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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:
For this invention,
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The path to success
Has been bumpy and rocky,
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And that's the whole idea.
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The all-terrain vehicle was
Developed for off-road driving
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Back in the 1970s.
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00:01:04,551 --> 00:01:06,793
The first machines
Were three-wheelers,
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00:01:06,896 --> 00:01:09,344
And then the safer four-wheelers
Came along,
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00:01:09,448 --> 00:01:12,310
Improving on a concept
That was truly trailblazing.
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If you're looking for adventure,
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An all-terrain vehicle
Will get you out of a rut.
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All that bouncing around
Won't hurt a bit
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Because the independent
Rear suspension
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Takes some of the shock
Out of that bumpy ride.
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To make an all-terrain vehicle,
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They clamp pieces of the steel
Framework to a worktable.
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The table flips
And lands in a precise position
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For welding robots
To go to work.
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These computerized robots
Do all the big welds.
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Humans take over
For the more intricate work.
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Once the vehicle mainframe
Is complete,
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They hang it
On an overhead rail,
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Which takes it
Through a painting station.
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When the paint is dry,
They lock it onto rails
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That will move it
Down the assembly line.
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They tie the radiator to it
With hose.
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It will be attached
More securely later.
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00:02:17,724 --> 00:02:20,793
The steering axle for
The front wheels goes in next.
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At the next station,
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They bolt the steel handlebars
To the front of the vehicle.
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They hoist a 300cc engine
Into the chassis.
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It's suitable for beginners
Or smaller riders.
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00:02:39,517 --> 00:02:42,758
They fit the carburetor
Into the engine manifold.
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00:02:47,586 --> 00:02:48,931
Moving down the line,
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They install the suspension
System for the front wheels
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And run the brake lines
To the brake disks.
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They brace the suspension
With a steel bracket.
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The extra support
Will come in handy
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00:03:03,310 --> 00:03:07,137
When this atv
Is on rough terrain.
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They push the outer exhaust pipe
Onto one
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That extends from the engine
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And hook them together
With springs.
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00:03:14,103 --> 00:03:17,172
They then slide
The front and rear clutches
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Onto grooved shafts
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00:03:18,758 --> 00:03:20,896
And connect them
With a rubber belt
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To transmit power from
The engine to the transmission.
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00:03:24,206 --> 00:03:25,310
The radiator
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Has been permanently mounted
To the chassis,
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00:03:28,862 --> 00:03:32,344
And they bolt the coolant tank
To the framework above it.
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00:03:34,931 --> 00:03:39,620
The 4 1/2-gallon fuel tank goes
Between the handlebars and seat.
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00:03:42,103 --> 00:03:46,275
They insert the air-filter box
In an opening behind the tank.
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This much bigger lid goes on
The storage box in the front.
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And after a little
Trademark artwork,
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They push the instrumentation
Panel into place
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Between the handlebars.
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Footwells made of rigid plastic
Flank each side of the atv.
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00:04:10,931 --> 00:04:12,620
At the next station,
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They mount the front grille
And headlights.
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00:04:16,379 --> 00:04:19,965
They screw a rack onto the back.
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00:04:20,068 --> 00:04:22,448
It can be used
To tie down anything
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From camping gear to game.
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Workers then press
A comfy vinyl seat
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Onto the center of the vehicle,
Snapping it into place.
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Now this all-terrain vehicle
Is ready for its wheels.
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The back ones are larger
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To provide that cushioning
Effect over the bumps,
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While the smaller wheels
In the front
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Provide traction
And maneuverability.
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00:04:47,724 --> 00:04:51,275
They apply reflector decals
To the sides and back,
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00:04:51,379 --> 00:04:55,482
So the atv can be seen
More easily when daylight dims.
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The tank has been fueled,
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And this atv is ready to take
A ride on the drum tester.
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00:05:04,896 --> 00:05:08,241
The operator parks the wheels
On a set of drums.
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He activates the computer,
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00:05:10,206 --> 00:05:13,517
And those drums
Are ready to roll.
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The gate closes,
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And the atv rides
On the spinning drums,
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Reaching high speeds
Without actually moving.
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It's the perfect opportunity
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To test the gears, brakes,
And exhaust system.
