How It's Made (2001–…): Season 10, Episode 2 - Curling Stones/Refrigerators/Aluminium Baseball Bats/Opalescent Glass - full transcript

Find out how Curling Stones, Refrigerators, Aluminium Baseball Bats and Opalescent Glass are made.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, LLC

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

...CURLING STONES...

...REFRIGERATORS...

...ALUMINUM BASEBALL BATS...

...AND OPALESCENT GLASS.

THE SPORT OF CURLING
IS A COMBINATION

OF SHUFFLEBOARD, BILLIARDS,
AND BOWLING ON ICE.

PLAYERS AIM A LARGE STONE
AT A TARGET

WHILE TRYING TO KNOCK
THE OPPONENTS' STONES

AWAY FROM THE TARGET.



AS THE STONE
GLIDES ALONG THE ICE,

TEAM MEMBERS SWEEP BROOMS
IN ITS PATH

TO CONTROL
ITS SPEED AND TRAJECTORY.

CURLING STONES
ARE MADE OF GRANITE,

BUT ONLY TWO QUARRIES
IN THE WORLD --

ONE IN WALES
AND ONE IN SCOTLAND --

PRODUCE THE UNIQUE TYPE
OF GRANITE THAT'S REQUIRED,

A FINE GRAIN AND FREE OF
QUARTZ.

THIS UNIQUE STONE

HAS THREE TIMES THE IMPACT
RESISTANCE OF REGULAR GRANITE.

THE QUARRY TRIES TO AVOID
TRADITIONAL BLAST MINING

BECAUSE THAT FRACTURES
THE STONE.

INSTEAD, THEY LOCATE FLAWS
IN THE ROCK FACE

AND PRY CHUNKS OFF OF IT
WITH AN EXCAVATOR.



THIS CHUNK WEIGHS ABOUT 20
TONS
AND IS THE SIZE OF A SMALL
CAR.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO DIVIDE IT
INTO MORE MANAGEABLE SLABS

USING A THICK CABLE CUTTER

WITH ABRASIVE RINGS
MADE OF DIAMOND PARTICLES.

A LARGE PULLEY SYSTEM

MOVES THE CABLE AGAINST THE
ROCK
AT HIGH SPEED,

AND THE DIAMONDS SLOWLY WEAR
THROUGH THE GRANITE.

AVOIDING FLAWS AND WEAK
POINTS,

WORKERS TRACE CIRCLES
THE SIZE OF CURLING STONES

ON THE BEST-QUALITY AREAS.

THE CUT SLAB THEN MOVES
INSIDE THE QUARRY BUILDING,

WHERE THIS CORE DRILL'S
DIAMOND CUTTERS

BORE RIGHT THROUGH THE SLAB,

EXCISING A BLANK THAT
WILL BECOME A CURLING STONE.

THE BLANKS WEIGH
ALMOST 60 POUNDS APIECE.

WORKERS LIFT THEM OUT WITH AN
INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH SUCTION
CUP

THEN TRANSFER THEM

TO A CONTAINER BOUND FOR A
CURLING-STONE FACTORY IN
CANADA.

THERE, A DRILL BORES A CHANNEL
A LITTLE OVER A HALF-INCH WIDE

RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER.

THIS IS FOR ATTACHING
THE CURLING STONE'S HANDLE.

BUT THAT'S STILL A LONG WAY
OFF.

FIRST, THIS MACHINE
HAS TO CARVE THE BLANK

INTO THE SHAPE
OF A CURLING STONE.

THE MACHINE'S CURVED ARM
IS LINED WITH DIAMOND CUTTERS.

IT SHAPES HALF THE STONE,

THEN WORKERS FLIP THE BLANK
OVER
SO IT CAN FINISH THE OTHER
HALF.

THE NEXT MACHINE

CARVES OUT A POCKET
IN THE BOTTOM OF THE STONE.

THIS WILL HOLD
A HIGH-RESISTANCE INSERT

OF EXTRA-FINE-GRAIN
SCOTTISH GRANITE

THAT WILL EXTEND
THE CURLING STONE'S LIFE.

AFTER LINING THE POCKET
WITH EPOXY,

THE INSERT IS POSITIONED.

A HYDRAULIC PRESS
EXPELS ANY TRAPPED AIR

AND HOLDS THE INSERT IN PLACE
UNTIL IT FIRMLY BONDS.

NEXT, A GRINDING MACHINE,
FOLLOWING A TEMPLATE,

MAKES A CENTER CUP IN BOTH
THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE
STONE.

