Glass Faucets Fire Truck Ladders Antique Clock Restoration Barbecue Utensils
Glass faucets elevate indoor plumbing to an art form. The glass is hand-crafted in a range of shapes and patterns for visual effect. Metal components are fused into the glass to deliver one of the necessities of modern life, running water. Glass faucets are about both form and function. Glass faucets have a delicate beauty, but they're stronger than they look. The glass is very thick, allowing the faucets to hold up to heavy use. Making a glass faucet starts with chunks of clear glass. A glass worker loads the glass into an oven at 2,190 degrees fahrenheit. Another worker selects black and white billets of glass to add stripes and patterns to the clear glass. He preheats them so the glass won't shock and fracture when exposed to higher temperatures. With a metal rod, he gathers a clump of the clear glass from the main oven. With the chunk of glass, he picks up the preheated white cylinder, simultaneously exposing both to the flames. This process makes the glass flexible. Using a curved wood tool, the glass worker gathers the clear glass at the base and wraps it around the white billet, encapsulating it. He attaches the other end of the glass to a second metal rod. This allows the glass to stretch as he pulls it across the room. The glass is now over 35 feet long and pencil-thin. It starts to cool and solidify immediately as it's set down. The glass workers tap the glass against a piece of metal to break it into 8-inch pieces called canes. They shape another piece of clear glass by rolling it on a metal table called a marver. The glass worker blows through the metal rod, causing the glass on the end to bubble. It will eventually become the faucet and two handles. He adds a layer of black molten glass to the bubble. Another glass technician arranges the striped canes on a grooved iron plate and heats them with a torch. Meanwhile, a glass worker rolls the hot glass bubble onto the canes, which stick together. Then it's back into the furnace, and the white-striped canes melt into the black bubble. Next, the craftsman rolls the glass across the marver repeatedly. He pinches the canes at the top, closing them around the bubble. The glass is reheated to keep it pliable as the craftsman continues to form it. The craftsman transforms the bubble into a hollow glass tube then elongating the tube to its desired length. Using a pincer-leg tool, he forms the end into a round handle shape while another glass worker applies heat to the glass with a torch. This keeps the glass pliable. He then creates a hole for a piece of metal hardware. Then he applies molten glass to the metal hardware and inserts the hardware into the round faucet handle. This cuts the handle free from the rest of the glass. Using a forming tool, the craftsman refines the shape of the glass. Next, he preheats a metal mold. This stops the hot glass tube from fracturing as he bends it around the mold to shape it into the faucet. Once the faucet has taken shape, it's ready to go into the annealing oven. The glass is placed in the oven at a low temperature and then cooled. This process removes stresses and strengthens the glass. Meanwhile, using high-pressure water that contains fragments of garnet, a craftsman cuts steel trim rings and a display plate for the showroom. Next, the craftsman installs the glass faucet on the display plate by threading a nut to the faucet valve. He installs the trim rings at the base of the handles and assembles them to the display plate using the hardware that's been fused to the inside of the glass. The craftsman uses a rag to clean the faucet of any fingerprints and smudges. Finally, construction is complete. This unique glass faucet is ready to make a statement. Short fire trucks can easily access tight spaces around the scene of a fire. That's because they're lighter and can carry more water and equipment. However, it's difficult for smaller fire trucks to support the weight of long ladders. To compensate, manufacturers have built longer ladders on shorter trucks. This 108-foot-long ladder can be mounted on a single rear-axle fire truck. Typically, a ladder longer than 75 feet requires a tandem-axle truck to support its weight. The secret to the design of this ladder is that it's lighter, stronger, and durable. The components are cut from sheets and tubes of high-strength steel. Using a press brake, the machinist bends the parts, verifying the accuracy of each bend. Once all the components are prepped, the parts are welded together, then smoothed. This welded part is the turntable base. It rotates the ladder 360 degrees and provides a platform for the firefighter at the controls. This is the torque box. It supports the aerial pedestal to which both the ladder and turntable are bolted. To construct the ladder, technicians weld tubular rungs to vertical side rails called base beams. They reinforce the rungs with diagonal tubes called k-braces, which provide lateral structural strength. Welders fuse steel tubes between the base beam and the handrail to provide structural support. Next, an inspector from an independent testing company examines the integrity of the welding. Once the ladder passes inspection, it's put through a shot-blasting chamber, which pummels the surface with steel pellets. This process removes metal impurities and preps the surface for painting. Craftsmen apply two coats of primer, one top coat of color, then two clear coats of paint, sanding by hand between each application. Next, a three-part anti-skid treatment is applied to the turntable surface-- first, a coat of glue, then an abrasive material, then a coat of sealant, which is baked in an oven for 90 minutes. The ladder rungs are covered with snap-on non-slip covers made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. The ladders are stacked in four or five compact sections. Technicians install a cable that enables the sections to extend and retract. The cable is attached to a hydraulic cylinder. Three telescopic sections of the aerial waterway are attached. This tube transfers water up to the top of the ladder so when the ladder extends, so does the waterway. This valve at the top of the waterway allows firefighters to hook up a hose to bring inside the building. The water monitor, driven by an electric motor, directs the water flow in all directions when the aerial waterway is being used without a hose. Next, the machinists install the turntable controls, which run the electrical power and the hydraulics that move the ladder. Then they attach the ladder to the aerial pedestal with a huge pin. A large bolt is inserted, which prevents the pin from sliding out of place. This is what's referred to as a rear-mount ladder, meaning it's installed on the back of the fire truck. When a ladder is installed behind the cab, it's called a mid-mount ladder. Assembly of the ladder is almost complete. Technicians bolt the turntable to the truck, then hook up the hydraulic line that operates the ladder. They install a swivel mechanism which enables the aerial waterway to move with the ladder and turntable. Before it leaves the factory, the