Original subtitles

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: TODAY, ON "HOW IT'S MADE"...

STEEL SHIPPING DRUMS...

POLICE WHISTLES...

MINIATURE-TRAIN CARS...

AND GLASS BLOCKS.

THE STEEL SHIPPING DRUM

WAS INVENTED IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY FOR THE OIL INDUSTRY,

WHICH NEEDED AN ALTERNATIVE TO LEAKY WOODEN BARRELS.

BUT THOSE FIRST STEEL DRUMS

ALSO LEAKED FROM THEIR SOLDERED SEAMS.

WELDING THEM PROVED TO BE THE SOLUTION,

GIVING THIS CONTAINER AN AIRTIGHT REPUTATION.

IT'S A PRODUCT THAT REALLY DELIVERS THE GOODS.

A PUNCH PRESS FIRST CUTS AND FORMS THE DRUM'S BOTTOMS

IN ONE SWOOP.

A CONVEYER SHUTTLES THE BOTTOMS DOWN THE LINE TO A TURNTABLE.

AS A DRUM BOTTOM ROTATES ON THE TURNTABLE,

A NOZZLE SPRAYS SEALANT ONTO IT, COATING IT COMPLETELY.

THEN THE DRUM BOTTOMS ARE STACKED UP.

MEANWHILE, ANOTHER PUNCH PRESS

SHAPES STEEL DISCS INTO TOPS FOR THE DRUMS.

ROLLERS TURN UP THE OUTER EDGE TO A PRECISE MEASUREMENT.

NEXT, STEEL FITTINGS TUMBLE DOWN A VIBRATORY CONVEYER

TO A MACHINE THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY PUNCHES

THREADED OPENINGS IN THE TOPS

AND INSERTS THE FITTINGS.

ONE HOLE IS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE DRUM.

THE OTHER IS A VENT.

AT THIS STATION, WORKERS CHECK THE THICKNESS OF SHEET STEEL

THAT WILL BE USED FOR THE BODY OF THE DRUM.

THE THICKNESS VARIES

DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CONTAINER IS TO HOLD.

A MACHINE CALLED A SHEAR

SLICES THE THE COILED STEEL INTO SHEETS.

THE STEEL SHEETS THEN MOVE ON TO A FORMING MACHINE,

WHERE ROLLERS CURL THEM INTO THE DRUM'S SHELL.

AUTOMATED PUSHERS THEN MOVE EACH SHELL

THROUGH AN ELECTRIC-RESISTANCE WELDER.

IT GENERATES HEAT TO WELD THE SIDE SEAM,

BONDING IT FROM BOTH THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE

SO IT WON'T LEAK.

THE SHELLS ROLL DOWN TO A MACHINE CALLED A FLANGER.

THE FLANGER STRETCHES AND PRESSES ON THE OUTER RIMS

AT BOTH ENDS, CREATING A LIP.

THEN IT'S OVER TO THE BEATER.

ITS ROLLERS BEAR DOWN ON THE SHELLS

TO MAKE GROOVES CALLED ROLLING HOOPS.

THESE ROLLING HOOPS ADD RIGIDITY TO THE SHELLS.

THE SHELLS NOW TRAVEL DOWN ANOTHER CONVEYER

AND MERGE WITH THE DRUM TOPS.

AUTOMATED PUSHERS DELIVER A TOP TO THE BASE OF A SHELL.

THE SHELL ROTATES IN A SPINNING CLAMP

AS ROLLERS CURL THE EDGES OF THE TOP AND SHELL TOGETHER.

THIS CREATES AN INTERLOCKED SEAM CALLED A CHIME,

WHICH IS THEN FLATTENED BY ANOTHER ROLLER.

MECHANIZED ARMS FLIP THE SHELLS

SO THE BOTTOMS CAN NOW BE INSTALLED.

TO JOIN THE BOTTOMS TO THE SHELLS,

ROLLERS FORM ANOTHER CHIME.

THESE INTERLOCKING SEAMS

ARE COMPRISED OF SEVEN LAYERS OF STEEL,

MAKING THEM LEAKPROOF.

THAT'S CRITICAL, SINCE THE STEEL DRUMS

MAY BE USED TO TRANSPORT HAZARDOUS GOODS.

THE STEEL DRUMS NOW MOVE FORWARD TO A TESTING STATION.

HERE, INSPECTORS INJECT AIR INTO EACH DRUM

AND CHECK THE SEAMS FOR LEAKS.