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The operator then gives
The brakes a workout
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00:05:33,689 --> 00:05:36,793
Because good brakes are critical
In backwoods conditions.
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And it passes.
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00:05:41,310 --> 00:05:44,000
From the three-wheel machine
Of the '70s
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To the flashy four-wheeler
Of today,
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The atv continues to be popular
Off the beaten track.
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Narrator:
Thousands of years ago,
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Scandinavians strapped
Wooden planks on their feet
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To glide across snow.
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00:06:08,724 --> 00:06:12,620
Those first skis enabled them
To hunt and trap in the winter.
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Essentially, they skied to live.
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Today, however,
Some of us live to ski,
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00:06:17,517 --> 00:06:20,724
And cutting-edge equipment
Is part of the appeal.
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00:06:24,551 --> 00:06:26,172
In the past century,
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Downhill skis have become
Shorter and curvier
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00:06:29,965 --> 00:06:31,689
For peak performance.
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They start
With a squared-off ash log.
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A band saw slices it
Into several planks.
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Ash is supple, but strong,
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Which makes it the ideal wood
For the core of a ski.
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A second blade thins each plank
At the end
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And widens it
Where the skier's foot sits.
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Sanding establishes
Subtle angles on the edges.
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Then the planks
Move along to a machine
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That cuts teeth into them.
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00:07:05,310 --> 00:07:07,724
A ridged applicator
Applies epoxy glue
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00:07:07,827 --> 00:07:11,344
To the toothy ends
Of two boards.
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Machinery presses them together
For a tight fit.
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As the glue dries,
It creates a permanent bond.
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The two planks are now
One ski core.
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It still needs some fine-tuning,
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So a robot positions it
On a conveyor,
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Which takes it
Under a sanding belt.
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It smooths
The interlocked section
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And grinds deep cuts
Into the core.
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This defines the parabolic shape
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That helps skiers
Carve through powder
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In short, clean turns.
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They silk-screen graphic artwork
And logos onto plastic.
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00:07:56,241 --> 00:07:58,655
It's a bit of corporate p.R.,
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00:07:58,758 --> 00:08:03,793
But the flashy designs
Can also inspire the skier.
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00:08:03,896 --> 00:08:07,448
An operator then brushes
A release agent into a mold,
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00:08:07,551 --> 00:08:12,793
As she prepares to build and
Shape several skis at a time.
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00:08:12,896 --> 00:08:15,620
A little vacuuming
Gets rid of any dust
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00:08:15,724 --> 00:08:17,586
That would sully the work.
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00:08:20,206 --> 00:08:23,896
Then she tucks pieces of
Graphite-fortified polyethylene
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Into the mold.
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00:08:26,172 --> 00:08:31,000
It will form the base
Of the skis.
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00:08:31,103 --> 00:08:33,413
She places rubber on the ends
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To minimize vibrations
While skiing.
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00:08:36,689 --> 00:08:39,724
Next come layers
Of special fiberglass
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That run the length of each ski.
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00:08:42,344 --> 00:08:45,482
This material
Is both flexible and durable.
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It's been formulated
Specifically for skis.
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00:08:48,827 --> 00:08:51,586
The weave varies
From layer to layer,
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Depending on the type of ski.
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00:08:53,827 --> 00:08:56,586
Strips of rubber
Reinforce the back ends,
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00:08:56,689 --> 00:08:59,827
Followed by pieces
Of heavy-duty polyurethane.
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00:09:03,172 --> 00:09:06,655
The assembler places
The curved wooden cores
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00:09:06,758 --> 00:09:09,103
On top of the synthetic layers.
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00:09:09,206 --> 00:09:12,793
She installs melamine
To build up the ski's sidewalls.
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00:09:12,896 --> 00:09:15,448
This improves gripping
In hard snow.
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00:09:15,551 --> 00:09:18,172
To provide a firm base
For bindings,
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00:09:18,275 --> 00:09:22,241
She covers the narrow waist
Of the ski with more fiberglass,
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00:09:22,344 --> 00:09:24,827
Followed by an aluminum plate
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00:09:24,931 --> 00:09:28,310
To hold the binding screws
In the ski.
