Flying Water Bikes Throttle Position Sensors Cinnamon Cordial Handmade Rasps
Looking to get high on a new water sport? Well, you literally can riding a flying water bike. It attaches with a long hose to the back of a jet ski, elevating you up to almost 40 feet above the water where you can perform aerial flips and spins. The jet ski's water thrust feeds three jet nozzles on the flying water bike. One propels the bike upward. The other two feed jet control nozzles that maneuver the bike. The bike's frame is made out of aluminum parts because it has to be lightweight as well as relatively corrosion-resistant, especially if it is going to be used in saltwater. This curved tube will become the lifting jet. To build each jet control nozzle, a worker places a housing on an alignment fixture then hammers an endcap into position. Holding the housing steady with a clamp, the worker welds on the endcap. This housing will cover the bushing at the heart of the jet-control nozzle. He inserts an elbow into the opening in the endcap and welds the parts together. After welding a jet nozzle cone to the other end of the elbow, he welds a handlebar to the housing. These five welded parts make up the body of the first jet control nozzle. To prep for painting, the manufacturers rough up all the aluminum parts by tumbling them with abrasive stones. This component splits the portion of the water thrust that bypasses the lifting jet, sending it in opposite directions to the jet control nozzles. The lifting jet tube now has a nozzle cone welded to one end, a coupling for attaching the fire hose to the other, and an oval hole in the curve, which aligns with the angled end of a straight tube in the middle, called the backbone. After positioning parallel support bars between the lifting jet and the splitter, the welder fuses all the parts together. Then he flips the assembly jig and welds on the seat support. The seat support attaches where the lifting jet and backbone meet. After masking the ends of the splitter, a worker sprays the completed frame, jet control nozzles and other aluminum parts with powder coat. This helps protect against corrosion. The parts go into an oven for up to a half hour to bake the powder coat to a shiny finish. Then workers install an aluminum camlock to securely fasten the fire hose to the coupling. Another worker attaches the remaining components to the frame. First, he screws in the pair of footplates on which the rider stands. Then he bolts the bottom half of each plate to the parallel support bars and the top half to just ahead of the camlock. He mounts a padded knee rest to the support bars. It can be easily repositioned to accommodate the rider's height. On each unpainted end of the splitter, he installs an internal support ring, then a precision-fit nylon bushing and an external support ring, which he screws to the splitter. The worker slides the jet control nozzle housing over the bushing and screws it to the internal support ring. The two control nozzles maneuver the water bike. To ascend, you pull back gradually on both of them, simultaneously. To descend, you push forward on both. To spin, you move one forward and one back. And to do a backflip, you yank both control nozzles all the way back. He assembles the water bike's body. It's made of molded polyethylene with a waterproof urethane pad to cushion the front of the rider's body. The seat is made of the same padded material. Both pad and seat attach with plastic clips. The hollow body is completely watertight, which is why the bike floats. The final step is to mate the body to the frame. The completed water bicycle weighs 30 pounds. Once connected to a jet ski with the fire hose, this water bike flies at a speed of up to 20 miles per hour. By maneuvering the jet nozzles, it does backflips, multiple spins, and even dives 20 feet underwater. A throttle position sensor reports the position of the throttle plate to the engine computer so that it can decide how much fuel to inject into the engine and many other things. Without this critical sensor, the ratio of the air-fuel mix would be compromised, and the engine would likely stall. In internal combustion engines, the throttle position sensor is on constant alert, sending the necessary power demands to ensure a smooth ride. Making these sensors starts with printed circuit boards. These boards will ultimately process physical data and convert this into information the engine computer will understand. A robot transfers the boards to a conveyor which takes them to a solder screen printer. The printer squeegees solder through a stencil to deposit it in specific locations on the boards. The squeegee and stencil then retract, and the conveyor shoves the boards forward to the next operation. Here, a robot retrieves electronic components from tape on a reel and deposits them on the soldered spots on the boards. It collects multiple parts from the reel at one time and installs them on the boards faster than you can blink an eye. Moving forward, the printed circuit boards arrive at a camera station. The camera clicks away and sends pictures of the boards to a computer. The computer analyzes the placement of each component. With the computer's okay, the boards head into an oven with different heating zones. The oven melts the solder and then cools it down to fuse the components to the boards. The oven then ejects the sensor boards. Next, a technician serves them up to automated test probes. The probes energize the components on the boards and, in the process, collect information. They send the data to a computer, which analyzes the function of the components on the board and to make sure they're fully operational. Then the boards move to a pneumatic punch. It separates the 18 sensor circuit boards by cutting the tabs that hold them together. A worker assembles a metal spring to a plastic magnet holder. He places a high-wear washer over the neck the magnet holder. Then he inserts the magnet holder assembly into the throttle-sensor housing and places the unit in a tray. After glue has been injected in the holders, a robot moves in. It scans the holders and confirms that there is glue in each cavity. It then inserts magnets in the holders. A worker installs a torsion spring in the housing. It will hold the magnet holder tight to the throttle body. He now inserts the printed circuit boards into the sensor housings. Terminals in the housings mate to slots in the boards. He solders the terminals to the boards to establish the connections. All the parts are now in place for throttle position sensing. A worker places covers over the sensor board compartments. An ultrasonic welder then melts the plastic at the interfaces. Once it hardens, the weld bonds the cover to the sensor body. A robot pipes silicone adhesive on the welded seam to create a double layer of protection. The sensors ride on a conveyor that goes through an oven. This cures both the silicone on the welded seam and the glue inside to secure the magnet to the holder. Out of the oven, the sensors travel through a cooling station. Probes then power the devices and calibrate them