CURLERS CAN ATTACH THE HANDLE
TO EITHER CUP,

DEPENDING
ON WHICH GRANITE SURFACE

THEY WANT GLIDING ON THE ICE.

WORKERS BOLT THE STONE
TO A SPINNING POLISHER

AND BUFF THE SURFACE

WITH FIVE PROGRESSIVELY FINER
GRADES OF DIAMOND ABRASIVE
PADS.

THEN THEY BLAST THE SIDE
WITH TINY GLASS BEADS.

THIS PITS THE SURFACE TO
BETTER
DISTRIBUTE IMPACT FORCE,

PREVENTING THE SIDE
FROM CHIPPING

AS IT STRIKES OTHER STONES.

RUNNING THE TOP AND BOTTOM
OVER COARSE SANDPAPER

GIVES THE STONE MORE TRACTION
ON ICE.

THE FINISHED CURLING STONE
WEIGHS IN AT 40 POUNDS.

THE FACTORY
MOLDS THE STONE'S HANDLE

FROM DURABLE
IMPACT-RESISTANT PLASTIC.

THIS COMPUTER-GUIDED
ENGRAVING MACHINE

CAN EMBELLISH IT
WITH ANY NAME OR LOGO.

PAINT IS APPLIED
TO THE RECESSED AREAS

TO MAKE THE LETTERING OR
DESIGN
STAND OUT.

FINALLY, THE FINISHED HANDLE

IS BOLTED THROUGH THAT
CENTER HOLE DRILLED EARLIER.

FROM THE QUARRY
TO THE FACTORY TO THE ICE,

THIS BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED
CURLING
STONE IS READY FOR
COMPETITION.

WHEN WE RETURN...

THE COLD, HARD TRUTH
ABOUT REFRIGERATORS.

Narrator: BEFORE
REFRIGERATION,

PEOPLE STORED FOODS IN
UNDERGROUND CELLARS OR SHACKS

FILLED WITH SNOW AND ICE.

THEN IN THE EARLY 1900s,
A FRENCH INVENTOR DEVELOPED

THE FIRST MACHINE TO COOL
AND PRESERVE FOODS AT HOME.

THE MODERN REFRIGERATOR

COMES IN COUNTLESS STYLES,
SIZES, AND COLORS.

MANUFACTURING BEGINS
WITH COILED SHEETS OF STEEL.

JUST ONE OF THESE COILS
PRODUCES
HUNDREDS OF FRIDGE EXTERIORS.

THE INTERIORS ARE MADE
FROM RUST-RESISTANT ALUMINUM

LINED WITH AN ACRYLIC SHELL.

A SHEARING MACHINE
SLICES THE STEEL INTO PIECES

FOR THE EXTERIOR TOP,
BACK, AND SIDES.

THEN EACH ONE GOES
INTO A COMPUTERIZED PUNCH
PRESS

THAT MAKES THE HOLES
FOR RUNNING VARIOUS WIRES.

A BRAKE PRESS FORCES THE STEEL
AGAINST A FORMING DIE

TO CREATE EDGES.

NEXT, WORKERS PLACE

THE PIECES OF
THE REFRIGERATOR'S OUTER SHELL

IN AN ASSEMBLY JIG, WHICH
HOLDS THEM FIRMLY TOGETHER.

NOW FOR THE FRIDGE'S INTERIOR.

A VACUUM-FORMING MACHINE
HEATS A SHEET OF PLASTIC

AND SHAPES IT
AGAINST AN ALUMINUM MOLD.

THEN A ROUTER CARVES OFF
ALL THE EXCESS PLASTIC.

THE FREEZER HALF
OF THE REFRIGERATOR

SLIDES PERFECTLY
INTO THE METAL OUTER SHELL,

AND THE FRIDGE SIDE
FOLLOWS.

COPPER TUBES,
FILLED WITH HEATED GAS,

ARE LAID ALONG THE OUTER EDGE

WHERE THE DOOR
CONTACTS THE FRIDGE.

THE GAS PREVENTS
MOISTURE BUILDUP.

A PRECUT FACE FRAME
GOES ONTO THE ASSEMBLY.

THEN FOAM IS INJECTED

INTO THE CAVITY BETWEEN THE
INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SHELLS.

THIS FOAM NOT ONLY INSULATES
THE REFRIGERATOR

BUT GIVES IT
STRUCTURAL RIGIDITY, AS WELL.

