polymer,

Which helps make them
feel real to the touch.

She spins the flowers to remove

As much excess polymer
as possible.

Workers then brush
excess polymer from the petals.

A worker
attaches flower buds to the stem

Using green floral tape.

She attaches
the petals and flower head

And continues to wrap the stem
in floral tape

Until the entire length
is covered.

To make the leaves
feel real to the touch,

A worker dips them in polymer

And wipes off any excess
with her fingers.

After one hour of drying,
the worker

Dips the same leaves
in green polymer.

Again, she removes any excess

And sets the leaves aside
for another hour of drying.

Once they're dry, another worker
gives the leaves

A final coat of polymer paint.

She removes the excess
and sets the leaves aside

For yet another hour of drying.

All the drying is done
at room temperature.

Now coated with
several layers of polymer,

The leaves stick to each other.

To fix that, a worker applies

A thin coating of talcum powder
with a sponge.

The coating solves
the problem of sticky leaves.

With its many components
fully assembled,

This finished flower is
a rather dazzling recreation

Of the cymbidium orchid.

Shipping these flowers
requires careful packaging.

They wrap the glass vase
in clear plastic...

...and place it securely
inside a polystyrene base.

The flower is lowered
into the box upside down.

The base is snug enough
to keep the flower from

Moving inside the box,

Which the worker then
seals shut for shipping.

Authentic looking and feeling,

These striking flowers are
sure to make any decor blossom.

Narrator:
higher-end cars typically
come with alloy wheels

Rather than basic steel wheels
covered with a hubcap.

Called mag wheels, because
when they first came out,

They were made of
an alloy of magnesium.

Today's alloy wheels are made of
an aluminum alloy,

Which is far more durable.

Aluminum alloy wheels
are not only

More attractive than
standard wheels.

They're also
a fraction of the weight,

And therefore
require less energy to rotate.

This contributes to
greater fuel efficiency

As well as better handling,
acceleration, and braking.

Manufacturing them begins with
high-grade aluminum alloy

Containing 97% aluminum.

A furnace heats the ingots to
over 1,300 degrees fahrenheit.

They liquify
in about 25 minutes.

The molten aluminum
then flows directly to a mixer

In which they inject argon gas,

Which enables them to
remove the hydrogen.

This increases the density,

Making the aluminum
less porous when solidified.

After adding
powdered titanium, magnesium,

And other metallic elements to
further strengthen the aluminum,

They blend in flux,
a chemical which

Draws aluminum oxide
to the surface.

They skim off this impurity
along with the flux,

And the liquid aluminum
is ready for casting.

The wheel mold is made of
high-strength steel.

It's actually
a set of three molds --

The upper mold, which forms
the inside face of the wheel,

The 4-part side mold,
which forms the wheel's edge,

And the lower mold,
which forms the outer face.

That's the side with the design,

So this is
the most intricate mold.

It takes three to four weeks
to produce a mold.

Computer simulations check

The flow and temperature
of the liquid aluminum,

Factors critical for
preventing casting defects.

The casting machine
is designed to

Fill the mold from the bottom
by pressurized injection.

Injecting upward
through the bottom,

Rather than pouring downward
into the top,

Reduces the risk of air bubbles,

Which cause defects.

Right before casting,
the molten metal

Flows through a filter sheet
made of

High-temperature-resistant
ceramic.

This traps
additional aluminum oxide.

Once cast, the aluminum takes

About 7 to 10 minutes
to solidify.

Then the mold
automatically opens,

Releasing the newly cast wheel.

Workers
submerge it in lukewarm water

For a few minutes.

This cools it down enough
to be handled.

The wheel undergoes
a complex heat treatment process

That takes 12 hours
from start to finish.

First, they heat the wheel
to 900 degrees fahrenheit.

This rearranges
the molecular structure,

Strengthening the metal.

Next, what's known as quenching.

They submerge the wheel in


This locks in that new strength.

Then they reheat the wheel,

This time
to 180 degrees for nine hours

To further stabilize the metal.

The wheel doesn't come out of
the mold in perfect condition.

The edges are rough, due to

Some excess metal
that has to be trimmed off.

So they mount the wheel
on a computer-guided lathe.

It precision-machines the sides,

Refining them to
within 0.05 millimeters

Of the measurements specified
in the technical drawings.

As for the more intricate
base of the wheel,

A worker manually
trims the edges with a blade.

The shape now finalized,
it's time to test the wheel

To make sure it's airtight.

While pumping air
into the wheel,

They submerge it in water.

Should any air bubbles appear,

It would mean
there's a pinhole in the metal

Or some shrinkage,

In which case,
the wheel would fail inspection.

No air bubbles.

The wheel proceeds to
the automated painting line.

First, a base coat,
then a coat of color,

Which can be anything from
classic silver or black

To a flashier shade.

Then a clear coat to protect
the paint and prevent corrosion.

From every 1,500 or so wheels,

The factory
randomly selects two or three

To test for
performance and wear.

Workers install
the decorative cap

That covers the center hub.

It typically bears the specific
brand's logo.

Then a final
cosmetic inspection

To make sure
these aluminum alloy wheels

Look as good as they perform.

If you have any comments
about the show,

Or if you'd like to suggest
topics for future shows,

Drop us a line at...