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00:09:28,413 --> 00:09:30,862
More layers
Of fiberglass follow,
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00:09:30,965 --> 00:09:34,758
Imbued with epoxy glue,
Which is about to be activated.
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00:09:42,586 --> 00:09:45,655
Once the colorful top sheet
Is secured,
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They close the mold.
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00:09:47,448 --> 00:09:51,896
Inside, the temperature reaches
212 degrees fahrenheit.
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00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:56,172
This causes the glue impregnated
In the fiberglass to liquefy,
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While the mold squeezes
The layers
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00:09:58,862 --> 00:10:01,310
Into the shape of the ski.
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00:10:01,413 --> 00:10:03,517
When the glue hardens,
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00:10:03,620 --> 00:10:06,517
The many layers
Become one solid ski.
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00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,103
It's a fusion
Of synthetic, wood, and metal.
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00:10:14,206 --> 00:10:17,172
But it's still a bit rough
Around the edges,
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00:10:17,275 --> 00:10:20,448
So this robot smooths
The tip and tail of the ski
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Against a sanding belt.
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00:10:24,965 --> 00:10:28,137
The ski then travels
Over several grinding wheels.
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00:10:28,241 --> 00:10:30,689
This cleans it up
And creates angles
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00:10:30,793 --> 00:10:33,482
For precision carving
On the slopes.
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Then, like a powerful fist,
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This machine tests
Its flexibility and strength.
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00:10:42,310 --> 00:10:44,379
Finally,
A worker screws a rail system
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To the waist of the ski
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00:10:45,827 --> 00:10:49,689
To make it easier for the ski
Shop to install bindings.
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00:10:51,827 --> 00:10:54,344
Then it's all downhill
From here,
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Which, of course,
Is the whole idea.
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00:11:09,827 --> 00:11:12,482
Narrator: a laser cutter
Is a high-tech machine
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That factories use
To cut parts out of metal.
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00:11:15,241 --> 00:11:18,206
The traditional way to cut metal
Is with a stamping press,
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00:11:18,310 --> 00:11:19,551
A slower process
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That requires a separate tool
For each type of cut.
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00:11:22,758 --> 00:11:25,000
A laser cutter's
Computer-guided beam
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Can precision-cut
Virtually any shape.
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00:11:33,137 --> 00:11:36,172
A laser cutter is made up
Of a laser resonator,
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Which produces the beam,
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00:11:37,931 --> 00:11:41,000
And a mechanical system that
Moves the laser over the metal
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In a computer-controlled
Pattern.
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00:11:46,965 --> 00:11:48,965
To build the laser resonator,
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00:11:49,068 --> 00:11:51,551
They mill two blocks
Of aluminum.
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Each will hold a mirror on
Opposite ends of the resonator.
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00:11:55,413 --> 00:11:59,034
They will reflect light back
And forth inside the chamber
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00:11:59,137 --> 00:12:01,862
To form the laser beam.
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00:12:01,965 --> 00:12:04,448
All the parts
Go into a cleaning solution
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00:12:04,551 --> 00:12:07,931
Because any contaminants would
Shorten the laser's life.
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00:12:12,068 --> 00:12:14,517
Assembly takes place
In a clean room.
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00:12:14,620 --> 00:12:16,344
After mounting
The aluminum blocks
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00:12:16,448 --> 00:12:17,793
Onto separate aluminum tubes,
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00:12:17,896 --> 00:12:20,896
They slide one tube
Inside the other.
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00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,379
This forms the resonator's
Main structure.
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00:12:27,758 --> 00:12:32,000
They install an electrical
Connector on one of the blocks.
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00:12:34,413 --> 00:12:37,413
Then they mount a mirror
Onto each aluminum block.
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00:12:37,517 --> 00:12:39,724
A generator
Pumps electrical energy
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00:12:39,827 --> 00:12:42,103
Into a pressurized mixture
Of gasses,
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00:12:42,206 --> 00:12:46,172
Producing particles of light
Called photons.
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00:12:46,275 --> 00:12:48,586
The mirrors at both ends
Of the resonator
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00:12:48,689 --> 00:12:51,379
Direct the photons
Back and forth,
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00:12:51,482 --> 00:12:53,275
Creating the laser beam.