THIS EVAPORATOR PLAYS A KEY
ROLE
IN KEEPING THINGS COOL.

IT DRAWS THE HEAT OUT
OF THE FREEZER AND ITS
CONTENTS.

NEXT, THE ELECTRICAL
CONTROL PANEL GOES INTO PLACE.

IT CONNECTS TO A MAZE OF WIRES

AND, EVENTUALLY,
A MICROPROCESSOR.

WITH THE FREEZER SIDE
ALMOST COMPLETE,

THE FRIDGE SIDE
GETS ITS EVAPORATOR.

NEXT COMES
THE REFRIGERATOR DOORS.

TWO COMPRESSORS
PUMP FLUID AND GAS

THROUGH
THE VARIOUS TUBES INSIDE.

THIS COMPONENT,
CALLED THE RADIATOR,

DISSIPATES THE HEAT
COLLECTED FROM THE FOOD.

WORKERS ATTACH
THE EXPANSION VALVES.

THESE ALLOW
THE PRESSURIZED LIQUID COOLANT

TO EXPAND INTO A COLD GAS

THAT CIRCULATES THROUGH
THE REFRIGERATOR'S TUBES.

COPPER TUBES ARE SOLDERED
TO THE COMPRESSOR.

LATER, THEY'LL BE FILLED
WITH REFRIGERANT.

TEMPORARY QUICK-CONNECT VALVES

ALLOW THE SYSTEM
TO BE CHARGED WITH INERT GAS

TO CHECK FOR ANY LEAKS.

THE FILL HOSES ARE CONNECTED,
AND THE GAS BLOWS IN.

INSPECTORS USE THIS WAND

TO CHECK THE TUBES
FOR ESCAPING GAS.

IF THERE'S A LEAK,

THE GAUGE SPIKES
OUT OF THE SPECIFIED RANGE.

REFRIGERATION OCCURS AS COLD
GAS
IN THE EVAPORATOR COILS

PULLS HEAT ENERGY
FROM INSIDE THE FRIDGE.

THE COMPRESSOR THEN CHANGES
THE GAS BACK TO A LIQUID

WHILE THE RADIATOR
DISSIPATES THE COLLECTED HEAT.

THE EXPANSION VALVE TURNS
THE LIQUID BACK INTO A COLD
GAS,

AND THE CYCLE REPEATS.

WITH A CHARGING GUN,

WORKERS INJECT REFRIGERANT GAS
INTO EACH TUBE

THEN WELD
THE ENDS OF THE TUBE SHUT.

NOW FOR THE FINISHING TOUCHES,

STARTING
WITH THE REFRIGERATOR HANDLES.

DRAWERS FOR FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES SLIDE RIGHT IN --

SO DO THE REST OF THE PREMADE
SHELVES AND COMPARTMENTS.

FINALLY, AN ADHESIVE LOGO
GOES ONTO THE DOOR.

BUILT-IN, STAND-ALONE,
DOUBLE-DOOR, OR TRADITIONAL,

THE REFRIGERATOR KEEPS OUR
FOOD
FRESH AND COOL,

JUST THE WAY WE LIKE IT.

UP NEXT...

A FACTORY THAT TRIES TO HIT
A HOME RUN EVERY TIME.

Narrator:
ON TODAY'S BASEBALL DIAMONDS,

IS RIVALING THE CRACK
OF ITS WOODEN PREDECESSOR.

THE PROS STILL USE
TRADITIONAL WOOD,

BUT OUTSIDE THE MAJOR LEAGUES,
THE METAL BAT IS A DEFINITE
HIT.

LIGHTWEIGHT AND DURABLE,

THE METAL BAT HAS SOME
DEFINITE ADVANTAGES OVER WOOD.

PRODUCTION BEGINS WITH
AIRCRAFT-GRADE ALUMINUM RODS.

THESE RODS ARE SLICED INTO
SHORT CHUNKS CALLED BLANKS.

THE BLANKS ARE LOADED INTO A
LATHE WITH A COMPUTERIZED
DRILL.

THE DRILL TUNNELS THROUGH THE
CENTER OF THE BLANK AS IT
SPINS.

THEN THE BLANK UNDERGOES
WHAT'S CALLED IMPACT
EXTRUSION.

WITH 300 TONS OF FORCE,

A SHAPING TOOL BORES
INTO THE HOLE IN THE BLANK,

STRETCHING IT TO MORE THAN
TWICE ITS LENGTH

AND GIVING IT THE BASIC TAPER
OF A BASEBALL BAT.

