>> COLUMBUS NEVER WAS A BIG
INDUSTRIAL CITY THE WAY
CLEVELAND AND YOUNGSTOWN OR
DAYTON WERE.
BUT WE DID MAKES THINGS HERE.
WE MADE STEEL FOR A LONG TIME.
WE BREW BEER HERE ESPECIALLY IN
THE MICROBREWERIES.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN INTERESTING
COMPANY, THE AMERICAN WHISTLE
CORPORATION.
WE MAKE WHISTLES HERE IN
COLUMBUS.
AND IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THIS
KIND OF WHISTLE IS MADE IN THE
ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
\M\M
HELLO, PHIL.
HOW ARE YOU.
>> JEFF, HOW ARE YOU?
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WELL, I'M BEEN LOOKING FORWARD
TO COMING HERE.
>> WELL, HERE YOU ARE.
YOU MADE -- I -- YOU KNOW WHAT?
I WORE MY SUNDAY'S BEST FOR YOU.
[ LAUGHTER ]
YOU SEE THAT?
YEAH.
>> I LIKE THE SHIRT.
>> THE MACHINES DO THROW GREASE
OUT.
>> OH, WELL --
>> IT ALWAYS LANDS ON ME.
>> OH, SWELL.
>> SO, YEAH.
>> WELL, I DO HEAR THE SOUNDS OF
PRODUCTION IN THERE.
SHOULD WE TAKE A TOUR?
>> WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY --
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST DAYS OF
THE YEAR.
SO YOU READY TO SEE IT?
>> I AM.
>> COME ON IN.
>> GREAT.
\M\M
>> IT'S ALL UNDERWAY.
IS IT EVERYTHING YOU DREAMED IT
WOULD BE?
>> I THINK IT IS.
I LOVE FACTORIES.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
SINCE YOU'VE -- SINCE YOU'VE
GRACED US WITH YOUR PRESENCE,
THERE'S YOUR WHISTLE RIGHT
THERE.
>> WHY, THANK YOU.
>> OUR COMPANY HERE, AMERICAN
WHISTLE'S BEEN -- BEEN IN
BUSINESS SINCE 1956.
>> SO THIS PANEL, SORT OF,
EXPLAINS THE PROCESS?
>> YEAH.
>> IT SHOWS THE PARTS.
>> YEAH, IT DOES.
YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING --
DOING A LOT OF THIS TODAY.
I'LL SHOW YOU SOME OF THESE
PRESSES.
>> WELL, AT THE SOUND OF THE
WHISTLE, LET'S START THE TOUR.
>> ALL RIGHT.
\M\M
YOU KNOW, OVER HERE, PRESS
NUMBER ONE.
I'VE NAMED THIS PRESS BIG
JUNIOR.
YEAH, JUST WATCH DOWN HERE IN
THE BOTTOM.
>> OKAY.
>> THERE WILL BE TWO -- TWO
PARTS FALLING DOWN THERE EACH --
ON EACH STROKE.
SO HERE WE GO.
SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THIS
BRASS IS BEING FED IN BETWEEN
THESE TWO -- THESE TWO SHOES.
>> YEAH.
>> AND INSIDE OF THE SHOWS, WE
HAVE TWO MICKEY MOUSE EARS.
HERE'S A PIECE OF THE SCRAP
BRASS.
>> OH, I SEE.
OKAY.
>> YEAH, YOU SEE THAT BIG JUNIOR
HAS GOT ONE MICKEY MOUSE SHAPED
TOOTH FACING FORWARD.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND ONE FACING BACKWARDS.
\M\M
>> SO THIS IS A DIE-CUTTING
MACHINE?
>> ABSOLUTELY, YES.
IT POPS THOSE THINGS RIGHT
THROUGH.
AND THE SCRAP BRASS IS CUT OFF,
SLIDES DOWN.
WE RECYCLE IT.
THEY TAKE IT AWAY, MELT IT DOWN,
BRING IT BACK LOOKING LIKE THAT.
I CAN GET ABOUT 6,000 OF THESE
MICKEY MOUSE EARS OUT OF EACH
ONE OF THESE COILS.
THEY'RE ABOUT 101 POUNDS A
PIECE.
\M\M
BIG JUNIOR IS RIGHT HERE.
>> UH-HUH.
>> AND BIG JUNIOR IS STANDING
RIGHT BESIDE --
>> OH, OKAY.
>> GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPA PRESS
NUMBER TWO.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> 'CAUSE BIG JUNIOR WAS MADE IN
1975.
PRESS NUMBER TWO WAS MADE IN
1905 WE FOUND OUT.
BASICALLY HOW THIS ONE WORKS,
WE'VE GONE TO THE PROGRESSIVE
DIE.
>> RIGHT.
