How It's Made

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: A HOT ROD IS A NORMAL CAR

THAT'S BEEN RADICALLY MODIFIED

TO LOOK SNAZZIER AND DRIVE FASTER.

SOME AMATEUR MECHANICS TINKER AWAY AT BUILDING ONE

IN THEIR GARAGE,

WHILE OTHER CAR BUFFS CUSTOM-ORDER ONE

FROM A SPECIALTY AUTO SHOP.

EITHER WAY, HOT-ROD LOVERS ARE DRIVEN BY THEIR PASSION

FOR THESE MEAN MACHINES.

HOT RODS ARE CUSTOMIZED INSIDE AND OUT.

THE CLASSIC CARS THEY START OUT AS

ARE PRETTY SCARCE THESE DAYS,

SO SPECIALTY SHOPS NOW DESIGN AND BUILD HOT-ROD BODIES

FROM SCRATCH,

USING STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES.

IT ALL STARTS WITH CURVED STEEL RAILS 15 FEET LONG

THAT FORM THE BASIS OF THE CHASSIS.

EVERY 12 INCHES, WORKERS WELD THE RAILS TO THE CAR'S FRAME.

NEXT THEY POSITION CROSS MEMBERS TO REINFORCE THE FRAME.

WITH UTMOST CONCERN FOR QUALITY CONTROL,

THEY'LL ASSEMBLE AND INSTALL BY HAND THE TRANSMISSION,

THE SUSPENSION, AND THE SHOCK ABSORBERS

AND WELD THOSE PRECISELY ALIGNED CROSS MEMBERS

TO THE CURVED RAILS.

ELSEWHERE, SOMEONE POLISHES THE STAINLESS-STEEL WINGS,

WHICH HAVE BEEN LASER CUT.

THESE WINGS MAKE UP THE HOT ROD'S SIGNATURE FRONT GRILL.

MOUNTING THE DISC BRAKES ONTO SUCH A HIGH-END MACHINE

TAKES SPECIALISTS.

FIRST, THEY SCREW THE SPINDLES TO THE SUSPENSION ARM...

...THEN GREASE THE BALL-BEARING MECHANISM...

...AND FINALLY BLOCK THE DISC BRAKE WITH A COTTER PIN

TO FASTEN THE PIECES TOGETHER.

THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAS FOUR CALIPERS, ONE PER WHEEL.

EACH ONE HOLDS TWO BRACKETS CALLED THE BRAKE SHOES.

THEY CLOSE DOWN ON THE BRAKE DISC

TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP THE WHEEL'S ROTATION.

A COUPLE OF SLIDE PINS LOCK THE CALIPER INTO PLACE.

BRAKE SHOES ARE PRONE TO WEAR,

SO THEIR ALIGNMENT AND OILING MUST BE PERFECT.

TIME HAS COME TO INSTALL A HYDRAULIC DEVICE

THAT REACTS TO THE STEERING WHEEL'S MOVEMENT,

DIRECTING THE TIE RODS TO TURN THE FRONT WHEELS ACCORDINGLY.

A PNEUMATIC TOOL IS USED

TO AFFIX THE PINION OF THE STEERING MECHANISM.

AT EVERY STEP, WORKERS CHECK AND DOUBLE-CHECK EACH PART.

USING A JACK,

THEY LIFT THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING INTO POSITION.

IT ANCHORS THE REAR WHEELS' PROPULSION SYSTEM

TO THE CAR'S FRAME.

THEY ATTACH THE SUSPENSION ARMS TO THE AXLES AT AN ANGLE.

MEANWHILE, A PAINTER SPRAYS A COAT OF RESIN GEL

ON THE PLASTIC MOLDS

WITH WHICH THEY MAKE THE CAR'S FIBERGLASS BODY PARTS.

THE GEL COATING EASES EXTRACTION

AND GIVES THE FIBERGLASS A HIGH-GLOSS FINISH.