THE STRETCHED BAT BLANKS

NOW TUMBLE INTO
A BIG, PERFORATED DRUM.

THE DRUM IS LOWERED
INTO A TANK OF SOAPY WATER.

AS IT TURNS,
WATER FLOWS THROUGH ITS HOLES,

WASHING AWAY ANY OILY RESIDUE.

AND NOW,
FOR A REAL HEAVY HITTER.

THIS FORMING TOOL
DELIVERS 400-TON PUNCH

THROUGH THE CENTER
OF THE BAT BLANK.

THE ALUMINUM
STRETCHES AROUND THE TOOL

TO THE FULL LENGTH
AND SHAPE OF A BASEBALL BAT.

A TECHNICIAN MEASURES THE BAT

TO CONFIRM THAT
IT'S COMPLETELY STRAIGHT.

IF IT'S NOT,

SHE APPLIES A LITTLE HYDRAULIC
PRESSURE TO BEND IT INTO
SHAPE.

THIS IS A CRITICAL STEP
BECAUSE
EVEN A SLIGHTLY CROOKED BAT

COULD THROW THE PLAYER
OFF HIS OR HER GAME.

NEXT, THE BAT GOES INTO
ANOTHER COMPUTERIZED LATHE.

AS IT SPINS,

A BLADE LOPS OFF THE BAT'S
END,
CUTTING IT TO SIZE.

ANOTHER TOOL THREADS THE
INSIDE
FOR THE ENDCAP.

THE BAT IS LOCKED
INTO A HOLDING DEVICE,

AND A CIRCULAR SAW
TRIMS THE HANDLE END.

NOW THAT THE BAT
HAS BEEN CORRECTLY SIZED,

IT'S TIME
FOR A VIGOROUS SANDING.

THIS GETS RID
OF ANY SMALL DEFECTS

AND ROUGHS UP THE SURFACE
SO PAINT WILL STICK TO IT.

THEY USE HEAVY-DUTY PAINT

BECAUSE BASEBALL BATS HAVE TO
STAND UP TO A LOT OF ABUSE.

THE SANDED BATS GO INTO
A SILK-SCREEN MACHINE

THAT APPLIES THE TRADEMARK.

THEN IT'S
OVER TO THE DECAL DEPARTMENT.

THE DECALS
ARE DIPPED INTO A SOLUTION

THAT ACTIVATES THE GLUE,

THEN THEY'RE STUCK INTO PLACE.

NOW IT'S
BACK UNDER THE PAINT GUN

FOR A CLEAR COAT
OF POLYURETHANE.

THE PLASTIC ENDCAP IS
PRESS-FIT
INTO THE HOLLOW BARREL.

AN ALUMINUM KNOB
SLIDES ONTO THE HANDLE END,

AND THE ASSEMBLY GOES INTO
AN AUTOMATED WELDING MACHINE

THAT FUSES THEM TOGETHER.

NOW FOR THE GRIP.

SYNTHETIC LEATHER
IS WRAPPED AROUND THE HANDLE

TO PROVIDE A NONSLIP SURFACE.

AND A LITTLE VINYL TAPE
FINISHES THE EDGE.

FROM A SOLID LITTLE CHUNK
OF ALUMINUM

TO A HOLLOW METAL BASEBALL
BAT,

THIS POWERHOUSE IS READY
TO HIT ONE OUT OF THE PARK.

COMING UP...

THE HOT SECRETS
BEHIND OPALESCENT GLASS.

Narrator: GLASSMAKING DATES
BACK
MORE THAN 40 CENTURIES.

BUT IN THE LATE 1800s,

GLASSMAKERS
CREATED SOMETHING NEW --

GLASS THAT WAS BOTH MILKY
AND TRANSLUCENT.

THEY CALLED IT OPALESCENT
GLASS.

LIKE ITS NAMESAKE,
THE OPAL GEMSTONE,

ITS BEAUTY LIES IN THE WAY
IT MAGICALLY CATCHES THE
LIGHT.

OPALESCENT GLASS
IS A SEMITRANSPARENT GLASS

IN EITHER A SOLID COLOR
OR A SWIRLING MIX OF HUES.

GLASS MAKERS CREATE IT
BY MELTING MINERALS,

INCLUDING SILICA SAND...

...SODA ASH...

...DOLOMITE...

...LIMESTONE...

...AND FLUORSPAR.

ADDING RECYCLED GLASS HELPS
SPEED UP THE MELTING PROCESS

AND STRETCHES COSTLY
RAW MATERIALS FURTHER.

