meta dict | text listlengths 124 216 |
|---|---|
{
"things": [
"Fireplace Bellows",
"Calissons",
"Diving Watercraft"
]
} | [
"Today, on \"how it's made\"...",
"Somewhere back in time, somebody was blowing on a fire to get it started and wondered if there were a way to do it without hyperventilating.",
"A lot of people must have had this idea because different kinds of bellows can be found across the ancient world from egypt to asia."... |
{
"things": [
"Thermoplastic Fire Helmets",
"Basketry Sculptures",
"Coffee Roasters"
]
} | [
"Thermoplastic fire helmets are lightweight, but that doesn't mean they aren't tough.",
"Because of their chemical composition, these plastic helmets remain sturdy, even when exposed to temperatures of over 500 degrees fahrenheit.",
"Developed in the 1970s, the helmets have become standard issue at many fire st... |
{
"things": [
"Swords",
"Pontoons",
"Grandfather Clocks",
"Fuses"
]
} | [
"Swords.",
"Pontoons.",
"Grandfather clocks.",
"And fuses.",
"For thousands of years, wars were won and lost by the sword.",
"Swords helped shape history.",
"Today, modern artisans craft historical replicas of these age-old weapons, and they go to the hilt to make sure the details are just right.",
"T... |
{
"things": [
"Saunas",
"Wheelchair Lifts",
"Dioramas"
]
} | [
"The sauna is a centuries-old finnish tradition.",
"99% of finns sit in a sauna at least once a week.",
"Most homes, apartment buildings, and even offices have one.",
"Don't live in finland but want to enjoy the benefits of a home sauna?",
"No sweat.",
"This outdoor sauna is made of premium canadian red c... |
{
"things": [
"Channel Signs",
"Wetsuits",
"Aluminum Aircraft"
]
} | [
"A channel sign is made of individual letters that are fixed to a building or backdrop.",
"The letters have internal channels that house either neon or led lights.",
"At night, the channel letters light up and make a bold statement.",
"Channel letters are three-dimensional and really stand out from the rest."... |
{
"things": [
"Countertop Laminate",
"Frozen Treats",
"Children's Building Blocks",
"Detergents"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Laminate...",
"Frozen treats...",
"Children's building blocks...",
"And detergents.",
"Laminate is a thin, decorative surface layer that's usually glued onto a particleboard base to create a countertop.",
"Laminate is, by far, the most affordable countertop material on ... |
{
"things": [
"Needles & Pins",
"Architectural Mouldings",
"Locomotives",
"Clothespins"
]
} | [
"Throughout history, sewing needles have kept things from falling apart at the seams.",
"From primitive times, when needles were made of bone, to today's thin steel versions, sewing needles have played an important role in our lives.",
"For many years, this simple tool made it possible to clothe an entire famil... |
{
"things": [
"Bumpers",
"Lighting Gels and Camera Filters",
"Steam"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Bumpers...",
"Lighting gels and camera filters...",
"Steam-powered models...",
"And candy canes.",
"With all the attention we pay to our car's high-tech parts, it's easy to overlook the importance of a vehicle's bumpers.",
"About 80% of car accidents are front or rear c... |
{
"things": [
"Time"
]
} | [
"Many banks and businesses have time-delay locks on their safes to keep their valuables and documents secure.",
"This helps deter theft because robbers may not want to wait around for the safe to open.",
"If they do, the time delay may keep them around long enough for police to make an arrest.",
"This lock le... |
{
"things": [
"Inflatable Watercraft",
"Couscous",
"Modelling Dough",
"Wicker Products"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Inflatable watercraft...",
"Couscous...",
"Modeling dough...",
"And wicker products.",
"Today's inflatable watercraft range from rafts and dinghies to canoes and kayaks.",
"They're less expensive than conventional boats and easier to store and transport.",
"You don't ... |
{
"things": [
"Customized Knee Replacements",
"Leaf Springs",
"Lavender",
"Rivets and Rivet Tools"
]
} | [
"The typical candidate for a knee replacement has osteoarthritis, where the cartilage in the knee has worn away.",
"Knee replacement surgery restores the worn areas with an implant.",
"To help place the implant properly, the surgeon can use an instrument custom-designed for the patient's damaged anatomy.",
"A... |
{
"things": [
"Replica Clay Pipes",
"Drinking Fountains",
"Orange Liqueur",
"Compound Bows"
]
} | [
"Clay tobacco pipes may have been the first disposable product.",
"For centuries, smokers in north america and europe used them until they broke, which happened often.",
"Clay pipes fell out of widespread use at the end of the 19th century, but they're still made today by clay artists with a reverence for histo... |
{
"things": [
"Gas Barbecues",
"Mattress Pads",
"Ear Prostheses"
]
} | [
"Gas barbecues were invented in the 1960s by an arkansas gas company.",
"They redesigned a charcoal grill to run on bottled propane.",