ladder is put through a test run to ensure it meets the highest standards. An antique clock can only be repaired by an expert. This person would have either apprenticed under a clockmaker or studied timekeeping at a horology school. In today's digital landscape, horologists are becoming a vanishing breed. When your grandfather clock is struggling through old age, it's time for a visit to the master clockmaker. First step-- the dial and the mechanism are placed on a stand for observation. Two horologists inspect the clock for worn-down parts. The mechanism contains two gear trains-- one for keeping time, and another to regulate the hammer that strikes a bell on the hour. After the paperwork is completed, the clockmaker gets to work. He detaches the hands and dial to gain access to the gear trains and their linked components. He removes tiny screws to release the hands. Then he removes pins that release the dial's four feet, located within holes in the front plate. An artist restores the dial. The clockmaker unscrews the cast-iron bell and begins disassembling the assortment of parts, starting with the pallets. The pallets receive power from the clock's suspended weights and connect with the timekeeping gear train, which moves the pendulum. The shafts of the hour, minute, and second wheels converge at the center of the largest wheel on the front plate of the mechanism. The clockmaker disassembles these and other components. He lifts off the front plate to strip down the inner parts. The cables suspending the weights are made of woven brass. The craftsman cleans all the metal parts in an ultrasonic machine. Its high-frequency sound waves force the chemical solution into all the nooks and crannies. He rinses the parts and dries them in jeweler's sawdust. Each part is inspected under a magnifying glass to assess their condition. If a part is worn, the craftsman tries to restore it to its original shape. If it's too badly worn, he has to make a replacement with a computer-guided milling machine. The pin at the end of a gear is called a pivot. After measuring its diameter with a digital caliper, the clockmaker sets the disk of a filing machine to its corresponding measurement. He places the pivot between the disk and a fine-grinding disk, filing away any rough surfaces. Next, the craftsman works on the rear plate, hammering in brass sleeves called bushings into multiple gear holes. He widens the bushing just enough to insert the pivot and smooths out the hole. He inserts one end of the pivot in the rear-plate bushing, the other end in the front-plate bushing, and checks that the gear rotates smoothly. He does the same for each pivot hole. Then, all the parts are cleaned, and the mechanism is reassembled. This gear on the front plate is the hour wheel. The clockmaker attaches the hour rack, which connects to the gear train. This system regulates the striking of the bell on the hour. Once the mechanism is reassembled, the horologist attaches the dial to the front plate. The dial of this clock required no restoration. Even the original steel hands are still in good condition. When hands are in bad shape, the clockmaker creates replicas. When hands are missing, he makes new ones in the style of the period. During the entire reassembly, the clockmaker wears gloves to protect the steel and brass components from the natural oils in his hands. Restoring an antique clock can take several weeks of meticulous work. When it's done, the clockmaker mounts the clock back on the stand, connecting the weights and pendulum, and runs a test. the job is complete when the clock keeps time and the hammer strikes the bell to announce the hour. cooking over an open flame calls for a serious set of tools. Barbecue utensils are durable and designed to withstand the heat. Built longer than regular kitchen utensils, these tools enable the chef to keep an arm's distance from the flame, making barbecuing a safe and gratifying experience. When barbecuing, it's important to go big on tools. These substantial utensils will hold up to the intensity of the flame while also offering precision and control. Making barbecue utensils starts with a sheet of high-carbon stainless steel. A laser cuts out several parts, creating turner blades. Turner blades are broad, enabling the user to flip burgers and fillets without breaking them. They also have slots for draining grease and juices. A technician extracts the blades from the matrix and punches out the pre-cut drainage slots. The turner blades are placed on a rack which lowers the blades between two coarse rollers. An operator applies polishing compound to the rollers. As the rollers turn, the friction rubs off stamped information from the steel mill and other blemishes. Technicians buff the blades to a smooth, matte texture. This gives the blades a consistent polished finish. Next, the blade is clamped to a special carriage moving the blade back and forth as a grinding wheel carves a thin beveled edge. The beveled edge will make it easier to lift meat off the grill. An operator clamps the turner blade in a fixture. A hydraulic press bends the neck of the blade. High-grade walnut is the material used to make the utensil handles. It's a hard, durable wood with a grain that adds visual interest. Using a bandsaw, the operator carves the walnut block into smaller chunks. Each one will become a handle blank. He places the blanks on a conveyer that takes them through a spinning cutting head. The cutting head carves a taper into the end of the handle that will hold the blade tang. To refine the shape, a craftsman locks two handle blanks on a revolving table. Moving the handles against a router can make the handles smoother for gripping. It's quite a transformation. Multiple drill heads carve rivet holes on one side. The holes have a graduated profile to allow the rivets to sit flush to the wood. The craftsman drills corresponding holes on the other side. Using a circular saw, he cuts a slot for the tang-- or stem--  of the barbecue utensil to be inserted and drills one last hole for a piece of rawhide that will hang up the tool. Next, the craftsman inserts the tang into the slot in the handle and slides a post through one of the holes. This positions it for a female rivet to be installed from the front. Male rivets are installed on the other side. This completes the riveting steps and secures the handle to the turner blade. Using a coarse sanding belt, the craftsman smooths the rivets to the wood and sands off the metal tang at the protruding sides. Another technician rubs mineral oil into the wooden handle to give it luster and enhance the grain. A mixture of ground corn and mineral spirits serves as a gentle abrasive cleaner. The technician dries off the blade by plunging it into just the ground corn. With a compressed air gun, she blasts off the corn-cob remnants, examines the tool for defects, and props up the utensil under an engraving laser. The laser etches the company name into the metal. This barbecue turner will become part of a set which will act as an extension of the chef's hands, making it possible to cook over an open flame without getting burned.