In Polish CNC factories, when we produce something of little importance and you don't have to worry about tolerances, we say "no one will shoot from it" . and feel so sorry for the workers in this factory who can't say that
Sorry mate. In polish lots of nouns are feminine. For example milling machine is "frezarka" (feminine), a simple machine (maszyna) is feminine as well.
During a tour around this factory I've been told that the reason behind it is that the workers tend to care more for their machines (maintenance, cleaning and such) if those machines are given some sort of personality, in this case achieved with giving those machines various female names.
Wow! I'm an engineer at the company that makes that hammer forging machine. Very cool to see it in action. I'd love to get you in contact with them if you want to learn more about the process and history of it! Something very interesting about the process is that while it looks like the barrel is constantly spinnin in the machine, it actually stops rotating before every hammer blow, which happens many times a second! And while we call it "cold hammer forging" the material can still reach temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius. Also that "blue housing" is actually what we call the "Hammer Box" very original name I now 😂
My grandmother worked in this factory and one of her tasks were to test the zero on rifles, she used to mention these zeroing ranges that she always talked about as these "tunnels" where rifle was centered in a clamp/vise in hole in wall. As a kid I had trouble imagining what she meant and what exactly it looked like since it was so different from how I knew shooting range looked; now I wonder if these zeroing ranges visible on video for MSBS are the same she zeroed AKs at. I can't wait to show her the video
@@ddegn The ancients would see the barrels as magic wands. You point it at someone, say a quote from a holy book*, fire flies out from the tip and your enemy falls dead. * "You will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee!"
I am an electromechanical engineer, if in my student days they had told me that heat treatment is like aging and wood to whiskey, I would have understood it much faster hahahaha. Greetings from Argentine Patagonia.
The similarity ends when the holding (or cycling) process has changed the material to the desired crystalline structures. What's missing is the constriction so it can't move anymore and keep that state and that the parts won't warp significantly. Pursuading someone with a torch into a room and quickly closing the door so they can't leave.
Once more showing why our favorite old guns are no longer in production. They would either have to keep all those old machines set up in a huge factory, or convert all of the processes to modern methods. Either way, not worth the cost for the small volume of demand. As a retired engineer, these factory visits are fun to watch.
If someone could come up with better ways to convert old school designs, I can imagine what a wide variety of beautiful limited run reproductions that would be possible.
I remember reading somewhere that the AK was designed to be made cheaply and quickly... but only when produced in large volumes by big factories. Now I see why. A lot of production steps, each requiring an individual machine. Just for the stamped receiver there are so many steps to make. The GROT upper receiver is a MUCH more complex shape, but you put a piece of extruded aluminum profile into a single CNC, press the button and a few minutes later the part pops out.
@@thelaughinghyenas8465one of the bigger expenses in starting up limited production is designing and building all the fixtures to hold the parts as you machine them. If you end up making tens of thousands of the reproduction guns then it isn’t very much money per gun but if you only make a thousand it drives the price up of each gun by a not insignificant amount. I was always told “if the l machine isn’t cutting, you’re not making money” I think metal 3D printing will be the most viable option for small reproduction runs
Fun fact. The old FB Radom factory was located in the very city of Radom. Trees grew on its roof. It was such anti-aircraft protection during the Cold War.
I find it fantastic that they've recognised your dedication and effort you put into spreading knowledge and make people appreciate weapons and showed you their factory.
My grandparents came to the US from Poland. My dad worked in the aerospace metals heat treatment industry and was very proud of his polish heritage. He had an FB Radom-made 98 Wehrmacht Mauser which he was especially proud of in spite of its Nazi markings. The precision, fit and finish of the Radom Mauser made those produced by other countries look like farm implements. Enjoyed the plant tour and how they have retained some of the original plant's heritage.
