How It's Made (2001–…): Season 19, Episode 3 - Canvas Wall Tents/Peace Pipes/Shredded Wheat Cereal/Cannons - full transcript

>> Narrator: A WALL TENT IS

SHAPED LIKE A CABIN.

IT'S TALL ENOUGH AND WIDE ENOUGH

TO STAND UP IN AND WALK AROUND.

THIS TYPE OF TENT IS TYPICALLY

USED AS A BASE CAMP ON OVERNIGHT

HUNTING TRIPS.

UNLIKE A SMALLER CAMPING TENT,

YOU USUALLY NEED TO TRANSPORT

A WALL TENT BY VEHICLE OR

BY HORSEBACK.



THESE PREMIUM WALL TENTS ARE

MADE OF STURDY CANVAS.

THEY HAVE A ZIP-UP SCREEN OVER

THE DOORWAY AND WINDOWS TO KEEP

OUT INSECTS.

THEY ALSO HAVE A VENT HOLE IN

THE ROOF TO ACCOMMODATE A STOVE.

THEY CAN BE MADE WITH

LIGHTWEIGHT CANVAS FOR HUNTERS

WHO GO OUT IN THE WOODS ON

HORSEBACK.

DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF TENT

ORDERS TO BE FILLED, THE

FACTORY'S EXPERT FABRIC CUTTER



LAYERS UP TO 10 SHEETS OF CANVAS

ON THE CUTTING TABLE.

FOLLOWING A PATTERN, HE DRAWS

GUIDELINES...

THEN ALIGNS THEM ONE AT A TIME

ON THE TRACK ALONG WHICH THE

CUTTING KNIFE RIDES.

HE DOES THE SMALLER CUTS WITH

SCISSORS.

ONCE HE'S CUT ALL THE CANVAS

PIECES FOR ONE TENT, HE HANDS

THEM OFF TO A SEWER.

SHE OVERLAPS ADJOINING PIECES

BY LESS THAN AN INCH AND, USING

A DOUBLE-NEEDLED SEWING MACHINE,

BINDS THEM WITH TWO PARALLEL

LINES OF STITCHING.

THIS PRODUCES A DURABLE,

WEATHER-RESISTANT SEAM.

NEXT, THE STOVE VENTILATION

SYSTEM -- SHE SEWS WHAT THEY

CALL THE STOVEPIPE SHIELD TO THE

ROOF, THEN CUTS AWAY THE CANVAS

UNDERNEATH.

THE SHIELD IS A FIBERGLASS

FABRIC RECTANGLE WITH A SILICONE

RING IN THE CENTER, THROUGH

WHICH YOU INSERT THE STOVE'S

EXHAUST PIPE.

AFTER NEATLY FINISHING THE

EDGES...

SHE ATTACHES A CANVAS FLAP THAT

ZIPPERS SHUT TO CLOSE OFF THE

STOVEPIPE SHIELD AND ROLLS UP

AND TIES TO OPEN IT.

SHE ALSO SEWS A CANVAS WEATHER

FLAP THAT CLOSES OVER THE

TENT'S FRONT DOOR --

EXTRA PROTECTION IN BAD

WEATHER.

SHE SEWS A ROW OF D-RINGS TO

THE EDGE OF ONE FLAP...

THEN HOOKS TO THE CORRESPONDING

DOOR FLAP.

THEY'RE BOTH MADE OF STAINLESS

STEEL, WHICH NEVER RUSTS, EVEN

WITH REPEATED EXPOSURE TO

MOISTURE.

THESE STURDY HOOKS AND RINGS

KEEP THE FLAP SECURELY CLOSED IN

WINDY WEATHER.

THE CUTTER, MEANWHILE, TRACES

TEMPLATES ON HEAVY-DUTY

FIBERGLASS SCREEN, THEN CUTS

THE SCREENS FOR THE TENT'S

TRIANGULAR REAR WINDOW AND

RECTANGULAR SIDE WINDOW.

THE SEWER STITCHES WEBBING TO

THE WINDOW'S PERIMETER.

WEBBING IS A COTTON SEAL WHICH

KEEPS OUT RAIN, SNOW, AND WIND.

