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- NEXT ON THINGAMABOB....
- I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S A MACHINE
THAT I COULD MAKE FOR YOU. - THAT WOULD BE SUPER COOL.
- [laughs] THAT'S CRAZY.
- SAYONARA. - [chuckles]
THREE, TWO, ONE, FIRE.
[laughter and cheering]
- AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LAND OF INVENTION.
WE'VE INVENTED BIFOCALS, SPRAY TAN, THE LIGHT SWITCH,
THE ZIPPER, THE STEAMBOAT, THE SCREEN SAVER,
AND THE ROCKET, JUST TO NAME SEVEN.
AND ALL THESE INVENTIONS HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON--
THEY WERE ALL CRAZY IDEAS ACTUALIZED.
SINCE WE ALL LOVE OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING,
OUR NEW HISTORY SHOW NEEDED AN OUT-OF-THE-BOX INVENTOR,
LIKE BOB.
- WHOA!
YEAH.
- EACH EPISODE, HE'LL RECEIVE THREE OBJECTS,
ALL OF THEM CONNECTED TO AMERICA'S INNOVATIVE PAST.
IT'S UP TO BOB TO USE THEM ANY WAY HE WANTS,
REVEAL THEIR STORY,
AND CONTINUE AMERICA'S TRUE SPIRIT OF INVENTION.
AMERICA, MEET BOB.
BOB, GO MEET AMERICA.
- HEY, BOB.
LOOK WHAT WE GOT. - WHOA.
WHAT COULD IT BE? WHAT COULD IT BE?
- WITH MY REGULAR JOB, I'M GIVEN STRICT PARAMETERS
ON WHAT TO BUILD,
BUT WITH THIS, I'M GIVEN THESE OBJECTS,
AND I CAN THINK UP WHATEVER COOL MACHINE I WANT TO BUILD,
AND I DO IT. I LOVE IT. IT'S GREAT.
THREE MORE INVENTIONS. AH.
SO WE GET A BOX.
IT'S NOT A BIG BOX, BUT GOOD THINGS
COME IN SMALL PACKAGES, I'VE HEARD.
- WHOA. - WHAT?
- WHOA. IS IT MOONSHINE? - I HOPE SO.
- OH.
- OH, THAT IS SOME MUDDY MOONSHINE.
- I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO SMELL THAT.
- OOH, THAT'S BARBECUE.
YUMMY.
- REALLY? OH.
- OH, YEAH. - ALL RIGHT.
IT'S ALL IN THE SAUCE.
- WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THAT? I DON'T KNOW,
LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE IS IN HERE.
WHAT'S THIS? OH, SWEET.
- OH, WOW.
- SO THIS IS, LIKE, BLOCK AND TACKLE...
- YEAH.
- WHICH IS AWESOME, BECAUSE YOU CAN USE
LITTLE ENERGY TO LIFT SOMETHING REALLY HEAVY.
OKAY, NEXT.
CIGARS.
- THIS IS SHAPING UP TO BE QUITE A NIGHT.
- THESE ARE VERY, LIKE, CONSUMABLE ITEMS.
- WE DIP THE CIGARS... - WE CAN WORK WITH THIS STUFF.
- IN THE BARBECUE SAUCE, AND WE MAKE BARBECUE CIGARS.
- BARBECUE CIGARS. - WE HAVEN'T COMBINED ITEMS.
- WE GOT FIRE WITH CIGARS. I LOVE THAT IDEA.
- THAT'S TRUE. - I LIKE IT.
- I WOULD NEVER PICK UP A CIGAR AND SAY,
"I WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING WITH THIS,"
BUT, HEY, IT WAS IN THE BOX, SO I HAVE TO USE IT.
I WENT OUT ON THE STREET, HOPEFUL THAT SOMEONE
WOULD GIVE ME THAT GEM OF AN IDEA.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR CIGARS?
- MAYBE, LIKE, A PLANK INVOLVED.
- CIGARS.
- LIKE, SOMEHOW, THERE'S AN ACTION.
