Original subtitles

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CRAFTING

RELIGIOUS STATUES FOR YEARS.

BUT TIME CAN TAKE A TOLL ON THESE SACRED WORKS OF ART.

THAT'S WHERE RESTORATION EXPERTS COME IN.

THESE PROFESSIONALS WORK SMALL MIRACLES TO RETURN STATUES

TO THEIR FORMER GLORY.

THIS IS A WOODEN SCULPTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN MESSIAH.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY CRAFTED IN THE 15TH CENTURY.

BUT TODAY, IT'S RIDDLED WITH TERMITES AND BROKEN.

A MAJOR RESTORATION HAS BEEN ITS SALVATION.

NOW, THIS HISTORIC WORK OF ART

IS ONCE AGAIN ON DISPLAY IN AN ITALIAN CHURCH.

LIKE THE MESSIAH STATUE, THIS 18TH CENTURY MADONNA

IS DAMAGED.

THE PLASTER ON HER FACE IS CHIPPED.

HER FINGERS ARE BROKEN, AND HER ROBES ARE CRUMBLING.

FIRST, THE RESTORER DUSTS OFF SOME OF THE SURFACE DIRT.

HE USES A SOFT BRUSH

AND GENTLE MOVEMENTS TO AVOID FURTHER DESTRUCTION.

THEN, HE PREPARES A CLEANING SOLUTION.

HE MIXES A LOW-ACID, PERFUME-FREE SOAP WITH WATER.

HE USES MILD SOAP BECAUSE IT'S GENTLE ON OLD PLASTER.

HE HEATS UP THE MIXTURE TO MELT THE SOAP.

THEN, HE STARTS CLEANING THE STATUE.

HE APPLIES THE CLEANSER TO THE MADONNA'S FACE AND BODY.

HE LETS IT SOAK INTO THE PLASTER FOR 7 TO 15 MINUTES.

HE MAKES SURE THE STATUE DOESN'T ABSORB TOO MUCH WATER

BECAUSE THAT WOULD CAUSE MORE DETERIORATION.

NEXT, THE RESTORER

WIPES THE STATUE DOWN WITH A DAMP SEA SPONGE.

CENTURIES OF DIRT AND GRIME COME OFF.

FOR SERIOUS STAINS, HE COMBINES ALCOHOL AND AMMONIA.

HE APPLIES THE CLEANSING MIXTURE USING A COTTON SWAB.

HE LIGHTLY SCRUBS OFF THE DEEP STAINS.

THE ALCOHOL EVAPORATES QUICKLY SO IT'S NOT ON THE SURFACE

OF THE STATUE LONG ENOUGH TO DO ANY MORE DAMAGE.

THIS MADONNA STATUE IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE HER OLD SELF.

THE RESTORER USES RABBIT GLUE FOR THE NEXT STEP.

IT'S A STRONG AND FLEXIBLE ADHESIVE

THAT WON'T CHIP OR CRACK.

HE DISSOLVES SOME GLUE IN DISTILLED WATER.

HE APPLIES IT TO THE CLOTH

EXPOSED UNDERNEATH THE BROKEN PLASTER.

THEN, HE MIXES A SPECIAL PLASTER

CALLED GESSO WITH THE RABBIT GLUE.

THE MIXTURE IS 80% PLASTER AND 20% GLUE.

HE DABS THE PLASTER MIXTURE ONTO THE GLUED SECTIONS

TO FILL IN THE GAPS IN THE MADONNA'S ROBES.

HE REPAIRS HER CHIPPED NOSE USING A THICKER VERSION

OF THE PLASTER SOLUTION.

HE APPLIES IT WITH A SMALL SPATULA.

AFTER THE FIRST COAT OF PLASTER ON THE ROBES DRIES,

THE RESTORER ADDS ANOTHER THICKER COAT.

HE ADDS MORE LAYERS UNTIL HE HAS ENOUGH MATERIAL TO WORK WITH.

THEN, HE SCULPTS THE ROBE'S CONTOURS

USING A SURGICAL SCALPEL.

HE BLENDS THE REPAIR INTO THE ORIGINAL PLASTER

AND SANDS IT UNTIL IT LOOKS SEAMLESS.

HE MIXES WATER-BASED PAINT TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL COLORS.

THEN, HE CAREFULLY COVERS THE REPAIRED SECTIONS,

BLENDING THE OLD WITH THE NEW.

HE MENDS THE BROCADE BY PRESSING GOLD LEAF

ONTO THE BORDER OF THE ROBES.

THE GOLD LEAF STICKS TO THE GLUE APPLIED EARLIER,

MATCHING THE ORIGINAL PATTERN.

