14x02 - Western Revolver Replicas/Arc Trainers/Used-Oil Furnaces/Vegetable Peelers and Pizza Cutters

[bunniefuu]

Narrator:
they're called mini g.p.s --

Pint-sized motorcycles
whose design is identical

To that of
the full-size motorbikes

That race on
the grand prix circuit.

Mini g.p.s are designed
for kids 9 to 12 years old

Who aspire to one day
race the big bikes.

A mini g.p. Can reach speeds
of 80 miles per hour.

Its chassis
is made of steel tubing,

To which they mount
the handlebars

Along with the clutch
and brake levers.

At both the front and back of
the chassis, they attach a fork.

Then, between each fork
and the chassis,

They mount a shock absorber.

With a steel pin,
they mount a wheel on each fork.

The black circle at the center
is a brake disk.

Next, they install
a brake caliper on each wheel.

When the rider
applies the brakes,

The caliper grabs the brake
disk, immobilizing the wheel.

Now mechanics begin assembling
the engine block.

Using a special tool,
they install bearings

That enable the gear shafts
to turn.

The engine has six gears,

Each of which is comprised
of several steel gears.

These go into the gearbox.

Next comes the gear shifter.

It connects the gears
to the gear pedal

That the rider operates
with his foot.

Next they install
the crankshaft.

The combustion cycle
rotates the crankshaft,

Which turns the gears.

They close up that side
of the engine

And assemble and install
the desmodromic spring.

When the rider selects a gear,

This spring keeps it
locked in position

Until the rider switches gears.

The engine turns a driveshaft
that, via this pinion gear,

Moves a chain
that turns the rear wheel.

On the other side of the engine,

They assemble the primary couple

And the various components
that go into the clutch,

Such as clutch plates

And the springs that stop
and start clutch movement.

When combustion drives
the piston up and down,

It rotates the crankshaft.

The primary couple transmits
power to the gearbox and clutch.

This is a one-cylinder engine.

They install the piston
that drives the crankshaft,

Then mount the cylinder
over the piston.

They close up the cylinder
with a cylinder head,

Then mount the spark plug
that ignites the fuel mixture,

Driving the piston up and down.

A head cover
closes everything up.

Next they install the ignition.

It consists of two magnets
called a rotor and a stator.

When the rotor turns, it
generates an electrical charge

That sets off the spark plug.

Time to install
the finished engine.

They mount it to the chassis
with support pins,

Front and back.

Next they install the water pump

That prevents the engine
from overheating

Along with the belt
that drives the pump.

Then they mount the carburetor.

It mixes the fuel
entering the engine

With just the right amount
of air.

Next they install
the air filter.

It keeps out debris
that would clog the engine.

Now the exhaust pipe,

The fuel tank,

The seat,

And fairing,

A plastic enclosure
that shields the driver.

The final component is the chain

Connecting the driveshaft
to the rear wheel.

The engine turns the shaft,

Which turns this chain,

Which rotates the rear wheel.

Mini g.p.s come in
different sizes.

This particular model has
a 50cc, 14-horsepower engine.

Pretty impressive
for a kid's motorcycle.

Narrator: the fig cookie is
one of life's sweet mysteries.

Who hasn't wondered
how they get the figs

In that seamless pastry wrap?

It turns out that the automated
system for producing fig cookies

Actually dates back to 1891,

And it's what makes the
fig cookie a snacking success.

Fig cookies are a modern way
of packaging a fruit

Which has been consumed
for millennia.

Making the fig cookie's pastry
wrap begins with bags of sugar,

Which they empty
into a big mixer.

A couple of buckets
of corn syrup follow.

Then they add
an emulsifier called lecithin

And some vanilla flavoring.

The bowl tilts up
for a quick mixing.

A worker adds
organic bread flour

And leavening ingredients
to the mix.

They reactivate the mixer,

Which blends everything
into a thick, sticky batter.

Once properly mixed,

They transfer the batter
into a large holding tank.