AS THE STEAK IS FINISHED COOKING,
SOME SORT OF, LIKE, CHEMICAL REACTION
THAT YOU, LIKE, LIGHT THE CIGAR.
- THERE WERE SOME GOOD IDEAS, SOME BAD IDEAS.
I DIDN'T REALLY FIND WHAT I NEEDED.
BLEW SMOKE--
OH, MAYBE I CAN HELP THEM WITH SOMETHING.
I'M GOING IN.
I WAS HOPING I COULD SPEAK TO A CIGAR EXPERT.
- OKAY, WE HAVE THE OWNER HERE TODAY.
SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU. - REALLY?
- YES. - THANK YOU.
HI. - HEY.
- MY NAME'S BOB. - HI, BOB.
PLEASURE TO MEET YOU. MY NAME'S GLORIA.
- DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE? - SURE.
- YOU COULD ANSWER A FEW OF MY QUESTIONS?
- SURE, NO PROBLEM. WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A SEAT?
- I AM A NOVICE IN THIS WORLD OF CIGARS.
- SO YOU DON'T SMOKE CIGARS AT ALL?
- I DON'T MIND SMOKING CIGARS. - SO LET'S LIGHT YOU UP.
ALL RIGHT?
PUSH OUT, THERE WE GO. GOOD JOB. EXCELLENT.
HOW'S THAT?
- [laughs] - THAT'S THE ISSUE
THAT WE HAVE WITH THE NOVICE.
THEY COME IN, AND THEY START COUGHING,
'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
- GLORIA WAS TELLING ME ABOUT HOW
WHEN A NOVICE BUYS A CIGAR, AND THEY WANT TO LIGHT IT
AND EXPERIENCE IT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE,
THEY GENERALLY CUT IT WRONG AND LIGHT IT WRONG
AND INHALE TOO MUCH AND JUST HAVE A BAD TIME OF IT,
AND THEN THEY DON'T GO BACK TO SMOKING CIGARS.
[cash register dings]
[man coughs]
I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU THOUGHT
THAT WOULD BE A MACHINE THAT I COULD MAKE FOR YOU.
- FOR THE NOVICE THAT'S NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH SMOKING?
- LIKE MYSELF. - LIKE YOURSELF.
- [laughs] - MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WOULD
CUT AND LIGHT THE CIGAR?
YOU THINK YOU COULD MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
- YEAH, I LIKE THAT.
A CIGAR MACHINE THAT CUTS, LIGHTS, AND DRAWS A GOOD ASH.
- LISTEN, I'M FLABBERGASTED.
I'M DYING TO SEE SOMETHING THAT CAN DO ALL THAT FOR US.
- I GOT THIS INSTINCT TO FINISH THINGS,
SO I'M JUST LIKE, "ALL RIGHT."
- [laughs]
- NOW A BRIEF HISTORY OF TOBACCO.
NATIVE TRIBES IN NORTH AMERICA USED TOBACCO IN CEREMONIES
CENTURIES BEFORE EUROPEANS ARRIVED.
IT WAS THE SPANISH WHO INTRODUCED THE OLD WORLD
TO TOBACCO IN THE 16TH CENTURY
AND SIR WALTER RALEIGH WHO MADE IT POPULAR.
BY THE 17TH CENTURY, PIPE SMOKING WAS ALL THE RAGE,
AND THIS DRY DRINK WAS CONSIDERED A CURE-ALL
PRESCRIBED FOR AILMENTS VARYING FROM SYPHILIS
TO GENERAL LOUSINESS.
GEORGE WASHINGTON LOVED A GOOD SMOKE,
AND SUPPOSEDLY WROTE FROM VALLEY FORGE,
"IF YOU CAN'T SEND MEN, SEND TOBACCO."
- I TALKED TO GLORIA ABOUT THE PROPER WAY TO CUT A CIGAR,
LIGHT A CIGAR, SO I GO BACK TO THE SHOP,
AND I'M JUST GONNA PUT ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
INTO THIS MACHINE.