THE SEAMS HAVE BEEN SOAKED UP,

SO IF BUBBLES MATERIALIZE, IT SIGNIFIES A PROBLEM.

THE STEEL DRUMS THEN GO FOR A WHIRL UNDER THE PAINT GUN.

IT SPRAYS THEM WITH ENAMEL PAINT FOR A PROTECTIVE SHEEN.

BLACK IS THE MOST COMMON COLOR FOR THESE SHIPPING CONTAINERS.

BUT CUSTOM COLORS CAN BE ORDERED, TOO.

THE STEEL DRUMS THEN JOURNEY THROUGH AN OVEN

THAT BAKES THE PAINT TO A HARD FINISH.

THE THICKNESS OF THE PAINT IS GAUGED WITH A SPECIAL TOOL

THAT MAKES SURE IT'S THICK ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND RUSTING.

WORKERS PLUG BOTH OPENINGS

AND PUT A TEMPORARY SEAL ON THE VENT TO PREVENT TAMPERING.

AFTER THAT, THESE STEEL SHIPPING DRUMS

ARE READY FOR THE LONG HAUL.

NEXT, GET THE BLOW-BY-BLOW AT A POLICE-WHISTLE FACTORY.

Narrator: IT WAS IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY

THAT LONDON POLICE STARTED USING A SPECIAL WHISTLE

TO GET ATTENTION.

IT WAS LIGHTWEIGHT AND HAD A PIERCING SOUND --

A REAL IMPROVEMENT OVER THE HAND RATTLES

THEY HAD BEEN USING BEFORE.

THAT SAME DESIGN IS STILL USED TODAY.

THEY MAY BE A BLAST FROM THE PAST,

BUT THERE'S NOTHING BETTER

FOR BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON LAWBREAKERS.

THE AVERAGE TRAFFIC COP

BLOWS HIS WHISTLE THOUSANDS OF TIMES A DAY,

SO THE WHISTLES HAVE TO RESIST A LOT OF SPIT.

THE WHISTLE'S BODY IS MADE OF HIGH-GRADE BRASS TUBING,

IN WHICH TWO SLOTS ARE PUNCHED.

THESE ARE SOUND HOLES THAT WILL ALLOW THE NOISE TO ESCAPE.

USING HYDRAULIC PRESSURE,

THE BRAND NAME IS STAMPED ONTO THE TUBE.

NEXT COMES THE MOUTHPIECE.

ROLLERS SCULPT A PIECE OF SPINNING BRASS

INTO A SHAPE THAT'S A BIT LIKE AN HOURGLASS.

WITH THE MOUTHPIECE COMPLETE,

A HYDRAULIC PUNCH IS USED TO BEND A PIECE OF BRASS

INTO A PART CALLED THE SLAB.

THE SLAB WILL BE USED TO CREATE

TWO SOUND CHAMBERS INSIDE THE WHISTLE.

A LOOP IS FITTED ON TO AN ENDCAP

TO MAKE THE WHISTLE EASIER TO HANG ON TO.

A ROTATING PRESS BENDS THE LOOP'S TAB

AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE CAP

TO FASTEN THEM TOGETHER PERMANENTLY.

NEXT, AN ENDCAP IS ATTACHED TO THE SLAB,

AND THEN THE SLAB IS FORCED INTO THE CAVITY OF THE WHISTLE,

SPLITTING IT INTO TWO CHAMBERS.

A POLICE WHISTLE ACTUALLY PRODUCES TWO NOTES AT ONCE,

GIVING IT THAT DISTINCTIVE TIMBRE.

THESE TWO SEPARATE SOUND CHAMBERS

WILL PRODUCE TWO DIFFERENT PITCHES.

NOW THE ENDS OF THE WHISTLE ARE DIPPED IN SOLDER PASTE

AND THEN THE LOOPED CAP AND MOUTHPIECE

ARE HAMMERED ONTO THE PASTED

THE SOLDER PASTE IS A SPECIAL LEAD-FREE COMPOUND

SO THE WHISTLE-BLOWER WON'T BE EXPOSED TO TOXINS.

SOLDER WIRES ARE ALSO INSERTED IN THE WHISTLE CHAMBERS

BEFORE CAPPING THE ENDS.

THESE SOLDER WIRES

WILL ACT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SOLDER PASTE

TO SEAL THE WHISTLE IN A PROCESS THAT HAPPENS NEXT.

