How Things Are Made: Learn the Process from Raw Materials to Factory

[Avichal]

Where to look if I want to learn about how things are made? Things include everything from clothes, building, books, scissors, shoes, mirror etc. I want to know how we acutally build these things from raw materials.
There is a nice discovery channel show that does tell us about how these things are made in the factory and that is exactly what I want. But I would prefer something in written. Is there any resource available? I would also like to know how these things were made earlier before the emergence of factories.
Thank You!

 

[MathJakob]

I watched a video on youtube on how they make processors and it was freaking awesome how they do it, just to be clear do you want to find out how the mirror is made, or how the materials come together to produce a mirror? Your best bet is to search online for things like "How are mirrors made" ect, I doubt you'll find a comprehensive guide but you should be able to find details starting at the mining point and then how they're mixed to create new materials and what goes on in the factory process.

 

[Avichal]

I am looking for a book or something. I don't want to know the exact details. I just want to know how we started making things in the past and how currently things are manufactured in the factory.
Come on, there must be a book that describes the making of some common things.

 

[MathJakob]

The thing is there isn't a single book that tells you how mirrors are made, even if there was I doubt it would contain all the information you're looking for.

In England I would head to the oxford library or the british library which contains over 150million books, find your way to science department and check out the chemistry section for information about elements ect, you might need to look in the history section of chemistry. There will literally be thousands of books all talking about different aspects though. This will hopefully give you an understanding of how humans started to develop alloys, polymers, steel ect.

Then I'd say for information about how things in general are made you can just search in the engineering section and try to find the topic of choice. I highly doubt you'll find a book like "How mirrors are made" or anything but you may find books that tell you how glass is made and how it can be used to create mirrors ect.

I suggest going to one of the largest libraries near you and asking the librarian what you're looking for and they will be able to guide you much better. Sorry I can't help you further.

 

[ZapperZ]

Er... I make mirrors very often! I do thin film deposition of aluminum on some flat surface, and voila! I have a very good reflective mirror. If I put a piece of clear glass on top of that, it becomes the mirrors you buy in the stores.

This isn't exotic either. It is a part of our undergraduate physics lab.

Zz.

 

[Avichal]

Um ... Where did mirrors come from? I am curious to know how all the things, utilities are made in factories and even in the past. I suppose YouTube videos will be the best for me. I found quite a lot regarding what I want.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Here is a book

How Things Are Made: From Automobiles to Zippers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1579122744/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[Avichal]

Here is a book

How Things Are Made: From Automobiles to Zippers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1579122744/?tag=pfamazon01-20

From the book description it seems the perfect book for me. Will give it a read. Thank You!