HE SEALS THE PAINT WITH CARNUBA WAX --

IT GIVES THE SURFACE OF THE STATUE

A HARD AND RESILIENT FINISH.

IT CAN TAKE UP TO 4 MONTHS TO RESTORE A DAMAGED STATUE.

A SCULPTURE THAT'S HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD

CAN LOOK AS GOOD AS NEW IN JUST A FEW MONTHS.

THEN, CHURCHGOERS CAN ENJOY IT FOR CENTURIES TO COME.

Narrator: HUMANS HAVE BEEN MAKING THREE-LEGGED OBJECTS

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

THE THIRD LEG GIVES THESE STRUCTURES EXTRA STABILITY.

SOME OF THE EARLIEST PHOTOGRAPHS

WERE TAKEN WITH CAMERAS MOUNTED ON TRIPODS.

IN FACT, THE TRIPOD

HAS BEEN CALLED THE MOST IMPORTANT PHOTOGRAPHIC ACCESSORY

EVER INVENTED.

EARLY TRIPODS WERE MADE OUT OF WOOD.

THEY WERE HEAVY AND CUMBERSOME.

THEIR DESIGN AND MATERIALS HAVE IMPROVED OVER TIME

TO MEET THE NEEDS OF BOTH HOBBYISTS

AND PROFESSIONALS ALIKE.

TODAY'S STATE-OF-THE-ART TRIPOD IS LIGHTWEIGHT,

COLLAPSIBLE AND EQUIPPED WITH PRECISION ADJUSTMENTS.

CONTEMPORARY TRIPODS ARE MADE

FROM ALUMINUM TUBES THAT HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT DIAMETERS.

THE TUBES ARE ELECTROWELDED AND ANODIZED FOR PRECISION,

HARDNESS AND DURABILITY.

A MACHINE CUTS THE TUBES TO THE REQUIRED LENGTHS.

A PRESS EXPANDS ONE END

OF THE D-SHAPED TUBES TO KEEP THE SMALLER DIAMETERS IN PLACE.

HERE ARE TWO OF THE DIFFERENT-SIZED DIAMETER TUBES.

A WORKER INSERTS A TUBE INTO THIS MACHINE.

IT USES A HIGH-PRECISION LASER

TO ETCH THE COMPANY'S NAME INTO THE ALUMINUM.

THE LASER PROCESS TURNS THE ETCHED ALUMINUM WHITE.

THEY COAT ALUMINUM CASTINGS WITH POWDERED PAINT.

THE CASTING IS PART OF A COMPONENT CALLED A SPIDER.

IT CONNECTS THE TRIPOD'S LEGS.

ONCE PAINTED, THE COMPONENTS ARE TAKEN TO A CNC MACHINE.

THE MACHINE SHAPES

THE PARTS TO THE DESIGNER'S EXACT SPECIFICATIONS.

A WORKER PUTS FOAM SLEEVES CALLED LEG WARMERS ON

TWO OF THE TRIPOD'S THREE LEGS.

THE SLEEVES ALLOW PHOTOGRAPHERS TO EASILY HANDLE THE LEGS

IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES.

THE WORKER USES A PRESSURIZED AIR DEVICE TO OPEN THE SLEEVE,

THEN SHE INSERTS THE LEG.

SHE USES A SPECIALIZED MACHINE TO ADD THE TOP HINGE COLLAR

TO THE UPPER LEG SECTION.

THE PARTS WERE DESIGNED TO WORK TOGETHER

AND CLICK NEATLY INTO PLACE.

NEXT, SHE APPLIES THE LOCKING COLLARS.

WHEN A PHOTOGRAPHER ADJUSTS THE LEGS,

THE LOCKING COLLARS WILL HOLD THEM IN PLACE.

SHE THREADS A BOLT THROUGH THE COLLAR ENDS

AND ADDS A QUICK-RELEASE LEVER TO THE ASSEMBLY.

THEN, SHE FASTENS ALL THE COMPONENTS IN PLACE.

THE LEVERS ARE ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED

AND CAN BE OPENED WITH ONE HAND.

SHE PRESSES BUSHINGS INTO PLACE ON THE UPPER COLLAR

TO COMPLETE THE LEG ASSEMBLY.

NOW, THE TRIPOD IS READY FOR THE NEXT PHASE.

BUT FIRST, THE WORKER PERFORMS A QUICK QUALITY CONTROL CHECK.

SHE MAKES SURE THE LEGS SLIDE IN AND OUT CORRECTLY.

THEN, SHE CHECKS THE LOCKING COLLARS.

