Original subtitles

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: THE WORD BARBECUE SEEMS TO ORIGINATE IN HAITI

WHERE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE DEVELOPED

A METHOD OF COOKING MEAT OUTDOORS OVER A WOODEN STRUCTURE

LONG BEFORE COLUMBUS ARRIVED.

NOBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHEN HUMANS STARTED GRILLING.

BUT IT'S SAFE TO ASSUME THAT WE'VE BEEN

COOKING OUTDOORS LONGER THAN INDOORS.

IN THAILAND, MANY HOMES AND RESTAURANTS

HAVE A POPULAR KIND OF BARBECUE.

IT'S A SMALL PORTABLE CHARCOAL BURNER.

THIS NEW, MORE EFFICIENT DESIGN HAS BECOME

INCREASINGLY POPULAR BOTH IN THAILAND AND ABROAD.

WORKERS START BY ADDING THE RAW MATERIALS

TO A MIXER, BEGINNING WITH CLAY.

THEY ADD A FIBER DERIVED FROM GROUND-UP RICE HUSKS.

THIS FIBER REINFORCES THE CLAY,

GIVING IT ADDED STRENGTH

AND HELPING TO PREVENT THE FINISHED PRODUCT

FROM CRACKING AT HIGH TEMPERATURES.

THE CORRECT MIXTURE IS TWO PARTS CLAY TO ONE PART HUSK.

ONCE THE MIXER THOROUGHLY BLENDS THE MATERIALS,

IT EXTRUDES THE RESULTING COMPOUND IN A THICK RIBBON,

READY FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF PRODUCTION.

A WORKER ROLLS THE CLAY IN A SMALL QUANTITY

OF A THIRD MATERIAL ALSO DERIVED FROM RICE.

THIS IS RICE HUSK ASH.

AND ADDING IT TO THE CLAY HELPS PREVENT MOLD GROWTH.

A CRAFTSMAN PLACES THE CLAY INSIDE

A SPECIALLY SHAPED MOLD,

WHICH SITS ON A POTTER'S WHEEL.

AS THE WHEEL TURNS THE MOLD,

THE CRAFTSMAN WORKS WITH A METAL ARM

AND HANDHELD TOOLS TO SPREAD

AND SHAPE THE CLAY.

HE THEN REMOVES THE FULLY FORMED CLAY POT.

HAVING MARKED OUT THREE LOCATIONS

ON THE RIM OF THE POT,

A CRAFTSMAN NOW ADDS SOME HUSK ASK TO A HANDHELD MOLD

TO PREVENT STICKING.

HE THEN PACKS THE MOLD WITH CLAY

BEFORE PRESSING IT INTO THE POT'S RIM

AND INNER SURFACE.

HE SMOOTHES THE CLAY AROUND THEM,

INTEGRATING THEM INTO THE POT.

THESE THREE ELEMENTS WILL FORM RAISED SUPPORTS

FOR COOKING POTS, WOKS AND KETTLES.

AT THIS STAGE, THE POT HAS AIR DRIED ENOUGH

TO SAFELY REMOVE IT FROM THE MOLD.

THE CRAFTSMAN NOW USES A HANDHELD TOOL TO DEFINE

AND FINISH THE EDGES OF THE RIM AND SUPPORTS.

HE THEN USES A METAL, RECTANGULAR TEMPLATE TO MARK

AND CUT OUT A SMALL VENT FOR AIR INTAKE AT THE BASE OF THE POT.

AN ARTISAN PREPARES A SMALL DISK OF CLAY

FOR A DIFFERENT STAGE OF PRODUCTION.

HE USES A CYLINDRICAL METAL TOOL

TO CUT A SERIES OF 62 HOLES IN THE DISK,

CREATING A HONEYCOMB PATTERN

THAT WILL ALLOW THE PASSAGE OF AIR.

HE USES A SMALL BEVELED WOODEN TOOL

TO HELP SMOOTH THE EDGES OF THE HOLES.

WHEN THE POTS ARE FULLY FORMED,

WORKERS TRANSFER THEM TO THE WALK-IN OVEN.