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00:12:53,379 --> 00:12:57,206
They now fill the resonator
With that pressurized gas.
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00:12:57,310 --> 00:13:02,172
It's a mixture of nitrogen,
Carbon dioxide, and helium.
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00:13:05,172 --> 00:13:08,827
For the laser beam to cut well,
It has to be the right shape,
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00:13:08,931 --> 00:13:10,482
But the beam is invisible.
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00:13:10,586 --> 00:13:12,172
So, to see its shape,
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00:13:12,275 --> 00:13:15,413
They have to shoot it
Into a plastic cube
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00:13:15,517 --> 00:13:18,241
And observe the formation
It makes.
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00:13:18,344 --> 00:13:21,000
They gradually fine-tune
The beam's shape
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00:13:21,103 --> 00:13:23,931
By adjusting the mirrors
On the resonator.
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00:13:26,724 --> 00:13:29,896
They keep at it until the laser
Cuts a cone formation
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00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:31,344
In the plastic.
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00:13:34,413 --> 00:13:35,827
On top of the tubes,
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00:13:35,931 --> 00:13:39,241
They install a square housing
Containing a series of mirrors,
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00:13:39,344 --> 00:13:42,551
Which further refine the beam.
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00:13:42,655 --> 00:13:46,137
Meanwhile, a robotic welder
Fuses sheets of steel
218
00:13:46,241 --> 00:13:49,448
To construct
The laser resonator's housing.
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00:13:56,310 --> 00:13:57,551
On the main machine,
220
00:13:57,655 --> 00:14:00,655
These large suction cups
Move the sheet of metal
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00:14:00,758 --> 00:14:02,000
To the cutting area.
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00:14:02,103 --> 00:14:04,517
The sheet remains stationary,
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00:14:04,620 --> 00:14:07,137
While a motion unit
Moves the laser beam over it.
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00:14:10,068 --> 00:14:13,482
A rack-and-pinion system
Propels the motion unit.
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00:14:15,448 --> 00:14:18,034
The system's racks
Must be perfectly aligned
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00:14:18,137 --> 00:14:20,206
For the machine
To cut accurately,
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00:14:20,310 --> 00:14:23,344
So a technician uses
Precision measuring equipment
228
00:14:23,448 --> 00:14:24,620
To check the racks,
229
00:14:24,724 --> 00:14:27,758
Then various tools
To make adjustments.
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00:14:27,862 --> 00:14:29,241
Once that's done,
231
00:14:29,344 --> 00:14:33,689
They set up the guide rails
On which the motion unit rides,
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00:14:33,793 --> 00:14:36,379
Then mount the motion unit
Onto them.
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00:14:42,655 --> 00:14:46,103
They bolt the motion unit
To the front of the machine
234
00:14:46,206 --> 00:14:49,448
And the housing that contains
The laser resonator
235
00:14:49,551 --> 00:14:51,241
To the back of the machine.
236
00:14:51,344 --> 00:14:53,965
The resonator
Creates the laser beam.
237
00:14:54,068 --> 00:14:57,620
Mirrors deliver it to
The motion unit's cutting head.
238
00:14:57,724 --> 00:15:00,931
Lenses inside the head
Focus the beam
239
00:15:01,034 --> 00:15:03,482
On the metal that's underneath.
240
00:15:03,586 --> 00:15:07,103
They run a series of tests
241
00:15:07,206 --> 00:15:11,413
To ensure the machine cuts
With ultimate precision.
242
00:15:11,517 --> 00:15:15,517
It all boils down to whether the
Motion unit moves accurately,
243
00:15:15,620 --> 00:15:20,172
Which means the drive-system
Racks must be perfectly aligned.
244
00:15:20,275 --> 00:15:21,482
After testing,
245
00:15:21,586 --> 00:15:24,413
They enclose the cutting head
With a safety cover
246
00:15:24,517 --> 00:15:29,379
Made of sheet metal
And plexiglas.
247
00:15:29,482 --> 00:15:32,931
The cutting head's copper-tipped
Nozzle emits the laser beam,
248
00:15:33,034 --> 00:15:35,758
While a curtain of brass pins
Confines that beam
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To a restricted area.
