Original subtitles

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

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

MACARONS...

PINE-NEEDLE BASKETS...

AND MICROMETERS.

MERINGUE COOKIES WITH A FLAVORED FILLING,

MACARONS WERE FIRST PRODUCED IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY

IN VENETIAN MONASTERIES.

IN 1533, THE RECIPE CAME TO FRANCE

WITH THE PASTRY CHEFS BROUGHT BY THE ITALIAN NOBLEWOMAN

WHO ARRIVED TO MARRY THE KING.

MACARONS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED FRENCH EVER SINCE.

MACARONS ARE AS MUCH A TREAT FOR THE EYES AS FOR THE MOUTH,

WITH COLORFUL MERINGUE SHELLS SANDWICHING A FLAVORFUL FILLING.

TO PREPARE WHAT'S KNOWN AS ITALIAN MERINGUE FOR THE SHELLS,

THE BAKERS COMBINE SUGAR AND WATER.

THEY HEAT THE MIXTURE TO PRECISELY

222 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE BOILING POINT.

IN A MIXING BOWL, THE BAKERS COMBINE EGG WHITES

WITH DEHYDRATED EGG WHITES.

USING A COMBINATION OF LIQUID

AND DRIED EGG WHITES REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE

IN THE MERINGUE MIXTURE.

WHEN THERE'S LESS MOISTURE,

IT'S EASIER TO CONTROL THE BAKING.

WORKERS MIX THE EGG WHITES

FOR ABOUT 8 TO 10 MINUTES TO MAKE AN EMULSION,

THEN ADD THE BOILING WATER AND SUGAR.

THE COMBINATION MIXES UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE

DROPS TO 104 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

NO THERMOMETER IS NECESSARY.

BAKERS CAN TELL BY THE STIFF TEXTURE

OF WHAT IS NOW MERINGUE.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO FLAVOR AND COLOR THE MERINGUE.

WORKERS WEIGH VERY PRECISE QUANTITIES OF ALMOND POWDER...

...THEN ICING SUGAR.

THEY TRANSFER THESE INGREDIENTS TO THE MIXER...

...AND BLEND THEM THOROUGHLY.

THE BAKER ADDS THE BLENDED ALMOND POWDER

AND ICING SUGAR TO A MIXTURE OF EGG WHITES

AND, IN THIS CASE, RED FOOD COLORING

BECAUSE THESE WILL BE RASPBERRY MACARONS.

THEY RESUME MIXING FOR ANOTHER TWO OR THREE MINUTES

UNTIL EVERYTHING IS THOROUGHLY BLENDED.

THEN THE BAKER ADDS THIS MIXTURE

TO THE MERINGUE TO COLOR AND FLAVOR IT.

FIVE MORE MINUTES OF BLENDING, AND THE MERINGUE IS READY.

IT'S TIME TO FORM THE MERINGUE SHELLS.

A WORKER POURS THE MERINGUE

INTO THE FEED VAT OF THE DEPOSITER.

THE DEPOSITER DISPENSES 5-GRAM DISKS OF MERINGUE,

60 DISKS PER LINED BAKING SHEET.

USING A MICROMETER,

A WORKER MEASURES EACH DISK TO MAKE SURE

IT'S BETWEEN 1.69 AND 1.77 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

MERINGUE EXPANDS WITH BAKING,

SO THIS ENSURES EACH DISK

WILL BAKE INTO A SHELL THAT'S THE CORRECT SIZE.

THEN, FANS BLOW AIR TO DRY OUT THE TOPS.

EVAPORATING THE MOISTURE PREVENTS

THE TOP OF THE DISKS FROM RISING

AS THEY BAKE IN THE OVEN

FOR 15 TO 20 MINUTES AT 249 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THE OVEN,

THE BAKED SHELLS ARE SET OUT TO COOL.

MEANWHILE, THE BAKERS PREPARE THE FILLING,

MIXING CHOCOLATE WITH PIPING-HOT 35% CREAM.