ONCE THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 500 POTS

AND HONEYCOMBS INSIDE,

IT'S TIME TO FIRE UP THE OVEN.

THE POTS SPEND 8 HOURS

IN THE OVEN AT NEARLY 2,200 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THE FIRING PROCESS GIVES THE GRAY CLAY A REDDISH TINGE.

TO ASSEMBLE THE BARBECUES,

A WORKER STARTS BY CREATING A LAYER OF RICE HUSK

BETWEEN THE CLAY POT AND THE ZINC BUCKET.

THIS INSULATES THE METAL FROM THE BARBECUE'S HEAT.

HE CUTS OUT THE RECTANGULAR VENT

THAT WILL ALLOW AIR TO FLOW INTO THE BOTTOM

OF THE BARBECUE AND HELP FUEL THE FIRE.

HE ADDS SOIL TO THE GAP BETWEEN THE POT

AND THE BUCKET TO FURTHER INSULATE THE EXTERIOR

METAL FROM THE INTERIOR HEAT.

THE CRAFTSMAN NOW SEALS ALL THE GAPS IN THE BARBECUE

WITH MORTAR IN ORDER

TO KEEP THE HUSK AND SOIL FIRMLY IN PLACE.

THE HONEYCOMB DISK FITS PERFECTLY

INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE POT.

IT WILL HOLD CHARCOAL UP ABOVE THE VENT HOLE,

ALLOWING AIR TO FLOW UP THROUGH IT,

FUELING THE FIRE,

WHILE PERMITTING ASH TO FALL DOWN INTO THE CAVITY BELOW.

A WORKER CAREFULLY MORTARS THE DISK IN PLACE.

THIS BARBECUE IS A LOW-TECH

BUT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE OUTDOOR STOVE,

USEFUL WHENEVER IT'S TOO HOT TO COOK INSIDE.

Narrator: IF YOU'RE SCUBA DIVING,

FREE DIVING OR SNORKELING,

YOU NEED A MASK TO MAINTAIN A LAYER OF AIR

BETWEEN YOUR EYES AND THE WATER.

WITHOUT THAT BARRIER,

YOUR EYES CAN'T FOCUS UNDER WATER.

FINS ARE ANOTHER DIVING MUST-HAVE

TO LET YOU PUSH AWAY MORE WATER WHEN YOU KICK

AND GIVE YOU STRONGER PROPULSION.

DIVING FINS CONSIST OF A FOOT POCKET AND A BLADE.

THE BLADE HAS SIDE ARMS RUNNING DOWN ITS LENGTH.

THESE STRENGTHEN THE BLADE AND AMPLIFY THE FORWARD

THRUST A KICKING FOOT GENERATES.

THE PARTS ARE MADE OF THERMOPLASTIC.

TO MAKE THE FIN BLADE,

THE MANUFACTURERS MIX CLEAR THERMOPLASTIC GRANULES

WITH A SPECIFIC PORTION OF COLOR DYE GRANULES

AND DROP THEM INTO THE FEED TANK

OF AN INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE.

THE FACTORY USES CERTAIN TYPES OF THERMOPLASTIC

WHEN MAKING FINS WITH A STIFF BLADE

AND OTHER TYPES WHEN MAKING MORE FLEXIBLE MODELS.

THE MACHINE HEATS THE GRANULES

UNTIL THEY MELT THEN INJECTS THE LIQUEFIED THERMOPLASTIC

INTO A BLADE-SHAPED MOLD.

THE PLASTIC QUICKLY COOLS AND SOLIDIFIES.

THEN THE MOLD OPENS.

AND EXTRACTORS EJECT THE BLADE.

A ROBOT GRASPS THE BLADE WITH SUCTION AND REMOVES

IT FROM THE MOLD.

AS THE ROBOT LIFTS THE BLADE OUT OF THE MACHINE,

THE MOLD CLOSES AGAIN

TO RECEIVE ANOTHER INJECTION

TO MAKE THE NEXT BLADE.

