32x06 - Guitar Pickups; Heated Furniture; Water Well Cylinders; Non-conductive Tools

[bunniefuu]

♪

♪

♪

Narrator:
guitar pickups were invented

During the time
of the big-band era.

Jazz music incorporated both
guitar and large brass sections.

To offset a guitar's
mellow tones,

A pickup device was developed
to amplify the vibration

Of the guitar's strings,
generating a louder sound.

The guitar pickup was invented
in the early 20th century.

The device allowed musicians
to plug into a new sound

That would later
define rock 'n' roll.

Production starts with
an edged steel part.

A technician applies glue
to the spine

And attaches plastic strips

To the glued areas
for full adhesion.

He glues a second edged
steel part to the first,

Creating a bobbin
for wire windings.

He applies clear polyester tape

Along the inner edges
of the bobbin.

The tape will serve
as electrical insulation,

Supplementing
an insulating coating

That's been applied
to the metal.

Using an abrasive wheel,
he scuffs off the finish

On the end of the bobbin
to prepare it for soldering.

The scuffed bobbin
is the one on the left.

Then the bobbin is mounted
to a winding mandrel.

The craftsman wraps
thin copper wire

Around the end of the bobbin

And activates
the winding mandrel.

As the mandrel spins, the bobbin
gathers the copper wire

Together to produce a wad
that's 4,000 windings thick.

♪

The bobbin containing thousands
of copper-wire windings

Has created a path
for magnetic energy.

Next, the ends of the copper
wire are soldered to the bobbin.

The craftsman applies a direct
current through the coil

And measures
the electrical resistance.

Once the current falls
within the acceptable range,

He solders connection cables
to the windings.

Then the coil is submerged
in hot liquid wax.

The wax will encase
the wire windings

To prevent
mechanical vibrations.

Next, the craftsman inserts
brass pins into a press fixture.

He places a steel channel
on top of the pins,

Piercing the pins
through the channel.

He flattens the heads of
the pins with the press

While allowing the ends
to extend through the channel.

To stabilize the assembly,

He places rubber
and steel washers

Over the protruding pins.

He mounts a brass plate to
the pins and adds more washers

To electrically ground
the assembly.

The craftsman presses the pins
to flatten them,

Securing the plate
to the channel.

A second steel channel
is attached to the plate

On top of the first channel.

The dual coil assembly contains
a higher output

And will counteract
electromagnetic interference.

While most pickups have magnets
inside the coils,

This pickup contains magnets
on the outside of the coils.

This design reduces hum
from electrical interference.

The craftsman solders
a ground wire to the unit

And applies more solder
to one of the pins

To connect the coil cables.

The coils are inserted
in the channels.

A burnt-chrome finish
can be applied

To the pickup's outer casing.

The burnt-chrome casing produces
a discoloration

That adds visual interest.

He now pipes a generous amount
of epoxy into the casing cavity

And inserts the pickup.

He solders wire from the cover
to the pickup

To ground the unit.

The pickup is placed over
the strings of a guitar,

And he plugs it
into an amplifier.

[ Guitar playing ]

Once he confirms the tone
is acceptable,

He measures the resistance.

The craftsman tests
the direction

The current travels
through the pickup.

This method is called phase.

He also assesses the strength
of the magnetic field

Through a method
known as polarity.

Even though it's taken
just 15 minutes

To make this guitar pickup,

Due to its sustainability,
it should last for years,

Providing musicians
with plenty of good vibes.

[ Guitar playing ]

♪

Narrator:
when you're sitting outdoors

And it starts getting chilly,

You can shiver,
put on more layers of clothing,

Or press a button
to let the furniture

You're sitting on warm you up.

Designed for use in the outdoors
and in colder indoor spaces,

Heated furniture
is a hot new trend.

This heated lounge is hip
and practical.

Discreet drain holes
prevent rainwater from puddling,

And the easy-to-reach heat
control knob

Is located underneath the seat.

Benches, multi-seat lounges,

And single chairs can all be
made into heated furniture.

The first step is to coat
a fiberglass mold

With a release agent.

Once a rubber insert is glued
into the drain hole,

A technician mixes
the ingredients

For the casting
material together.

Ingredients include pigment
containing metal oxides,

Which prevent color fading,
a concrete mix containing

A blend of fibers for extra
strength and resistance,

And water containing
proprietary additives.

The ingredients are mixed
together for about three minutes

Until the concrete is
the consistency of cake batter.

A thin layer is sprayed
on to the fiberglass mold,

And any raised areas are
flattened to remove air bubbles.