AS THE CHOCOLATE MELTS,

THEY BLEND THE INGREDIENTS THOROUGHLY.

THEN THE BAKER REFRIGERATES

THE FILLING FOR 12 HOURS AT 48 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

WHEN THE FILLING COMES OUT OF THE FRIDGE,

IT'S FIRM BUT MALLEABLE ENOUGH TO BE SCOOPED UP

AND PUT IN A PASTRY BAG.

WITH FILLING AND SHELLS NOW READY,

THE BAKER CAN BEGIN ASSEMBLING THE MACARONS.

THEY SQUEEZE ABOUT 5 GRAMS OF FILLING ONTO EACH SHELL...

...THEN PLACE ANOTHER SHELL ON TOP,

PRESSING GENTLY TO SPREAD THE FILLING OUTWARD.

THE MACARONS FIT PERFECTLY

INTO THE SLOTS OF PLASTIC RETAIL TRAYS,

THANKS TO THE CAREFUL MEASURING

OF THE MERINGUE DISKS PRIOR TO BAKING.

THE TRAYS PASS THROUGH A MACHINE

WHICH SEALS THEM IN A POCKET OF PLASTIC FILM

TO KEEP OUT MOISTURE.

THEN, EACH TRAY IS PACKAGED IN A RETAIL BOX.

THIS COLORFUL SELECTION FEATURES

FIVE FLAVORS OF MACARONS --

RASPBERRY, BLUEBERRY, LEMON,

CHERRY, AND EXOTIC FRUITS.

Narrator: WHEN INDIGENOUS NORTH AMERICANS NEEDED CONTAINERS,

THEY LOOKED NO FURTHER THAN THE PINE NEEDLES

THAT LITTERED THE FOREST FLOOR.

THEY WOVE THE NEEDLES INTO STURDY BASKETS

FOR THEIR DAILY USE.

THE MAKING OF THESE CONIFEROUS CONTAINERS

CONTINUES TODAY,

ENSURING THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME A LOST ART.

PINE-NEEDLE BASKETS ARE BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES

OF RESOURCEFULNESS.

THEY PROVE THAT SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL CAN BE MADE

FROM NEEDLES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE

JUST END UP ON THE GROUND

AND BE TRAMPLED ON.

THE NORWAY RED PINE IN THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES

SHEDS NEEDLES IN THE FALL.

JUST BEFORE THEY DROP,

THEY CAN BE EASILY PLUCKED FROM THE BRANCHES.

THIS FORAGER ALSO COLLECTS NEEDLES

THAT HAVE FALLEN TO THE GROUND.

HE TOSSES SOME PINECONES INTO THE BAG TOO.

BACK IN THE STUDIO, A CRAFTSPERSON IMMERSES

THE NEEDLES IN BOILING WATER

AND SIMMERS THEM FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THIS SOFTENS THE NEEDLES

SO THAT THEY'RE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH.

SHE SELECTS A PINECONE

AND BOILS IT FOR 15 OR 20 MINUTES.

THIS CAUSES THE SCALES TO CLOSE UP,

AND THE CONE SHRINKS.

HERE ARE THE PINECONES BEFORE AND AFTER BOILING.

THE SHRUNKEN CONE WILL SERVE

AS A HANDLE FOR A BASKET LID.

AFTER WINDING WAXED LINEN THREAD

AROUND THE CONE'S BASE,

THE CRAFTSPERSON LOOPS THREAD AROUND THE STRANDS

TO HOLD THEM FIRMLY TOGETHER.

SHE NOW COILS A BUNDLE OF PINE NEEDLES AROUND THE CONE

AND SEWS THEM TO IT.

SHE SETS THE CONE ASIDE FOR NOW.

NEXT, FOR AN EFFECT THAT IS SIMPLY DECORATIVE,

THE CRAFTSPERSON COILS PINE NEEDLES

AROUND A COLORFUL PIECE OF STONE

THAT'S BEEN SEALED IN ACRYLIC.