MEANWHILE, A DIFFERENT SEWER

STITCHES THE ZIPPER TO THE DOOR

SCREEN.

SHE ALSO SEWS 3-INCH-WIDE

SEATBELT MATERIAL INSIDE THE

ROOF HEM.

WORKERS THEN APPLY PAIRS OF

GROMMETS ROUGHLY A YARD APART

ALONG THIS REINFORCED PERIMETER.

ONCE YOU'VE PITCHED THE TENT,

YOU SECURE IT BY LOOPING ROPES

THROUGH THESE GROMMETS AND TYING

THEM TO STAKES IN THE GROUND.

THE TENT FLOOR IS MADE OF

VINYL.

WORKERS JOIN THE FLOOR PIECES

USING A RADIO-FREQUENCY WELDER.

IT EMITS RADIO WAVES THAT MELT

THE MATERIAL, FUSING THE

OVERLAPPING EDGES INTO A SEAM.

THEY CONSTRUCT THE TENT'S

INTERNAL FRAME OUT OF HEAVY-DUTY

GALVANIZED STEEL TUBING,

THEN CONNECT THE PIECES WITH

STAINLESS-STEEL COUPLERS SECURED

WITH EYEBOLTS.

AS A QUALITY-CONTROL CHECK,

THEY ASSEMBLE THE TENT BEFORE

SHIPPING IT OUT.

AFTER LAYING OUT THE COUPLERS,

THEY INSERT THE FRAME PIECES TO

FORM THE ROOF, FIT THE

TENT FABRIC OVER THE ROOF

FRAMEWORK, AND INSERT THE LEGS

TO PROP UP THE STRUCTURE.

THEN THEY PULL DOWN THE WALLS,

THE SAME WAY YOU PULL A SHIRT

OVER A HANGER.

AFTER TYING BACK THE FLAPS,

THEY LAY DOWN THE FLOOR, WHICH

SIMPLY SNAPS INTO PLACE.

IF YOU'RE TWO PEOPLE, THE

ENTIRE SETUP TAKES ABOUT

10 MINUTES.

THEN IT'S JUST A MATTER OF

INSTALLING THE WOOD- OR

COAL-BURNING STOVE,

COOKING UP A HEARTY MEAL, AND

GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.

>> Narrator: LONG-STEMMED WITH

AN ELABORATELY CARVED STONE

BOWL, THIS IS A NATIVE

NORTH-AMERICAN PIPE.

HISTORICALLY, IT WAS RESERVED

FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS SUCH AS

THE SIGNING OF PEACE TREATIES.

THAT'S WHY EUROPEAN SETTLERS

CALLED IT THE PEACE PIPE.

LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE MYSTICAL

BUFFALO CALF WOMAN GAVE NATIVE

PEOPLE THE FIRST SACRED PIPE.

IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE SPIRITUAL

POWERS.

THE WISPS OF SMOKE FROM THE

STONE BOWL ARE SEEN AS PRAYERS

RISING TO THE CREATOR.

THE PIPEMAKER STARTS WITH WOOD

LIKE ASH OR SUMAC.

THESE SPECIES ARE SOFT AT THE

CORE, SO THEY CAN BE EASILY

HOLLOWED OUT WITH THE RED-HOT

TIP OF A THICK COAT HANGER.

HE PLUNGES THE SMOKING HOT WIRE

INTO THE SOFT CORE OF THE WOOD,

AND IT QUICKLY BURNS THROUGH

IT, CREATING A PASSAGEWAY

THROUGH WHICH TOBACCO SMOKE CAN

BE DRAWN.

NOW, WITH A PLANER, HE SHAVES

OFF THE TREE BARK AND SHAPES

THE OUTSIDE OF THE WOOD TO

CREATE A SMOOTH, SLIM STEM.

HE CARVES ANGLED SWIRLS INTO

THE WOOD WITH A RASP, A LONG

TOOL STUDDED WITH NUMEROUS SHARP

TEETH.

HE WHITTLES ONE END OF THE STEM

TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A FITTING

FOR ATTACHING THE PIPE BOWL.

HE NOW CONFIRMS THE DIAMETER IS

RIGHT BY INSERTING THE FITTING

INTO A TEMPLATE.