IT'S IN HERE SOMEWHERE.
IN ORDER TO LIGHT THE CIGAR PROPERLY,
THE CIGAR HAS TO BE TURNING,
AND IT HAS TO HAVE AIR BEING DRAWN THROUGH IT.
AND I HAVE JUST THE THING.
I GOT TH CRAPPY, OLD AIR MATTRESS.
TAKE THE BLOWER OUT OF THIS.
YOU'VE GOT INTAKE AND THE OUTTAKE.
- GOT IT.
- I MADE THIS LITTLE TOWER WHILE YOU WERE DOING THAT
TO REST OUR CIGAR ON.
SO THIS'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE UP AND DOWN,
DEPENDING ON THE DIAMETER OF CIGAR WE HAVE.
THE VACUUM IS DRAWING THROUGH THE CIGAR,
BUT THEN THE EXHAUST FROM THAT VACUUM
IS TURNING A PROPELLER THAT SPINS THE CIGAR.
I THINK THE AIR-MATTRESS MOTOR ACCOMPLISHES TWO THINGS.
IT CUTS OUT EXTRA STEPS AND EXTRA PARTS
TO MACHINE THAT COULD BREAK DOWN.
THERE'S AN ECONOMY OF ENERGY HAPPENING THERE,
WHICH I REALLY LIKE.
HEY!
I HAVE THE CIGAR TURNING, AND I HAVE AIR DRAWING THROUGH IT,
BUT WHAT I REALLY NEED NOW
IS TO HAVE FIRE TO LIGHT THAT CIGAR.
RATHER THAN LIGHT A MATCH BY FRICTION--
THAT CAN BE REALLY UNRELIABLE.
IF IT JUST SITS AGAINST A HEATING ELEMENT,
THAT WAS A SURE WAY TO LIGHT IT.
I THINK THIS MIGHT BE JUST IT.
THIS IS THE STUFF THAT GLOWS RED FROM THE TOASTER.
THIS SILVER CARDBOARD IS HEAT-RESISTANT MATERIAL
THAT DOESN'T CONDUCT ELECTRICITY.
IT'S GREAT. YOU CAN JUST STICK ALL THIS WIRE
WITH ELECTRONICS RUNNING THROUGH IT.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA RUN SOME POWER.
LIGHT.
[imitates explosion]
WE GOT TO GET THIS DONE.
I LOVE THIS MACHINE. OH, BABY.
EACH COMPONENT IS A CHALLENGE,
BUT THEN THERE'S THE ADDED CHALLENGE
OF MAKING IT ALL WORK TOGETHER.
THE BIG EXCITEMENT IS THAT TEST, SO I WANT TO TEST IT
IN FRONT OF THE PERSON I'M MAKING IT FOR AND MORE PEOPLE.
SO THE NEXT DAY, I HAVE THE MACHINE
READY TO GO TO GLORIA.
I THINK IT WAS RIGHT HERE.
LET'S DAZZLE. - YOU FIRST.
- HEY, GLORIA.
- I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS EVER GONNA SEE YOU AGAIN.
GUYS, YOU REMEMBER BOB, RIGHT?
- HEY, GUYS. [all greeting]
[chuckles]
- BOB, WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?
- I'M SURE GLORIA THINKS I'M OUT OF MY MIND,
BUT SHE JUST NEEDS TO TRUST ME.
THIS IS THE CUTTER RIGHT HERE.
I THINK THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO CUT IT
WOULD BE SPINNING BLADES THAT CLOSE IN ON IT
AND SHUT LIKE A CAMERA IRIS.
THIS THING GRABS A MATCH, AND IT TRIGGERS THIS COIL HERE
TO TURN ON.
IT LIGHTS, AND AS IT BURNS,
THE MATCH THEN SPRINGS OVER IN FRONT OF THE CIGAR,
AND THEN THIS TURNS ON,
AND IT'S AN INFLATOR FOR AN AIR MATTRESS.