HOLES AROUND THE EDGE OF THE ACRYLIC ENVELOPE

MAKE IT EASIER TO STITCH THE PINE-NEEDLE COIL

TO THE DECORATIVE CENTER.

THE CRAFTSPERSON GIVES EACH STITCH A GENTLE TUG

TO PULL THE COILS SNUGGLY

SO THAT IT ENCOMPASSES THE ACRYLIC EDGE.

THIS DECORATIVE CENTER IS NOW READY TO BE USED

AS A STARTING POINT FOR A BASKET OR A LID.

USING ANOTHER TECHNIQUE,

SHE CRAFTS A BASKET CENTER

USING ONLY SOFTENED PINE NEEDLES AND THREAD.

THIS WILL BE A BIT TRICKIER.

USING PLIERS, SHE PULLS OFF THE SHEATHS

THAT HOLD THE GROUPINGS OF NEEDLES TOGETHER.

WITHOUT THE SHEATHS IN THE WAY,

IT WILL BE EASIER TO WORK WITH THE NEEDLES.

THE CRAFTSPERSON NOW TAKES A BUNDLE

THAT'S ALMOST THE THICKNESS OF A PENCIL

AND FORMS A SMALL LOOP.

SHE TIES A KNOT AT THE CROSS POINT.

SHE STITCHES THE BUNDLE ALL THE WAY AROUND,

CREATING A SPIRAL WITH A THREADED PATTERN

THAT RADIATES OUTWARD,

LIKE SPOKES ON A WHEEL.

THE CRAFTSPERSON CONTINUALLY TUCKS MORE PINE NEEDLES

INTO THE TAIL OF THE SPIRAL

TO MAKE IT THICKER AND MORE EVEN.

SHE THEN WEAVES A BASKET BASE

FROM THE CENTER SPIRAL OUTWARD.

SHE STITCHES EACH COIL OF PINE NEEDLES TO THE ONE BEFORE IT.

AND SHE ALIGNS THE STITCHING TO CREATE A DECORATIVE PATTERN

THAT ADDS TO THE APPEAL OF THE BASKET.

THE CRAFTSPERSON NOW TUCKS IN PINE NEEDLES

WITH THE BLACK SHEATHS STILL ON,

TO ADD EVEN MORE VISUAL INTEREST.

SHE ARTFULLY ARRANGES THEM AROUND THE BASKET BASE

AND STITCHES THEM TO IT.

FROM START TO FINISH, IT TAKES ABOUT 12 HOURS

TO CRAFT THE ENTIRE BASKET.

AFTER COMPLETING THE LID WITH THE DECORATIVE STONE,

THE CRAFTSPERSON TESTS THE FIT.

FOR AN ALTERNATIVE EMBELLISHMENT,

SHE WEAVES RED DOGWOOD TWIGS INTO A PINE-NEEDLE BASKET.

IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO BE CREATIVE WITH THE MATERIALS

THAT NATURE OFFERS UP IN ABUNDANCE.

EACH ONE OF THESE PINE-NEEDLE BASKETS IS AN ORIGINAL,

HANDCRAFTED BY AN ARTISAN.

AND THAT MAKES THEM WORTH HOLDING ON TO.

Narrator: A MICROMETER IS A HANDHELD PRECISION-MEASURING TOOL

TYPICALLY USED IN MANUFACTURING.

A TOOLMAKER PRODUCING PARTS FOR FACTORY EQUIPMENT

OR A MACHINIST MAKING PARTS FOR A PRODUCT

WOULD USE A MICROMETER TO TAKE PRECISION MEASUREMENTS

TO MAKE SURE THE PART DIMENSIONS CONFIRM

TO ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS.

MICROMETERS COME IN DIFFERENT TYPES

AND RANGES OF MEASUREMENT.

THIS MODEL IS DESIGNED TO MEASURE

THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF AN OBJECT.