NEXT, SANDING BETWEEN THE SWIRLS

SMOOTHES AWAY GOUGES LEFT BY THE

RASP.

HE FILES A NOTCH INTO THE STEM

JUST BELOW THE SWIRLS.

THEN IT'S OVER TO THE BEADWORK

ARTIST.

SHE WRAPS FRINGED LEATHER AROUND

THE NOTCH AND PLACES A

BRIGHTLY COLORED ACCENT PIECE

ON TOP.

SHE STRINGS GLASS BEADS AROUND

THE LEATHER-WRAPPED NOTCH,

WORKING WITH A PATTERN AND COLOR

SCHEME IN MIND.

CENTURIES AGO, NATIVES OBTAINED

BEADS THROUGH TRADE WITH

EUROPEAN SETTLERS AND THREADED

THEM ONTO PIECES OF ANIMAL

SINEW.

THEIR NEEDLE WAS A THIN PIECE OF

BONE.

THE COLORS OF THE BEADS CAN

REALLY MAKE A STATEMENT.

A STRING OF RED MIGHT SIGNIFY

VIBRANCY AND A LONG LIFE, WHILE

A MIX OF COLORS COULD REPRESENT

A SPIRITUAL BURST OF ENERGY.

THE PIPE STEM IS NOW COMPLETE

AND READY FOR THE STONE BOWL.

FOR THAT, THEY MINE RED CLAY

ROCK CALLED PIPESTONE.

NATIVES HAVE USED IT FOR SACRED

PIPES FOR CENTURIES.

PIPESTONE IS SOFT, AND THIS

MEANS IT'S EASY TO CARVE.

IT'S ALSO SMOOTH AND TAKES A

HIGH POLISH.

HE SPLASHES WATER ONTO A CHUNK

TO MAKE ANY FLAWS MORE APPARENT

AS HE EVALUATES IT FOR CARVING.

HIS SELECTION MADE, HE NOW

BEGINS TO TRACE, FOLLOWING A

BASIC TEMPLATE OF A PIPE BOWL.

HE SAWS THROUGH THE STONE ALONG

THE PENCILED LINES USING A

HACKSAW.

THE ROCK IS FAIRLY EASY TO CUT.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY COMPRESSED

CLAY.

HE ROUNDS THE ANGULAR EDGES

USING A RASP FILE.

NOW NICELY CONTOURED, THE

STONE IS REALLY STARTING TO

LOOK LIKE A PIPE BOWL.

WITH A SERIES OF FINER TOOLS,

HE FLATTENS ONE END AND THEN

SCULPTS THE SHAPE OF AN EAGLE

HEAD ONTO IT.

HE WIELDS A ROTARY TOOL WITH A

FINE BIT TO CARVE EYES AND

FEATHERS.

TRADITIONALLY, NATIVES USE

SHARP FLINT OR BONE TO ENGRAVE

DETAILS.

POWER TOOLS GET THE JOB DONE

FASTER.

HE NOW DRILLS INTO THE STONE TO

HOLLOW OUT THE SHANK AND THE

ACTUAL TOBACCO BOWL.

FOR EARLY NATIVES, THIS JOB WAS

VERY LABORIOUS.

THEY GOUGED OUT THE STONE WITH

AN ARROWHEAD ATTACHED TO A

STICK.

HE RINSES THE EAGLE PIPE BOWL

AND THEN SANDS IT WHILE WET FOR

A SMOOTHER FINISH THAN DRY

SANDING.

HE AIMS A TORCH AT IT TO HEAT

THE STONE.

ONCE HOT, IT READILY ABSORBS

BEESWAX AS HE RUBS IT INTO THE

PORES.

BEESWAX GIVES THE PIPESTONE

BOWL A SATIN SHEEN.

AFTER A DIP IN COOL WATER TO

SOLIDIFY THE WAX, HE SCRATCHES

AWAY SOME OF IT ALONG THE DETAIL

WORK, INCLUDING THE EYES AND

FEATHERS.

