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--captions by vitac--
Www.Vitac.Com
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Captions paid for by
Discovery communications
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Narrator:
These gemstones aren't mined.
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They're made from garbage.
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Using plasma technology, organic
Waste can be turned into energy,
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And inorganic waste can be made
Into a hard black glass.
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Artisans then turn the glass
Into beautiful jewelry.
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Black jewels glitter
Like genuine gemstones
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And are as hard as quartz.
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But they aren't precious
Or even semiprecious.
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They're pure garbage.
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They're called plasma gems
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Because of the plasma technology
That creates them from waste.
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This patented system converts
Almost any type of waste
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Into clean energy
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Without creating
Any harmful byproducts.
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The process produces
Two useful materials --
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Energy and a hard black glass
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That artisans can cut
Into gemstones.
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The process begins
By shredding waste
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And placing it into
The system's plasma reactor.
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Inside the reactor,
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Two electrodes generate
An electrically-conductive gas.
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00:02:01,689 --> 00:02:03,896
These plasma arcs create
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Temperatures
Exceeding 2,900 degrees,
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Converting
The carbon-based matter
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Into a gas that can be used
To produce electric power.
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At the same time,
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The plasma arcs melt
The non-carbon-based matter,
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Such as glass, metal,
And ceramics.
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The gas fuels engines
That produce electric power.
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Once melted, the waste separates
Into two layers.
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Metal oxides float to the top,
And metals sink to the bottom.
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The company casts the metals
Into ingots,
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Which go
To a recycling facility.
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The metal oxides seen here
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Solidify into glass rocks
As hard as granite.
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The company sells
These glass rocks
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To artisans who use it
To make gemstones for jewelry.
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First, the artisan
Grinds a chunk of the rock
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Down to a smaller starting shape
With a flat side.
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Then she glues on a brass dowel
Called a dob stick.
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She activates the glue
With a u.V. Light.
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She returns
To the grinding wheel
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To further reduce the size
Of the stone
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And round it
As much as possible.
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Then she mounts the dob stick
On a fastening machine.
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She presses the stone
Against an abrasive disc
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Called a lathe
To file down the diameter.
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The lathe's surface is
Made of diamond dust.
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It's the only material
Strong enough
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To cut through hard black glass.
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The artisan measures the stone
Numerous times as she works,
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Ensuring the diameter
Is consistent all around.
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Once the diameter is perfect,
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She adjusts the dob stick
Diagonally
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And begins cutting symmetrical
Facets that will reflect light.
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You cannot set this machine
To cut and polish
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At an exact angle,
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So the artisan has to work
By feel,
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Sensing how hard she must press
The stone against the disc.
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She checks her work
With a magnification loupe
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To make sure all the facets
Meet at a precise point.
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Once she finishes faceting
The bottom of the stone,
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She glues a dob stick
To the top of the stone.
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Then she removes
The first dob stick
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By softening the glue
With a propane torch.
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Now the artisan begins
Faceting the top of the stone,
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Called the crown.
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Once the sides are faceted,
She flattens the pointed top,
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Forming what's called the table.
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She repositions the dob stick
Horizontally
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To polish a flat edge around
The middle called the girdle.
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She removes the dob stick
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And cleans off any glue residue
With acetone.
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She carefully centers the stone
In a sterling-silver pendant.
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The pendant is being held
Upright in a wad of shellac.
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She uses a prong pusher
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To bend the prongs
Securely over the girdle,
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Then rounds off and softens
The prongs with a file.
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To remove the pendant,
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She softens the shellac
Over a flame,
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Then submerges the pendant
In acetone
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To remove any shellac residue.
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On the hardness scale
Used in gemology,
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Plasma gems are equivalent
To many varieties of quartz.
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Not bad for garbage that would
Otherwise be in a landfill.
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Narrator: mother nature
Does not deliver on cue.
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So when a film or television
Script calls for flurries,
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They use a snow machine
To generate fake snowflakes.
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The flakes are actually
Tiny soap bubbles
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That look surprisingly realistic
On camera.
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It's a sweltering day outside,
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But inside on the film set,
It's winter.
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These soapy flakes
Look like real snow.
