Is This The Most Difficult Step to Unlocking Electronics?
TLDRThe video follows the host's journey of crafting wire from raw materials, exploring both historical and modern applications. Initially facing challenges with gold, advice from Iron Skin leads to a more successful forging and drawing process with iron. The host then transitions to copper for electrical purposes, demonstrating its potential in creating electromagnets. The video highlights the evolution of wire-making and its pivotal role in advancements from armor to telecommunication.
Takeaways
- 🔧 The quest to rebuild civilization technologically involves mastering the art of wire drawing, which proved more challenging than expected.
- 🌟 Previous attempts at wire making, including gold dry panning and a creative centrifuge device inspired by anime, were unsuccessful.
- 📚 Historical methods for wire drawing have been used for centuries, but the narrator was missing some tricks.
- 💡 Iron Skin provided valuable tips: start by blacksmithing the metal into a smooth shape, soften the wire by heating (annealing), and use properly spaced drawing plates.
- 🔨 The largest project Iron Skin worked on was a chain mail shirt weighing up to 15 kg, taking almost half a year to complete.
- 🤖 The use of a winch to apply extra power during wire pulling was a helpful technique learned from Iron Skin's videos.
- 💡 The process of wire drawing involves starting with a scrap piece of round rod and drawing it out to the narrowest possible diameter.
- 🔩 The final product was a 500% increase in length, with a final diameter of 2.2 mm, achieved through a laborious and iterative process.
- 🔌 The potential uses of wire are vast, including chain mail, electromagnets, generators, and telecommunication systems.
- 🛡️ The project aims to explore both historical and modern uses of wire, from creating armor to advancing telecommunication networks.
- 🎥 The video series is part of a larger effort to document the technological progression of civilization, funded by fan support on Patreon.
Q & A
What is the main challenge the speaker faced when trying to make wire?
-The main challenge the speaker faced was the difficulty in drawing metal into long, thin pieces of wire, specifically with gold, which kept breaking and losing expensive pieces of gold.
What historical method was mentioned for making wire?
-The historical method mentioned for making wire involves using a gold wire process that has been done for centuries, which the speaker attempted initially but found it difficult due to missing some tricks.
What advice did Sebastian from Iron Skin give for beginners learning to pull wire?
-Sebastian advised beginners to start by blacksmithing and shaping the material into a smooth form, soften the wire by heating it up (a process called annealing) at regular intervals, and to use proper drawing plates with holes spaced in the correct ratio.
What was the largest project Iron Skin worked on?
-The largest project Iron Skin worked on was making shirts for both large and small people, which can weigh up to 15 kg and contain about 30,000 rings, taking approximately half a year to complete.
How did the speaker apply extra power to the wire pulling process?
-The speaker used a winch to apply extra power to the wire pulling process, as demonstrated in Sebastian's videos, which helped by holding pliers tight while the rope was under pressure.
What is the significance of the wire drawing process in the context of the video?
-The wire drawing process is significant as it allows the creation of wire from a solid metal rod, which can then be used in various applications such as chain mail, electromagnets, and telecommunication systems like the telegraph.
What was the final diameter achieved after the speaker's wire drawing process?
-The final diameter achieved after the wire drawing process was 2.2 mm.
What was the speaker's initial material for making wire?
-The speaker initially used a scrap piece of round rod, which was approximately quarter to half an inch in diameter.
What modern use of wire is the speaker interested in exploring?
-The speaker is interested in exploring the use of wire in electronics, specifically for creating electromagnets and potentially building a telecommunication network.
How did the speaker test the potential of the drawn wire?
-The speaker tested the potential of the drawn wire by constructing a crude electromagnet, wrapping the wire around a piece of iron, and applying a current from a voltaic pile (battery) to create a temporary magnet.
What is the speaker's next step with the wire drawing process?
-The speaker's next step is to work on a more modern use of wire in electronics, specifically drawing copper wire for its conductivity, and potentially building a telecommunication network like a telegraph system.
