Blowtorch and Hammer

BLOWTORCH: Ever since man first understood fire, he’s tried to harness its power into tools designed to melt, weld, and forge metals and other materials. Ancient Egyptians blew through reeds into crude furnaces to achieve temperatures hot enough to melt gold. Colonial American silversmiths used a blowtorch powered by alcohol. By 1910, over 100 companies were producing gasoline torches under the names Vesuvius, Red Dragon, Meteor, Hercules, Hotblast, or Vulcan. When propane began replacing the volatile gasoline in 1925, the device had finally become a reliable, safe, and portable heating tool. Viewers visit Bernzomatic, where the T7000 Instant-On Torch is manufactured at a rate of one torch per six seconds, and Startech Environmental Group, whose supertorch recreates conditions found only at Earth’s core.
HAMMER: The “King of Tools” dates back to prehistoric times, when our ancestors used hammer stones for digging holes and shelling nuts. With the invention of nails around 500 BC, the hammer took on its modern application. Alternative uses for the hammer emerged as well–as a battle weapon and throwing them as an Olympic sport! We visit Estwing Hammers, where they make 40,000 hammers per year, and we look at innovative new hammers–from the Antivibe hammer to hammering machines used in construction.

Bonus Features

Interactive Menus; Scene Selection