THE GRADUATIONS ARE IN IMPERIAL UNITS UP TO 1 INCH.

THE MICROMETER'S FRAME STARTS

OUT AS A FORGED-STEEL PART

THAT NEEDS TO BE MACHINED TO THE FINAL SHAPE.

WORKERS SECURE THE PART ON A MECHANICAL MILLING MACHINE.

THE MACHINE FIRST SQUARES THE ENDS...

...THEN SLICES THE PART DOWN THE MIDDLE,

DIVIDING IT INTO FRAMES FOR TWO MICROMETERS.

A COMPUTER-GUIDED MILL PROFILES THE FRAME.

THIS IS THE FORGED FRAME BEFORE THIS STEP AND AFTER.

ANOTHER COMPUTER-GUIDED MILL REDUCES THE INSIDE

AND OUTSIDE DIAMETERS OF THE FRAME'S HOLLOW STEM.

WORKERS INSERT A NUT IN THE STEM,

THEN DIP A PIECE OF SOLDER

INTO A SOLDERING CHEMICAL CALLED FLUX

AND INSERT IT THROUGH A HOLE IN THE STEM.

THEY HOLD THE STEM INSIDE A SOLDERING COIL.

THE HEAT INSTANTLY MELTS THE SOLDER,

FUSING THE NUT TO THE STEM.

WORKERS REMOVE EXCESS SOLDER WITH A WIRE BRUSH.

THEN, THEY GRIND THE STEM TO FINALIZE THE DIAMETER.

HERE'S WHAT THE STEM LOOKS LIKE

BEFORE THIS LAST GRINDING AND AFTER.

NEXT, ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE FRAME,

THEY MILL A NOTCH.

THIS IS FOR THE LOCK NUT

THAT LOCKS THE MICROMETER AGAINST THE OBJECT

WHILE YOU READ THE MEASUREMENT.

WORKERS NOW SANDBLAST THE ENTIRE FRAME.

THIS REMOVES ALL TRACES OF METAL DUST AND MACHINING LUBRICANT,

LEAVING THE SURFACE PRISTINE,

A REQUIREMENT FOR THE NEXT STEP --

ELECTROPLATING THE FRAME WITH CHROME.

THEY COMPLETE THE MICROMETER'S FRAME

BY LASER-MARKING THE BRAND NAME

AND A REFERENCE CHART OF MEASUREMENTS

IN FRACTIONS OF AN INCH AND THE DECIMAL EQUIVALENTS.

THIS MACHINE SHAPES A LONG STEEL ROD

INTO THE MICROMETER'S INSIDE SHELL,

WHICH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OUTSIDE SHELL,

DISPLAYS THE MEASUREMENT READING.

THE MACHINE FIRST DRILLS THROUGH THE ROD

TO FORM A HOLLOW CYLINDER.

NEXT, IT REAMS THE INSIDE

AND GRINDS THE OUTSIDE TO THE REQUIRED DIAMETER.

THE SAME MACHINE ALSO SHAPES A STEEL ROD

INTO THE MICROMETER'S OUTSIDE SHELL.

IT CARVES A DIAMOND PATTERN ONTO IT CALLED A KNURL.

THIS TEXTURES THE SURFACE, MAKING IT EASIER TO GRIP.

THEN THE MACHINES REAMS

THE INSIDE TO THE REQUIRED DIAMETER.

AFTER SANDBLASTING BOTH SHELLS,

WORKERS HANG THEM ON A RACK,

THEN DIP THE RACK INTO A TANK OF CHROMIC ACID.

COPPER PRONGS ON THE RACK

DELIVER A POSITIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT TO THE SHELLS

WHILE THE CHROMIC ACID IS CHARGED

WITH A NEGATIVE CURRENT.

THIS MAGNETICALLY DRAWS A CHROME LAYER

ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE SHELLS.