"People were drawn to the instant flame, and the gas barbecue became a hot commodity.",
"Gas barbecues run from basic to extremely high-end.",
"There's no fussing with charc... |
{
"things": [
"Three"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Three-wheeled vehicles...",
"Baseball bats...",
"Artificial bonsais...",
"And trombones.",
"Three-wheeled vehicles were introduced in the 1990s as exotic concept vehicles.",
"This one is like a motorcycle on steroids.",
"It has what's called a reverse trike design-- t... |
{
"things": [
"Wall Beds",
"Sundae Cups",
"Digital Paintings",
"Badminton Rackets"
]
} | [
"In the late 19th century, it was considered immoral for unmarried women to enter a man's bedroom.",
"William murphy couldn't bring his date back to his one-room apartment, so he invented a bed that folded up into the wall, converting his bedroom into a parlor to host his love interest.",
"A wall of cupboards a... |
{
"things": [
"Fencing Masks",
"Books",
"Ocean Drone Transformers",
"3D Puzzles"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Fencing masks...",
"Books...",
"Ocean drone transformers...",
"And 3-d puzzles.",
"Fencing is one of the oldest forms of armed combat.",
"In the late 18th century, fencing evolved into a sport.",
"As fencing gained popularity, a steel mesh mask was invented to protect... |
{
"things": [
"Putty Knives",
"Garage Doors",
"Electric Motors",
"Wool"
]
} | [
"Today, on \"how it's made\"...",
"Putty knives...",
"Garage doors...",
"Electric motors...",
"And wool.",
"Rummage through a do-it-yourselfer's toolbox, and chances are, you'll come across a putty knife or two.",
"They come in several widths.",
"So whether you're scraping off paint, old wallpaper, or... |
{
"things": [
"Carved Wood Sculptures",
"Flatware",
"Cow Bells",
"Fountain Pens"
]
} | [
"Val gardena, a valley in the italian alps, is renowned for woodcarving.",
"This craft began there in the 17th century as a way to pass the time during the long mountain winters.",
"At first, woodcarvers made practical items, but before long, their masterful hands were creating works of art.",
"From pastoral ... |
{
"things": [
"Noise Barrier Walls",
"Front"
]
} | [
"To contain the sounds of traffic, it's often necessary to put up a wall of silence.",
"Noise-barrier walls both absorb traffic noise and shield neighborhoods from it.",
"With stone or brick-like textures on both sides, they even look good on the street.",
"In the 1970s, noise-barrier walls were mainly drab c... |
{
"things": [
"Farmed Caviar",
"Intake Manifolds",
"Motorcycle Jackets",
"Shovels & Spades"
]
} | [
"Caviar is a term for the salted eggs of the sturgeon fish.",
"A pearly delicacy, they've long been the snack food of the privileged, enjoyed for centuries by roman emperors, saudi sheikhs, russian czars, and english kings.",
"A few nibbles still offer a taste of the high life.",
"Caviar is sometimes called \... |
{
"things": [
"Eyeglass Lenses",
"Granite",
"Potato Chips",
"Microprocessors"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Eyeglass lenses...",
"Granite...",
"Potato chips...",
"And computer microprocessors.",
"Remember when wearing coke-bottle eyeglasses was your one-way ticket to being the class nerd?",
"Well, today, even if you need a heavy-duty prescription, you can wear fashionable eye... |
{
"things": [
"Garden Forks",
"English Toffee",
"Paint Chip Cards",
"Bundt Pans"
]
} | [
"The garden fork was once a very prized possession-- so coveted, it was often the object of theft.",
"That was centuries ago, when a family's very survival depended on the crops they grew.",
"Today, of course, food is mass produced and sold in supermarkets.",
"But the garden fork still rules in the backyard g... |
{
"things": [
"Tequila",
"Waterbeds",
"Flip Flops",
"Silver"
]
} | [
"The story of tequila begins many centuries ago, when mexico's aztecs fermented the juice of the agave plant to produce a low-alcohol drink called pulque.",
"When the spanish conquistadors arrived, they added distillation to the process for a much stronger drink, and tequila was born.",
"Tequila is to mexico as... |
{
"things": [
"Chains",
"Bagels",
"Vinyl Records"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Windshields...",
"English saddles...",
"Butter...",
"And post clocks.",
"Drivers of the earliest cars had only goggles to shield them.",
"So, to protect people from the elements, the glass windshield was invented in 1904.",
"But there was a danger-- they would shatter... |
{
"things": [
"Headphones",
"Diving Regulators",
"Reflector Light Bulbs"
]
} | [
"In the early part of the 20th century, headphones were used mainly by telephone operators and radio technicians.",
"But in the 1930s, they were redesigned and marketed to the public, so music lovers everywhere plugged in and turned on to the concept.",
"Everyone is a music critic, but headphones allow people t... |
{
"things": [
"Patterned Glass Panels",
"Road Cases",
"Stop"
]
} | [
"Used for windows, doors, and partitions, patterned glass panels add beauty and light to a room.",
