Narrator: fishing reels
date back to 12th-century china.
In the beginning,
they were very basic devices
Used only
for storing extra line.
But by the 1800s,
craftsmen in britain and america
Reinvented the reel
when they gave it a drag system
For landing feisty fish.
These flycasters could hook
the big one at any moment,
And that's when a precision
fishing reel will come in handy.
To make a fly-fishing reel,
They start
with a solid aluminum puck.
The puck turns on a lathe
as a computerized cutter
Contours it to shape
it into a spool.
A different tool
machines a center hole.
The focus then moves
to the other side
As another tool
completes the spool shape.
The dimensions must be exact
If this fishing reel
is to perform flawlessly.
They drill holes to both
reduce the weight of the spool
And provide some ventilation
for wet fishing line.
They cut windows
into the other side
For an attractive look
that further lightens the reel.
Next, another aluminum puck
is transformed into a frame
For the spool and other parts.
The frame goes into a bath of
soapy water and plastic pellets,
Which rub the part clean.
The final touch
is a black oxide finish.
They now transform
this aluminum bar into feet,
Which will be used to mount
the reel to the fishing rod.
A laser engraves the company
name onto these attachments.
It also does a bit of
custom engraving on the frame.
A worker now inserts
a bronze bushing into the center
Of the spool and uses
hydraulic force to entrench it.
He then positions
a stainless steel ball
On top of the bushing.
He activates a press
that drives the ball through it
To expand the bushing to
the correct internal dimension.
Another worker
applies a counterweight
To one side of the spool.
This bit of stainless steel
Will offset the weight
of the spool handle.
She installs the spool's
magnetic locking mechanism.
This molded polymer part
has a tiny magnet inside.
She applies
a second magnet to it,
Followed by a release button.
One final magnet
and an aluminum cap,
And this assembly is complete.
She now installs part
of the drag-engagement system.
It's this system that will
create the necessary resistance
On the fishing line
for battling a big fish.
She applies adhesive to screws
And then uses them to attach the
footing to the fly-reel frame,
Using a screwdriver to set it
to a specific torque.
She then resumes
the assembly of the drag system
By placing a rubber "o" ring
in the frame's center groove.
She installs
the thrust-bearing ring,
Which can be rotated
by the fly-fisher
To adjust the drag setting.
And it's now time to attach the
spool to the fishing-reel frame.
She turns it to check
the drag setting
And adjusts it
to its starting point.
She secures the setting
By inserting a pin
into the bearing.
Then she removes the center
locking screw temporarily
To assemble the knob base
to the thrust bearing.
She reinstalls the screw
And covers the assembly
with the drag knob.
She turns the spool
for a final inspection,
Confirming that this fishing
reel operates smoothly.
And now it's ready
to put a positive spin
On any fishing experience.
Narrator:
a fresh coat of latex paint
Is a surefire way
to spruce up a home.
Latex is a term
for acrylic or vinyl resins.
Latex paint is water-based,
So it has less odor
than alkaline paint.
It also cleans up
without any harsh solvents.
All you need is soap and water.
The paint factory
produces an uncolored base.
The store then tints that base
To the color
ordered by the customer.
Latex paint contains water,
latex for adhesion,
Titanium dioxide,
calcium carbonate,
Potassium,
zinc for mildew resistance,
And whatever additives
The particular
type of paint requires.
For example, if it's paint
designed for metal,
A rust inhibitor.
They pump the water
into a large mixing tank.
Then they add a thickening agent
and stabilizer
To prevent the ingredients
From settling
to the bottom of the tank
And to the bottom of the can
once the paint is packaged.
A vacuum duct
sucks up the waste.
One at a time,
All the ingredients
except the latex go in.
There's a specific mixing time
after each ingredient
Because proper blending
is critical for quality.
Now they pump
the tank's contents
Into another mixing tank
that contains the latex.
After four to six hours
of blending,
The industrial-sized batch
of paint base is finally ready.