THE WHISTLES MOVE THROUGH AN ELECTROMAGNETIC CONDUCTION COIL,

WHICH HEATS THEM TO A SMOKING 425 DEGREES.

THIS CAUSES THE SOLDER PASTE AND WIRES INSIDE TO MELT

AND FLOW INTO THE WHISTLE'S SEAMS.

EACH WHISTLE IS THEN DIPPED IN AN ACID BATH,

WHICH HARDENS THE SOLDER, SEALING THE WHISTLE'S SEAMS.

NEXT, THE WHISTLES ARE LOWERED INTO A NICKEL BATH,

WHERE POSITIVELY CHARGED NICKEL IONS

MIGRATE TO THE NEGATIVELY CHARGED WHISTLES.

NOW IT'S TIME TO MAKE SOME NOISE.

EACH WHISTLE IS TESTED WITH COMPRESSED AIR.

THE TINIEST PINHOLE WILL CAUSE A WHISTLE TO FAIL,

AND THAT HAPPENS IN 3% OF THEM.

FAILURE IS A CRUSHING EXPERIENCE.

THE REJECTS GET FLATTENED

AND SENT TO A COMPANY THAT RECLAIMS THE METAL.

ON BOTH LAND AND SEA, WHISTLES ARE THE SOUND OF AUTHORITY.

HERE, WORKERS ASSEMBLE A BOATSWAIN'S PIPE,

USED BY NAVAL OFFICERS TO ISSUE COMMANDS AND SALUTE DIGNITARIES.

THERE'S A TINY HOLE IN THE BALL AT THE END OF THIS PIPE.

THE PLAYER OPENS AND CLOSES THAT HOLE WITH HIS HANDS

TO CHANGE THE WHISTLE'S PITCH.

AND WITH THAT,

PRODUCTION AT THIS WHISTLE FACTORY

COMES TO A SCREECHING HALT.

UP NEXT, ALL ABOARD.

YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE HOW RAW PLASTIC

IS TRANSFORMED INTO A MINIATURE TRAIN CAR.

Narrator: MAKING MINIATURE TRAIN CARS IS ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS.

EVERY FEATURE IS SCALED-DOWN TO A FRACTION OF THE REAL THING,

AND NOTHING IS TOO SMALL TO REPLICATE.

THE MINIATURE TRAIN CAR IS MORE THAN JUST A TOY.

IT'S A WORK OF ART AND A COLLECTIBLE.

ON A MINIATURE TRAIN TRACK, THE PAST COMES FULL CIRCLE

WITH REPLICAS OF TRAINS FROM DAYS GONE BY.

CRAFTSMEN START WITH HISTORICAL PHOTOS

AND DRAWINGS OF ACTUAL TRAIN CARS

AND SCALE THEM DOWN TO 1/48th SIZE.

THEY FEED POLYSTYRENE PELLETS LIKE THESE

INTO AN INJECTION-MOLDING MACHINE.

IT MELTS THE PELLETS INTO A THICK PASTE.

THE FOUR SECTIONS OF THE MOLD CLOSE

AND NOZZLES PUMP IN THE PLASTIC.

IT OOZES INTO ALL THE GROOVES

AND HARDENS ALMOST INSTANTLY INTO THE SHAPE OF A TRAIN CAR.

THEN THE EXCESS PLASTIC GETS CLIPPED OFF.

HERE'S A VIEW OF HOW THE FOUR PARTS OF THE MOLD COME TOGETHER

TO SHAPE MELTED PLASTIC INTO A BOXCAR.

THEY EVEN CREATE HOLES IN THE BOXCAR TO ATTACH ACCESSORIES

AND THEY IMPRESS DETAILS LIKE RIDGING

THAT MIMICS THE STEEL RIBS OF THE LIFE-SIZE TRAIN CAR.

MORE MOLDS ARE USED TO REPLICATE DOOR RAILS,

BRAKE WHEELS, AND OTHER ACCESSORIES.

THE ASSEMBLER CLIPS THE PARTS OFF THE FRAMEWORK

AND FILES DOWN THE ROUGH SECTIONS.

THAT IS THE BRAKE WHEEL

SHE'S SNAPPING ONTO THE END OF THE MODEL.

USING A HOBBY KNIFE,

SHE TRIMS EXCESS PLASTIC FROM THE TRAIN CAR'S STEP.