SO WE USED THE VACUUM INPUT OF THE MOTOR
FOR THE DRAW ON THE CIGAR,
AND THEN THE EXHAUST SPINS THIS AROUND,
SO YOU GET THE CIGAR TURNING.
- RIGHT.
- WANT TO GET IT GOING? ALL RIGHT.
DRUMS ARE ROLLING IN MY BRAIN.
[drumroll]
I'VE GOT THIS BIG AUDIENCE, AND...
I DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT.
- READY? - YEAH.
- HERE YOU GO, BOB. - THANK YOU.
LET HER RIP.
[dramatic choral music]
- COMING UP, WILL BOB'S CIGAR INVENTION MAKE THETEMS
TO USE IN THREE UNIQUE INVENTIONS--
A BLOCK AND TACKLE, A CIGAR, AND BARBECUE SAUCE.
BOB STARTED WITH THE CIGAR
AND IS MAKING AN AUTOMATIC CIGAR CUTTER AND LIGHTER,
BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR BOB TO SHOW THE GUYS AT THE LOUNGE
THAT HIS MACHINE CAN DELIVER.
- READY? - YEAH.
- ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
- NICE.
- OKAY. - WOW. THAT'S AMAZING.
- [laughs] THAT'S CRAZY.
- WOW. THAT'S FRICKIN' AWESOME.
[applause and chatter]
- NICELY DONE.
- AND THE CIGAR IS LIT, ALL RED, ALL AROUND.
THERE'S NO SPOTS THAT'S MISSING. IT WORKED.
- NICE WORK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. - THANK YOU.
- [laughs] - THANK YOU.
- MWAH. - THANK YOU.
[applause]
IT'S A SMOKING JACKET...
LITERALLY.
- THAT'S THINGAMABOB NUMBER ONE--
THE AUTOMATIC CIGAR CUTTER AND LIGHTER.
- CIGAR CUTTER/LIGHTER, DONE.
NOW I HAVE TO GO AND FIGURE OUT
WHAT TO DO WITH THIS BARBECUE SAUCE.
THAT GIRL LOOKED A LITTLE GRUMPY.
I DON'T THINK I WANT TO TALK TO HER.
IT'S A JAR OF BARBECUE SAUCE.
- HUH. - OKAY.
- BYE. [laughs] - BYE.
- EXCUSE ME, SIR, DO YOU WANT TO BE ON A TV SHOW?
OKAY, YOU CAN STAY THERE. I'M GONNA KEEP WALKING.
I'M SCARING 'EM OFF. THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
OH, I CAN'T WAIT TO INVENT SOMETHING WITH THIS SAUCE.
I CAN STOP CARRYING THIS THING AROUND.
MAYBE I'LL JUST GO TO A BARBECUE PLACE
AND TALK TO THEM, EAT SOME BARBECUE,
AND SEE IF I GET INSPIRED.
- BUT FIRST, A QUICK HISTORY OF BARBECUE.
WE STARTED COOKING MEAT OVER A FLAME
ROUGHLY 1.6 MILLION YEARS AGO, BEFORE WE LEARNED LANGUAGE.
THE WORD "BARBECUE" MAY HAVE COME FROM THE NATIVE AMERICANS.
THEY GAVE US BARBECUE, WE GAVE THEM PIGS...
AND SMALLPOX.
GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS SAID TO BE
THE FIRST AMERICAN TO ATTEND A BARBECUE.
BY THE 19TH CENTURY, THE PIG BECAME OUR FAVORITE ROAST.
NOT ONLY ARE THEY TASTY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO
THE SMARTEST ANIMALS IN THE BARNYARD.
INTELLIGENCE ASIDE, PIGS ARE THE ONLY ANIMAL
PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO LOOK DIRECTLY ABOVE THEM.
YOO-HOO.
- OH, YEAH. HERE'S A BARBECUE.
THIS PLACE IS HUGE. I'M LOOKING FOR THE OWNER.
- THEY CALL ME "THE SHERIFF," SO THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH.