"But their purpose is more than decorative.",
"The designs in the glass also obscure the view, making patterned glass an effective privacy screen.",
"They let light in and keep prying eyes out.",
"With pattern... |
{
"things": [
"Handcuffs",
"Caulking Compound",
"Propane Tanks",
"Forensics"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Handcuffs...",
"Caulking and joint compound...",
"Propane tanks...",
"And forensic facial reconstruction.",
"When a crime is committed, a slap on the wrist usually isn't enough.",
"It's time to handcuff them.",
"The need for some restraint goes back centuries, but the... |
{
"things": [
"Stagecoaches",
"Road Reflectors",
"Fire Baked Pottery",
"Custom Motorcycle Tanks"
]
} | [
"Long before trains and buses, the stagecoach transported passengers and goods.",
"The coach would travel an established route in stages.",
"But over time, the word \"stage\" was used to describe the coach itself.",
"Drawn by two or four animals, it relied quite literally on horsepower.",
"Like a classic mo... |
{
"things": [
"Manhole Covers",
"Range Hoods",
"Artificial Logs",
"Snowmobiles"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Manhole covers....",
"Range hoods...",
"Artificial logs...",
"And snowmobiles.",
"Manhole covers are those metal lids on maintenance holes and roadways.",
"Workers lift them to enter and repair sewers and other underground utilities.",
"Foundries make the covers out o... |
{
"things": [
"DeLorean Restoration",
"Bison Fibre",
"Shuffleboard Tables",
"Friction Forged Knives"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"The delorean sports car was manufactured in northern ireland in the early 1980s.",
"With gull-wing doors and brushed stainless steel panels, the delorean was known for its flashy style.",
"Today, many of these cars are in rough shape, but a restoration can make a delorean loo... |
{
"things": [
"Gel Caps",
"Playground Spring Riders",
"Frozen Pancakes",
"Natural Rubber"
]
} | [
"Liquid medication used to always come in a bottle, and you had to pour your dose with a steady hand into a spoon.",
"Today, many medications and supplements come inside small food-safe casings that are easy to swallow and portable-- soft gel capsules.",
"Many types of products come in gel capsules, from prescr... |
{
"things": [
"Ball Bearings",
"Electrical Wires",
"Lost Wax Process Casting",
"Automated Machines"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Ball bearings...",
"Electrical wires...",
"Lost wax casting...",
"And automated machines.",
"With all the high-tech hoopla these days, the lowly ball bearing gets forgotten.",
"But many machine parts need ball bearings to rotate.",
"They're in household appliances, in... |
{
"things": [
"Mountain Bike Tires",
"Leaf and Debris Vacuums",
"Canned Meat",
"Fillet Knives"
]
} | [
"Mountain bike tires are true trailblazers, specifically designed for off-road riding.",
"Wider than regular road tires, mountain bike tires have raised knobs or lugs that add stability on uneven terrain.",
"Built to withstand the trail, these tires can handle it all.",
"When the rubber hits the dirt, it's al... |
{
"things": [
"Innerspring Mattresses",
"Stand"
]
} | [
"An innerspring mattress is made with steel-wire springs to support a person's body weight.",
"The quality of the mattress is usually determined by the thickness of the steel wire, the number of springs, and how the springs are configured and linked to form the inner support system.",
"Most of this innerspring ... |
{
"things": [
"Graphite Pencil Leads",
"Clarinets",
"Special Effects"
]
} | [
"Despite the name \"lead,\" the core of a pencil isn't actually made of lead.",
"It's made primarily of graphite, a form of carbon that's very abundant in the earth's crust.",
"To produce pencil leads, they combine graphite powder with water and clay.",
"The higher the ratio of clay, the harder the lead.",
... |
{
"things": [
"Cine Cameras",
"Glass Christmas Ornaments",
"Giant Tires"
]
} | [
"A cinecamera is the type of camera they use for making motion pictures.",
"It captures what it shoots on 16- or 35-millimeter film.",
"Running like a well-oiled machine, its intricate components work with ultimate precision, all inside a powerful marvel of technology and craftsmanship.",
"The internal mechan... |
{
"things": [
"Hockey Gloves",
"Snack Cakes",
"Remolded Tires",
"Wastewater Treatment"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Hockey gloves...",
"Snack cakes...",
"Remolded tires...",
"And wastewater treatment.",
"Ice hockey can get pretty rough, so wearing the proper equipment is a must.",
"Hockey gloves protect the forearm, wrist, and hand.",
"A good glove has padding in all the right plac... |
{
"things": [
"High"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"High-precision cutting tools...",
"Stained glass...",
"Semi-trailers...",
"And recorders.",
"Industrial cutting tools are the metalworking components of factory machinery.",
"They're designed to form metal into product parts or into devices for making product parts.",
... |
{