NEXT, SHE BRINGS THE LEGS TOGETHER TO FORM THE TRIPOD.

SHE POSITIONS THE BOTTOM OF THE SPIDER COMPONENT

ON A SPECIALLY-DESIGNED SUPPORT MECHANISM.

SHE INSTALLS THE LEGS AND CAPS THEM WITH THE TOP OF THE SPIDER,

THEN SHE BOLTS EVERYTHING IN PLACE.

NEXT, A WORKER ASSEMBLES THE TRIPOD HEAD.

THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPONENT

CAN BE ADJUSTED IN THREE DIRECTIONS.

SHE PLACES PLASTIC RINGS BETWEEN THE THREE MAIN PARTS

TO ENSURE SMOOTH AND ACCURATE ADJUSTMENTS.

SHE INSTALLS LEVELING BUBBLES TO HELP PHOTOGRAPHERS

ACCURATELY POSITION THEIR CAMERAS.

SHE ADDS THE UPPER PLATE AND THE ADJUSTMENT KNOBS.

THE PLATE SCREWS INTO THE CAMERA,

WHICH CONVENIENTLY MOUNTS ONTO THE TRIPOD.

THE KNOBS ALSO ADJUST FOR EASY STORAGE AND TRANSPORT.

SHE LABELS A KNOB TO INDICATE THE SCALE OF FRICTION INTENSITY.

ONCE THE ENTIRE HEAD ASSEMBLY IS COMPLETE,

A WORKER CAREFULLY THREADS IT ONTO THE TRIPOD COLUMN.

THE FINAL STEP IN THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS

IS TO SLIDE THE COLUMN AND HEAD DOWN THROUGH THE SPREADER.

A WORKER CHECKS TO ENSURE

THE MECHANISM IS WORKING CORRECTLY,

THEN TIGHTENS THE LOCKING KNOB.

THE FINISHED TRIPOD IS LIGHTWEIGHT,

COMPACT AND DURABLE.

THIS TRIPOD IS IDEAL FOR BOTH PROFESSIONALS

AND HOBBYISTS.

IT'LL KEEP THE CAMERA STEADY FOR ANYONE

WHO WANTS TO TAKE PORTRAITS,

PROFILE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES,

OR CAPTURE PANORAMIC LANDSCAPES.

Narrator: POLISH SAUSAGE ISN'T NECESSARILY MADE IN POLAND.

ALSO CALLED KIELBASA,

THE TERM REFERS TO THE STYLE OF SAUSAGE

RATHER THAN ITS LOCATION.

IT'S USUALLY MADE ENTIRELY OF PORK,

OR A MIX OF PORK AND VEAL.

THE MEAT IS SEASONED WITH SALT, PEPPER, AND GARLIC.

THESE SAUSAGES MIGHT BE MADE IN CANADA,

BUT THERE AS POLISH AS WARSAW.

THIS KIELBASA IS 100% PORK,

TRADITIONALLY SEASONED

AND COOKED BY NATURAL WOOD SMOKING.

THIS COMPANY USES THE HIND LEG MEAT

LEFTOVER FROM THE HAMS THEY SELL.

EACH SAUSAGE RECIPE

CALLS FOR SPECIFIC PORTIONS OF LEAN, MEDIUM, AND FAT MEAT.

WORKERS FILL THREE SEPARATE MEAT CARTS

WITH THE REQUIRED QUANTITY OF EACH.

THEY GRIND THE CONTENTS OF EACH CART SEPARATELY.

THE THREE TYPES OF MEAT ARE GROUND TO DIFFERENT SIZES.

THE LEAN MEAT WILL BE THE LARGEST,

AND THE FAT MEAT WILL BE THE SMALLEST.

THE SMALL CHUNKS OF FAT MEAT

WILL FILL THE GAPS BETWEEN THE LARGE, LEAN CHUNKS.

THEY ALSO ADD WHOLE GARLIC CLOVES TO THE GRINDER

WITH THE FAT MEAT.

THEN, THEY PREPARE A SPICE MIX THAT INCLUDES GARLIC POWDER,

WHITE PEPPER,

COARSELY-GROUND WHITE, RED, AND BLACK PEPPERCORNS,

AND A PROPRIETARY BLEND OF DRIED HERBS AND SPICES.

THEY ALSO ADD PICKLING SALT AS A PRESERVATIVE.

THEY BLEND THE SPICES, PORK, AND COLD WATER IN A MIXER.

THE MIXER ALSO VACUUMS AIR OUT OF THE MEAT.

THIS HELPS THE SEASONING THOROUGHLY SATURATE THE PORK.

IT ALSO MAKES THE SAUSAGE DENSER AND CONCENTRATES THE FLAVOR.