THEN A COMPUTER-GUIDED LASER MARKS THE BRAND NAME

AND THE GRADUATIONS ON THE INSIDE

AND OUTSIDE SHELLS.

THIS COMPUTER-GUIDED MILL SHAPES A STEEL ROD

INTO THE MICROMETER'S KEY MEASURING COMPONENT,

THE SPINDLE.

THE MACHINE FIRST PROFILES THE OUTSIDE.

THEN IT DRILLS A HOLE 1/2 INCH DEEP

AND REAMS IT TO THE CORRECT DIAMETER.

IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE SPINDLE NOT WEAR DOWN

WITH LONG-TERM USE,

AS THIS WOULD EFFECT THE MICROMETER'S MEASURING ACCURACY.

TO PREVENT THIS, THEY HARDEN THE STEEL THROUGH

A HEAT-TREATMENT PROCESS.

FIRST, WORKERS PUT THE SPINDLES

IN A FURNACE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 1,526 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

AFTER AN HOUR, THEY SUBMERGE THE SPINDLES IN OIL,

THEN FREEZE THEM OVERNIGHT TO STABILIZE THE STEEL.

THE NEXT DAY, WORKERS TEMPER THE STEEL

BY PUTTING THE SPINDLES BACK IN THE FURNACE FOR AN HOUR,

THIS TIME AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE.

ONCE THE SPINDLES COOL,

A MACHINING TOOL GRINDS THREADS INTO THEM.

THE PRECISION OF THAT THREADING DETERMINES

THE MICROMETER'S MEASUREMENT ACCURACY.

Narrator: TO USE A MICROMETER,

YOU PLACE THE OBJECT YOU'RE MEASURING

AGAINST THE STATIONARY END OF THE FRAME CALLED THE ANVIL.

THEN YOU ROTATE THE SPINDLE ON THE OPPOSITE END

UNTIL IT'S SEATED AGAINST THE OBJECT.

YOU TURN THE NUT TO LOCK THAT POSITION

AND READ THE MEASUREMENT.

THE SPINDLE FOR THIS MODEL HAS 40 THREADS PER INCH.

SO TURNING IT ONE REVOLUTION IN EITHER DIRECTION

MOVES IT 25/1,000 INCH.

IF THE STEEL HADN'T BEEN HARDENED,

THOSE THREADS WOULD WEAR DOWN OVER TIME,

CAUSING INACCURATE MEASUREMENTS.

FOR THE SAME REASON,

THIS DISK THEY NOW PREPARE TO SOLDER

ONTO THE FACE OF THE SPINDLE

IS MADE OF TUNGSTEN CARBIDE,

THE HARDEST TYPE OF STEEL.

AFTER FLUXING THE FACE OF THE SPINDLE,

TOPPING IT WITH THE DISK OF SOLDER,

AND POSITIONING THE FLUXED CARBIDE DISK ON TOP OF THAT,

WORKERS PLACE THE SPINDLE INSIDE THE HOT SOLDERING MACHINE

TO FUSE THE CARBIDE TO THE FACE OF THE SPINDLE.

THEY GRIND THE DIAMETER OF THE CARBIDE DISK TO REDUCE IT

TO THE SAME DIAMETER AS THE SPINDLE.

AFTER THIS GRINDING,

THE DISK BECOMES INTEGRATED

WITH THE REST OF THE SPINDLE.

THEY GRIND THE FACE OF THE CARBIDE DISK FLAT.

THEN THIS LAPPING MACHINE POLISHES THE FACE

TO PERFECT THE FLATNESS

AND PRODUCES A MIRROR FINISH.

THEY PERFORM A QUALITY-CONTROL CHECK

WITH AN OPTICAL PARALLEL MADE OF SAPPHIRE.

IT PROJECTS BANDS OF LIGHT WHICH DETECT FLATNESS

TO A DEGREE THE HUMAN EYE CAN'T PERCEIVE.

THIS SECOND TEST REFLECTS LIGHT OFF THE MIRROR-FINISH FACE.