The factory subjects
a sample from every batch
To extensive
quality-control testing.
This viscometer measures
the thickness of the paint.
This test assesses
how well the dry ingredients
Have dispersed within the mix.
This tells them whether
the mix is blended well enough
To move into the second tank
containing the latex.
Technicians
also conduct color tests,
Adding recipes of liquid
colorants to a gallon sample.
This is to ensure the shade
Comes out exactly
the way it's supposed to.
To check
if the paint covers well,
They brush it onto test paper.
The stripes provide a contrast
So that any defects
in the paint,
Such as foam or grit, will show.
This test evaluates
tint strength.
Once the paint sample dries,
They analyze
its color properties
With a machine
called a spectrophotometer.
Once the batch
passes inspection,
It proceeds to packaging.
Latex paint contains about
So the steel cans are lined
with an anti-rust coating.
The cans run over
a glue applicator,
Then over a label,
Which instantly
sticks to the adhesive.
The next stop
is a filling machine.
Each can sits on a scale
That's positioned
under a dispensing nozzle.
Once the scale detects
the correct net weight,
It triggers the nozzle to stop.
From the filling machine
to a lid dispenser
That drops a cover
onto each can.
Then it's on to
what's called a lid press.
As each can passes underneath,
A row of cylinders
gradually presses in the lid.
The next machine,
called a baler,
Attaches a curved handle
made of steel wire.
It locks the handle ends
Into metal disks
on both sides of the can.
The factory varies
its formulations
To produce paint in lusters
ranging from flat to high gloss
And for interior
and exterior use,
Making sure it's got every
possible application covered.
Narrator:
looms for handweaving cloth
Have become increasingly
sophisticated over time.
But the basic concept
still remains the same --
Weaving horizontal threads,
called weft threads,
Through vertical threads,
called warp threads,
To create the patterns
in the cloth.
The loom lifts
selected warp threads.
The weaver passes the weft
thread between the warp threads,
Then uses a beater
to pack the weft tightly.
They construct
the loom's frame out of ash,
Which is strong enough
to withstand the pulling
Of up to thousands of threads.
Workers submerge
the frame pieces in mineral oil
To prevent the wood
from drying out.
They assemble the frame pieces
with heavy-duty nuts and bolts,
Then mount high-strength
plastic brackets
For attaching
the various components,
Such as the cloth beam
That grabs and moves
the finished cloth.
They wrap sandpaper around
the beam's adhesive surface
To grab the cloth
without damaging it.
Elsewhere,
workers make the loom's cables
Out of high-strength
stainless steel.
These cables maneuver
harnesses that lift
And lower the warp threads.
After cutting
each cable to length,
She forms a loop
through a cable crimp.
Then she locks the loop with
this heavy-duty crimping tool.
On one of the frame pieces,
they mount a metal plate
Bearing the loom's model
and serial numbers.
They assemble the pulley system
on which the harness cables run.
They thread the plastic pulleys
onto a steel axle
And position the axle with
steel disks called stop collars.
A spring lever
helps each harness
Lift its respective warp thread.
After hammering a pin
into each lever,
They hook a wire to the pin,
Then squeeze the wire closed
so that it can't unhook.
They attach a chain to an eyelet
on one side of the spring lever.
Shortening
or lengthening this chain
Adjusts the tension
of the harness.
Like the pulleys,
the spring levers
Go onto an axle
across the loom's frame.
Another loom component,
called the warp beam,
Has holes which hold metal hoops
that guide the warp threads.
A brake drum on the side
Provides counterforce
to keep the threads taut.
At the front of the loom,
They install foot pedals
called treadles.
The weaver uses them to lift
and lower the warp threads.
Next comes the beater,
Which the weaver uses to pack
the weft thread into the fabric.
The pulley system for
the harness cables goes on top.
This computer-controlled device,
called a dobby head,
Lifts and lowers
the warp threads
According to the programmed
weaving pattern.