"things": [
"Gingerbread Houses",
"Livestock Trailers",
"Bottom Rolling Hangar Doors",
"Toy Figurines"
]
} | [
"Gingerbread houses are a holiday tradition.",
"It used to take a fair amount of time and baking expertise to make one.",
"But today, there are kits and even pre-assembled gingerbread houses that make the process a breeze.",
"There's something about this edible edifice that makes the holidays seem more specia... |
{
"things": [
"Foosball Tables",
"Marseille Soap",
"Laguiole Pocket Knives"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Table football was first patented by a british inventor in 1923.",
"It became popular throughout europe with leagues forming by the 1950s.",
"A decade later, an american working in west germany brought the game to the u.s., trademarking the german word for it, foosball.",
"... |
{
"things": [
"Speed Skates",
"Synthetic Rubber",
"Cocoa Beans",
"Bulk Chocolate"
]
} | [
"The first ice skates were invented in northern europe about a thousand years ago when people began lacing animal bones to the soles of their boots to cross frozen water.",
"In 1592, a scotsman invented an iron skate blade, and before long, the sport of speed skating took off.",
"These elite-level racing skates... |
{
"things": [
"Nuno Felt",
"Drum Crushers",
"Kimchi",
"Traditional Parquet Floors"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Nuno felt is an artisan-crafted non-woven fabric.",
"Nuno is the japanese word for cloth.",
"The technique bonds layers of wool and other types of loose fibers into a lightweight gauzy felt with contrasting textures.",
"Each piece is a unique creation.",
"Nuno felt is oft... |
{
"things": [
"Wooden Matches",
"Tillage Machines",
"Telescopic Gangways",
"Mabe Pearls"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Controlled use of fire by humans dates back several hundred thousand years, but the invention of matches is fairly recent.",
"The first known use of matches dates back to the 5th century in northern china.",
"And commercial safety matches were only invented in the early 19th ... |
{
"things": [
"Fishing Reels",
"Miniature Houses",
"Kitchen Mixers"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Fishing reels...",
"Miniature houses...",
"And kitchen mixers.",
"The chinese in the 12th century were first to wind excess fishing line on their rods before unreeling it back into the water.",
"Today's reels have gears to quickly deploy and retrieve the line.",
"They'r... |
{
"things": [
"Turf Grass",
"Beef Jerky",
"Wood Chippers",
"Bowling Pins"
]
} | [
"With commercially cultivated grass, you could have the perfect lawn in minutes.",
"It comes in pre-grown sheets, fresh from the turf farm, ready to transplant.",
"First produced in the middle of the last century, commercially grown grass continues to change the landscape and make the neighbors green with envy.... |
{
"things": [
"Mountain Bikes",
"Rice",
"Lever Action Rifles"
]
} | [
"In the late 1800s, the american military tried modifying bicycles to help infantrymen cross rough terrain.",
"Cyclists continued experimenting, and the first mountain bike was created in 1978.",
"The popularity of mountain biking has grown ever since.",
"Mountain bikes are specially designed to perform on ro... |
{
"things": [
"Wind Generators",
"PVC Gloves",
"Thermo"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Wind generators.",
"Pvc gloves.",
"Thermoformed glass.",
"And fire trucks.",
"Wind generators harness the power of the wind to produce electricity.",
"As the turbine's blades revolve, they drive a rotor that generates power.",
"This can charge a set of batteries or ev... |
{
"things": [
"Leather Wallets",
"French Horns",
"Soy Sauce",
"Children's Ride"
]
} | [
"The pocket wallet was invented in the 17th century.",
"Europe had switched to paper money, and the gents of the day needed a handy way to pocket their cash.",
"There's a slot for everything-- credit cards, i.d., and, of course, cash.",
"And yet these wallets remain slim enough to fit into a trouser pocket.",... |
{
"things": [
"Sharpening Steels",
"Bladder Pumps",
"Ironing Boards",
"Kayak Paddles"
]
} | [
"A well-made knife is an essential tool in any kitchen.",
"Having a sharp blade can be the difference between a perfect meal and a culinary nightmare.",
"No matter how expensive the knife is, it will dull with use.",
"A high-quality sharpening steel can restore any knife to its former glory.",
"Professional... |
{
"things": [
"Kayaks",
"Safety Boots",
"Electronic Signs",
"Cereals"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Kayaks-- we'll tip you off to how they're made.",
"Safety boots-- we'll walk you through the manufacturing process.",
"Electronic signs-- a sign of the times.",
"And cereal-- we're milking this one big time.",
"In days gone by, kayaks were made of wood and animal skin a... |
{
"things": [
"Steel",
"Apple Juice",
"Aircraft Landing Gear",
"Cosmetics"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Steel-- the original heavy metal...",
"Apple juice-- from the tree to the glass...",