THE MIX
IS COLORED WITH PIGMENTS,

IN THIS CASE, COBALT OXIDE,

WHICH GIVES
A DISTINCTIVE BLUE TINT.

A HOIST THEN LIFTS
THE RAW INGREDIENTS CALLED
BATCH

TO A DOUBLE-CHAMBERED MIXER.

INGREDIENTS FLOW
FROM END TO END BETWEEN THEM,

THOROUGHLY BLENDING THE BATCH.

THE BLENDED BATCH NOW GOES
VIA WAGON TO THE BEEHIVE --

A FURNACE THAT CONTAINS
12 CERAMIC POTS.

THE FURNACE WORKER
SHOVELS THE BATCH INTO A POT

TO MELT AT A SEARING
2,600 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

HE PUSHES ANY SPILLS
BACK INTO THE POT.

THEN TO CONTROL
THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE,

CLOSES UP THE POT'S MOUTH.

24 HOURS LATER,

WORKERS SCOOP OUT
THE GLOWING MOLTEN GLASS.

WITH ONLY SECONDS TO SPARE,
THEY HURRY TO THE MIXING
TABLE,

KEEPING THE GLASS IN MOTION

TO PREVENT IT FROM COOLING
UNEVENLY ON THE WAY.

IT'S CRITICAL THEY COOL OFF
THE LADLES BETWEEN EACH USE

OR THE NEXT SCOOP OF GLASS
WILL
ADHERE TO THE LADLE'S SURFACE.

THE LADLES THEY USE
VARY IN SIZE,

HOLDING BETWEEN 4 AND 40
POUNDS
OF MOLTEN GLASS.

WORKERS POUR AS MANY AS
FIVE DIFFERENT LADLES AT ONCE

TO MAKE A SINGLE COLOR.

THE MIXING TABLE
IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.

THE TABLE WORKER PICKS UP ONE
GATHER OF BURNING MOLTEN
GLASS,

THEN ANOTHER,

THEN SKILLFULLY BLENDS THEM
TOGETHER USING A STEEL FORK.

HE THEN FLIPS THE MOLTEN GLASS
INTO A ROLLING MACHINE,

EVENING IT OUT AS IT SQUEEZES
THROUGH THE ROLLERS.

OUT COMES A SHEET
ABOUT 6 FEET LONG

AND 1/8th OF AN INCH THICK.

EVERY 90 SECONDS,
WORKERS FILL THEIR LADLES

WITH 2,000 DEGREE FAHRENHEIT
MOLTEN GLASS.

MIXING IT ON THE TABLE HELPS
COOL IT AND BLEND THE COLORS.

THE TABLE WORKER
SEPARATES THE GLASS SHEET

FROM THE TABLE SURFACE,

FORCING OUT ANY
TRAPPED AIR BUBBLES

AND FURTHER COOLING THE GLASS.

THE SHEET NOW GOES
INTO A LEHR --

AN OVEN THAT HARDENS THE
GLASS,

THEN COOLS IT EVENLY
TO PREVENT CRACKING.

FROM THERE,
IT'S ON TO THE TRIMMING TABLE.

WORKERS WEAR PROTECTIVE
CLOTHING
AND THICK GLOVES

TO HANDLE THE RAZOR-SHARP
EDGES
STILL HOT TO THE TOUCH.

CUTTING THE GLASS SHEETS
IS A DELICATE, TWO-PERSON JOB.

THEY MUST WORK IN SYNC

TO KEEP PACE WITH THE SHEETS
THAT KEEP ON COMING.

A SINGLE POT PRODUCES
ABOUT 25 SHEETS OVER 24 HOURS.

THAT'S 300 SHEETS A DAY
FROM JUST ONE 12-POT FURNACE.

USING A CARBIDE-TIPPED CUTTER,
THE WORKERS SCORE THE GLASS,

THEN SNAP APART THE PIECES --
STANDARD 32-INCH SQUARE
SHEETS.

THEY SET ASIDE THE EXCESS
GLASS
TO REMELT IN A NEW BATCH.

FINALLY, THE SHEETS
ARE LOADED INTO CRATES

FOR SHIPMENT ALL OVER THE
WORLD.

JUST LOOK HOW ARTISTS
USE OPALESCENT GLASS

TO CREATE A FEAST OF PATTERN,
COLOR, AND LIGHT.

LIKE A PAINTING,
ONLY FAR MORE FRAGILE.

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