THIS ADDS DEFINITION AND

CONTRAST, AND AFTER A BIT OF

FINE-TUNING, THE WOODEN PIPE

STEM FITS SNUGGLY INTO THE STONE

SHANK.

HE PEERS DOWN THE PIPE TO

CONFIRM THAT THE STEM IS

PERFECTLY ALIGNED WITH THE BOWL.

THE SACRED PIPE IS NOW READY

FOR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION.

THEY'VE USED A COMBINATION OF

TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES AND

MODERN POWER TOOLS TO PRODUCE

THIS PIPE, RECONCILING OLD AND

NEW IN THE QUEST FOR PEACE.

>> Narrator: SHREDDED WHEAT IS A

BREAKFAST CEREAL MADE OF 100%

WHOLE WHEAT, SHREDDED INTO A

STRAW-LIKE CONSISTENCY, COOKED,

AND SHAPE UNDER TO A RECTANGLE.

IT WAS INVENTED BY AN AMERICAN

ENTREPRENEUR IN 1893 AFTER HE

MET A MAN WHO WAS EATING BOILED

WHEAT WITH CREAM TO ALLEVIATE

DIGESTIVE SYMPTOMS.

THEY MAY LOOK LIKE TINY BALES OF

HAY, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY A

TASTY AND NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST

OR SNACK.

SHREDDED WHEAT WAS THE FIRST

MASS-PRODUCED, READY-TO-EAT

CEREAL, INVENTED AT A TIME WHEN

PEOPLE TYPICALLY ATE A COOKED

BREAKFAST.

IT ALL BEGINS WITH WHOLE GRAIN

WHEAT.

THE RAW KERNELS ARE HARD AS

ROCK, SO TO SOFTEN THEM UP, THE

FACTORY COOKS THEM

SIMULTANEOUSLY IN WATER AND WITH

STEAM FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

AS THE WHEAT EXITS THE COOKER,

ITS MOISTURE CONTENT IS ABOUT

50%.

EXCESS WATER DRAINS AWAY

THROUGH HOLES IN THE CONVEYER

BELT.

THE WHEAT THEN TRAVELS THROUGH

A DRYER.

INSIDE, NOZZLES BLAST THE SOGGY

KERNELS WITH HOT AIR.

BY THE TIME THE WHEAT EXITS

ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, THE

COOKED KERNELS ARE DRIED.

THEY DROP ONTO A CONVEYER BELT

WHICH TRANSPORTS THEM TO THE

OPERATION THAT PUTS THE SHREDDED

IN SHREDDED WHEAT.

THE WHEAT GOES INTO SEVERAL

FILL TUBES.

EACH FILL TUBE DROPS KERNELS IN

BETWEEN TWO ROLLERS THAT APPLY

PRESSURE, SHREDDING THE KERNELS

INTO DELICATE STRANDS.

THE STRANDS DROP ONTO THE

CONVEYER BELT BELOW, FORMING A

FAIRLY EVEN LAYER.

EACH PAIR OF SHREDDING ROLLERS

DEPOSITS ANOTHER LAYER OF

STRANDS ON TOP OF THE PREVIOUS

ONE, UNTIL THERE'S A SPECIFIC

NUMBER OF STACKED LAYERS.

THE COMPANY WON'T REVEAL HOW

MANY, NOR WILL IT LET ANY CAMERA

PHOTOGRAPH THE NEXT MACHINE --

A ESPECIALLY DESIGNED CUTTER

THAT DIVIDES THE SHEET OF

LAYERED WHEAT STRANDS INTO

RECTANGULAR BISCUITS.

THE SHEET OF SHREDDED WHEAT

BISCUITS NOW TRAVELS THROUGH A

TUNNEL OVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY

10 MINUTES.

THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT GOES ON

INSIDE THIS OVEN ARE TOP SECRET.

ALL THE COMPANY WILL REVEAL IS

THAT THERE ARE TWO CYCLES,

BAKING AND TOASTING.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS

BEFORE-AND-AFTER COMPARISON, THE

BAKE CYCLE MAKES THE BISCUITS

CRISP, AND THE TOAST CYCLE

LIGHTLY BROWNS THEM.