"Aircraft landing gear-- what you really need to score a touchdown, and cosmetics-- we'll tour a factory where they make it up as they go along.",
"They call superman \"the man of steel\"... |
{
"things": [
"Statue Restoration",
"Tripods",
"Polish Sausages",
"Welding Guns"
]
} | [
"People have been crafting religious statues for years.",
"But time can take a toll on these sacred works of art.",
"That's where restoration experts come in.",
"These professionals work small miracles to return statues to their former glory.",
"This is a wooden sculpture of the christian messiah.",
"It w... |
{
"things": [
"Javelins",
"Cuckoo Clocks",
"Hearts of Palm",
"Windshield Wipers"
]
} | [
"The sport of javelin throw dates back to the olympics in ancient greece.",
"The athlete sprints down a runway and just before reaching a line on the ground, hurls the javelin forward.",
"For the throw to count, the athlete can't step over the line and the javelin has to land point-first in the ground.",
"Thi... |
{
"things": [
"Fish Rubbings",
"Clay Shooting Machines",
"Almonds",
"High"
]
} | [
"today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Fish rubbings.",
"Clay shooting machines.",
"Almonds.",
"And high-end motorcycles.",
"fishermen like to exaggerate about the size of their catches.",
"In 19th century japan, fish rubbings were used for actual documentation.",
"Fishermen coated the fish with non-toxic ... |
{
"things": [
"Orthodontic Retainers",
"Orange Juice",
"Retractable Saunas",
"Sawmill Blade Knives"
]
} | [
"Today, on \"how it's made,\" orthodontic retainers...",
"Orange juice...",
"Retractable saunas...",
"And sawmill blade knives.",
"After spending a fortune on braces to straighten your teeth, you don't want that new beautiful smile to shift back to its original position.",
"So, orthodontists recommend wea... |
{
"things": [
"Rally Cars",
"Pork Pies",
"Floating Fountains",
"Artificial Stone Ornaments"
]
} | [
"A rally car is a compact vehicle that's had a radical makeover.",
"It's been stripped to the steel core and completely rebuilt.",
"International rally regulations govern the process.",
"In the end, that efficient little vehicle becomes a lean, mean racing machine.",
"Fresh out of the factory, this compact ... |
{
"things": [
"Mobile Concert Stages",
"Mascara",
"Continuous Miners",
"Wood Gift Boxes"
]
} | [
"The mobile concert stage was invented in canada in the 1980s.",
"It uses hydraulics to fold into a trailer for transport and then unfolds upon arrival at the event venue.",
"It takes 45 minutes for a crew to set up a mobile stage, and then it's show time.",
"No stage?",
"No problem.",
"Just order a mobil... |
{
"things": [
"Clay Liquor Jugs",
"Poultry Deli Meats",
"NASCAR Engines"
]
} | [
"The clay liquor jug is a product with an elicit past.",
"In 19th-century america, this distinct stoneware jug was used to contain backwoods brew, moonshine whiskey that was produced under the cover of night to avoid scrutiny from the authorities so it could be sold tax free.",
"Today they still uncork the litt... |
{
"things": [
"Wooden Bowls",
"Chainsaws",
"Stackable Potato Chips",
"Jet Compressor Blades"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Wooden bowls...",
"Chain saws...",
"Stackable potato chips...",
"And jet compressor blades.",
"There was a time when bowl making was a cherished trade passed down through generations of woodworkers.",
"But today, with so much mass-produced tableware, handcrafted wooden ... |
{
"things": [
"Belts",
"3D Metal Printers",
"Detectable Warning Panels",
"Model Stirling Engines"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made,\" belts...",
"3-d metal printers...",
"Detectable warning panels...",
"And model stirling engines.",
"Belts have been worn with different types of garments since the invention of clothes.",
"Made to cinch your waistline, this accessory is worn with pants, shirts, robes, or dress... |
{
"things": [
"Sanders",
"Solid Terrain Models",
"Stucco",
"High"
]
} | [
"Most experts will tell you that the key to the perfect paint job or wood-refinishing job is to prep the surface properly before applying the paint or wood stain.",
"That requires sanding to remove old finishes and to level uneven areas.",
"The easiest way to do that is with a motorized sander.",
"Professiona... |
{
"things": [
"Lace",
"Antique Frame Replicas",
"Orchids",
"Unicycle Wheel Hubs"
]
} | [
"Lace began as a fringe fabric.",
"Back in the middle ages, it was handcrafted by european women to trim fashion finery.",
"The ladies' fingers got a break with the advent of lace-making equipment in the 19th century.",
"With mass production, lace moved from the fringe to the mainstream.",
"In the material ... |
{
"things": [
"Springs",
"Pavers",
"Pianos"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Springs...",
"Pavers...",
"And pianos.",
"A spring is a flexible metal device that returns to its original shape or position after it's stretched, squeezed, or twisted.",
"Springs were first used in clocks during the 16th century and, starting in the late 1800s, in chair ... |