TO MOLD THE PARTS,

A WORKER SPREADS RESIN ON FIBERGLASS CLOTH.

THEY CALL THIS STEP "WETTING THE FIBERGLASS MAP."

THEY LAY THE MAP ON THE MOLD -- IN THIS CASE, ON A DOOR MOLD --

THEN WITH A ROLLER, CAREFULLY PRESS OUT ALL THE AIR BUBBLES.

IT TAKES ABOUT 40 MINUTES

FOR THE RESIN-IMPREGNATED MAP TO SOLIDIFY.

EXTRACTING THE BODY PART IS A TRICKY PROCEDURE.

THEY HAMMER WOOD WEDGES IN BETWEEN THE HARDENED FIBERGLASS

IN THE MOLD.

IT'S CRUCIAL TO ANGLE THE WEDGE JUST RIGHT.

OTHERWISE, THE MOLD MAY COLLAPSE.

IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT 25 MOLDED PARTS

TO MAKE UP A COMPLETE HOT-ROD BODY.

AFTER THREE WEEK'S WORK, FINAL ASSEMBLY BEGINS.

AFTER THE BACK PANELS COMES THE FRONT,

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE NOSE.

NEXT COME THE FENDERS, THEN THE STYLISH RUNNING BOARD.

AND NO HOT ROD IS COMPLETE WITHOUT ITS SIGNATURE GRILL.

THE WINDSHIELD FRAME HELPS SUPPORT THE ROOF,

OR "CARSON TOP" IN HOT-ROD LINGO.

THE FRONT HOOD COMPLETES THIS '37-FORD-INSPIRED BODY.

IT SHIPS OUT WITHOUT A PAINT JOB.

THAT'S BECAUSE CUSTOMIZATION IS EVERYTHING IN THE HOT-ROD BIZ.

THE BUYER DECIDES HOW TO FINISH THE CAR

BY CHOOSING, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS RETRO DASHBOARD

DESIGNED TO BLEND SPECTACULARLY WITH THE REST OF THE CAR.

EVEN CAR JUNKIES CAN BE FORGIVEN

FOR STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP TO SPEED

WITH THE EVER-GROWING CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS OUT THERE.

FROM THE ENGINE TO THE RIMS TO THE SEATS TO THE CHROME --

WHEN IT COMES TO CUSTOMIZING YOUR HOT ROD,

YOU'RE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT.

Narrator: EGG DECORATING IS A CRAFT

PRACTICED AROUND THE WORLD FOR CENTURIES.

THE ANCIENT PERSIANS PAINTED EGGS FOR NORUZ,

THEIR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION,

A TRADITION THAT CONTINUES TODAY.

PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS

ARE THE EXQUISITELY DECORATED FABERGé EGGS,

EXCEPT THEY AREN'T EGGS AT ALL.

THEY'RE MADE FROM PRECIOUS METALS AND GEMSTONES.

EACH ONE OF THESE DECORATIVE EGGS IS A UNIQUE PIECE.

THE ARTIST PAINTS THEM, COLLAGES IMAGES AND FABRIC,

AND CREATES JEWELRY AND MUSIC BOXES

OR HANGS THEM AS ORNAMENTS.

SHE ALWAYS WORKS WITH REAL EGGS

FROM BIRDS LIKE THE RHEA, THE EMU, GEESE, OR TURKEYS.

HERE, SHE SELECTS AN OSTRICH EGG

AND GENTLY CLAMPS IT IN PLACE ON AN EGG-MARKER STAND.

ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STAND ARE A SERIES OF GUIDELINES

TO HELP DIVIDE THE EGG INTO TWO OR MORE EQUAL PARTS.

WORKING WITH THE PENCIL HELD IN A BRACE,

SHE DIVIDES THE EGG INTO FOUR EQUAL PARTS.

THEN SHE DRAWS A HORIZONTAL LINE ACROSS THE EGG

WHERE SHE'LL CUT IT IN HALF TO CREATE A LID.

