Season 9

January 13, 2008

Rubber compounds are molded into puncture-resistant solid tires, dairy ingredients are blended and baked into cheesecake, selected wood is shaped and finished into canoe paddles, and printed maps are applied to spherical forms to make globes.

January 20, 2008

Curved pieces of wood are shaped and balanced into returning boomerangs, metal bodies and burners are assembled into outdoor barbecues, mechanical and electronic systems are combined into pinball machines, and electrical components are installed in high-intensity strobe lights.

January 27, 2008

Pieces of hardwood are turned and finished into bowls, engines and cutting chains are assembled into chainsaws, processed potato dough is formed and fried into uniformly stackable chips, and specialized alloys are precisely forged and machined into jet-engine compressor blades.

February 3, 2008

Steel rods are drawn and shaved into fine steel wool, galvanized steel and cooking components are assembled into kitchen ranges, layers of colored wax are cut into decorative candles, and mechanical and electronic parts are installed in slot machines.

February 10, 2008

Light-sensitive semiconductor components are manufactured for digital imaging devices, prepared dishes are portioned and packaged as airline meals, coated paper is formed and sealed into disposable cups, and brass tubing is shaped and fitted with valves to make trumpets.

February 17, 2008

Laminated steel bodies, shackles and locking mechanisms are assembled into padlocks, electric motors and cutting blades are installed in hair clippers, blocks of poplar are carved into traditional wooden shoes, and textile backing is coated with plastic compounds to create synthetic leather.

February 24, 2008

Lightweight composite materials are formed into racing shells, stainless-steel sheets are pressed and finished into sinks, animal hides are cleaned, softened and tanned into leather, and strings, pedals and mechanical controls are assembled into pedal steel guitars.

March 2, 2008

High-carbon steel is cut and finished into replica swords, aluminum sections are formed and welded into boat pontoons, wooden cases and weight-driven movements are assembled into grandfather clocks, and calibrated conductive elements are enclosed in electrical fuses.

March 9, 2008

Formed steel and energy-absorbing materials are assembled into automotive bumpers, dyed polyester is processed into lighting gels and camera filters, miniature boilers and mechanical systems are built into steam-powered models, and cooked sugar is colored, stretched and shaped into candy canes.

March 16, 2008

Fabric canopies and collapsible frames are assembled into umbrellas, engines and marine drive systems are combined into outboard motors, sheets of silver are stamped and polished into cutlery, and marked steel strips are installed in retractable tape measures.

March 23, 2008

Surgical steel is shaped and sharpened into scalpels, finely ground pigments are combined with oil to make artists’ paint, reinforced plastic and fabric are formed into traditional British police helmets, and aluminum and steel components are shaped into mountaineering ice axes.

March 30, 2008

Pork bellies are cured, flavored, cooked and sliced into bacon, engines and rotating augers are installed in snow blowers, and hand-finished bodies, engines and interiors are assembled into luxury automobiles.

April 6, 2008

Gears, clutches and hydraulic controls are assembled inside automatic transmissions, silver is formed and detailed into precisely scaled miniatures, wicker is woven around metal frames to create hot-air-balloon baskets, and metal points, barrels, shafts and flights are assembled into darts.