{
"things": [
"Padlocks",
"Hair Clippers",
"Wooden Shoes",
"Synthetic Leather"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Padlocks...",
"Hair clippers...",
"Wooden shoes...",
"Wooden shoes...",
"And synthetic leather.",
"And synthetic leather.",
"As long as there have been thieves, there's been a need for locks.",
"Padlocks date back to roman times and were likely first used to protect... |
{
"things": [
"Storage Sheds",
"Industrial Fans",
"Parchment Paper",
"Climbing Walls"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Throughout history, people have needed a place to store their personal belongings.",
"Early storage sheds were basic huts.",
"Today, factories produce substantial structures that can be easily assembled from a kit.",
"This means finding extra storage space should be no prob... |
{
"things": [
"Dial Thermometers",
"Hummus",
"Spent Fuel Containers",
"Straw Sombreros"
]
} | [
"In the world of temperature-gauging, the dial thermometer is a lot easier to read than a glass-stem thermometer.",
"A needle points to bold numbers on a dial, and even from a distance, it only takes a quick glance to confirm an initial impression that things are heating up.",
"All the highs and lows are plain ... |
{
"things": [
"Steel Safes",
"False Teeth",
"Airplanes",
"Maple Syrup"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Steel safes...",
"False teeth...",
"Airplanes...",
"And maple syrup.",
"The first bank safes were made of wood reinforced with sheet iron.",
"Thieves would just smash them open.",
"Then came safes made of solid iron.",
"Thieves would just blow them up.",
"But then... |
{
"things": [
"Paper Fans",
"Walnut Oil",
"Copper"
]
} | [
"The oldest existing chinese fans, made of woven bamboo, date to the 2nd century b.c. the folding fan was invented in japan between the 6th and 9th century.",
"Fans were typically made of paper or silk, and famous artists were often commissioned to paint them.",
"The traditional asian fan-- an object of beauty ... |
{
"things": [
"Fishing Line",
"Industrial Mixers",
"Natural Baking Soda",
"Tow Trucks"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Early fishing lines were made of vines and braided horsehair.",
"But today, fishermen rely on braided synthetics to reel in their catch.",
"With a higher tensile strength than steel, these lines are unlikely to snap when they hook the big one.",
"This fishing line may be th... |
{
"things": [
"Pharmaceutical Blister Packs",
"Deli Slicers",
"Oysters",
"Weathervanes"
]
} | [
"While the pill bottle isn't yet passé, we're seeing many medications being sold in blister packs-- those cards on which each pill is lined up in a row and encased in a packaging bubble.",
"To take your medication, you simply press the blister and push out the pill through the breakable backing.",
"Blister pack... |
{
"things": [
"Amphibious Vehicles",
"Putters",
"Model Ships",
"Drumheads"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Amphibious vehicles...",
"Putters...",
"Model ships...",
"And drumheads.",
"A vehicle is amphibious when it travels on land and water.",
"This one's used mainly by hunters and fishermen, but also by utility companies and the military.",
"Wide, rugged tires easily trek... |
{
"things": [
"Wood Windows",
"Woven Cashmere Fabric",
"Plastic Recycling Machines",
"Architectural Glass"
]
} | [
"When it comes to windows, there's a variety of materials to choose from.",
"Wood windows are typically the most expensive option, but they are also the most versatile.",
"They can be constructed in any style, stained any shade, or painted any color.",
"Wooden windows can be custom made to match the home's ex... |
{
"things": [
"Graphene",
"World's Smallest Car",
"Force Testers",
"Composite Cans"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"In 2004, british scientists extracted a substance called graphene from graphite, which is the material used to make pencils.",
"They won the nobel prize for this discovery and left their mark on physics history.",
"Scientists continue to explore graphene's extraordinary poten... |
{
"things": [
"Potash",
"Leather Bracelets",
"Wild Rice",
"Hex Key L Wrenches"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\": potash, leather bracelets, wild rice and hex key l-wrenches.",
"Potash is used primarily as an agricultural fertilizer.",
"It's extracted from underground by either conventional mining or by injecting hot brine into the formation to dissolve potash in salt crystals.",
"It then pum... |
{
"things": [
"Aluminum Pots and Pans",
"Artificial Limbs",
"Peanut Butter",
"High"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Aluminum pots and pans, artificial limbs, peanut butter, and high-intensity light bulbs.",
"There are several different ways to manufacture aluminum pots and pans.",
"Some factories have giant machines that simply stamp out or mold the cookware, while other factories use a te... |
{
"things": [
"Oil Pressure Sensors",
"Large Format Printing",
"Heavy Equipment Simulators",
