How It's Made

The programme explores the origins of materials and the evolution of manufacturing processes, showcasing race car oil tanks, plaster mouldings, lemongrass oil and fly‑tying vises. It examines how these items are produced and how techniques have changed significantly over time.

The episode, titled Race Car Oil Tanks/Plaster Moldings/Lemongrass Oil/Fly Tying Vises, is presented as a programme‑type installment. It falls within the broader genre of episodic content and centres on a selection of seemingly unrelated objects, each representing a distinct area of production. In this instalment the focus is on the origins of the raw materials used to make the featured items and on how the methods of manufacturing those materials have evolved over the years. The narrative uses four specific examples – race‑car oil tanks, plaster mouldings, lemongrass oil and fly‑tying vises – to illustrate the changes in technique and practice that have taken place across different sectors. By juxtaposing a high‑performance automotive component with a traditional craft tool, a natural essential and a decorative casting, the programme highlights the wide range of contexts in which material development occurs. It points out that, whether the product is destined for a racing team, a home décor project, a culinary or therapeutic use, or an angling hobby, the underlying processes have been shaped by both technological advances and longstanding craft traditions. Overall, the episode provides a concise look at how material sourcing and production methods have progressed, using the four highlighted items as concrete reference points to show the continuity and change that characterise modern manufacturing.