24x05 - Automatic Sliding Doors, Gin, Firearms Restoration

[bunniefuu]

Narrator:
automatic sliding doors

Are the norm
at most supermarkets

And large retailers.

Sensors detect your approach

And prompt the doors
to slide open.

They open when you arrive
and close when you depart,

Which is convenient
when your hands are full.

These automatic sliding doors

Are custom-made to fit
the customer's door opening.

The doors are programmed to open
in 1 1/2 seconds,

But that can be adjusted
during installation.

The door structure and frame
are made of aluminum

That's been heated
to a softened state.

It's then forced through a die
to give it a specific shape.

A computer-guided saw
cuts these aluminum pieces

To the length required
for this order.

This is one of the pieces

That will form the vertical side
of the door structure.

Workers insert
durable weather stripping

Into a built-in track.

They collapse the end to lock
the strip in place.

On the opposite side,
they fasten long, threaded rods.

The rods are used
to attach the rails.

The rails fit over the rod

And are securely fastened
to the doorframe

With an alignment clip and nut.

Once workers have assembled
the two door structures,

They install a pivot
at the top of each one.

This top pivot allows the door
to swing outward

When you push
the emergency exit bar.

Then, they assemble
the door hanger.

It connects the door
to the top of the frame.

The hanger rolls
on two wheels.

A urethane rubber one
allows the door

To move sideways
along the track...

And a plastic one,
which prevents the door

From going off the track.

They attach the door's top pivot
to the hanger.

An access control release
is needed to open the doors

In case of emergency.

Workers install it
into sections of the doorframe

That meet when the two doors
close together.

When you push the emergency bar,

This mechanism rotates
to let the door swing open.

The hanger detent prevents
the door from swinging open

During normal operation.

It attaches
the access control release

To the door hanger.

Workers complete
the door structures

By applying legally required
safety decals.

Meanwhile, at another station,
workers install

The door's electronics
in the header.

This is one
of the many infrared sensors

That trigger the doors to open.

The sensors detect people
approaching

By reading the invisible
heat energy humans give off.

After loading the nuts,
they'll need to fasten

The remaining components
to the header's track.

They install a pulley,

Part of the drive system
that moves the doors.

Then, they slide
the header's cover into a track

And continue
installing components...

First, the end caps,

Which attach the header
to the doorframe,

Then, the door controller,
the brains of the entire system.

It has built-in
operational software.

You can run the doors
on the defaults

Or customize the settings.

Now, for the rest
of the drive system.

They install an electric motor
and pulley.

The motor has a switch that
detects the door's position.

Next, a timing belt is looped
around two pulleys.

They adjust the distance
between the pulleys

To tighten the belt.

The door installers will do

A more precise adjustment
on-site.

Every header undergoes
extensive computerized testing.

This checks the function
and safety features.

Then, the doorframe
and structure ship out

To the building site,

Where the glass panes go in
prior to installation.

Narrator: gin is
a distilled alcoholic spirit.

It's flavored primarily
with juniper berries.

In fact, the word "gin" is

Believed to come from "jenever,"
the dutch word for "juniper."

It's the base
for many popular mixed drinks,

Such as the martini,
the singapore sling,

And, of course, gin and tonic.

This microdistillery produces
gin in small batches

Using a slower distillation
process.

They don't add any sweeteners,

Artificial flavoring,
or coloring.

At this distillery,
everything is done by hand,

Starting with the main
ingredient, juniper berries.

Then, spices are added --

Dried angelica plant roots...

Coriander seeds...

Lemon peel and cardamom.

All these ingredients go
into a 90-gallon copper still.

A spirit distilled
from fermented grain

Is already in the still.

It's completely tasteless

But has an alcohol content
of 95%.

To lower the alcohol level
to 40%,

They've diluted it
with spring water.

Now they prepare
to redistill with the spices.

This gives the spirit
its distinct gin flavor.

To do this, they slowly heat
the bottom of the still.

In about an hour, the alcohol
boils and begins to evaporate.

They continue distilling
for about six hours,

Constantly monitoring
the temperature.

If the temperature
reaches 212 degrees,

The water will also evaporate,
ruining the batch.

The alcohol steam rises up
and out of the still

Through pipes leading to
a chilled stainless steel tank.

When the hot steam
hits the cold,

It condenses back to a liquid,
creating gin.

Throughout
the distillation process,

They take samples to measure
the density and temperature.

These readings reflect
the current alcohol level.

They adjust the distillation
speed as required

To produce
a target alcohol level of 76%.

Only the middle of each batch,

Known as the heart of
the distillation, is collected.

This particular distillery
adds another step.

They infuse the gin
with raw parsnips.

This gives it an earthy flavor
and subtle floral aroma.

They peel and slice
the parsnips,

Place them in a tank,
then pump in the gin.

After a couple of days,

They pump it through filters
on the way to a storage tank.

Then, they dilute the gin
with water

To lower the alcohol level
to 43%.

Before bottling,
the distillery draws samples

For quality control testing.

They examine the color,
the aroma,

And, of course, the taste.

There will be slight variations
in flavor

Based on the freshness
of the parsnips.

This microdistillery has
no automated bottling line.

They fill the bottles by hand
only six at a time.

They cork each bottle
individually

With a hand-operated press.

They apply a plastic sleeve,

Which they heat-shrink tightly
over the neck.

The consumer pulls
a small gold tab

To remove the seal
and uncork the bottle.

This hand-operated machine
labels one bottle at a time.

The machine removes the backing
to expose the adhesive,

Then presses the label
onto the bottle.