"Head & Neck Restraints"
]
} | [
"In motor vehicles, an oil pressure sensor is a critical part of the engine.",
"As oil lubricates, cools and cleans the motor, this sensor constantly measures the pressure and signals a problem before it causes serious damage to the engine.",
"Screwed to the engine block and connected to the car's computer, the... |
{
"things": [
"Electrophoretic Displays",
"Dry Erase Boards",
"Air Rifles",
"Quartz Countertops"
]
} | [
"Electrophoretic technology mimics the effect of ink on paper.",
"The screens reflect light, unlike conventional back-lit displays that emit light.",
"Also known as e-paper, this technology has changed the way we see our screens.",
"Mobile devices, e-readers, smart watches, and credit cards all contain electr... |
{
"things": [
"Kitchen Accessories",
"Central Vacuums",
"Papier"
]
} | [
"When it comes to kitchen accessories, many cooks choose to forgo metal, plastic, and silicone in favor of a more classic material, wood.",
"Wood is not only elegant, it's lightweight and very durable.",
"And its look fits in with traditional, contemporary, or modern kitchen decor.",
"Rolling pins, meat malle... |
{
"things": [
"Grapples",
"Flavorings",
"Dog Sleds",
"Athletic Shoes"
]
} | [
"At many work sites, grapples do all the heavy lifting.",
"Dangling from crane booms, these huge mechanized claws move mountains of material one load at a time.",
"Some are equipped with powerful electromagnets for gathering small bits of metal along with the large ones.",
"Not much can escape the grasp of th... |
{
"things": [
"Custom Shoe Trees",
"Clay Targets",
"Squeeze Chutes",
"Composite Boat Propellers"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Custom shoe trees...",
"Clay targets...",
"Squeeze chutes...",
"And composite boat propellers.",
"Shoe trees are a device placed inside leather shoes to preserve their shape.",
"They also absorb foot perspiration by wicking away leather-damaging moisture from the inside... |
{
"things": [
"Railway Bridge Ties",
"Membrane Filters",
"Hydraulic Post Drivers",
"Bi"
]
} | [
"The deck of a railway bridge is typically built of wood-timbers called bridge ties.",
"They're bolted to steel support beams located on concrete piers over the water or gully below.",
"The rails on which the train travels are bolted to the wooden ties.",
"Wood absorbs the noise and vibration of the passing t... |
{
"things": [
"Zip Line Brakes",
"Silk Fibre Lamps",
"Round Balers",
"Comfort Shoes"
]
} | [
"Many thrill-seekers find zip lines exhilarating.",
"But without the proper braking system, they can quickly become terrifying.",
"Magnetic brakes are hands-free and engage automatically.",
"So there's no need to panic.",
"Just hang on, enjoy the ride, and let the brake take care of the landing.",
"In ear... |
{
"things": [
"Bead Wire",
"Mini Pepperoni",
"Irrigation Sprinklers",
"Leather Gloves"
]
} | [
"The bead is the lip of the tire that fits to a wheel rim.",
"High-tensile steel wires inside the bead pull the tire tightly and uniformly to the rim.",
"These bead wires provide stability so the wheels can start turning.",
"These bronze-coated steel wires are the muscle in the bead of a tire.",
"They're a ... |
{
"things": [
"Rubber Balls",
"Motion Chairs",
"Montreal Smoked Meat",
"Motorized Scooters"
]
} | [
"today on \"how it's made\"-- rubber balls.",
"Motion chairs.",
"Montreal smoked meat.",
"And motorized scooters.",
"A lot happens when an inflated rubber ball hits the ground.",
"The rubber compresses and quickly snaps back to its round shape.",
"That snapping back makes the ball bounce.",
"In additi... |
{
"things": [
"Ice Cream Cones",
"Tent Trailers",
"Shoe Polish",
"Pliers"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Ice-cream cones...",
"Tent trailers...",
"Shoe polish...",
"And pliers.",
"The ice-cream cone is the original edible container.",
"Invented over a century ago, it adds crunch to the melt-in-your-mouth taste of ice cream.",
"And it's one container that doesn't end up i... |
{
"things": [
"Steamer Baskets",
"Three"
]
} | [
"People have been steaming food for thousands of years.",
"Once upon a time, steamers were made out of clay pots with perforated floors.",
"Today, we've come up with all sorts of metal and plastic innovations.",
"The traditional bamboo steamer is a perfect balance between the old and the new.",
"Perfected b... |
{
"things": [
"Witness Samples",
"Pressure Washers",
"Bee Hives",
"Cast Iron Cookers"
]
} | [
"today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Witness samples.",
"Pressure washers.",
"Bee hives.",
"And cast iron cookers.",
"Special coatings applied to optical glass change the way it transmits light, so that it becomes more or less reflective or even electrically conductive.",
"Testing beforehand on little glas... |
{
"things": [
"Plasma Gems",
"Special Effects Snow",
"Piano Restoration"
]
} | [
"These gemstones aren't mined.",
"They're made from garbage.",
"Using plasma technology, organic waste can be turned into energy, and inorganic waste can be made into a hard black glass.",