Meanwhile,
they prepare the fig filling.

A worker loads big blocks
of figs into a mixer,

Then adds a generous amount
of crumbled cookies

For texture and flavor.

They mix the two ingredients,

Then pour in corn syrup
to add moisture and sweetness.

They add some salt and give
the batch another quick mix.

They sweeten the fig mix some
more by adding plenty of sugar.

And now the jam for the center
of the fig cookie is complete.

The fig jam and the pastry
are now positioned for a merger.

It will be a neat trick,

And a special piece of equipment
makes it possible.

It's essentially a funnel
within a funnel.

Rollers press the jam
through the inner funnel

While pushing the pastry
through the outer one,

Encasing the fig filling
in a seamless pastry jacket.

Here's the process in action.

The system generates long rows
of fig-filled dough,

And that's how they get
the fig jam in the pastry.

Next a technician
carves through the dough

And removes a few uncooked
fig cookies.

It's time for a quick weigh-in.

This confirms
that this batch of fig cookies

Will be exactly the right size.

Now it's into an oven that's
longer than a bowling alley.

It bakes and browns
the fig-filled ribbons of dough.

Here, a roller compresses
the baked cookies

So they'll fit into
packages later.

An ultrasonic frequency

Makes this blade vibrate
for a clean cut

As it carves the rows of
fig-filled pastry into cookies.

The fig cookies are still
a bit warm from baking,

So they now chill out
on a trip through a freezer.

This cooldown

Avoids condensation problems
after packaging,

Preventing mold growth.

The trip through the freezer
also firms up the fig cookies

So they're less likely
to crumble during handling.

As she packs them,

This worker examines each
fig cookie for imperfections,

And there's not one reject
in the lot.

The next step is packaging,

Where a machine parcels up
the snacks.

It moves trays full
of fig cookies

Into a sleeve of metallic film.

Finally, rotating jaws heat-seal
the package at both ends.

It's taken about an hour to make
this package of fig bars,

And it's about time
for a snack break.

If the crowd is hungry,

The whole package
could be gone in minutes,

But that's the way
the cookie crumbles.

Narrator: thinking inside
the box can be a good thing

If you want to organize
your tools,

And of course we're referring
to the toolbox.

Proper tool storage
keeps any work site

Running smoothly
and efficiently,

And today you can really go big
on the concept

With units designed
for mechanics and other pros.

With a professional toolbox,

You'll never have to rummage
around for the tool you need.

There's a place
for practically everything

In one of these mega
tool chests.

It starts with a coil
of heavy-duty steel.

It unwinds into a punch press
that cuts the metal into panels

And punches holes
for later assembly.

Each of these panels

Will be transformed into
a toolbox drawer.

They feed the panels into
an automated bending machine.

It folds them on three sides

To create the back
and sides of the drawer.

It also folds over the rim.

This adds strength to the drawer
and gives it a smooth edge.

The assembler slides
the front panel onto the drawer,

Then an automated welding g*n
reinforces the seams

And secures part
of the lock mechanism.

To build the toolbox cabinet,

A worker arranges stiffeners and
lock-bar grids on the back wall.

Then it's over to a lineup
of computerized welding g*ns.

These g*ns fuse the stiffeners
and grids to the panel.

Each part gets numerous welds

To ensure the unit
really holds up.

The cabinet's side walls
are next.

Workers prop them up
with supports

As they weld the panels
to the back wall.

With the toolbox right side up,
they install the top.

They turn the cabinet around

And, working from
the open front,

Slide the lock bars
into their slots.

They then build
the front framework

And weld ledges for the drawers
to the support grid.

They add a panel
to the bottom end of the cabinet

And weld the entire perimeter.

Now it's into the paint booth,

Where spray g*ns coat everything
in a layer of powder paint.

The paint is tough
and solvent-resistant

So it will hold up to oil spills
in a garage environment.

They install the rest
of the locking mechanisms

On the front of the cabinet.