THE ROBOT DEPOSITS THE BLADE ONTO A CONVEYER BELT

WHICH TRANSPORTS IT THROUGH A COLD-AIR TUNNEL.

THIS COOLS THE THERMOPLASTIC ENOUGH

TO ENABLE THE UPCOMING COMPONENT MATERIALS

TO PROPERLY ADHERE TO THE BLADE.

THE NEXT ROBOT PICKS UP THE COOLED BLADE

AND MOVES IT TO ANOTHER INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE,

WHICH PERFORMS A PROCESS KNOWN AS OVER PRINTING,

MOLDING ON ADDITIONAL PARTS UNTIL THE FIN IS COMPLETED.

THE ROBOT FIRST REMOVES THE PREVIOUS

COMPLETED FIN FRESH OUT

OF THE OVER PRINTING INJECTION MOLD.

THIS MACHINE MELTED DOWN GRANULES

OF THERMOPLASTIC RUBBER,

A MORE FLEXIBLE MATERIAL,

AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INJECTION MOLDED THE SIDE ARMS

AND THE FOOT POCKET ONTO THE BLADE.

ONCE THE ROBOT PULLS OFF THIS COMPLETED FIN,

IT LOADS THE NEW BLADE INTO THE MOLD.

AS THE MOLD CLOSES FOR THE NEXT INJECTION,

THE ROBOT DEPOSITS THE FINISHED FIN INTO A CONVEYER BELT.

THE OVER PRINTING PROCESS ALSO APPLIED

THE MANUFACTURER'S NAME

AND SOME DECORATIVE ELEMENTS.

BY CHANGING THE MOLDS ON THE INJECTION MACHINES

AND USING DIFFERENT TYPES AND COLORS

OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS,

THE FACTORY PRODUCES A WIDE RANGE OF FIN MODELS.

A DIVING MASK IS MADE UP

OF A FLEXIBLE SILICONE FACIAL SKIRT ATTACHED

TO A RIGID FRAME WITH LENSES.

THE SKIRT, WHICH THIS INJECTION

MOLDING MACHINE PRODUCES FROM LIQUID SILICONE,

SEALS THE FRAME TO THE FACE,

PREVENTING WATER INFILTRATION.

WHILE THERMOPLASTIC MUST BE MELTED BEFORE INJECTION,

THEN COOLED TO A SOLID STATE,

SILICONE MUST BE INJECTED COMBINED

WITH A HARDENING AGENT

THEN HEATED TO A SOLID STATE.

THE FRAME IS MADE THE SAME WAY AS THE FINS

BUT USING A MORE RIGID TYPE OF THERMOPLASTIC.

A WORKER BEGINS ASSEMBLING THE MASK

BY THREADING A SILICONE HEAD STRAP

THROUGH THE FRAME'S BUCKLES.

THEY ATTACH THE SILICONE SKIRT,

FIRST PRESSING THE NOSE PORTION INTO THE BRIDGE OF THE FRAME.

THEN THE WORKER CONNECTS THE EYE AREA.

THE FRAME IS DESIGNED TO ENABLE THE SILICONE SKIRT

TO SLOT RIGHT IN.

NEXT, THE LENSES, WHICH ARE MADE OF TEMPERED GLASS.

WHILE THEY'RE HIGHLY RESISTANT,

THEY DON'T WITHSTAND FRONTAL IMPACT.

SO THE DIVER SHOULDN'T PLUNGE INTO THE WATER FACE FIRST.

THE FINAL STEP IS TO CLIP IN

RIGID THERMOPLASTIC LENS RETAINERS

AND CLAMP EACH ONE SECURELY TO THE LENS AND FRAME.

THE MASK IS NOW READY FOR A FINAL INSPECTION

TO MAKE SURE NO WATER WILL SEEP IN WHEN YOU WEAR IT.

JUST LIKE FINS,

THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF DIVING MASK MODELS

DESIGNED TO SEE THROUGH DIFFERENT

TYPES OF UNDERWATER EXPLORATION.