The chair's color will never
rub off or peel

Because the pigment is mixed
right into the concrete.

Next, technicians add
the heating element,

A cable that is wrapped around
the piece of furniture.

The cable is tacked in place
with a separate mix of concrete

That has a higher fiber content.

The entire heating element
is embedded in a full coat

Of the high-fiber concrete.

Then a finishing coat
of the first mix is applied,

And the structure is left
to cure at room temperature

For 24 hours.

Now cured, this white chair
is ready to be extracted.

A technician pumps
compressed air

Through the drain-hole insert.

Due to the release agent
application,

The cast chair easily
pops off the mold.

The rough edges are smoothed
with a diamond file.

Then the drain-hole plug
is removed.

♪

At another station, a technician
coats the entire surface

Of another chair with a sealant
that blocks moisture.

Moisture penetration
weakens concrete

And draws out the natural salt,
which leaves white stains.

Meanwhile, a welder constructs
the chair's frame with parts

Made out of stainless-steel
tubes and plates.

The chair has three legs,
plus cross members

That act as conduits
for electrical wires.

The cross members connect
to a stainless-steel box,

Which will house
the temperature control unit.

♪

A technician fills the channel
with adhesive

Along the perimeter.

He places the frame
into the channel.

The adhesive will take
a day to cure.

Next, the electrical wiring
is assembled.

The technician fishes
two electrical wires

Through the frame.

One wire connects
the power-cord plug

To the temperature control unit.

The other runs from
the temperature control unit

To the temperature
control switch.

He glues the switch into a hole
in the right front leg.

All the wires are embedded in
rubber, making them waterproof.

The temperature control unit
is installed in the box

At the center of the frame.

Then a temperature sensor is
installed underneath the seat.

The technician hammers plastic
and stainless-steel feet

Into the bottom of the legs.

This prevents the legs from
scratching the floor

And levels the furniture
on an uneven surface.

Lastly, a bronze drain
is inserted into the drain hole.

A quality controlled heat test
measures the surface temperature

With an infrared thermometer.

If all is operating correctly,
the sensor under the seat

Tells the thermostat
and the temperature control unit

When to turn the heat on or off.

♪

Narrator: ever since
the ancient egyptians developed

The shaduf around


People have been creating
new ways to move water.

Before people relied on
electricity,

Windmills generated power
using water-well cylinders.

These simple but highly
effective mechanisms

Are still in use today.

Production of this
water-well cylinder

Began in the late 1800s.

The design was so effective,
it hasn't changed since.

To create the valves integral
to water-well cylinders,

The process starts
with a specialized mold

Made out of compressed sand.

These orange tube-shaped objects
are called cores,

Also made from compressed sand.

The cores allow molten metal
to flow around them,

Ensuring that the valve cage
remains hollow.

With the top of the mold casing
in place,

The assembly moves to the next
station on the production line.

A robotic arm lowers the jacket
and weight on to each mold

To prevent the molten metal
from escaping.

A metal worker drops pieces of
metal, called returns,

Into a crucible.

When the temperature
of the molten metal

Reaches 2,102 degrees
fahrenheit, it's ready to pour.

Another metal worker
uses a device

Called a cradle to hoist
and move the crucible.

He pours the liquefied metal
into a sprue hole,

Which flows
into the mold openings.

The molds cool as they head
to a vibratory conveyor system.

The vibrations
break the sand apart,

Leaving in its place
the newly formed metal parts.

A technician removes the parts
with a hook

And mounts them on
an overhead transport system.

The transport system carries
them into a blast machine.

Inside, steel shot blasts
the metal clean.

When the parts emerge
from the blast machine,

The castings are ready
for the next phase.

Using a band saw
with a diamond-tipped blade,

A metal worker carefully
cuts the castings

Into their component parts.

Rough castings have a seam
called a parting line,

Where the two halves
of a mold meet.

A metal worker grinds off
the excess casting.

The rough casting goes through
a machining process.

As the valves are assembled,

A small piece of newspaper
is placed inside

To prevent any damage
to the ba*ls during shipment.

These brass, precision-ground
ba*ls are crucial components

That permit
or prevent water flow

As they move up
and down inside the valve cage.

These components are made
of leather that's been pressed,

Formed, and coated with
graphite to lubricate them.

Water-well cylinders

Have both a check valve
and a plunger valve.

A technician tightens a follower
on a plunger valve.

While a check valve
remains stationary

And prevents water
from escaping,

A plunger valve isn't fixed,

So it allows water
to move out the top.