"Artisans then turn the glass into beautiful jewelry.",
"Black jewels glitter like genuine gemstones and are as hard as... |
{
"things": [
"Car Engines",
"Flour",
"Recliners",
"Envelopes"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Car engines...",
"Flour...",
"Recliners...",
"And envelopes.",
"Car engines work by internal combustion, a process that happens in each of the engine's cylinders.",
"Air and a drop of gasoline enter the cylinder.",
"The piston moves upward, compressing the mixture.",
... |
{
"things": [
"Gut Strings",
"Absinthe",
"Belt Buckles",
"Lever Locks"
]
} | [
"The instruments in the violin family have a distinct sound created in large part by the type of strings they have.",
"While there are strings made of synthetic materials or metals on the market, traditional strings are made of a specific part of a certain animal.",
"Stay tuned for the details.",
"Playing an ... |
{
"things": [
"Surfboards",
"Stickers",
"Sandwich Cookies",
"Concrete Roofing Tiles"
]
} | [
"Surfing is an ancient polynesian pastime, first documented by europeans in the 18th century.",
"In the 1920s, the sport spread from hawaii to the beaches of california.",
"Back then, surfboards were made of solid wood.",
"Today, they're made of lightweight synthetic materials.",
"Serious surfers have their... |
{
"things": [
"Carpets",
"Drinking Water",
"Laser Eye Surgery",
"Acoustic Guitars"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made,\" carpets, drinking water, laser-eye surgery, and acoustic guitars.",
"People use the words \"rug\" and \"carpet\" interchangeably, but they're not the same thing.",
"A rug covers just part of the floor.",
"A carpet goes wall to wall.",
"Today most carpets on the market are made o... |
{
"things": [
"Drill Bits",
"Photo Booths",
"Stamps"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Drill bits...",
"Photo booths...",
"And stamps.",
"Drill bits are attachments you fasten to drilling tools.",
"A taper-point drill narrows to a point so the threads of the screw grab the wood.",
"A countersink makes the top of the hole the same diameter as the screw hea... |
{
"things": [
"Wood Slat Baskets",
"Bells",
"Gyroscopic Stabilizers"
]
} | [
"Today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Traditional wood slat baskets are containers used to carry and gather food during a harvest.",
"They're also used in retail settings to display produce, providing the consumer with a farm-fresh marketing aesthetic.",
"Since the 1800, farmers have used wood slat baskets to hol... |
{
"things": [
"Custom Knee Braces",
"Ductless Air Conditioners",
"Window Film",
"Motorcycle Exhaust Systems"
]
} | [
"If you suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee, your doctor might prescribe a knee brace.",
"Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage cushioning the knee joint wears out, causing bone to painfully rub on bone.",
"A brace relieves some of that pain by realigning the leg to shift weight off the knee joint.",
"This ... |
{
"things": [
"Robotic Hunting Decoys",
"Canned Tomatoes",
"Scoreboards",
"Lassos"
]
} | [
"The latest taxidermy trend is motion.",
"Today many museums and nature centers feature wildlife models that move.",
"These robotic replicas look so lifelike that hunters use them as decoys and game wardens set them out to catch poachers in the act.",
"Activated by remote control, the robotic decoy's head tur... |
{
"things": [
"Multi"
]
} | [
"Having a multi-tool on hand is like having a toolbox in your pocket.",
"It contains anywhere from 5 to 21 basic implements, from screwdrivers and scissors to can openers and pliers.",
"They all fold in and out of the handles, forming a case that's compact enough to be carried in your pocket.",
"This multi-to... |
{
"things": [
"Police Badges",
"Muffins",
"Car Washes",
"Pressure Gauges"
]
} | [
"Ever since the days of the american wild west, badges have been a way to tell the good guys from the bad.",
"Sheriffs don't raise posses to maintain law and order anymore, but a badge continues to be a powerful symbol, and simply flashing one can still stop a suspect cold.",
"The badge comes with the uniform."... |
{
"things": [
"Pasta Dies",
"Blueberries",
"Composting Toilets",
"Surge Arresters"
]
} | [
"today on \"how it's made\"...",
"Pasta dies.",
"Blueberries.",
"Composting toilets.",
"And surge arresters.",
"Industrial pasta machines produce noodles by extruding dough through a die.",
"The die has holes in it, which are shaped to produce a specific type of pasta.",
"As the dough comes through th... |
{
"things": [
"NASCAR Car Bodies",
"Hurley Sticks",
"Tube Power Amplifiers",
"Thermal Coffee Pots"
]
} | [
"The first stock cars were souped-up family sedans.",
"But today, they're custom-built for the racetrack.",
"Each car body must match the contours of templates set by nascar, the national association of stock car auto racing.",
"On the racetrack, the shape of a car can give it an aerodynamic edge over the com... |
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