There is a remark of this in a cult (and really well made) Polish series 'Four Tankers and Dog'. In one of episodes there is scene where pre-war Polish cavalryman examines a Mosin rifle and says 'it knocks', and then remarks 'a Mauser from Radom didn't knock'. This is righfully, or not, countered with an answer of younger cavalryman who says; 'But this in exchange, is not afraid of sand. I can put a fistfull of sand into it, shake, and it will shoot.' I'm guessing the creators wanted to adress the half-German Polish accuracy of west-Poland and the Soviet attitude of making it work not perfectly but under any conditions. If you didn't watch it, but can't be bothered to watch all 20 or so episodes, I highly recommend episode 13 "Zakład o śmierć" (Death Bet). It's a Fury-level 40 minutes movie about the tankers being captured by the Germans, their tank disarmed, and they're offered a chance to be let free if their disarmed T-34 survives a charge against prototype low caliber anti-tank cannons. It's shown beforehand, that T-34 can't survive the firepower, although the driver who also built it, believes that 'Ginger' (the tank, the best T-34 ever built) can take it, and they charge through the test field with help of clever manuvering and help of a Polish spy who tells them how to use the test field layout to shield the tank. It's episode 13 out of 20 so I can tell you they obviously survive, but when they are about to escape the test field, the guy who built the 'Ginger' is so furious he turns the tank around and charges straight on the prototypes and destroys them in ramming attack, but in consequence Ginger has to take fire from Flak-88, and leaves the field loosing its turret and with damaged engine. Then they continue fight for two more episodes (capturing some buildings and arsenal), and eventually Ginger dies.
As someone who's worked in the progressive stamping industry I really appreciate your factory tours! Thank you for helping to foster an appreciation for manufacturing.
Man, it's amazing how revolutionary stamping was. That receiver steel is hella floppy, but a few grooves, a ridges. Stiff as a board. I remember Ian V. Hogg describing the pre-stamping method of making guns as "You start with a large block of steel, and remove anything that isn't a gun."
@@StevarooniAnd that was a variation on the old hermetic idea that the divine is trapped within the mundane, and can be reclaimed through the process of negation. It relies on the belief that the universe once existed in a state of primordial unity, and that divinity itself is a lack of distinction. The problem with this thinking, as far as it's adopted as a creed, is that the "divine" isn't really contained within man. The holy trinity is a model which is much more encumbent to reality. I think that the fact that the realities of gun manufacturing have facilitated a shift from milling alone to milling, stamping, and casting is a good metaphor for this. Edit: It's a good metaphor, but it falls off. The "modern" esoteric interpretations include syntheses of gnostic/hermetic principles and the holy trinity. The first interpretation of the biblical trinity as residing in the state, individual, and ideal as the primary historical forces is actually what delineates "modern" philosophy, as it predicts an eventual creation of heaven on earth by way of equating the godhead to collective history. The aptness of the metaphor here would be that life isn't all manufacturing. Even if you can identify a trinity in creative processes, that doesn't mean that the trinity is itself a creative conception, or that you are a divinely creative entity by way of it.
Similar to the time GM took up making 1919 and M2 Browning MGs in the last great unpleasantness. After the "tour", the Browning rep asked the GM techs what they thought. The dry reply from QM was something like: "You guys don't make guns, you make swarf (metal shavings). Guns are a your BY_PRODUCT. Forgings, stampings, Investment casting and Direct Metal Moulding have altered the manufacturing landscape when it comes to mass production. One-off, "proof of concept" stuff is still usually done the "old" way, but if the design is "good", mass production starts with a lot of "late nights", slaving over hot keyboards and software like "Catia" or its offspring, Solid works, or similar toys.
Polak Polakowi wilkiem. Nam procesów produkcyjnych nie pokazują, gościom z zagranicy jak najbardziej. Dlatego też Kaczyński jest gorącym przeciwnikiem wolnego dostępu do broni palnej dla Cywilów wg. modelu Amerykańskiego, o czym powiedział na wiecu wyborczym w listopadzie. Mentalność marksistowska trzyma się u nas mocno, dlatego też w związku z tą ideologią produkcja zabawek u nas w kraju idzie marnie - jeden pistolet, dwa karabinki. Spójrz na Ceska Zbrojovka - idą pełną parą. Obalcie marksizm w Polsce a Fabryka się rozwinie, będą robić wszechstronne zabawki, a zabawki dostępne będą dla każdego.
@@TomPL-yd9pt niestety to mentalność ludności. Jedyna konfa coś tam przebąkuje o powszechnym dostępie do broni , ale maksymalnie osiągają kilkanaście procent poparcia.
@@Polones12 konfederaci "już od dawna pod stołem" są w kieszeni pisiorów. czwarty rok machają paluszkiem do kamer i głosują jak pan nakazał - naród to widzi i notuje
@@TomPL-yd9pt masz rację - angolom można pokazać obiekty strategiczne ale polak filmujący z chodnika budynki jest szpiegiem i ścigają go policją. wystarczy zobaczyć Audyt Obywatelski żeby chcieć walnąć pięścią w stół i nie jednego odsunąć od koryta.