This is a london dry gin,

Meaning it's made with
the traditional ingredients

And contains no added sweeteners
or colorings.

This distillation process
is how gin was made

Before the age of
large, commercial distilleries.

Narrator: winchester r*fles
are known as the g*ns

That won the american wild west.

Many old g*ns have quite a past,
and it shows.

Dents, scratches,
and missing parts

Make a g*n look ready
for the junkyard.

But old g*ns can be restored
lock, stock, and barrel.

A vintage firearm may have been
used in a historic battle

Or to hunt for food.

Winchester r*fles were one of
the first repeating r*fles,

g*ns that held multiple rounds
for a much greater rate of fire.

To restore
a century-old winchester,

They disassemble it
and evaluate every part.

They decide the g*n needs
a major overhaul,

Beginning
with the shoulder stock.

The master gunsmith assesses
pieces of american black walnut

For a new stock
and decides on one.

He then selects a wooden
template of a shoulder stock.

He traces the template's
contours onto the blank

Using a grease pencil.

He leaves a generous margin
for error.

He cuts the walnut blank
with a band saw,

Following the pencil profile.

These band saw cuts
remove excess wood.

They also give him a basic shape
to work with.

Next, he clamps the walnut piece
in a duplicator

Beside the shoulder stock
template.

He follows the shape
of the template with a stylus.

The stylus controls a router
that cuts into the wood.

As he follows the lines
of the gunstock template,

The router moves in sync
to duplicate the shape.

It also reveals the beautiful
grain of the black walnut.

The template and walnut copy
can be turned simultaneously.

This allows the gunsmith to
cover every angle with a stylus.

It takes numerous passes
to duplicate the shape.

Next, he brushes black dye
onto the receiver,

Which houses
the r*fle's operating parts.

He slides the receiver
into the new stock.

The black dye transfers
to the high spots of the wood,

Indicating where the fit
is too tight.

He scrapes the wood
in those locations,

So the receiver fits
more precisely into the stock.

This process is known
as inletting.

He now refines the shape
of the shoulder stock

Using a coarse file.

He also evens any rough patches
created by the duplicator.

He switches to a finer file

As he continues to shape
the stock and smooth it.

Finally, he sands the gunstock
to a uniform texture.

He stains both the stock
and the fore-end.

The fore-end is used to steady
the r*fle during firing.

Once the stain has dried,
he applies an oil finish.

This both protects the wood
and enhances the grain.

The finish can make
all the difference.

Here, we see finished stocks
in low to high-grade wood.

Next, a craftsman engraves
a checkered pattern

Into the fore-end of the stock.

He etches a series of grooves,

Creating an outline
to work with.

Then he carves parallel grooves
on crisscross angles

To form the checkered pattern.

This checkering adds
visual interest

And gives the r*fle
a better grip.

Stay tuned for more

As this vintage g*n restoration
continues.

Narrator: restoring old g*ns
was long considered taboo.

It was believed that tampering
with antique firearms

Would diminish their value.

That view is changing.

g*n restoration can save it
from the junkyard,

Preserving a piece of the past.

Many old g*ns have
a checkered pattern

On the stock and fore-end.

To replicate the originals,

The gunsmith has etched
a checkered pattern

Into the wood.

He now darkens the checkered
sections with black linseed oil.

The oil highlights
and protects the design.

The focus then turns
to the r*fle's metal parts,

Made of low-carbon steel.

After over a century of use,
the finish has worn off,

Compromising their strength.

Restoration begins
with the receiver.

It holds
the g*n's working parts.

He files off imperfections.

Then, he polishes the receiver

Using an abrasive cloth
wrapped around a block.

He uses
progressively finer abrasives.

This greatly
improves the surface.

Here is the r*fle receiver

Before it was filed
and sanded...

And after.

He also cleans up the trigger,
lever, and other parts.

After a hardening treatment,
the gunsmith applies varnish.

The varnish enhances
the swirl of colors

Created
by the hardening treatment.

This is a classic look.

Here is the r*fle receiver

In the different stages
of restoration.

Next, a gunsmith bolts
a roll die into a press.

He then loads the newly polished
r*fle barrel into the press

And activates it.

This press rolls lettering
into the metal.

This stamped information is
known as the barrel address.

It includes the company name

And original date
of manufacture.

Another team member
boils the barrel

In hot, soapy water
to remove any dirt or grime.

After a rinse, he slides
the barrel onto a fixed rod.

He wipes off the water residue

And heats the barrel
with a torch.

This preheat prepares the barrel

For a rust-proofing treatment
called rust bluing.

As he brushes the bluing
solution onto the r*fle barrel,

He maintains a steady heat.

The hot temperature
activates the chemicals,

And the metal turns a brown hue.

Next, he boils the barrel
in hot water.

Its color goes from brown
to bluish black.

He repeats the rust bluing
treatment six to eight times.

Then, he brushes it
against a wire wheel

To get rid of excess residue.

This century-old g*n barrel
is as good as new.

Sometimes,
they engrave a g*n's receiver

With scrollwork
or other designs.

The engraver cuts the steel
entirely by hand.

He views his work
through a microscope

To get every detail right.

He also engraves

The manufacturer's name
and model number

Into the tang
of the r*fle receiver.

It's delicate work that he has
only one chance to get right.

Elaborate engravings
on the r*fle receiver

Aren't necessary,
but are a nice addition.

The client decides whether
to keep it simple or go fancy.

Restoring a vintage r*fle
isn't cheap.

It costs thousands of dollars
or more

If expensive engravings
and gold inlay work is added.

But when it comes to extras,

Some collectors won't hesitate
to pull the trigger.

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