Narrator: THE BASSOON WAS DEVELOPED IN FRANCE

IN THE 17TH CENTURY.

IT WAS A BASS WOODWIND INSTRUMENT

LIKE NO OTHER BEFORE IT.

IT EXTENDED THE RANGE DOWNWARD BY A WHOLE TONE.

THIS WAS A WOODWIND INSTRUMENT

THAT COULD HOLD ITS OWN AGAINST THE BASS STRINGS.

YOU COULD HEAR THE DIFFERENCE.

IN THE BASSOON, THE PIPE IS DOUBLED UP

INTO A TIGHT U FOR AN INSTRUMENT

THAT HAS THE NECESSARY LENGTH TO PRODUCE THE LOW NOTES

BUT IS NOT UNWIELDY.

TO MAKE A BASSOON, THEY USE BOSNIAN MAPLE.

IT'S A DENSE WOOD STABLE ENOUGH TO PREVENT VIBRATIONS.

A CUTTING TOOL TAKES OFF THE CORNERS OF THE WOOD BLOCK

AS IT BEGINS TO SHAPE IT

INTO THE END PART OF THE BASSOON,

THE BELL JOINT.

USING A REAMING TOOL,

THEY DRILL A CONE-SHAPED AIR COLUMN INTO THE BELL JOINT.

THE NEXT AUTOMATED CUTTING TOOL TRIMS

THE CIRCUMFERENCE AND FORMS A RIM ON THE END.

FROM A ROUGH PIECE OF WOOD TO A CONTOURED PIPE,

THIS BELL JOINT HAS TAKEN SHAPE.

AT ANOTHER STATION,

A BASSOON TECHNICIAN DRILLS

ANGLED FINGER HOLES INTO THE WING OR TENOR JOINT.

THEN HE FILES THE ENDS OF METAL TUBES

TO SHAPE THEM TO AN ANGLE

THAT MATCHES THAT OF THE FINGER HOLES.

THE TECHNICIAN ALSO FILES DOWN THE OUTSIDE OF THE TUBES

AND CARVES GROOVES INTO THEM.

HE APPLICATIONS EPOXY GLUE TO THE GROOVES

AND INSTALLS THE TUBES IN THE FINGER HOLES.

THE GLUE SEALS THE TUBES TO THE FINGER HOLES.

THE TECHNICIAN CHECKS FOR LIGHT AROUND THE TUBE INSTALLATIONS.

THAT WOULD INDICATE AN IMPROPER SEAL.

THE NEXT MEMBER OF THE TEAM

STAINS THE BELL JOINT TO ENHANCE THE WOOD GRAIN.

SHE APPLIES THE SAME FINISH TO EVERY PART OF THE BASSOON.

THERE ARE FOUR JOINTS THAT CAN BE DISASSEMBLED

TO FIT INTO A CARRYING CASE.

SHE ALSO BRUSHES A SPECIAL LACQUER OVER THE STAIN.

THIS LACQUER IS BELIEVED TO EFFECT THE INSTRUMENT'S TONE,

GIVING IT A ROUND RESONANCE.

AFTER A LIGHT SANDING,

THE PARTS ARE BUFFED TO RESTORE THE SHINE.

THE OTHER CRAFTSMAN NOW DRILLS

TONE HOLES INTO THE LONG JOINT.

HE DRILLS A GROOVE FOR THE MUSICIAN TO SLIDE HIS

OR HER FINGER DOWN TO THE C KEY.

HE RELIES ON THIS METAL TEMPLATE

TO CORRECTLY PLACE THE TONE HOLES

AND THE HOLES FOR THE KEY POSTS.

OVER TO THE NEXT STATION,

A TECHNICIAN DRILLS THREADS INTO THE KEY HOLES.

HE INJECTS OIL INTO THE HOLES

THROUGHOUT THE DRILLING PROCESS.

THIS PROVIDES LUBRICATION TO THE DRILL

TO PREVENT SPLINTERING OF THE WOOD.

HE CLAMPS A KEY POST IN A SPECIAL GRIPPING TOOL

TO HOLD IT FIRMLY AS HE FILES IT TO THE CORRECT LENGTH.