- NICE. GOOD TO MEET YOU. MY NAME'S BOB.
- BOB. ADAM. - I MAKE COOL INVENTIONS.
I'M AN INVENTOR. THAT'S WHAT I DO.
I WAS WONDERING, IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN MAKE FOR YOU?
- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR--WE'RE BRAND-NEW.
WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE FUN, AND WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE BE KNOWN FOR SOMETHING LIKE NATHAN'S.
- THE HOT-DOG-EATING CONTEST. - EXACTLY.
- A LOT OF RESTAURANTS OR NAMES
HAVE SPECTACLE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
- EXACTLY. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A BIG ***.
[***]
- YEAH.
I THINK "***, GUN." I WANT TO MAKE A GUN.
BE FUN TO, LIKE, SHOOT PORK AT SOMEBODY.
- SHOOT PORK AT-- [both laugh]
AS FAR AS SHOOTING SOMEONE, THAT SCARES ME A LITTLE BIT,
YOU KNOW? - I COULD WORK ON MAKING IT
SAFE ENOUGH SO THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T GET HURT.
- IF YOU SAY IT'S GONNA BE SAFE, YOU SAY IT'S GONNA BE FUN,
WE CAN WORK WITH THAT.
- AWESOME. WE'LL MAKE A BARBECUE CRAZY THING.
MAYBE GIVE SOMEBODY A BUN AND SHOOT PORK INTO IT
OR SOMETHING. - YOU'RE THE INVENTOR.
- CAN I START BUILDING NOW?
- YEAH, OF COURSE. WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO.
- AWESOME. DO YOU HAVE SOME STUFF HERE?
- WE HAVE A BUNCH OF TOOLS AND STUFF IN THE BACK.
- LET'S GET STARTED. - ALL RIGHT, AWESOME.
- TUBING, PRESSURE PUMP.
DEFINITELY WILL BE USING PLASTIC.
TO BUILD A GUN THAT SHOOTS PORK, YOU NEED A BARREL.
YOU NEED A WAY TO GET THE PORK INTO THE BARREL,
BARBECUE SAUCE TO LUBE THE BARREL.
YOU NEED A SOURCE OF POWER
TO SHOOT THE PORK OUT OF THE BARREL,
AND YOU NEED SOMETHING TO HIT.
I'M LICENSED IN MEAT PROPULSION.
THIS IS AWESOME. IT'S A REALLY GOOD DIRECTION.
GO.
THIS IS GONNA BE THE BARREL.
A PLUG LIKE THAT COULD BE A GOOD AMOUNT
OF PULLED PORK FOR A SANDWICH.
THIS PUMP IS GOOD FOR LIQUID,
SO MAYBE THAT PUMPS THE BARBECUE SAUCE.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO CHARGE UP THE AIR TANK
FULL OF COMPRESSED AIR
AND THEN RELEASE IT REALLY FAST WITH A VALVE
AND SHOOT THE PORK OUT THROUGH A BUNCH OF BARBECUE SAUCE.
I GOT TO USE THIS BARBECUE SAUCE, SO I'M LIKE,
"MAYBE WE CAN USE IT AS THE LUBE IN THE BARREL."
THINK OF IT LIKE OILING THE BARREL OF A RIFLE.
I'M JUST USING BARBECUE SAUCE. [chuckles]
- I GOT A BIG HEAD.
LOT OF... LOT OF STUFF GOING ON UP HERE.
HEY, SCOTT. WE NEED A COUPLE THINGS.
I HAVE THE BASICS FOR MAKING THE GUN THAT I WANT TO MAKE,
BUT I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET SCOTT TO BRING ME
THE AIR COMPRESSOR FROM THE SHOP.
IT'S GONNA BE FUN, I PROMISE. AND YOU GET TO EAT MEAT.
HAPPY TRAILS.
HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S GETTING INTO.
[blowing into tube]
- HEY, BOB. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING?
- UH, PULLED PORK SHOOTING-- GUN.