Outlines
🔧 The Quest for Wire: Overcoming Early Challenges
The video begins with the narrator's journey to create wire from scratch, highlighting the difficulties encountered in the process. Initially, attempts were made using gold, which proved to be a challenging and expensive material. The narrator then discusses historical methods and seeks advice from Sebastian of Iron Skin, a small business specializing in chain mail. Key advice includes the importance of softening the wire through heating, known as annealing, and using properly spaced drawing plates. The video also touches on the use of a winch for additional power during the wire drawing process. The narrator reflects on the learning curve and the labor-intensive nature of wire making, emphasizing the versatility of wire in various applications, particularly in electronics and the creation of electromagnets.
🔨 From Rod to Wire: The Forging and Drawing Process
This paragraph details the practical steps taken to transform a scrap piece of round rod into wire. The process involves forging the rod into a square shape, then into an octagon, and finally rounding it off to achieve the desired wire form. The narrator describes setting up a rig for tension and drawing, which involves a crank system and pliers. Despite the force required, the process results in a significant increase in length, from 5 inches of raw material to 50 inches of wire. The final product is a 2.2 mm diameter wire, which the narrator is pleased with. The paragraph also mentions the importance of removing imperfections during the hand forge stage to facilitate the drawing process.
🌐 Wire Applications: From Ancient Armor to Modern Electronics
The final paragraph explores the diverse applications of wire throughout history and its significance in modern technology. The narrator discusses the historical use of wire in jewelry and chain mail armor, emphasizing the slow and meticulous process of creating such armor. The focus then shifts to the modern use of wire in electronics, with the narrator drawing copper wire for this purpose. The process of drawing copper wire is similar to that of iron, but potentially easier due to its higher conductivity. The video culminates in a demonstration of the wire's potential by constructing a crude electromagnet, showcasing the basic concept of electromagnetism. The narrator also expresses plans to improve the electromagnet and explore further applications, including the creation of a telegraph system, highlighting the crucial role of wire in the advancement of communication and technology.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Civilization
💡Electrical Components
💡Wire Drawing
💡Annealing
💡Drawing Plates
💡Chain Mail
💡Electromagnets
💡Telegraph
💡Iron Skin
💡Better Help
💡Electro-Communication Network
Highlights
The quest to rebuild civilization technologically from the beginning, starting with the challenge of making wire.
Previous attempts to make wire using gold were frustratingly difficult due to the material's expense and tendency to break.
The creative but dubious method of wire production from the anime series Dr Stone, using a centrifuge device similar to a cotton candy machine.
Historical methods of wire drawing have been used for centuries, with the presenter missing some tricks in their initial attempts.
Iron Skin, a small business providing chain mail tools and instructions, offers valuable tips for wire drawing.
Proper drawing plates and correct hole spacing are crucial for successful wire drawing, with a recommended 10% or less decrease in size between steps.
The largest project made with riveted mail involved shirts for large individuals, weighing up to 15 kg and containing about 30,000 rings.
The use of a winch to apply extra power to the wire pulling process was found to be very helpful.
The presenter's new assistant Elliott, with a background in Electrical Engineering, contributes to the wire making process.
Wire has a multitude of uses, including chain mail, magnet wire for generators, motors, and electromagnets.
The laborious process of drawing wire involves starting with a scrap piece of round rod and reducing its diameter through multiple stages.
The rig used for wire drawing can be improved, and it requires a significant amount of force to pull the wire through the draw plates.
The project splits into historical and modern uses of wire, with a focus on electronics for the latter.
Copper is chosen for its conductivity for drawing wire in the modern application.
A crude electromagnet is constructed to demonstrate the potential of the newly drawn wire, using a voltaic pile for power.
The concept of wire has been crucial for inventions like motors, generators, and the telegraph, and will allow for significant advancements in the project's timeline.
The ongoing project includes building a suit of armor to test its durability, showcasing the diverse applications of wire from ancient to modern times.
The channel is fan-funded and relies on the support of viewers, with a call to action for viewers to subscribe and support on Patreon.
Transcripts
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