THEY MIX THE INGREDIENTS FOR 15 MINUTES,

THEN LET IT REST AND MARINATE FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

AFTER MARINATING,

THE MEAT IS READY TO BE PUT INTO SAUSAGE CASINGS.

THE CASING IS MADE OUT OF HOG INTESTINE.

THE FILLING SPECIALIST CONTROLS THE FILL SPEED

WITH A KNEE-OPERATED LEVER.

HE APPLIES THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE WITH HIS FINGERS

TO STUFF THE FRAGILE CASING WITHOUT TEARING IT.

NO TWO HOG INTESTINES ARE IDENTICAL,

SO THIS PROCESS CAN'T BE AUTOMATED.

THE FILLING SPECIALIST

CONSTANTLY ADJUSTS THE SPEED AND PRESSURE AS HE WORKS.

THE FILLING SPECIALIST TAKES THE FINISHED CASING

AND GENTLY LOOPS IT OVER HIS ARM.

THEN, HE PUTS THE LOOPS

ON THE RACK OF A SMOKEHOUSE TROLLEY.

A FULLY-LOADED TROLLEY

HOLDS ABOUT 550 POUNDS OF RAW SAUSAGES.

THEY ROLL THE TROLLEY INTO THE SMOKEHOUSE CHAMBER,

SHUT THE DOOR... AND LIGHT THE FIRE.

THEY FEED MAPLE AND HICKORY LOGS

INTO A 10-FOOT FIRE PIT LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW THE CHAMBER.

THEY MONITOR EACH SAUSAGE WHILE IT'S SMOKING

AND ADJUST THE HEAT EXPOSURE AS NEEDED.

THE SMOKING PERIOD LASTS FOR 6 TO 8 HOURS.

THE MEAT COOKS AT ABOUT 160 DEGREES

TO KILL OFF ALL THE BACTERIA.

THE SMOKE INFUSES IT WITH ADDITIONAL FLAVOR,

NATURALLY CURING THE SAUSAGES.

AFTER THE SAUSAGES LEAVE THE SMOKEHOUSE,

THEY'RE CLEANED WITH HOT WATER.

THEN, THE SAUSAGES ARE RINSED IN COLD WATER

AND SENT TO A BLAST FRIDGE.

THIS MINIMIZES THE AMOUNT OF TIME

THE SAUSAGES ARE WARM ENOUGH FOR BACTERIA TO GROW.

THE RAPID COOLING PROCEDURE ELIMINATES THE NEED

FOR ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES.

A WORKER CUTS THE SAUSAGE INTO 4 1/2-POUND PORTIONS.

HE PLACES EACH PORTION

IN THE BOTTOM TRAY OF THE PLASTIC PACKAGE.

BEFORE SEALING THE TRAY, A MACHINE SUCKS OUT THE AIR

AND REPLACES IT WITH A MIX OF 80% NITROGEN

AND 20% CARBON DIOXIDE.

THIS EXTENDS SHELF LIFE

BECAUSE MOLD AND YEAST CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT OXYGEN.

THE CARBON DIOXIDE ALSO INHIBITS BACTERIAL GROWTH.

THE NITROGEN FILLS THE PACKAGE

TO PROTECT THE SAUSAGE DURING TRANSPORT.

EVERY SEALED PACKAGE PASSES THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR.

THEN, A SCALE WEIGHS EACH PACKAGE AND PRINTS OUT A LABEL

INDICATING THE WEIGHT AND THE SELL-BY DATE.

A SEALED AND REFRIGERATED PACKAGE OF SAUSAGE

CAN STAY FRESH FOR UP TO 35 DAYS.

ONCE OPENED, THESE SAUSAGES TASTE BEST

IF EATEN WITHIN 7 DAYS --

AND EVEN BETTER WITH A LITTLE SAUERKRAUT.

WELDING GUNS ARE REGULARS ON "HOW IT'S MADE."

THEY'RE USED IN MANY FACTORIES

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THEY HAVE COPPER CLAWS THAT HOLD PARTS TOGETHER WITH HIGH FORCE,

THEN WELD ITEMS TOGETHER.

THE GUNS ARE DESIGNED TO DO PRECISION WORK AT A STEADY PACE.

A WELDING GUN IS DESIGNED TO MAKE THE SAME WELD

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THEY'RE PROGRAMMED TO ACCOMPLISH A REPETITIVE TASK

WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY.

PRODUCTION STARTS WITH THE GUN'S ELECTRODE CAPS,

WHICH ARE MADE OUT OF COPPER ROD.