- WE'RE GONNA SHOOT PULLED PORK? - YES.
NOW THAT SCOTT'S HERE WITH THE REST OF THE TOOLS,
WE CAN GET TO WORK CUTTING AND GLUING THIS PIPE
AND PUTTING TOGETHER THE AIR CANNON.
LET'S DO IT.
- YEAH.
- BEAUTIFUL.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO MOUNT SOMEWHERE HERE.
THERE'S NO GOING BACK.
QUICK-- CUT IT, GLUE IT ON.
WOW, THIS PLACE GOT FILLED UP QUICK.
- HOW'S IT GOING? - CHEERS.
WE'RE ALMOST DONE.
I'M SITTING HERE BUILDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUSH.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING OVER AND BEING LIKE,
"WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE?"
THE DEADLINE IS APPROACHING.
UGH.
IT'S A BARBECUE GUN.
YOU PUT IN A PLUG OF PULLED PORK,
YOU HAVE INJECTORS IN THE BARREL,
IT INJECTS THE SAUCE, AND SHOOTS THE PORK THROUGH IT.
AND THEN SOMEONE HAS TO CATCH IT.
WE WANT, LIKE, A WADDING IN HERE TO GO BEHIND--
LIKE WITH A MUSKET. THERE'S WADDING, THEN THE SHOT.
IN A PINCH LIKE THIS, I GOT TO WORK WITH WHAT IS HERE.
YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY OTHER, LIKE,
CONDIMENT BOTTLES OR SOMETHING YOU CAN SQUEEZE?
- LET ME TAKE A LOOK AROUND.
- YEAH, I GOT ONE RIGHT HERE.
- OOH, THAT MIGHT WORK. - DOES THAT WORK?
- LET ME TRY THAT.
JUST PACK IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THAT?
- IN FRONT OF THAT, YEAH.
I'M FEELING GOOD. WE'RE READY TO GO.
- I'M A LITTLE SCARED.
I MEAN, YOU'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
- I'VE NEVER SHOT... A PORK BULLET BEFORE.
- THAT'S A GOOD FIT.
- WHOO! [imitates gunshots]
- GONNA PRESSURIZE THE TANK.
- ALL RIGHT, ADAM, WE'RE READY FOR SOME SAUCE.
- ALL RIGHT, MAN.
- TIE A BUNCH OF KNOTS? - YEAH.
- DO YOU SEE THAT SAUCE OVER THERE?
- [laughs] LOOK AT THAT.
WE'RE PRETTY MUCH READY TO GO HERE.
LET'S GET TO SHOOTIN'.
WE'RE LIKE, "ANY VOLUNTEERS?"
HANDS WENT UP.
- ALL RIGHT. - HERE GOES THE SAUCE.
- THERE IT GOES.
- ALL RIGHT, YOU WANT TO HOLD THIS ON YOUR MEMBER?
- YOU READY? - I'M READY.
- 15.
AND...20 P.S.I. - YOU READY?
- READY.
THREE...TWO...
ONE, FIRE!
- [laughs]
[cheers and applause]
[laughs]
WHOO-HOO! IT WORKED AMAZING.
LOOK AT THAT THING. THAT WAS AWESOME.
YEAH. - YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU CERTAINLY GAVE ME THE *** THAT I NEEDED.
- PULLED PORK IS MADE TO BE SHOT OUT OF A GUN.
I'M SURPRISED NO ONE HAS THOUGHT OF IT BEFORE.
I THINK THE STRAND SMOKEHOUSE
HAS FOUND ITS SIGNATURE SPECTACLE.
THE SHERIFF ALWAYS NEEDS A GUN, ADAM.
THIS IS FOR YOU. - I THINK THE SHERIFF
FOUND HIS GUN.
- THAT'S THINGAMABOB NUMBER TWO--THE BARBECUE GUN.
A CIGAR, BARBECUE SAUCE, AND A BLOCK AND TACKLE.
HE MADE A BARBECUE GUN,
AN AUTOMATIC CIGAR CUTTER AND LIGHTER...