>> PRESS NUMBER FIVE AND MADE
THESE PARTS.
AND THESE ARE STACKED UP RIGHT
HERE.
GOT 'EM ALL STACKED UP IN THE
FEEDER BOX.
>> YUP.
>> AND THIS CYLINDER RIGHT HERE
WILL -- INSIDE THE CYLINDER, IT
HAS A LITTLE SHAFT.
AND IT STRIPS OFF THE BOTTOM
ONE.
AND IT SEND IT BACK --
>> OKAY.
>> INTO THE BRASS.
>> SENDS IT IN ONE AT A TIME.
>> YUP.
ONE AT A TIME.
WHEN IT GETS BACK IN THERE,
THEY'RE ORIENTED LIKE THIS.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER CYLINDER
THAT POPS THIS OUT.
AND THEN THE PRESS SENDS A
FIXTURE THIS DIRECTION AND WRAPS
THIS AROUND THE TOP.
THAT RETRACTS.
AND AIR PRESSURE KICKS IT INTO
THE -- INTO THE SIDE BOX THERE
WHILE IT'S MOVING ANOTHER ONE
IN.
NOW IT'S LOOKING LIKE A WHISTLE,
HUH?
>> IT SURE IS.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> WELL, LET'S GO ON AND TAKE
OUR LITTLE MICKEY MOUSE --
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> EAR OVER HERE --
>> OKAY.
>> TO PRESS NUMBER THREE.
SO --
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> OVER HERE.
I DIDN'T COME UP WITH A NICKNAME
FOR THIS ONE THOUGH.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DYE INSERT
AND I BELIEVE JEFF IF YOU LOOKED
AT YOUR WHISTLE, THIS IS THE DYE
THAT WE USED IN IT.
THIS IS A DYE INSERT.
THESE ARE MADE OF HARDENED
STEEL.
AND YES, THAT IS.
>> OKAY.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DYE
INSERT THAT'S IN THERE RIGHT
NOW.
>> OKAY.
>> IT'S FACING THE CEILING.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THIS
SAYS COACH BACKWARDS SINCE IT'S
A STAMP.
THESE PARTS ARE FED IN ONE AT A
TIME.
ONCE AGAIN, THERE'S A METAL
PIECE THAT SLEEVES OFF THE
BOTTOM.
>> THESE MICKEY MOUSE EARS GO IN
THERE?
>> YEAH, THEY SLIDE RIGHT OVER
TOP THE ONE THAT'S INSTALLED
DOWN HERE.
>> OKAY.
>> AND THEN, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE THAT
EXISTS RIGHT THERE OVERLAPPING.
SO, THE PRESS WILL COME DOWN AND
HIT IT AND MOVE THIS DOWN
UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE A LITTLE
BIT.
BY DOING THAT, IT STAMPS IT AND
IT MOVES BOTH OF THOSE PARTS UP
AND SHAPES THE WHISTLE.
LET'S SEE WHAT DYE INSERT WE
HAVE IN HERE.
THIS MIGHT BE AN AWARD ONE.
BUT THERE, YES, THAT'S THE
AMERICAN CLASSIC RIGHT THERE.
>> OKAY.
>> SO, WE DO A LOT.
THAT WILL PROBABLY RACK PLATED.
>> OKAY.
>> THAT MIGHT BE AN AWARD
WHISTLE TOO.
>> OKAY.
>> WHAT DO WE SAY WE CHECK OUT
THE SOLDERING STATION OVER HERE.
>> SURE.
\M\M
>> MOST OF IT'S AUTOMATED.
NOW, IT STARTS OUT IN A BOWL
FEEDER.
ALL THOSE LITTLE TIPS THERE.
AND PUT THOUSANDS OF THOSE IN
THERE AND THEN EVERY NOW --
THERE'S A SPIRALING RAMP THAT
GOES TO THE TOP OF THAT BOWL
FEEDER AND CONNECTS UP WITH A
TRACK THAT STRAIGHTENS THEM OUT
FOR THE MACHINE TO COME DOWN AND
USE SUCTION AND PICK ONE OF THEM
UP AT A TIME.
PLACE IT OVER ON THE LITTLE
CRADLE.
OR THE NEST, WE CALL IT.
PUTS THAT DOWN IN THERE AND THEN
IT MOVES TO ONE OF THE NEXT
STATION.
AND IT ACTUALLY OMITS THE COUPLE
OF THE DOLLOPS OF THAT SOLDER
PASTE OUT ONTO THE TIP WHERE
IT'S GONNA BE IN CONTACT WITH
THE BACK OF --
>> ON THE FLUX, YEAH.
>> ROTATES AROUND TO THE FRONT
WHERE KELLY'S WORKING A LITTLE
BIT HERE.