SHE'LL USE A HINGE TO HOLD THE LID IN PLACE,

SO FIRST, SHE DRAWS THE CONTOUR...

THEN A LOOSE, WAVY LINE ALL ALONG THE EGG CIRCUMFERENCE,

USING THE PENCIL GUIDELINES AS REFERENCE.

A ROTATING CUTTER EQUIPPED WITH A DIAMOND DUSTED BLADE

MAKES A CUT WHERE THE HINGE WILL BE.

THE ARTIST NOW PREPARES SOME FIVE-MINUTE EPOXY GLUE.

SHE HAS A NEAT TRICK TO APPLY JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT.

SHE WORKS WITH A STRAND OF UNCOOKED SPAGHETTI,

THEN SETS THE HINGE IN PLACE.

ONCE THE HINGE HAS SET, SHE CUTS ALL AROUND THE EGG,

THEN OPENS AND CLOSES IT TO MAKE SURE THAT HINGE WORKS PROPERLY.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME SHE SEES THE EGG'S INTERIOR.

IF IT NEEDS CLEANING, NOW'S THE TIME.

THOUGH THIS ARTIST OFTEN CHOOSES

TO LEAVE OSTRICH EGGS THEIR NATURAL COLOR,

HERE SHE'S DECIDED TO GIVE THE LID

A THIN COAT OF ACRYLIC PAINT.

FOR THE LOWER HALF, SHE CHOOSES A DARK TONE.

ACRYLIC PAINT ALLOWS HER TO WORK QUICKLY,

AS IT TRIES IN JUST A FEW SECONDS.

NEXT, SHE USES A SPECIAL GLUE

TO COLLAGE STRIPS OF JAPANESE RICE PAPER ONTO THE EGG.

SHE LAYERS SMALL PIECES TO ACHIEVE A TORTOISE-SHELL FINISH.

SHE'S READY TO SET THE EGG ON ITS STAND,

SO SHE COATS THE RIM WITH EPOXY, THEN SETS THE EGG DOWN,

MAKING SURE THE HINGE IS LEVEL WITH THE STAND'S RIM.

THE ARTIST NOW TURNS HER ATTENTION TO THE EGG'S INTERIOR.

SHE LIGHTLY GLUES PERFUMED COTTON BALLS

TO FILL OUT THE TOP AND BOTTOM PARTS.

THEN SHE APPLIES GLUE ALONG THE INNER RIMS

AND CLIPS ON A PIECE OF IVORY SATIN.

BY THE TIME SHE MAKES IT AROUND BOTH HALVES,

SHE CAN REMOVE THE CLIPS.

THE FABRIC NOW HOLDS FIRMLY IN PLACE.

NEXT, SHE GLUES A FABRIC BRAID TO TRIM THE SATIN'S EDGE.

HERE, THE ARTIST LAYS DOWN A DELICATE STRAND OF RHINESTONES.

SHE APPLIES MORE GLUE

TO ADD ANOTHER BRAID ALONG THE LOWER RIM...

...THEN PLACES A FINAL STRAND TO COMPLETE THE EFFECT.

SHE SETS IN A TINY RHINESTONE

TO DECORATE THE METALLIC FILIGREE THAT HIDES THE HINGES.

EVEN THE EGG'S UNDERSIDE GETS SPECIAL ATTENTION.

SHE GLUES ANOTHER FILIGREE

TO COVER THE HOLE THROUGH WHICH THEY EMPTIED THE EGG,

THEN APPLIES A WATER-BASED VARNISH.

THIS STRENGTHENS THE EGG AND GIVES IT A GLOSSY FINISH.

HERE'S THE FINISHED PIECE --

A DELICATE JEWELRY BOX

THAT OPENS WITH THE HELP OF A FINE CHAIN

TO REVEAL ITS SATIN INTERIOR.

THERE'S NO END TO THE CREATIVITY

THAT GOES INTO MAKING THESE DECORATIVE EGGS.