AND NOW HE NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT HIS FINAL INVENTION,
USING THE BLOCK AND TACKLE.
- GOT A NICE ELEMENTAL MECHANISM HERE.
LET'S FIGURE OUT SOMETHING FOR THIS RIGHT NOW.
I LOVE BUILDING FOR OTHERS,
BUT SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO MAKE SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF,
MAKE YOUR OWN LIFE BETTER.
WHAT CAN WE LIFT?
- WE END UP MOVING THINGS AROUND A LOT.
- WHAT'S IN THE WAY THE MOST IN HERE?
- THIS TABLE.
- I THINK WE'RE STANDING AT THE ANSWER.
- IT'S AN URBAN SHOP, SO THERE ISN'T A LOT OF SPACE.
LET'S ZIP THIS THING UP TO THE CEILING.
- BUT IF WE JUST USE THE BLOCK AND TACKLE ALONE,
IT'S KIND OF JUST USING IT FOR WHAT IT IS.
- PLUS, THERE'D BE ONE OF US STANDING THERE...
- YEAH. - CRANKING FOR THE SAME TIME
IT TAKES JUST TO MOVE THE TABLE.
- WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME.
- MM-MM.
- THE PULLEY SYSTEM WAS PERFECTED BY ARCHIMEDES
WHEN HE WAS SAID TO HAVE MOVED AN ENTIRE WARSHIP
WITH JUST HIS OWN STRENGTH.
PROBLEM IS, NO ONE SAW THIS.
THE FIRST HISTORICAL MENTION OF BLOCK-AND-TACKLE SYSTEMS
USED TO MOVE HEAVY OBJECTS
COMES FROM THE FIRST-CENTURY GREEK ENGINEER, HERO.
HERO HIMSELF WAS NO SLOUCH.
HE INVENTED THE WORLD'S FIRST VENDING MACHINE--
A COIN-OPERATED HOLY WATER DISPENSER.
BLOCK-AND-TACKLE SYSTEMS FOUND THEIR WAY ONTO SHIPS
AS AN IDEAL AID TO RAISING SAILS.
SAILS COULD BE BIGGER AND, IN TURN, SO COULD SHIPS.
THE AGE OF DISCOVERY HAD FINALLY ARRIVED.
LET'S SEE WHAT BOB HAS IN MIND.
- I'VE ALWAYS WANTED A TABLE
WHERE I COULD JUST PUSH A BUTTON,
AND IT'LL JUST RAISE UP, AND THEN I'VE GOT
ALL THE FLOOR SPACE BENEATH IT TO DO OTHER STUFF.
WE COULD DO IT LIKE AN ELEVATOR WITH A COUNTERWEIGHT.
- OH.
- DOWN BUTTON. [bell dings]
BYE.
- THAT'S PERFECT-- AND THEN A MOTOR.
IF WE GET A MOTOR THAT'S PLENTY STRONG...
- GARAGE-DOOR OPENER-- WE COULD PUT IT, LIKE...
- AND A GARAGE-DOOR OPENER HAS THE PUSH BUTTON ALREADY.
- YEAH. - SO WE CAN JUST USE THAT.
- OKAY, TABLE ON A ROPE IS--
KEEPING PARALLEL LINES, WE'LL GO--
MAYBE WE'LL ROPE AROUND THE LEGS,
AND WE'LL GO STRAIGHT UP IN FOUR POINTS,
AND WE'LL GET ALL THE ROPES OVER TO THE WALL.
PULLEY, PULLEY.
- SO PARALLEL.
- WE'RE GONNA PUT A GARAGE-DOOR MOTOR ON IT RIGHT HERE,
AND IT'S GONNA PULL THE BLOCK AND TACKLE.
- GOOD THING IS, IF THEY'RE EVEN,
ALL YOU WOULD NEED TO DO IS PULL THE TABLE UP FROM ONE CORNER,
AND IT'LL EVEN OUT ON ITS OWN AS IT GOES UP,
AND THE FRICTION OF THE PULLEYS AND EVERYTHING
SHOULD KEEP IT INTACT.