Each harness cable
hooks onto the dobby head,
Goes around one of the pulleys,
And attaches
to a hook on the harness.
The factory checks
every dobby head on a test loom
To ensure the device outputs the
programmed patterns correctly.
Next, workers
install the spring levers
That help the harness
lift the warp threads.
Each lever hooks onto a spring,
which attaches to a chain,
Which connects to a harness.
They install the warp beam
at the back of the loom.
The weaver installs the hoops
and warp threads
On the warp beam.
As the loom weaves,
The cloth beam gently moves
the emerging fabric forward.
The weft thread
Is wrapped around a bobbin
called a shuttle.
This pattern requires
a two-weft-thread technique
That uses a second shuttle
Suspended
in front of the weaver.
The loom keeps the threads
evenly taut,
Producing a consistent
and uniform weave --
The hallmarks of a beautiful,
quality cloth.
Narrator:
until the mid-19th century,
Mother nature
was the only producer of ice,
And the idea of man-made ice
seemed preposterous.
It was a florida doctor who,
In need of ice to cool
feverish patients,
Invented the ice machine.
The technology
took a few years to refine,
And then
they were ready to chill.
Today's commercial ice makers
churn out ice on demand,
Allowing restaurants
and other businesses
To keep things cool
at all times.
To make one, machinery folds the
edges of stainless-steel sheets
So they can be assembled
into the icemaker frame
And exterior panels.
Meanwhile,
copper uncoils over a roller,
Which removes the curl
from the metal.
A machine spiked with blades
then punches the copper.
In one action, it cuts
numerous slits in the strip
And slices it
to the correct length.
The notched strips are now ready
to be assembled into a grid.
This grid is part
of the evaporator.
It's here the liquid refrigerant
will evaporate
As it pulls heat from the water
to freeze it into ice cubes.
This copper tubing
is central to that process.
An automated arm bends it
Into a configuration
called the serpentine,
Producing a coil that will fit
on the back with the evaporator.
As liquid refrigerant
moves through it,
It will draw heat
out of the water.
This machine
flattens the tubing,
Giving it greater surface
contact with the evaporator
To facilitate heat transfer.
Then it's into
a big washing machine
To remove any oils
or oxides on the parts.
A worker now applies strips
of tin silver solder
To the evaporator's back plate.
This acid solution
will act as a bonding agent.
He then places the evaporator,
solder side down,
On the serpentine tubing
and locks the assembled parts
In an iron rig.
He hoists the rig into an oven
to melt the solder strips
Between the back plate
and tubing,
Fusing the parts together.
Then it's into
an ultrasonic bath,
Where high-frequency sound waves
Clean off
lingering contaminants.
An inspector now
examines the evaporator
To confirm that the parts
have been solidly fused.
Next, he installs pipes
on an icemaker's side panel.
These are the lines that supply
refrigerant to the machine.
He turns the assembly around
and removes the caps
On the compressor to connect it
to a network of pipes.
The compressor will force
refrigerant through these pipes
In a continuous cycle
of heating and cooling
To eventually produce ice.
He brazes the joints
to seal the connections.
He attaches a fan
to another side panel.
It will blow cool air onto the
radiator to cool the refrigerant
And help convert it
back into a liquid.
Now he pumps the refrigerant
into the system and measures
The flow to ensure
it receives a precise amount.
Meanwhile, at another station,
they assemble the ice bin.
It's time to test this icemaker.
Water flows continuously
Over the surface
of the evaporator grid
As the temperature inside
the cells drops below freezing.
Impurities, like minerals,
are washed away
As the water turns to ice,
And the result
is crystal-clear cubes,
Almost 6 1/2 pounds
in just 15 minutes.
Finally, they install
the front panel on the unit.
This job is done,
And it's time for
a little liquid refreshment...
On ice, of course.
If you have any comments
about the show,
Or if you'd like to suggest
topics for future shows,
Drop us a line at...
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