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They hang around
Just long enough
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To show up on screen
Before they evaporate.
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To create these snowflakes,
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Workers start
With the same chemicals
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That are used
In soap and shampoo.
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A chemist combines the chemicals
In a big mixing vat
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And adds purified water.
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This produces
A snow-making concentrate.
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A machine pumps the concentrate
Into jugs.
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Each jug contains
Enough base material
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To make it snow
For up to 16 hours.
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Now work begins
On the snow-making machine.
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A worker drills holes
Into the back of the snow head
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Using a template as a guide.
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He threads plastic tubing
And wires
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Through the front part
Of the snow head.
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The wires are for a blower,
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And the tubing will be used
To deliver the snow solution.
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He applies silicone caulking
Around the rim
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And places the blower
In the cavity.
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This blower will introduce air
To mix with the snow solution.
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The caulking acts as a sealant
To keep the air from escaping.
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Next, he routes the wiring
And tubing
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Through the back part
Of the snow head.
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Then he joins
The two components.
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He secures the two components
With eight long bolts.
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He encases the wiring and tubing
In a polymer jacket
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That shrinks
When heat is applied.
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Next, a worker carves a hole
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In the center of
A pre-manufactured blower guard.
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He inserts the snow head
In the hole
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So that the blower guard
Surrounds the back.
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He ties the wiring
And snow-solution tubing
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To the guard.
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00:08:35,586 --> 00:08:39,517
Next, he maps out screw holes
And drills them into a big fan
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That will blow the fake snow
Around.
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He screws in brackets
That will be used
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To hang the machine
High above a movie set.
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He installs a metal guard
In the front of the fan...
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...And attaches more brackets
To the side.
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These brackets act as a holder
For the snow-solution pump.
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Now he assembles
The snow-head unit to the fan.
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He ties the snow-solution hose
To the snow-head nozzle
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Using wires.
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He flattens the wires
To the nozzle
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And covers them with vinyl tape.
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He fits a specially-designed
Fabric sock over the nozzle.
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Liquid snow will be forced
Through the pores of the sock
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To form fake snowflakes.
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He connects the snow-solution
Tubing to the pump
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And pulls the wiring
Through the top of the fan.
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Next, a metal box
That contains the controller
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For the electronics
Must be installed.
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He runs the snow-solution tubing
Through it
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And makes all the necessary
Wiring connections.
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00:10:06,896 --> 00:10:10,172
The controller box is lowered
Onto the fan assembly
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And screwed in place.
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00:10:19,103 --> 00:10:23,034
He installs a weight on the end
Of the snow-solution tubing.
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The weight will keep
The tubing submerged
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In the snow-solution container.
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This snow machine is
Now fully assembled.
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It's over to the test station.
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Here, a technician
Runs it for hours.
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He checks that it generates a
Sufficient number of snowflakes
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And that the flakes
Are the right size and shape.
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With his approval,
These machines are ready
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To whip up a snowstorm
When the director says "Action."
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Narrator:
A piano is a complex instrument.
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The inner workings operate
With exact precision.
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00:11:12,137 --> 00:11:15,586
Regular maintenance is required
To ensure its longevity.
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00:11:15,586 --> 00:11:19,551
But even with proper care,
A piano deteriorates with age.
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This is where a talented team
Of specialists come in
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To restore a piano
To its former glory.
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A piano that's untunable,
Has sticking keys,
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Or malfunctioning pedals
Is a pianist's worst nightmare.
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These problems are quite common
In older pianos,
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And the only cure
Is through a major restoration.
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After decades of use,
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Wood, leather,
And wool felt components
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Naturally deteriorate.
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Metal pins develop cavities,
Screws rust,
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Dust and dirt
Inhibit moving parts.
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An old piano
May require anything
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From minor touch-ups
To a complete rebuild.
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It takes up to two days
Just to take apart the piano.
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This component,
Called the action,
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Is the heart of the instrument.
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It has thousands of parts,
Including 88 piano keys
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And the felt-covered hammers
The keys activate.
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Behind the action
Is the damper action.
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The dampers stop the strings
From vibrating,
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Ending the piano note.
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The restorers begin
Removing the dampers.