WHEN ROTATING THE SPINDLE,

THE LIGHT SHOULD STAND STILL.

THIS INDICATES THE FACE

IS PERFECTLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIAMETER.

THE MICROMETER'S ANVIL,

THE FIXED SURFACE OPPOSITE THE SPINDLE

AGAINST WHICH YOU PLACE THE OBJECT YOU'RE MEASURING,

IS ALSO MACHINED FROM CARBIDE.

TO ASSEMBLE THE MICROMETER,

A WORKER PLACES A SPRING

IN A RECESSED AREA OF THE FRAME STEM,

THEN THE INSIDE SHELL ONTO THE STEM.

THE SPRING APPLIES ENOUGH TENSION

TO HOLD THE SHELL IN PLACE.

THE INSIDE OF THE STEM WILL HAVE FEMALE THREADS

TO MATCH MALE THREADS ON THE SPINDLE.

THIS ADJUSTING NUT ON THE END OF THE STEM

CONTROLS THE THREAD ENGAGEMENT

BETWEEN THE TWO,

ENABLING THE SPINDLE TO MOVE MORE TIGHTLY OR LOOSELY.

THE NEXT STEP IS CUTTING THOSE FEMALE THREADS

INTO THE INSIDE OF THE STEM.

FIRST, A WORKER REAMS THE STEM TO THE REQUIRED DIAMETER,

THEN SWITCH THE REAMING TOOL ON THE LATHE FOR A TAPPING TOOL.

TAPPING IS THE TERM FOR CUTTING THREADS.

THEY PUT THE STEM BACK ON THE LATHE

AND TAP 40 FEMALE THREADS PER INCH.

NOW, WORKERS CAN ASSEMBLE THE SPINDLE TO THE STEM.

THEY MOUNT THE SPINDLE

ON AN AUTOMATIC LAPPING MACHINE.

THEN A WORKER SLIDES THE STEM OVER THE SPINDLE,

GOING BACK AND FORTH MULTIPLE TIMES

TO FIT BOTH SETS OF THREADS TOGETHER.

THEY LUBRICATE THE THREADS WITH INSTRUMENT OIL

SO THEY'LL GLIDE SMOOTHLY AGAINST EACH OTHER.

AFTER ASSEMBLING THE LOCK NUT IN ITS NOTCH,

THE WORKER CLEANS THE SPINDLE FACE WITH ALCOHOL

AND GLUES THE ANVIL TO IT TEMPORARILY.

THEN THEY ROTATE THE SPINDLE

UNTIL THE ANVIL REACHES ITS ADHESIVE-COATED POSITION

AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE FRAME.

WHEN THE ADHESIVE SETS,

THE WORKER SEPARATES THE SPINDLE AND ANVIL.

USING AN OPTICAL PARALLEL, THEY CHECK THE SPINDLE

AND ANVIL FACES TO MAKE SURE

THEY'RE PERFECTLY PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER.

THE WORKER COMPLETES THE ASSEMBLY

BY FITTING THE OUTSIDE SHELL TO THE FRAME.

IT COVERS THE END OF THE SPINDLE THAT'S PROTRUDING FROM THE STEM.

A STEEL RATCHET LOCKS IT INTO POSITION.

A FINAL ROUND OF QUALITY-CONTROL TESTING

ENSURES THE DEVICE WORKS SMOOTHLY

AND MEASURES ACCURATELY.

IN THIS TEST, THEY MEASURE

FOUR DIFFERENT-SIZED MEASURING BLOCKS.

IN THIS ONE, THEY BRING OUT THOSE OPTICAL PARALLELS AGAIN

TO CHECK FLATNESS AND PARALLELISM.

THEY ALSO PERFORM A COSMETIC INSPECTION

AND CHECK THAT THE GRADUATIONS ARE ALL LEGIBLE

BECAUSE, OF COURSE, NO ONE WANTS A MICROMETER

THAT DOESN'T MEASURE UP.