SHE THEN GLUES A STEEL WEIGHT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAIN CAR

TO MAKE IT 1/48th THE WEIGHT OF THE REAL THING.

MAKING SOMETHING TO SCALE IS A BIT OF A BALANCING ACT.

FINALLY, SHE ATTACHES AIR-BRAKE TANKS

TO THE UNDERFRAME OF THE CAR,

AND IT'S TIME TO SPRAY-PAINT THE MODEL TRAIN CAR VIVID ORANGE.

IT'S A COLOR THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED ON AN ACTUAL BOXCAR,

COMBINED WITH WHITE.

FOR THAT TWO-TONED LOOK, THE MODEL IS HELD IN A PAINT SHIELD,

WHICH PROTECTS THE ORANGE SECTIONS

AS THEY SPRAY ON THE WHITE.

THIS TECHNIQUE ENSURES THE PAINT JOB HAS CLEAN LINES.

THE CAR IS LEFT TO DRY OVERNIGHT.

NOT ALL PAINT JOBS ARE SO FLASHY.

THIS CAR IS BASIC BLACK,

THE PERFECT CANVAS FOR WHITE LETTERING.

A PAD PICKS UP THE INK FROM LETTER ENGRAVINGS

ON A PRINTED PLATE AND TRANSFERS THE IMAGE TO THE CAR.

METAL WHEELS NOW ROLL OFF A REVOLVING CONVEYER.

THEY FUNNEL INTO MECHANISMS

THAT PRESS-FIT THEM ONTO EACH END OF METAL AXLES.

THE WHEEL-AND-AXLE ASSEMBLIES DROP INTO A BIN BELOW.

TWO SETS OF WHEELS

ARE NOW INSTALLED ON A PLASTIC FRAMEWORK.

THE FRAMEWORK IS THEN ATTACHED TO A COUPLER,

THE DEVICE THAT LINKS TRAIN CARS.

THE WHEELS-AND-COUPLER ASSEMBLY

ARE SCREWED ON TO ONE END OF THE CAR.

THEN THE PROCESS IS REPEATED ON THE OTHER END.

THE COUPLERS ARE SNAPPED TOGETHER

TO CONNECT TWO TRAIN CARS.

IN THE WORLD OF TRAIN MODELS, A LITTLE GRIME IS JUST FINE.

A MISTING OF PAINT

MAKES THE CARS LOOK DUSTY AND AGED ON PURPOSE.

THE PAINTER LAYERS COLORS TO GET JUST THE RIGHT EFFECT.

THIS TECHNIQUE ADDS THE ELEMENT OF REALISM

TO THE MODEL TRAIN CAR.

IT'S ALL A MATTER OF PREFERENCE.

SOME HOBBYISTS PREFER THIS WEATHERED LOOK,

WHILE OTHERS LIKE THEIR MODEL TRAINS SHINY AND NEW.

THE MODEL TRAIN CARS HAVE NOW ROLLED OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE,

AND THEY'RE READY TO HIT THE TRACKS

FOR A WHISTLE-STOP TOUR OF ANOTHER ERA.

COMING UP, THE HOT SCOOP

ON ONE OF THE WORLD'S FAVORITE BUILDING BLOCKS.

Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING MATERIALS,

GLASS BLOCKS ARE CLEARLY A CLASSIC.

IN THE 1920s AND '30s,

THEY WERE A CORNERSTONE OF THE ART-DECO STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE.

TODAY, GLASS BLOCKS ARE STILL POPULAR FOR CREATING WALLS,

WINDOWS, AND STUNNING DESIGN FEATURES,

A STYLISH WAY TO BUILD A PRIVACY BARRIER

THAT STILL LETS IN LIGHT.

GLASS BLOCKS AREN'T JUST DECORATIVE.

THEY INSULATE FROM HEAT, COLD, AND NOISE.

PRODUCTION BEGINS WITH JUST FOUR INGREDIENTS --

RECYCLED GLASS PIECES CALLED CULLET, SAND,

SODA ASH, AND LIMESTONE.

A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM PORTIONS OUT EACH ONE

AND FEEDS THEM INTO A MELTER.

THIS GIANT FURNACE HEATS THE BATCH OF INGREDIENTS

TO A FIERY 2,700 DEGREES,

TRANSFORMING THEM INTO MOLTEN GLASS.