for use in specific vehicles. A robot holds the sensor in front of a laser, which etches the date of manufacture. Back on a conveyor, the throttle position sensor travels under a magnifying glass so that the laser-etching job can be scrutinized. This throttle position sensor is now ready for detection duty. Cinnamon cordial marries the pungent flavor of one of our favorite spices with alcohol. Think of it as the liqueur equivalent of a cinnamon bun. On its own or as in ingredient in a specialty drink, cinnamon cordial can add some serious spice to cocktail hour. Cinnamon cordial is the distilled spirit that is both sweet and spicy. It's this complexity of flavor that is at that heart of its appeal. This particular cinnamon cordial starts with a blend of california grape brandy that's been aged for 2 years. The distiller measures the amount the recipe calls for and pours the brandy into the main production vessel. He then pumps neutral grain spirits out of a big holding tank and into the measuring bucket. This spirit is 190 proof, which means that it is 95 percent alcohol. He adds it to the grape brandy. Together, the brandy and the neutral spirits will serve as the alcohol base for the cinnamon cordial. The brandy contributes color and a little flavor while the clear spirits add potency. Next up are the spices that provide a first layer of flavor. Using a scale, the distiller measures the amounts for the recipe, beginning with whole coriander, a spice that will impart a citrusy zest to the cinnamon cordial. The next ingredient is cloves. This spice has a sweet and peppery essence. Finally, he adds dry bay leaves. He crumbles them to release their herbal fragrance. These three spices will ultimately provide background flavor, while the cinnamon that's to be added later will be the main event. The distiller reopens the production tank and drapes a mesh nylon sachet over the opening. He pours the carefully measured spices into the bag, and they become immersed in the alcohol. He draws the bag of spices shut and leaves it in the alcohol for 2 weeks. During this time, the alcohol extracts flavors from the spices. Staying true to the recipe is critical. Adding too much of one spice or leaving the spices in the alcohol for too long could ruin the batch. After steeping, the liqueur is ready for the cinnamon spice. He adds two kinds-- cassia, which is from indonesia, china, and vietnam, and ceylon cinnamon, which originates in sri lanka. He breaks up the cinnamon tree bark to increase the surface area for steeping. He also adds two different powdered cinnamons for extra flavor and color. He now makes simple syrup from organic sugar and water and adds it to the mixture. This syrup provides sweetness and dilutes the alcohol content substantially, bringing it down to 68 proof. He leaves the blend to steep for a week. During this time, he samples the beverage daily to confirm that the drink is developing correctly and that the cinnamon flavor is properly balanced. The color change during this week is dramatic, and it's an indication of the cordial's deepening flavor. When the taste and color seem just right, he removes the spices and pumps the cinnamon cordial into 25-ounce bottles. This bottling system is equipped with a filter to remove any impurities. Once full, he corks the bottle. Using a special labeling machine, he rolls on the label that identifies the product for marketing. He then heat-shrinks a plastic seal around the cork. He puts a signature on it, and this cinnamon cordial is ready for the cocktail circuit. Tour the workshop of a cabinetmaker or woodcarver, and you're sure to come across a collection of rasps. A rasp is a hand tool with teeth that you push forward with pressure over wood to shape it. Rasps come in various textures, called grains, ranging from coarse to fine. Machine-made rasps may suffice for hobbyists, but fine woodworking requires premium rasps like these, which are made entirely by hand. A rasp starts out as a steel bar, called a blank. First, a worker heats one end of the blank in an oven at a temperature of approximately 1,500 degrees fahrenheit. When the steel glows somewhere between orange and red, he immediately cuts the end to a crude point with a press. Then he places the end under a spring hammer which strikes it repeatedly against a die, forging the crude point to a refined one. After repeating these steps on the opposite end... He inserts the blank into a shearing machine. This cuts across the middle, dividing the blank into two flat rasps, each with a pointed end and a flat end. The worker puts the flat end into the oven. Once it reaches working temperature, he places it in a press. The first strike tapers the end. The second cuts off steel to form the tool's handle, called the tang. The rasp shape is fully forged. An experienced craftsman now begins refining it. First, he runs it against a grinding wheel to remove excess steel. Because steel warps in the forging process, he hammers along the tang, point, and length to straighten the rasp. This step is critical for structural strength because if the grain of the steel isn't perfectly straight, the rasp will warp when the craftsman later hardens the steel by tempering. Once the rasp is straight, he grinds the flat surfaces on a grinding belt. Then he returns to the grinding wheel to remove excess steel around the point. By the time he completes this step, the point is transformed from this to this. After additional grinding to polish away the marks, it's time to give the rasp some teeth. This process, known as stitching the rasp, is a highly specialized skill that requires exceptional dexterity. The stitchers form every single tooth by hand with a single hammer strike on a punch. The punch shape and size determines the tooth shape and size. The hammer size determines tooth height. A heavier hammer forces the punch deeper into the steel, forming a taller tooth. The larger and deeper the teeth, the coarser the grain of the rasp. The artisans stitch the rasp a quarter section at a time to set the teeth at the proper angle. The tooth angle differs when they're making a left-hand rasp versus a right-hand rasp. The expert craftsman now hammers a slight curve back into the rasp. If left straight, it would curve when they temper it. By preemptively curving it, the rasp will straighten when tempered. He submerges the rasp in a molten salt bath inside the tempering furnace. Salt prevents contact with oxygen, which burns off the carbon in the steel, thus destroying its properties. After removing the rasp from the salt bath, he gradually cools it in a quenching tank filled with saltwater. Cooling steel at just the right speed and direction is critical. Too slow, it doesn't harden sufficiently. Too fast, it twists or warps. He does a final straightening in a press. The final operation is a very soft sandblasting. This removes residue from the salt bath and transforms the surface from shiny to matte. These handmade rasps come in a multitude of shapes and 15 different grains ranging from coarse to fine, so the woodworker can always select the right rasp for the task.