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The motion unit
Moves in three axes,
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Enabling the laser beam
To cut different thicknesses
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In two dimensions.
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A stamping machine
Leaves rough edges
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That workers
Must grind smooth afterward,
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But a laser cutter
Leaves a smooth edge
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That needs no further work.
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This saves
On time and labor cost,
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Making this technology
A cut above.
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Narrator: it was michelangelo
Who once said,
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"Every block of stone
Has a statue inside it,
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And it is the task
Of the sculptor to discover it."
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Centuries later, sculptors
Still chisel by those words,
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Using techniques similar
To those used
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By the brilliant michelangelo
So many years ago.
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A lifelike image
Emerges from stone,
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And that well-chiseled look
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Is the result
Of a lot of planning and posing.
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The artist first molds
The subject in clay,
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Which allows him to capture
His impressions quickly.
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His clay model is
The sculpture equivalent
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Of a painter's sketch.
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Clay also allows him
To make changes
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That would be impossible
Once carved in stone.
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When the prototype is complete,
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The artist is ready
To choose a stone.
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The search leads to this quarry
In the hills of northern italy,
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Where they've been extracting
White carrara marble
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For centuries.
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A long saw on a track
Makes a horizontal incision
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In the bottom of the rock face.
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Once this undercut is complete,
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The operation moves
To the top of the stone.
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A machine pulls
A loop of diamond cable
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Down through the rock
To cut the back of the slab.
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A constant spray of water cools
The cable and flushes the cut.
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When the two cuts intersect,
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This marble slab
Is ready to be extracted.
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Equipment gently tips it
Onto a soft pile of dirt intact.
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The supervisor gives the slab
A production number
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And draws lines to indicate
How it should be cut
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To prepare it for sculpting.
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Once cut down to size,
It's into the studio,
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Where it's positioned
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Beside a plaster version
Of a clay model.
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With calipers,
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An artisan measures the
Proportions of the plaster cast
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And transfers them
To the marble slab.
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His pencil marks define
The main mass and outer limits
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Of the form
That's to be sculpted.
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This artist chips away
Big chunks of the stone
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To give the rough size and shape
Of the plaster model.
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The penciled measurements ensure
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00:19:15,448 --> 00:19:18,965
That he doesn't chip away
Too much and destroy the slab.
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00:19:21,482 --> 00:19:24,344
Once the general shape
Has been achieved,
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It's time for the detail work.
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The sculptor measures
The plaster prototype
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With a tool called
A pointing machine.
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He transfers the measurements
To the marble sculpture,
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00:19:35,586 --> 00:19:39,172
Ensuring that all the details
Will be to the correct scale.
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Of course, pointing tools
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Can only show the artist
Whereto carve --
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There's no substitute for skill.
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With a pneumatic chisel,
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00:19:51,862 --> 00:19:54,758
The artist shapes
The foot of the figure.
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00:19:58,689 --> 00:20:02,310
Next, the artist switches
To a series of rasps and files,
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So he can shape
The smaller details
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And eliminate any chisel marks.
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00:20:10,931 --> 00:20:13,689
The fingers require
A gentle approach.
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They're delicate
And could be broken easily.
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It takes about four months
For a sculpture
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To go from the rough form
To the finished.
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And now for the final touches --
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00:20:26,655 --> 00:20:29,413
He rubs oxalic acid
Into the marble.
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This seals it
And protects it from stains,
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00:20:32,758 --> 00:20:36,241
But also gives the sculpture
A polished look.
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00:20:40,862 --> 00:20:43,448
The result is
A translucent effect
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00:20:43,551 --> 00:20:46,344
That gives the sculpture
Visual depth.
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00:20:46,448 --> 00:20:49,655
Like ghosts in the attic,
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There's an incredible array
Of plaster casts
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On this studio's upper floor.
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00:20:54,551 --> 00:20:58,379
Many of them are replicas
Of famous classical works.
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They're all on standby
To serve as prototypes
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For sculptural reproductions.
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And once these images
Are carved in stone,
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They should live on forever.
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If you have any comments
About the show,
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00:21:25,137 --> 00:21:27,689
Or if you'd like to suggest
Topics for future shows,
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00:21:27,793 --> 00:21:30,310
Drop us a line at...
27088
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