AND THEN THAT OPEN GAS FLAME
OVER, WHAT'S MELTING ALL THAT
SOLDER PASTE.
>> ALL OF THIS IS PRECISE.
BUT, THIS IS A PARTICULARLY
PRECISE PROCESS TO GET --
>> IT REALLY HAS TO BE.
>> -- TO GET THE PROPER AMOUNT
OF SOLDER IN THE RIGHT PLACES AT
THE RIGHT TIME.
>> RIGHT.
AFTER WE GET THEM OUT OF HERE,
THEN WE PUT THEM --
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE.
WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT
VIBRATORIES.
WE HAVE ONE OVER THERE.
THE SQUARE ONE'S CALLED
"MR.
DEEBER."
AND WE ALWAYS HAVE, I CALL IT
"THE BIG BAGEL" BACK HERE IN THE
BACK.
WE COULD PUT ABOUT 5,000 IN THAT
ONE FOR RUN SIX HOURS IN THERE,
POLISHING THEM UP.
>> OKAY.
>> AND A 1,000 IN THIS SMALLER
ONE.
WE USE THAT MORE FOR CUSTOM
ORDERS AND THINGS.
>> SO, THEY POLISH AND SMOOTH
THE SURFACES?
>> YEAH.
WE HAVE A NEW PRODUCT THAT WE'RE
MAKING AND IT'S PLASTIC WHISTLE.
>> OH.
>> AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
CAN I ARRANGE FOR YOU TO HELP US
MAKE ONE OF THEM?
>> I'D BE HAPPY.
>> OKAY, COME ON OVER.
>> LET'S DO IT.
\M\M
>> THIS MACHINE RIGHT HERE IS A
SONIC WELDER.
AND WE MAKE THESE IN OUR
INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE AND
THAT'S JUST TWO HALVES.
>> YEAH, IT'S HALF OF A WHISTLE.
>> DO I GIVE YOU THE TWO --
THE SAME RIGHT HALVES?
>> YEP, YEP.
THEY'RE THE RIGHT ONES.
>> AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I WAS
MENTIONING THAT WE MAKE A
SYNTHETIC CORE.
AND THESE ARE DIFFERENT.
WHAT COLOR --
WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU LIKE TO PUT
IN THERE?
>> OH, I THINK BLUE IS NICE.
>> OH, OKAY.
THERE YOU GO.
JUST SET IT RIGHT DOWN IN THERE.
>> THIS ONE GOES HERE.
>> YEAH.
>> AND THEN YOU PUT THE PEA IN.
>> THAT'S IT.
ALL RIGHT, GIVE HER A SHOT
THERE.
>> OKAY.
DONE.
>> JEFF, YOU'RE HIRED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS IS NOW SONICALLY WELDED
TOGETHER WITH THAT FREQUENCY
THAT YOU JUST HEARD.
>> SO IT CREATED HEAT AND MELTED
THE PLASTIC?
>> EXACTLY.
YOU KNOW THAT WE CAN MAKE ALL
SORTS OF COLORS WITH THESE TOO.
AND I FIGURE THAT YOU WOULD WANT
AN OSU WHISTLE, OR AN OHIO STATE
WHISTLE.
>> WELL, ABSOLUTELY.
>> SO, I WANTED TO MAKE THAT FOR
YOU JUST KNOWING --
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE THAT THING --
NOW, BEFORE YOU BLOW THAT THING,
CHILLS MIGHT RUN UP AND DOWN
YOUR SPINE LIKE THEY DID ME THE
FIRST TIME I DID.
I'M SCARED.
ARE YOU --
I'M READY.
>> I'M READY.
YOU READY?
>> YOU'RE READY?
OKAY.
[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]
>> IT'S SOMETHING ELSE, ISN'T
IT?
\M\M
>> SO, HOW CAN PEOPLE COME AND
VISIT?
>> YES, PEOPLE CAN COME AND
VISIT US MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SCHEDULE, YOU CAN GIVE US A
CALL.
OR YOU SCHEDULED IT ON
AMERICANWHISTLE.COM.
>> OKAY.
AND THERE'S A SMALL FEE FOR THE
TOUR?
>> YES, THERE IS.
>> BUT, YOU END UP WITH A
WHISTLE.
>> YOU DO.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT,
YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE TOUR OR
YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE WHISTLE.
>> ONE OF THEM IS FREE.
>> YOU GET ONE OF THEM FREE.
>> ONE OF THEM'S FREE, RIGHT?
WELL, THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU FOR MY EXPERIENCE AND
MY SOUVENIRS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING
AND VISITING WITH US JEFF.
>> GLAD TO BE HERE.
AND THANKS FOR THE TOUR AND FOR
LEARNING THE PROCESS.
>> YOU GOT IT.
\M\M