A water-well cylinder
requires caps and connectors.

A cnc lathe machines a brass cap
to the required parameters.

As the component spins
at 800 rpm,

Carbide-tipped
cutting tools hone, bore,

And thread it where needed.

The cylinders are made
from brass tubing.

The 3-millimeter-thick
seamless tubing

Is made from a brass billet
heated until soft enough

To draw through
an inner and outer die.

The result is a strong,
corrosion-resistant cylinder

That can handle water pressure
and immersion for decades.

A cnc device threads both ends
of the cylinder

To receive the cap
and connector.

A technician brushes
a pipe-compound sealant

On to the threads.

The sealant ensures
a watertight fit.

Then he screws the cap to
the bottom end of the cylinder.

He adds the top connector and
inserts both ends into a lathe.

With the bottom held firmly
in place by the lathe chuck,

He places a wrench
on the top end

And lets the machine
tighten the parts.

Next, the check valve
and the plunger valve

Are inserted into the cylinder.

This clear acrylic version
of the cylinder

Demonstrates
how the process works.

As the plunger valve
slides up and down,

The check valve
remains stationary.

It's hard not to be pumped about
an old technology so good.

♪

Narrator: nonconductive digging
and cutting tools

Protect workers from
potential hazards such as

Underground power lines.

When a nonconductive tool
hits a live wire,

The risk is neutralized.

The handle blocks the flow
of electrons

And reduces the risk
of unexpected shocks.

Workers who need to dig
run the risk

Of hitting live
electrical wires.

The nonconductive handles
of these tools

Will counteract
the flow of electricity,

Stopping danger in its path.

The handles are made
of fiberglass.

They are made using a process
known as pultrusion.

A machine pulls glass twine

Through the stages
of production.

Each piece of twine is comprised
of hundreds of glass strands.

The twine unwinds through
an orange resin bath,

Which permeates
the glass fibers.

A die compresses
the resin-soaked glass

To a specific length and width.

The result is slightly larger
than what is ultimately needed.

The compressed fiberglass
travels through

A microwave oven for preheating.

Then the fiberglass enters
a second heated die.

The process squeezes the handle
to its final size, shapes it,

And cures the material.

As it's pulled forward,

The long fiberglass form cools
and solidifies.

This machine, called the
tractor, is doing the pulling.

The tractor's treaded rubber
pads grab the fiberglass shaft

And deliver it
to a circular saw.

The saw slices the fiberglass
shaft to a specified length.

Since the fiberglass is only
partially cured,

The handles are cooled at
room temperature for 24 hours.

The handles vary based
on the type of tool.

A machinist cuts one end of
the handle on an angle

To fit the blade shank.

Using a sharp disc,

He carves spiral grooves
at the base of the angle cut.

These grooves allow
the shovel shank to fuse

With the end of the handle.

Next, the handle is placed
in an injection-molding machine

With the grooved end
extended into the mold.

Glass-filled nylon pellets move
through the machine's

Heated chamber and melt.

An auger forces the thick liquid
into the mold.

The shovel shank takes shape
around the end of the handle,

And glass-filled nylon liquid
flows into the grooves.

The shank becomes integral
to the handle.

Next, a machinist clips
the excess material

From the newly formed shank.

The glass and nylon shank
is also nonconductive.

The shank end is submerged
in a cooling bath.

Using a drill, the machinist
removes bolts from nuts

Installed in the shank
during molding.

This leaves the nuts embedded
in the shank.

They'll be used to attach
the shovel blade.

Meanwhile, another technician
applies a rubber gasket

To the end of the shank.

The gasket has holes
that keep the nuts open.

He places the shovel blade
on the assembly,

Aligning the holes
with the nuts.

He secures the shovel blade
to the shank with screws.

It's nonconductive from
the handle to the metal blade,

So the user can safely grip it
at almost any spot.

Apart from being nonconductive,

This shovel must also
be heavy-duty.

To test its strength,

An inspector inserts
the blade into a machine.

Once he has determined
the test area,

The chain is connected
to a container filled

With sand bags
that weigh 250 pounds.

He lowers the platform
that holds the load

And observes the handle.

If the handle bends but doesn't
break, it's sufficiently strong.

The inspector places the shovel
in another tester

And runs 10,000 volts
of electricity through the tool

To measure the leakage
at the end of the handle.

If it's minimal, he assigns the
shovel a unique serial number

And brands it as certified

According to
electrical standards.

On site, a nonconductive tool
can be indispensable,

Providing the user a safe handle

On a potentially
dangerous situation.