THE ROD UNCOILS AND TRAVELS TO A FORMING MACHINE

WITH A SERIES OF PUNCHES AND DIES.

MECHANICAL FINGERS MOVE THE ROD FROM ONE DIE TO THE NEXT.

THE PUNCHES DRIVE THE ROD INTO THE DIE CAVITIES

TO SHAPE IT INTO ELECTRODE CAPS.

THE ELECTRODES COME IN THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT SHAPES

AND ARE MADE IT MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

THE MAKE THIS ELECTRODE,

AUTOMATED TOOLS TAPER A THICK COPPER ROD AT ONE END.

THEN, A DRILL BORES A HOLE IN THE OTHER END FOR COOLING WATER.

SMALLER ELECTRODES ARE MADE OF PARTIALLY-HOLLOWED BLANKS.

THEY SHAVE DOWN THE BLANK

SO THAT IT WILL BE ABLE TO WELD IN SMALL AREAS.

THEY ALSO SHAPE IT

SO THAT THE ELECTRODE CAP WILL FIT ON TOP.

THEY USE ANOTHER DRILL TO MAKE AN ENTRANCE FOR COOLING WATER.

THE ENTRANCE INTERSECTS WITH

THE HOLLOWED PART OF THE CYLINDER.

THEN, ANOTHER MACHINE

BENDS THE ELECTRODE INTO ITS FINAL SHAPE.

NEXT, THEY MAKE THE SHUNT ADAPTER.

A WORKER USES A HYDRAULIC MACHINE TO BEND A COPPER BAR

AROUND A DIE.

HE MEASURES IT TO CONFIRM THAT THE DIMENSIONS ARE CORRECT.

A HIGH-PRESSURE WATER JET CARVES THROUGH A THICK COPPER PLATE

TO CREATE THE WELDING ARMS.

THE WATER JET CAN PRECISELY CUT OUT THE PART

WITHOUT SCORCHING THE COPPER.

AT THE NEXT STATION,

COMPUTERIZED TOOLS SHAPE A SOLID BLOCK OF STEEL INTO A MOUNT

FOR THE WELDING MACHINE'S MOTOR.

IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL TRANSFORMATION.

AN EMPLOYEE BOLTS STEEL PLATES TO THE END OF THE COPPER ARM.

HE PLACES A WASHER OVER THE PLATES

AND THEN TIGHTENS THE BOLTS.

HE INSERTS THE ELECTRODE IN THE OTHER END OF THE ARM.

THEN, HE PLACES THE CAP ON AND HAMMERS IT IN PLACE.

THE WORKER USES A CRANE TO MOVE THE SECOND WELD ARM INTO PLACE.

HE ALIGNS THE HOLES

AND JOINS THE ARMS WITH THE TEMPORARY METAL PIN.

THE TRANSFORMER DELIVERS ELECTRICITY TO THE ELECTRODES.

A WORKER ATTACHES THE ROBOT WELDING ARMS TO IT.

HE REPLACES THE TEMPORARY PIN WITH A PERMANENT ONE.

THEN, HE BOLTS THE ARMS TO THE TRANSFORMER.

NOW, THE WELDING GUN IS READY FOR THE MOTOR.

HE JOINS THE MOTOR TO THE ARMS

AND TIGHTENS THE BOLTS ON EACH SIDE.

THE MECHANICS OF THIS ROBOT WELDING GUN ARE COMPLETE.

NOW THEY NEED TO ADD THE PLUMBING.

AN EMPLOYEE CUTS PLASTIC TUBING

AND CONNECTS IT TO THE WELDING GUN.

THE TUBES WILL SUPPLY A CONSTANT FLOW OF WATER TO THE GUN.

WITHOUT IT, THE GUN WOULD OVERHEAT

AND THE ELECTRODE TIPS COULD MELT.

HE BUNDLES SOME OF THE HOSES

AND TIES THEM TOGETHER FOR NEATER INSTALLATION.

THEY TEST EVERY ROBOT WELDING GUN

TO CONFIRM THAT IT'S FULLY OPERATIONAL.

THIS GUN IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT

VERSION THAT THE ONE THAT WAS JUST ASSEMBLED.

THE TECHNICIAN ALSO CONFIRMS THAT THE TIPS

HAVE SUFFICIENT FORCE FOR A GOOD WELD.

TOO MUCH FORCE COULD DAMAGE THE TIPS.

TOO LITTLE FORCE WOULD RESULT IN A POOR WELD.

IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR TO ASSEMBLE A ROBOT WELDING GUN.

THIS GUN IS READY TO LEAVE THE FACTORY

AND BE PART OF THE ACTION AT ANOTHER ONE.