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Every component must be laid out
In an organized fashion.
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00:12:52,931 --> 00:12:55,586
This is so they know how to
Reassemble the instrument.
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00:12:59,793 --> 00:13:02,862
They separate the keyboard frame
From the action.
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00:13:02,862 --> 00:13:05,448
The self-contained part
That remains
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00:13:05,448 --> 00:13:07,724
Is called the action stack.
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00:13:13,137 --> 00:13:16,862
Like the dampers, the other
Wooden parts of the action stack
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00:13:16,862 --> 00:13:19,241
Deteriorate with age.
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00:13:19,241 --> 00:13:24,344
The felts are usually worn,
And everything's caked in dust.
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00:13:24,344 --> 00:13:28,413
The restorers
Replace these components
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00:13:28,413 --> 00:13:31,137
With custom-made replicas.
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00:13:31,137 --> 00:13:34,275
After cleaning and polishing
The ornate brass structure,
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00:13:34,275 --> 00:13:37,586
They begin reassembling
The action stack.
201
00:13:37,586 --> 00:13:42,586
Next, the restorers remove
And discard any worn parts
202
00:13:42,586 --> 00:13:45,586
On the keyboard.
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00:13:45,586 --> 00:13:47,586
They clean the wood thoroughly
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00:13:47,586 --> 00:13:50,379
And install replacement parts
As needed.
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00:13:50,379 --> 00:13:53,586
The black keys are made
Of ebony wood.
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00:13:53,586 --> 00:13:57,034
They can be refinished
To look brand-new.
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00:13:57,034 --> 00:13:59,620
Older white keys are covered
With ivory,
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00:13:59,620 --> 00:14:02,241
Which is no longer used.
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00:14:02,241 --> 00:14:05,310
So instead, they install
New synthetic coverings
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00:14:05,310 --> 00:14:09,827
Made of white acrylic
Or a similar material.
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00:14:09,827 --> 00:14:12,482
The steel and copper
Piano strings have rusted,
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00:14:12,482 --> 00:14:15,000
Tarnished,
And fatigued with age.
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00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,448
The tuning pins can no longer
Maintain the tension
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00:14:17,448 --> 00:14:18,689
On the strings.
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00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,827
This can change the sound
Of the instrument,
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00:14:23,827 --> 00:14:27,103
So both the strings and
Tuning pins must be replaced.
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00:14:27,103 --> 00:14:29,896
The piano will also receive
A new pin block.
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00:14:29,896 --> 00:14:32,517
The pin block
Is a laminated piece of wood
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00:14:32,517 --> 00:14:34,275
That holds the pins in place.
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00:14:34,275 --> 00:14:36,068
To access the pin block,
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00:14:36,068 --> 00:14:39,275
They have to remove
A heavy cast-iron plate.
222
00:14:39,275 --> 00:14:43,068
The plate holds the strings at
A tremendous amount of tension.
223
00:14:46,862 --> 00:14:51,034
Once they've removed the plate,
They can take out the pin block.
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00:14:51,034 --> 00:14:53,758
They restore
The ornate cast-iron plate
225
00:14:53,758 --> 00:14:57,103
By stripping off the old
Paint finish with chemicals.
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00:14:57,103 --> 00:14:59,172
Then they prime, repaint,
227
00:14:59,172 --> 00:15:02,275
And apply a protective coat
Of clear polyester.
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00:15:04,275 --> 00:15:06,379
Back in the reconstruction area,
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00:15:06,379 --> 00:15:09,655
A restorer removes
The piano's wooden soundboard
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00:15:09,655 --> 00:15:11,586
And its support structure.
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00:15:11,586 --> 00:15:15,586
They use these original parts
As a template for the new ones.
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00:15:15,586 --> 00:15:18,206
If the action
Is the heart of the piano,
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00:15:18,206 --> 00:15:20,655
Then the soundboard is its soul.
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00:15:20,655 --> 00:15:23,862
When the strings vibrate
Against the soundboard,
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00:15:23,862 --> 00:15:26,206
It resonates with sound.
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00:15:26,206 --> 00:15:28,034
On every soundboard,
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00:15:28,034 --> 00:15:32,655
The strings pass over a wooden
Bridge staggered by pins.
