31x12 - DeLorean Restoration; Bison Fibre

[bunniefuu]

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Narrator:
today on "how it's made"...

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The delorean sports car was
manufactured in northern ireland

In the early 1980s.

With gull-wing doors and brushed
stainless steel panels,

The delorean was known
for its flashy style.

Today, many of these cars are
in rough shape,

But a restoration can make
a delorean look like new.

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This delorean is a rare relic
from the '80s.

Only 9,080 of these iconic cars
were manufactured.

No longer operational,
this delorean

Might have been destined
for the junk yard.

But with
professional restoration,

This company has the spare parts
to get it up and running.

The process starts with
the diagnostics.

The technician examines
the suspension,

The steering rack, and brakes.

He finds
significant deterioration

And documents his findings.

He scrutinizes every part
of the old delorean

And produces an 11-page report
on its condition.

Once all the problems
have been identified,

The mechanic gets to work,

Removing plugs to drain
some of the coolant.

He disassembles
many pipes and hoses

That run coolant from the
radiator to the rear engine.

Many of the coolant pipes
will need to be cleaned

In order to be re-used.

The rubber hoses
can't be salvaged

And will need replacement.

The mechanic disassembles
the brakes.

The calipers are in bad shape
but can be rebuilt.

The rusty rotors
are still thick enough

That they can be resurfaced.

After mounting new tires

And refinishing
the cast alloy wheels,

Another technician
bolts them to the hubs.

He lowers the hoist
and sets the car on the floor.

He tightens the lug nuts
to the final torque setting.

A technician
begins disassembling

The rear drive engine.

In order to know
what needs to be replaced,

The technician
must take the engine apart.

He removes the air filter box

In order to access
the intake manifold.

Then he unbolts
the "w"-shaped manifold pipe

That splits the air flow
to the engine.

Once it's off, he removes
the air-mixture control unit,

Which needs restored to work.

With the unit out of the way,

He can easily get to other parts
that need replacing or fixing.

Those include spark plugs,
wires, vacuum lines,

The distributor cap, and rotor.

Under the front hood,
the mechanic

Pulls the fuel pump out
of the gas tank

To check for deterioration.

It's beyond repair.

He drains any fuel
the remains in the tank.

After the gas tank has been
emptied and cleaned,

He inserts a new, modern-style
pump module.

Another technician holds
the top of the pump down

As the module is clamped
into place.

Next, the technician removes
the interior door panels

And uses a central tester
to operate the power windows.

He confirms the power windows
are functional.

He also checks
the power locks and mirrors

To verify that
they're working properly.

He pulls off
exterior rubber trim.

He shaves off any remaining
rubber bits.

This allows room
to repair a dent

In the stainless steel body.

He files the area around the
dent to remove some scratches.

He places a special tool
over the dent.

It has a rod with a fine steel
tip that welds to the body,

Providing a solid grip, as he
manually pulls out the dent.

Meanwhile, another mechanic

Applies tape
to various sections of the car

To establish borders

For the refinishing
of the steel body panels.

He sands out any imperfections
or tool marks from the repairs

And restores the brushed finish
bumper to bumper.

Since no paint can be used

To cover up repairs
on bare stainless steel,

The body work must be done
perfectly.

Inside, technicians
reupholster the seats

And treat any discoloration in
the vinyl panels and dashboard.

Finally, the entire car gets
an extensive exterior cleaning.

It's taken months to restore
this delorean,

But the question remains,
will it run like a new car?

Once tested in various
driving conditions,

Mechanics confirm
that this 1980s throwback

Is ready for its comeback.

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Narrator: the bison is blessed
with the perfect winter coat,

And now bison fibers are helping
people to endure the cold, too.

Processed with
polyester strands,

The fibers are made into
insulation for winter coats,

Allowing people to hunker down
in frigid winter temperatures.

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These winter coats have been
insulated with bison fiber fill.

It's a by-product
of bison ranching

And a garment insulation that's
no longer going to waste.

Bison fiber fill
is a combination

Of the animal's coarse
guard hairs, bison down,

Recycled and low-melt polyester.

Technicians load
the four fibers separately

Into spiked conveyors.

The fibers were compressed
for shipping.

So as they're loaded, the fibers
are loosened by hand.

Once loading is complete, an
operator turns on the conveyors.

The conveyors' protruding pins

Snag the bison-and-polyester
strands

And transport them upward.