THE NEXT MACHINE COMPRESSES THE

SHEETS WITH A BELT, WHICH

BREAKS APART THE INDIVIDUAL

BISCUITS.

SHREDDED WHEAT COMES IN TWO

VARIETIES -- PLAIN AND FROSTED.

AT THIS POINT, THE PLAIN ONES

WOULD BE READY TO PROCEED TO

PACKAGING.

HOWEVER, THIS BATCH IS

DESIGNATED FOR FROSTING,

SO THE CONVEYER MOVES THEM

ALONG TO THE COATING STATION.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING, THEY

BLEND AND HEAT SUGAR, WATER, AND

OTHER INGREDIENTS.

OVERHEAD NOZZLES SPRAY IT ONTO

THE PASSING BISCUITS.

THE FROSTING TAKES ABOUT A

MINUTE TO DRY AND SET.

HERE'S WHAT THE SHREDDED WHEAT

BISCUITS LOOK LIKE BEFORE

THEY'RE FROSTED AND AFTER.

ON THE PACKAGING LINE, AN

AUTOMATED MACHINE FORMS A BAG

OUT OF A CONTINUOUS SHEET OF

PLASTIC FILM, FILLS IT WITH A

WEIGHED-OUT PORTION OF SHREDDED

WHEAT, THEN SEALS THE BAG AND

CUTS IT FREE.

THE NEXT STATION INSERTS THE

BAG INTO A CARDBOARD CEREAL

BOX, PRINTING THE "BEST BEFORE"

DATE ON THE TOP FLAP.

THE BOX NOT ONLY SHOWS

CONSUMERS A PHOTO OF THE

CONTENTS, IT ALSO LISTS THE

CEREAL'S NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS --

THAT IT'S HIGH IN FIBER,

LOW IN FAT AND SODIUM, AND

CONTAINS ZERO CHOLESTEROL AND

TRANS FAT.

>> Narrator: CANNONS ARE BACK

ON THE BATTLEFIELD, AS HISTORY

BUFFS RE-ENACT SCENES FROM THE

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

THE FIGHTING ISN'T REAL, BUT

THESE REPLICA CANNONS AREN'T

FAKE.

THEY CAN DO EVERYTHING THE

ORIGINALS COULD DO.

THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL ADDS

AUTHENTICITY TO RE-ENACTMENTS.

ON THE FRONT LINES OF ANY

CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTMENT, YOU'LL

FIND THE BIG GUNS, THE CANNONS,

BUILT TO VARIOUS SCALES WITH

ALL THE ORIGINAL DETAILS,

THESE REPLICAS HAVE REAL

FIREPOWER.

FOR SAFETY REASONS, THEY DON'T

LOAD ACTUAL CANNONBALLS INTO

THE MUZZLES, JUST BLACK POWDER.

IT'S TRADITIONALLY BEEN USED TO

PROPEL CANNONBALLS, BUT ON

ITS OWN, IT STILL MAKES FIRING

A CANNON A REAL BLAST.

PRODUCTION STARTS WITH WOODEN

MOLDING BOXES THAT HAVE A CANNON

SHAPE INSIDE.

THERE'S A TOP HALF AND A BOTTOM

ONE.

TOGETHER, THEY'RE KNOWN AS THE

PATTERN.

THEY'LL FILL EACH BOX WITH LAKE

SAND THAT'S BEEN LACED WITH

BONDING CHEMICALS.

THE SAND IS SOFT AND WARM AT

THIS POINT.

THEY PACK IT DOWN AND LEVEL IT

OFF.

AS THE SAND COOLS, THE BONDING

AGENTS CAUSE THE SAND TO

SOLIDIFY.

THIS SAND MOLD WILL BE USED FOR

CASTING THE ACTUAL CANNON.

WHILE THEY COMPLETE THE OTHER

HALF, THEY BRUSH AN

ALCOHOL-BASED WASH INTO ALL THE

CREVICES OF THE SAND MOLD.

BUT THEY DON'T JUST LEAVE IT TO

DRY.

INSTEAD, THEY IGNITE IT.

THE FIRE BURNS OFF THE ALCOHOL,

LEAVING A PROTECTIVE SKIN ON

THE MOLD, ONE THAT WILL PREVENT

SEEPAGE OF THE CASTING

MATERIAL INTO THE SAND.