THE MELTER PUMPS OUT ENOUGH MOLTEN GLASS

TO MAKE ONE HALF BLOCK AT A TIME.

AUTOMATED SHEARS SLICE JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT.

THE GOB OF GLASS THEN SLIDES INTO A WAITING MOLD.

A PLUNGER PUSHES THE GOB DOWN,

SPREADING GLASS THROUGHOUT THE MOLD CAVITY.

ITS WAFFLED SURFACE IMPRINTS THAT PATTERN INTO THE GLASS.

A BLAST OF AMBIENT AIR

COOLS DOWN THE MOLTEN GLASS DRASTICALLY,

FROM 1,800 DEGREES TO 1,100 IN JUST A FEW SECONDS.

THIS WAY THEY DON'T LOSE THEIR SHAPE

WHEN A RETRACTABLE ARM EXTRACTS THEM FROM THE MOLD

AND LAYS THEM ON A CONVEYER BELT,

LEADING INTO A SEALING MACHINE.

THIS IS WHERE TWO HALF BLOCKS

JOIN TOGETHER TO FORM A FULL BLOCK.

ENTERING THE MACHINE,

EACH PIECE PASSES OVER A SERIES OF BURNERS

THAT KEEP THE GLASS TEMPERATURE CONSTANT.

SUDDEN COOLING COULD CRACK OR SHATTER THE GLASS.

THE MACHINE THEN SLOWLY REHEATS THE HALF BLOCKS

UNTIL THEIR EDGES START MELTING.

NEXT, THEY ENTER THE PART OF THE MACHINE

CALLED THE SQUEEZE STATION.

HERE, AN AUTOMATED PRESS

FORCES A TOP HALF AND BOTTOM HALF TOGETHER.

THEIR MELTED EDGES FUSE, FORMING A SINGLE BLOCK.

THE BLOCKS NOW TRAVEL INTO A LEER,

AN OVEN THAT COOLS THE GLASS

AT REGULATED TEMPERATURES OVER SEVERAL HOURS.

THIS ANNEALING PROCESS PREVENTS CRACKING

AND ALLOWS THE GLASS TIME TO SET PROPERLY.

THE GLASS GOES IN AT ABOUT 1,800 DEGREES.

COMING OUT, IT'S DOWN TO 175.

THE BLOCKS ARE NOW READY FOR INSPECTION.

WORKERS USE DIGITAL-ALIGNMENT GAUGES

TO MAKE SURE BOTH HALVES ARE FLUSH.

THEN THEY RUN A STRAIGHT PIECE OF STEEL

ALONG THE BLOCK'S SURFACE TO CHECK FOR ANY DISTORTION.

EVERY BLOCK MUST MEET PRECISE STANDARDS

FOR BOTH SIZE AND SHAPE --

A 71/2-INCH SQUARE THAT'S 4 INCHES THICK.

BUILDING WITH GLASS BLOCKS

IS SIMILAR TO BUILDING WITH BRICKS --

YOU USE MORTAR TO STICK THEM TOGETHER.

TO PREP THE BLOCKS FOR MORTARING,

WORKERS NOW PLACE EACH ONE ONTO A SEPARATE STATION.

AS IT SPINS, NOZZLES SPRAY THE EDGES WITH LIQUID VINYL.

THIS COATING WILL HELP THE MORTAR

STICK TO THE GLASS SURFACE.

JUST ONE LAST STEP.

AN INK-JET PRINTER APPLIES THE PRODUCT CODE

ALONG WITH THE MANUFACTURING DATE AND TIME.

THE QUALITY-CONTROL DEPARTMENT

RUNS SAMPLES THROUGH AN IMPACT TEST.

A WORKER DROPS A WEIGHT

THROUGH A TUBE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK.

THIS VERIFIES THE STRENGTH OF THE SIDEWALL AND THE SEAL

BETWEEN THE TWO HALVES.

FINALLY, THE GLASS BLOCKS ARE READY FOR SHIPPING.

WORKERS PACK THEM INTO CARDBOARD BOXES

THAT HAVE BLOCK-SIZED SECTIONS

TO KEEP THEM SAFE DURING TRANSPORT.

GLASS BLOCKS COME IN SO MANY SHAPES, SIZES, AND PATTERNS

THAT THE DESIGN POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

BOTH PRACTICAL AND BEAUTIFUL,

IT'S NO WONDER THEY'RE SO POPULAR

WITH BUILDERS AND DECORATORS ALIKE.

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