The strands travel under
rotating spiked cylinders.

The cylinders comb the fibers to
open them up and detangle them.

The four different fibers
flow into scales,

Which weigh equal portions
and are released.

The fibers drop onto a conveyor

And move into a blender
for mixing.

Another vertical conveyor
with pins picks up the fibers

And takes them upward,

Past revolving bars
that knock off the excess.

This ensures an even mass, as
the bison-and-polyester fibers

Move between a series of
different wire-covered rollers.

This process arranges the fibers

In a parallel orientation
and gets rid of any clumps.

A comb further aligns
the bison-and-polyester fibers.

The fibers cling together
in a web.

The web transfers
to a wooden slat conveyor.

A vacuum suctions up
loose fibers

To be recycled
back into production.

An oscillating conveyor
layers the fibers

In a zigzag pattern
called "cross lapping."

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Cross lapping produces
a substantial mat,

And it also mixes the fibers.

Next, the web lands
on another conveyor,

Passing between a series
of rollers that compress it.

This process gives
the mixed fibers

The appropriate mass and height
to produce a uniform batt.

A sprayer applies an adhesive

To the bison-and-polyester
insulation.

The adhesive doesn't take
right away.

It will need to be
heat-activated.

The insulation moves into
a 300-degree oven,

Which triggers the activation.

The heat also activates
the low-melt polyester strands

In the insulation.

This bonds the interlaced fibers
to prevent them

From migrating through fabric
when used as fill.

Next, the insulation heads
downward into a shearing.

Like a pizza cutter,
circular blades

Cut through the center
of the insulation mat

And trim along the edges.

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Rollers wind the strips

Of bison fiber and polyester
insulation together.

Using a paper cutter,

An inspector cuts a sample
to a specific size.

He weighs the sample

And confirms that it's
adequate for the size,

Verifying the density
of the fiber mass.

Next, he measures
the sample's thickness.

At about .13 inches,
the fiber fill

Will provide warmth
without a lot of bulk.

The team slices
the bison fiber fabric fill

To its specified length
using a hot wire.

Once the roll is complete, they
start rolling the next one.

The bison fiber rolls are put
in plastic bags for protection

During transport to
outside clothing factories.

Technicians weigh each bag
separately.

After several hours, bison
fibers and polyester strands

Have been transformed into
moisture wicking insulation.

Stuffed inside a jacket liner,

This bison fiber insulation
won't be seen.

But on a winter day,

Its presence
will definitely be felt.

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Narrator: shuffleboard
originated in british taverns

In the 15th century.

Players would slide coins,
called groats, down the bar,

Aiming for them to stop as close
to the edge as possible

Without falling off.

It was so popular that
king henry viii banned the game,

Saying it was too much
of a distraction from work.

Centuries after shuffleboard
was invented,

This easy and entertaining game
is making a comeback.

To make a shuffleboard table,
a technician trims maple strips.

The strips vary in length,

But they all have the same width
and thickness.

Using a rolling wheel
fused with glue,

The technician applies adhesive
to the strips.

These strips
have grooves on one side

And protrusions on the other
so that they can interlock.

The glue will ensure

The interlocked strips
stay together.

After he assembles the strips,
he counts them to confirm

That he has the correct number
for the playfield size.

He lowers a curing press, then
clamps the strips together.

The press applies applies
high-temperature heat

To rapidly cure the glue joints.

The slabs are stored in racks
for 30 days

So that they acclimate
to each other.

Once the process is complete,
the slabs go into a planer.

The planer removes dried glue,
smooths and levels the surface.

On the left is a slab before
it went through the planer,

And on the right is the one
that's had the work done.

A technician applies
adhesive-backed strips

To mark the score zones

And tapes the ends
to prevent peeling.

He smooths down
the number decals

That will designate
the scoring zones.

The company logo goes
in the center.

Next, a coat of polymer varnish
is applied to the board.

The varnish encases the decals,
making them resistant to wear.

The parts of the cradle base
are built with plywood.

A router cuts slots in the base

For the playfield
adjustment parts.

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A technician joins
two sections of the base

And builds the cradle skirting.

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He adds a piece in the center
for extra support,

Links sideboards to the ends,

And staples the corners
together.

He turns the cradle over

And screws the skirt
to the base from the top,

Beginning at the corners

And continuing along
the entire border.

He uses rounded maple corners
for the end frames

To eliminate sharp angles.