A WORKER THEN APPLIES GLUE TO

THE BORDER OF THE CANNON MOLD.

THE OTHER HALF OF THE MOLD HAS

BY NOW TAKEN SHAPE, AND THEY

APPLY THE SAME ALCOHOL-BASED

TREATMENT TO IT.

USING A CRANE, THE TEAM

CAREFULLY ALIGNS THE TWO SAND

MOLDS.

THE GLUE CURES, AND THE MOLD IS

READY TO RECEIVE THE CASTING

MATERIAL -- IRON.

THEY POUR FLAMING, MOLTEN IRON

INTO A LARGE LADLE.

THEN, SUITED UP FOR PROTECTION,

THEY TRANSFER THE FIERY LIQUID

TO THE SAND MOLD AND POUR IT

INSIDE.

THE IRON COOLS IN THE MOLD FOR

ABOUT SIX HOURS.

THE FLAMES DIE DOWN, AND THE

LIQUID METAL SOLIDIFIES.

THEN IT'S INTO THE SHOT-BLAST

CHAMBER, SO NAMED BECAUSE

THERE'S STEEL SHOT INSIDE.

ONCE THE DOOR IS CLOSED, THE

TINY PELLETS BOMBARD THE SAND

MOLD AND BREAK IT UP.

A VACUUM SUCKS THE SAND AND

STEEL SHOT OUT OF THE CHAMBER,

LEAVING THE SOLID CAST IRON

CANNON.

A WORKER SLICES OFF UNWANTED

GATING, WHICH WAS FORMED AS THE

IRON FLOWED INTO THE MOLD.

ONE SECTION SERVED AS A

RESERVOIR TO COMPENSATE FOR

SHRINKAGE AS THE IRON

SOLIDIFIED.

HE REMOVES THAT, TOO.

HE THEN GRINDS THE CASTING SEAM

UNTIL SMOOTH.

AT THE FINISHING FACTORY, A

LUBRICATING MIX OF WATER AND OIL

FLOWS FROM A DRILL BIT AS IT

BORES INTO THE CENTER OF THE

SOLID CANNON CASTING.

THE OPERATOR SWITCHES BITS

TWICE FOR A GRADUAL WIDENING OF

THE CAVITY, TAKING IT TO PRECISE

DIMENSIONS.

HERE'S A LOOK DOWN THE CANNON'S

NEWLY BORED MUZZLE.

WITH THE NOSE OF THE MUZZLE

NOW PROTECTED BY PLASTIC, HE

POURS AN EPOXY ADHESIVE INTO THE

BARREL.

HE THEN INSERTS A STEEL LINER.

THE LINER IS A MODIFICATION TO

THE ORIGINAL DESIGN --

A MODERN SAFEGUARD THAT WILL

ENABLE THE CANNON TO BETTER

WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE OF

IGNITION.

THE CANNON TURNS ON A LATHE, AND

THIS ACTION DRIVES THE STEEL

LINER COMPLETELY DOWN THE

BARREL.

IT ALSO SPREADS THE EPOXY EVENLY

FOR A GOOD SEAL.

A CARBIDE BIT MOVES DOWN THE

SPINNING CANNON, TO TAPER THE

EXTERIOR.

HE GRINDS THE AREA BETWEEN THE

TRUNNIONS, WHICH ARE

CYLINDRICAL PROTRUSIONS USED FOR

MOUNTING THE CANNON TO THE

CARRIAGE.

HE STAMPS THE MAKER'S MARK INTO

THE METAL AND THEN SPRAYS

SOLVENT-BASED PRIMER ONTO THE

ENTIRE CANNON...

FOLLOWED BY THREE COATS OF

FLAT, BLACK PAINT.

FROM START TO FINISH, IT'S

TAKEN ABOUT EIGHT DAYS TO

PRODUCE THIS FULL-SCALE REPLICA

OF A REVOLUTIONARY WAR CANNON.

IT'S NOW READY FOR A LITTLE

HISTORICAL RE-ENACTING.

IT'S SURE TO BE A HIT WITH THE

TROOPS.

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