THE TECHNICIAN SCREWS THE KEY POST INTO THE THREADED HOLE.

ONCE IT'S INSTALLED, HE REMOVES THE GRIPPING TOOL.

USING A LONG DRILL AIMED LATERALLY,

HE CARVES HOLES INTO THE SIDES OF THE KEY POSTS.

THE TECHNICIAN INSTALLS A KEY

BY FITTING A HINGE TUBE INTO THE HOLES IN THE POST.

HE CONFIRMS THAT THE PAD CUP ON THE END COVERS

THE TONE HOLE COMPLETELY.

SATISFIED WITH THE POSITIONING,

HE UNPINS THE KEY AND SOLDERS THE HINGE TUBE TO IT.

WHEN THE SOLDER SOLIDIFIES, HE FILES DOWN THE BULGE.

SILVER PLATING GIVES IT A UNIFORM FINISH.

A TECHNICIAN THEN GLUES THE BACK OF A PIECE OF CORK SIZED

TO FIT THE RIM OF THE BASSOON'S LONG JOINT.

HE WRAPS THE CORK AROUND THE RIM.

AND HE FILES IT TO MAKE THE SEAM DISAPPEAR.

HE THEN SANDS IT SMOOTH.

CORK PROVIDES A FLEXIBLE LINK BETWEEN THE INSTRUMENT JOINTS.

IT WILL TOLERATE THE EXPANSION

AND CONTRACTION OF THE WOOD DUE TO TEMPERATURE CHANGES.

A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED LASER ETCHES PRODUCT INFORMATION

ONTO THE INSTRUMENT'S WING AND BOOT JOINTS.

THE TECHNICIAN EQUIPS THE END OF THE BELL JOINT

WITH A DECORATIVE PLASTIC RING.

IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO IVORY,

WHICH IS IN SHORT SUPPLY.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE AS THEY PREPARE THIS BASSOON

FOR A LIFE OF PERFORMANCE.

Narrator: THE BASSOON IS OFTEN CALLED

THE CLOWN OF THE ORCHESTRA

BECAUSE OF ITS ABILITY TO PRODUCE IMPISH

AND ALMOST COMICAL SOUNDS.

IT ALSO DEEPENS THE SYMPHONIC SOUND

WITH ITS RICH, MELLOW TONES.

IT MAY BE THE CLOWN,

BUT THE BASSOON MAKES A SERIOUS CONTRIBUTION

TO THE ORCHESTRAL ENSEMBLE.

A BASSOON CRAFTSMAN GLUES A SILVER-PLATED COLLAR

TO THE END OF THE BELL JOINT

THAT ATTACHES TO THE LONG JOINT.

THE COLLAR REINFORCES THE WOOD.

AND IT ALSO GIVES THIS END

OF THE BELL JOINT A FINISHED LOOK.

HE USES A BLOCK OF WOOD

TO ABSORB THE IMPACT OF THE BLOWS

AS HE HAMMERS THE GLUED COLLAR

SNUGLY IN THE RECESS IN THE BELL JOINT.

PRODUCTION NOW MOVES BACK TO THE BASSOON'S KEYS,

AS ANOTHER CRAFTSMAN POLISHES

THE SILVER TO A MIRROR FINISH.

EACH BASSOON HAS BETWEEN 38 AND 46 KEYS,

DEPENDING ON THE MODEL.

FINISHING THESE KEYS IS THE MOST INTENSE PART

OF THE BASSOON-MAKING PROCESS.

THE TECHNICIAN GLUES PADDING TO THE KEY CUPS,

SPATULAS AND LEVERS.

THE PADDING WILL MUFFLE THE CLICKS OF THE KEYS

SO THEY DON'T RISE ABOVE THE MUSIC.

THEY USE DIFFERENT MATERIALS,

DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH OF THE KEYS.

LONGER KEYS MAKE MORE NOISE.

SO THEY RECEIVE THICK CORK PADDING.