- SO IT'S LENGTHENING THIS WIRE ROPE.
THAT ADDS UP TO AN OVERALL PULL OVER HERE OF--
IF WE DO 3 FEET THERE, 9 FEET THERE.
- THAT'S RIGHT. - I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO
SHARPEN THE LEGS OF THE TABLE INTO KNIFE POINTS,
SO IT'S A TRAP.
- OH.
AWESOME. OKAY, LET'S DO IT.
[imitating sword whooshing]
INVENT.
BLOCK AND TACKLE-- WHOOSH, ZING,
PULL, WHOOSH.
THIS'LL BE GOOD RIGHT HERE.
YOU, DO THAT. - I'D BUY IT.
- YOU, DO THAT. - [laughs]
- WE HAVE 6 OF 12 PULLEYS INSTALLED,
AND THE REST IS GONNA BE LIKE FALLING DOWN A HILL.
- THIS IS THE HEIGHT. - THAT'S THE HEIGHT?
- SO...
WE WENT WITH CABLE THAT'LL BE THIS WIRE ROPE.
[grunts]
- IT'S A GOOD TENSION.
- TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU WANT, GUYS.
[laughter] GOT PLENTY OF STRENGTH.
- OKAY.
- 'CAUSE THEN WE CAN MOUNT IT, LIKE, THERE.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BALANCED,
LIKE AN ELEVATOR, THE MOTOR THAT DRIVES AN ELEVATOR
IS ONLY BASICALLY JUST MOVING-- THERE'S NOT MUCH STRESS ON IT,
'CAUSE IT'S COUNTERBALANCED.
- I LOVE BLOCK AND TACKLE. IT'S JUST, LIKE, A RATIO THING.
THEY'RE SO COOL AND SO SIMPLE.
FRICKIN' AMAZING.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA TEST THE WEIGHT FIRST.
THE TABLE WILL BE WEIGHTLESS, AND THE GARAGE-DOOR MOTOR
WON'T HAVE TO PULL VERY HARD IN ORDER TO RAISE THE TABLE.
WOULDN'T IT BE AWESOME IF WE COULD JUST MAKE
THIS TABLE DISAPPEAR AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON?
- BUT HOW?
- SEE YOU LATER.
- OH, YEAH.
- [chuckles]
- THAT WAS AWESOME. - YEAH!
- NICE. - AMAZING.
- WHOO, UP TO THE CEILING. WE'VE GOT ALL THIS ROOM NOW.
IT ACTUALLY INSTANTLY MADE THE ROOM BIGGER.
LOVE IT.
- LOOK AT ALL THIS SPACE. - HERE COMES THE MOONWALK.
- OH, DUDE. THAT WAS IT. - NICE.
- THAT'S THINGAMABOB NUMBER THREE--
THE BLOCK-AND-TACKLE TABLE ON A ROPE.
WHEN I FIRST GOT THAT BOX,
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA DO,
BUT THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE FRICKIN' AMAZING.
I IMPROVED MY SHOP WITH A TABLE ON A ROPE,
MADE AN AUTOMATIC CIGAR CUTTER AND LIGHTER,
AND BUILT A CUSTOM BARBECUE GUN.
- BOB RECEIVED A BOX THAT CONTAINED THREE OBJECTS
TO USE IN NEW INVENTIONS--
A CIGAR, BARBECUE SAUCE, AND A BLOCK AND TACKLE.
SO HOW ARE THEY ALL CONNECTED?
THIS FAMOUS EXPLORER DISCOVERED
WHAT WOULD LATER BECOME AMERICAN BARBECUE.
HE INTRODUCED EUROPE TO TOBACCO
AND WAS ABLE TO CARRY HUGE LOADS OF SUPPLIES BACK HOME,
THANKS TO THE BLOCK AND TACKLE.
OUR MYSTERY MAN IS NONE OTHER THAN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.