238
00:15:32,655 --> 00:15:35,379
The height and positioning
Of the bridge and pins
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00:15:35,379 --> 00:15:38,758
Are critical
For producing fine tone.
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00:15:38,758 --> 00:15:41,862
After removing the pins,
The restorers use the old bridge
241
00:15:41,862 --> 00:15:44,379
To make a template
For a new one.
242
00:15:44,379 --> 00:15:48,758
Now they install
All of the replacement parts --
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00:15:48,758 --> 00:15:53,448
Soundboard, bridge, bridge pins,
Pin block, and tuning pins.
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00:15:53,448 --> 00:15:54,551
They install
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00:15:54,551 --> 00:15:56,931
The newly-refurbished
Cast-iron plate
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And are ready to perform
Some cosmetic restoration.
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Narrator:
A piano's wooden cabinet or case
Is constructed from hardwood.
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To give the piano
The look of fine furniture,
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The surface is covered
In a thin layer of fancier wood
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Such as mahogany, rosewood,
Or walnut.
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This veneer usually requires
Restoration in older pianos.
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Over time, paint peels
And varnish darkens.
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There's often fading from
Exposure to direct sunlight
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Or cracking
Due to dry indoor air.
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To restore the veneer,
They begin
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By using a chemical stripper
To remove the old finish.
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Once they've stripped
The piano-case parts down
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To the bare veneer,
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They sand away
Any imperfections.
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Then they apply aniline dye.
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It's a type of stain that
Penetrates deep into the veneer
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And enhances the grain
Of the wood.
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Several coats of clear lacquer
Are applied
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Over the aniline dye.
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This piano was originally black,
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So they sand, stain,
Then paint the wood black.
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They apply several coats
Of paint,
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Letting each one dry overnight
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Before sanding the surface
And applying the next coat.
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After the final coat, they let
The paint cure for two weeks,
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Then do a fine sanding.
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To make the painted surface
Glossy,
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They use a high-speed buffer
And a series
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Of progressively-finer
Polishing compounds.
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This is a slow and painstaking
Process.
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It takes two or three days
To complete work
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On a concert grand piano
Like this.
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With the 20-plus parts
Of the case now refinished,
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The restorers are now ready
To reassemble the piano.
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They start by hooking the looped
End of each new string
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Onto a hitch pin.
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Then they run the string
Over the bridge
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To the opposite end
Of the cast-iron plate,
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Winding it around a tuning pin.
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Restorers must wear gloves
While restringing.
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Natural oils and perspiration on
The hands can tarnish the wires.
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Next, they install
The refurbished dampers.
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The original wood
Has been sanded and refinished.
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They also have new felts
And new wires.
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The dampers go into
A brand-new damper action.
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The restorers make minute
Adjustments and alignments,
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A meticulous process that can
Take a few days to complete.
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But that's nothing compared to
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Regulating the larger
And more complex action,
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Which can take several weeks.
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They make more than a dozen
Precision adjustments
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To each of the 88 notes.
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After they reinstall the action,
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They bookend the keyboard
With wooden cheekblocks.
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These are the originals,
Stripped, sanded, and stained.
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The cheekblocks
Help align the keyboard
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So that the hammers strike
In the right place.
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The restorer checks the action
One last time
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To ensure
It's performing perfectly.
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Then he's ready
To tune the piano.
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He weaves a strip of wool cloth
Through the strings
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To mute all but the one string
They're tuning.
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Once he's tuned all the strings,
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The inner workings of the piano
Are as good as new.
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Restorers finish
Reassembling the piano case
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And give it a final dusting.
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Except for the legs,
All of the piano-case parts
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Have a solid wood core covered
In a newly-restored veneer.
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This veneer
Isn't just for aesthetics.
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It prevents the wood core
From expanding and contracting
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With changes in humidity.
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Restoring an old piano
Is part technical challenge,
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Part labor of love.
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After many weeks of hard work,
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This instrument looks and sounds
Just as it did in its heyday.
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If you have any comments
About the show,
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Or if you'd like to suggest
Topics for future shows,
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Drop us a line at...
26514
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