THE TECHNICIAN FILES THE EDGES OF THE PADS

TO MAKE THEM FLUSH TO THE KEY PARTS.

THE SHORTER KEYS RECEIVE THE THINNER RUBBER PADS.

AGAIN, FILING GETS RID

OF THE EXTRA MATERIAL AROUND THE EDGES.

ON THE SPATULA OF THIS MEDIUM-LENGTH KEY,

THE TECHNICIAN INSTALLS A FELT PAD.

FELT IS THICKER THAN RUBBER BUT THINNER THAN CORK.

AS YOU CAN SEE, APPLYING PADS

TO THE BASSOON'S KEYS IS A REAL SCIENCE.

WITH THAT JOB DONE, HE MOVES ONTO THE NEXT STEP,

ATTACHING THE RUBBER ROLLERS

THAT ENABLE THE MUSICIAN TO PLAY FASTER.

THE TECHNICIAN INSERTS SCREWS

IN THE HOLLOW OF THE ROLLERS

TO SECURE THEM TO THE KEYS.

AND HE SCREWS THEM TIGHTLY IN PLACE.

HE THEN FASTENS FLAT SPRINGS TO SOME KEYS

SO THEY'LL SPRING BACK ONCE PLAYED.

THE NEXT TECHNICIAN MELTS WAX INTO THE KEY CAPS

THAT WILL CLOSE THE TONE HOLES OF THE BASSOON.

AND WHILE THE WAX IS STILL MOLTEN,

SHE INSERTS A FELT

AND CARDBOARD PAD COVERED WITH GOAT LEATHER.

SHE SECURES THE KEY TO THE LONG JOINT.

THE WAX HAS HARDENED A BIT BY NOW.

SO SHE HEATS IT UP AGAIN USING A TORCH.

THIS SOFTENS IT SO SHE CAN MANIPULATE THE PAD

SO IT SITS PERFECTLY IN THE CUP.

THE TECHNICIAN PROPS UP

THE END OF THE KEY WITH A PIECE OF CORK.

AND THIS STOPS THE KEY

FROM MOVING UNTIL THE WAX SOLIDIFIES.

THEY INSTALL THE BOOT JOINT KEYS THE SAME WAY.

INSIDE THE BOOT JOINT ARE TWO PARALLEL

PIPES MADE OF HARD RUBBER.

THE BASSOON TECHNICIAN PLACES

A SEAL ON THE END OF THE JOINT.

HE INSTALLS A SILVER-PLATED U-SHAPE TUBE OVER IT.

AND THIS CREATES A TURNING POINT FOR AIR.

HE CAPS IT TO PREVENT AIR FROM ESCAPING.

THE TECHNICIAN ATTACHES A HAND REST TO THE BOOT JOINT.

HE FASTENS A LONG CLIP TO THE INSTRUMENT

FOR THE BASSOON STRAP.

IT'S ADJUSTABLE FOR DIFFERENT SHOULDER POSITIONS.

THE STEEL BOCAL OR CROOK

CONNECTS THE REED TO THE BASSOON.

ALL THE PARTS SHOULD NOW FIT TOGETHER PERFECTLY.

THE TECHNICIAN ATTACHES THE FOUR JOINTS.

HE INSERTS THE WING JOINTS

INTO ONE OF THE BOOT'S JOINT HOLES.

HE INSTALLS THE LONG JOINT IN THE OTHER.

HE LOCKS THE WING AND LONG JOINTS TOGETHER

WITH A LITTLE MECHANISM.

THE TECHNICIAN THEN CONNECTS THE BELL JOINT

TO THE LONG JOINT.

HE PLACES THE BOCAL IN ITS SOCKET

ATOP THE WING JOINT.

HE THEN CHECKS THE BOCAL'S VENT KEY TO CONFIRM

THAT IT OPENS AND CLOSES CORRECTLY.

AND NOW A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN

TESTS THE BASSOON AND TUNES IT.

WITH HIS OKAY, THE BASSOON LEAVES

THE FACTORY READY TO JOIN THE ORCHESTRA.