He sprays a generous amount
of glue

On the outside of the frame.

This prepares it to receive
a laminated composite material.

He coats the back
of the laminate with glue...

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...and wraps the laminate
around the end frame,

Which adds
a different aesthetic.

Then he sands the rims

So that it sits evenly
on the base of the cradle.

He glues the end frame
to the cradle...

Reinforces the glued seams
with staples...

And joins the sides
of the cradle to the end piece,

Which fit together perfectly.

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Another technician sands the
wood until it's silky smooth.

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Then a stain is sprayed
on the sides of the cradle

And the skirting.

The stain enhances the grain
of the maple

And adds a depth of color.

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He sprays on lacquer,
which seals the stain

And gives the wood
a glossy finish.

He adds wooden inlays
for visual interest.

Next, the cradle
is sprayed with glue.

A technician applies the carpet
to the glued areas.

The carpet will absorb
the impact of pucks

That fall off the board.

With the second end plate
installed and the legs attached,

The cradle is ready
for the playfield to be mounted.

The playfield is so heavy,

It takes two people to lower it
into the cradle.

This shuffleboard table is
now complete.

Even though it's taken
three days to build,

This shuffleboard is worth
every bit of hard work.

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Narrator: the hallmark
of a quality knife

Is a cutting edge
that remains sharp

Despite repeated use over time.

One of the most advanced
knife-making methods

Is friction forging --

A technique applied specifically
to the knife's cutting edge

To produce sharpness
and durability.

Friction-forged blades

Are used primarily
in hunting and fishing

But also work just as well
in the kitchen.

The blades are made
of high-carbon steel.

A laser cutter slices out
rectangular bars,

Each of which will yield
two to five blades.

The bars are wrapped in foil
and put in an oven

At 1,850 degrees fahrenheit
for several hours.

The heat hardens the steel.

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The bars are removed
from the oven and cooled.

Then they're put back
in the oven

And heated
to 700 degrees fahrenheit

For several more hours.

This second round
of heat treating

Tempers the steel,

Drawing down its hardness

To between 38 and 42
on the rockwell scale.

The bars are placed
on a large electromagnet.

The magnet holds them securely,

While the bars rotate
under a grinding stone.

A steady flow of coolant

Prevents the heat
the friction generates

From changing
the hardness of the steel.

The grinder
removes carbon deposits

Caused by the heat treatment,

Along with
any surface imperfections.

A craftsman uses
a rockwell hardness tester

To measure the bar's hardness.

The machine's needle bears down
until it indents the steel.

A measurement of 41
is right on target

And within the range
of ultra-tough spring steel.

The bar is now ready to be
friction forged.

The forging machine's
specialized tool

Applies immense pressure,

Combined with rotational
movement called "stirring,"

To a specific area of the bar.

The stirring action
creates friction,

Which plasticizes the steel,

Reducing its microscopic
grain structures to levels

No other forging
or heat-treating method

Can achieve,



Than that of the steel typically
used in a high-quality knife.

The finer the grain size,
the stronger the steel,

The sharper and less brittle
the blades

The unforged zone becomes
the blade's main body.

This area
is the tough spring steel,

With a rockwell hardness
between 38 and 42.

The friction-forged zone becomes
the blade's cutting edge --



A computer-guided grinding
machine shapes the blade.

This is what the blade
looks like before grinding...

And after.

The blade is shotblasted
with fine ceramic beads

To remove
all surface imperfections.

The forged zone is now
clearly distinguishable.

A craftswoman assembles
the knife's handle.

She places a stainless steel
bolster over the blade

And inserts two pins
made of nickel silver.

She trims the pins,

Then flattens them with a hammer
to lock in the bolster.

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Here is the blade before...

And after this assembly.

A laser engraves
the model and brand name

In the unforged area.

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The craftsman applies glue
on both halves of the handles,

Then presses them together.

This model is made
of desert ironwood

Held together with glue
and brass nickel pins.

Once the glue dries,

A craftswoman runs the handle
against a sanding belt

To shape the wood to the steel.

She polishes the wood to bring
out the beauty of the grain.

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Then the blade is hand-sharpened
on a belt grinder.

First, the main cut.

Then the edge.

Which stays sharp


Than a traditionally
heat-treated blade.

Finally, the knife
is run through a test

For edge sharpness.

If the reading indicates the
sharpness of a razor blade,

The friction-forged knife
passes the test.

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