Then, using a guide, press the
adhesive-backed logo into place.

They now snap the drawer slides

Into holes
on the cabinet's side walls.

These slides are equipped
with roller bearings

That will enable the drawers
to open and close smoothly.

Here they make use of the holes

Punched into the drawers
earlier.

A quick click, and the drawers
are fastened to the sides.

The drawers come in
a range of sizes

To accommodate tools
of different proportions.

The shallow compartments will
hold wrenches and screwdrivers,

While the larger ones have been
made for the big power tools.

Workers now encase
this mega tool chest

In plastic and cardboard.

But this job
is not quite wrapped up.

They tip the unit on its side

And send it down the line
to get wheels.

The prepackaging prevents dents
and scratches along the way.

A worker bolts casters
on each corner of the cabinet

To allow it to be easily
moved around in a garage

Or any other work site.

Add-ons can be purchased
for these tool chests,

So the storage possibilities
are virtually endless.

That's an organizational
approach

You can't really mess with.

Narrator: natural gas
and crude oil travel worldwide

Through underground
and undersea pipelines.

These rugged pipes

Are manufactured
in straight lengths,

But of course a pipeline's route
never runs in a straight line,

So every turn
or change in elevation

Requires a piece of pipe
that's bent.

This factory specializes
in bending steel pipe,

Which is manufactured
in straight lengths.

A piece of pipe
is typically 40 feet long

And weighs up to 20 tons,

So workers use a crane

To move it from one operation
to the next.

The first stop is a blasting
machine that cleans the pipe.

To heat and bend properly,

The surface must be clean
and uniform,

But pipe usually arrives
at the plant dirty

And wearing a coat of varnish
to prevent rusting

During transport and storage.

The blasting machine shoots
grains of steel at high pressure

For about an hour.

The pipe exits with its surface
now clean and smooth.

From the blaster,
it's on to the blender,

Which heats the pipe to about


Then makes the bend.

A technician installs
the induction-heating coil.

Induction heating allows
greater temperature control,

Which is key to preserving
the quality of the steel.

The coil doesn't actually
touch the pipe,

Because that would cause
a short circuit.

Next they clamp a pivoting arm
to one end of the pipe,

Then power up the coil.

This generates a magnetic field
that produces intense heat.

Cold-water jets confine it
to the target area.

As a technician monitors
and measures,

The arm pulls the pipe

Through the hot coil
at a specific speed,

Curving the softened steel
to the same angle.

Water cools the pipe
at a controlled rate,

A process called quenching.

They must control heating
and cooling precisely.

Otherwise,
the steel will weaken.

Once the pipe exits the bender,

Workers verify the angle again.

They also verify
the pipe's dimensions

To make sure the bending process
didn't distort them.

Now they cut off
the straight ends,

Leaving just the curved portion.

Next the pipes go into
a furnace for tempering,

A 10-hour reheating
and cooling cycle.

This relieves stress in
the steel that bending created.

After tempering,
pipes designed to go underwater

Go through a second quenching.

This gives the steel
the right properties

To withstand
deep-seawater pressure.

Then, using an ultrasonic gauge,

Workers measure the thickness
of the pipe walls,

Which changes with bending.

After another trip
through the blast cleaner,

Workers apply a liquid
that highlights

Even the most minute surface
cracks that bending can induce.

If they find cracks,
they scrap the pipe.

But defects are rare
because the factory

First performs test bends
on sample pieces of pipe,

Then subjects those samples
to a battery of tests.

The lab measures dimensions
and wall thickness,

Then tests how much weight
the sample can support

Before collapsing

And how much stretching it can
withstand before snapping.

Back on the factory floor,

The pipe goes through
another blasting.

Then workers heat it

And spray on a protective
coating that prevents corrosion.

It melds to the hot pipe.

Once the pipe cools,

They stencil on
technical specifications.

Then these pipe bends

Go off to join
their straight counterparts.

If you have any comments
about the show,

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

Drop us a line at...