@@DerUnbbekante Very true, they make dreams into reality. There is magic in CAD too, I can model things that can never ever be made and make them look like they will work. 😂
I have to tell you that Grot is hard to find even in Poland. The majority of production is going to Ukraine, then the rest goes to Polish military and other uniformed forces which is already not enough and some units still keep using Beryl. Civilian versions are very far from priority. They are only made irregularly in small batches. And many shops are already selling them as preorders. It means that clients leave the money for the promise they will some day get it.
It became impossible - my brother's lookalike appeared in Poland😁 Radom Mausers and BARs, produced before the war, were works of art, just like VIS pistols. Greetings from Poland Ian!
As someone who works in a metalworking factory it's always interesting to see the processes other factories use, mine is very much on the 'old school' analog side!
I love modern Europe. A film about a Polish factory and i spotted machines and material made in at least 6 other European countries. We really are growing together.
Most of this equipment comes from the '60s...'80s, and the Comecon (Council of Mutual Economic Assistance) made sure the industries in different countries of the Eastern bloc got the gear they needed, if it couldn't be made domestically. So, apart from our own machines, we had Soviet, GDR, Czechoslovak or Hungarian stuff. If the Comecon couldn't cover the needs, then Western machines were imported.
Wow, learned a whole lot in this video for instance how modern barrels are made! I would have never, ever guessed that barrels are just hammered into place around a mandrel. And that machine that translates scale and copies an engraving?! How cool! Again, never would have guessed that's how it's done. Thank you Ian!
Polska Fabryka 🤘🏻 Thanks for showing these processes once. we all talk about the terms, but actually seeing it get done is also necessary for full understanding
Wow, thanks. Not only informative, but I think this is by far your best tour video, and one of your best put-together videos overall. Thanks for the effort and to FB for the access.
A real pleasure to watch. Thank you to the Radom guys for letting you film the manufacturing process, and thank you Ian for filming and explaining it for us. Really interesting stuff.
This is fantastic! I love the factory tours, especially being an educated tool- and diemaker (Moulds as specialty) tradesman, currently working as an Industrial technician (Machinist). It is rare to be able to get a factory tour of a weapons factory. I know these factory tours are difficult to set up, but they are very delightful to watch! Thanks, Ian.
As much as I love the guns and history, it is just as cool to see how you go from raw metal to finely tuned machine. These tours are great. Thanks Ian!
Great Video Ian! I am a civil engineer, but have always been fascinated with all aspects of engineering, including machining. Your behind the scenes videos of the manufacturing processes for these kind of specialty items are always fun to watch. When the presenter is so enthusiastic about the processes he is describing, it really makes the whole thing more interesting and fun.
I work in factory automation, and i get to see stuff like this a lot. And it's always fascinating to me. Not only what the machine is doing and making, but that it does it to inhuman tolerances, and at inhuman speeds.
Yet another great video. Thank you very much, Ian. I'm very happy to see the inside works of the factory that I've learned so much about through the years, and one that played (and still plays) such an important role in firearm development in my country.
That proof firing jig is super cool!! I always wondered how they tested barrels without the rifle fully assembled. It reminds me of the Mythbusters episode where they were testing bullet penetration in water.
OMG! FInally! I waited for it since, FB announed your visit in facebook post half year ago XD I enjoyed watching it very much. I hope you liked your visit in Poland.
And rightfully so. We have to make enough to arm our growing Army and The Territorial Defence Force. Weapon stockpiles must albo be filled, so our reservists would be issued Grots if a time of need comes (and so that we can finally retire the last of the 7.62 AKs that still sit there). Not to mention the guns sent to the Ukrainians.
I am not a gun enthusiast but I always enjoy watching your videos. For some people, just taking a weapon and watching them being fired is enough. But with you, it is also about how they work and, as in this video, how they are made. I especially liked seeing the old stamping machines that are still being used today. As the son of a Production Engineer I thank you for making videos like these, covering subjects others might ignore or just brush over.
It would be fantastic if you could also visit the ZM Tarnow factory or at least show off some of their guns. They have always been in the shadow of the FB even though they are a much more versatile company, making way more different types of guns.
Great factory tour Ian and Fabryka Broni interesting to see the hammer forming start with a larger than bullet diameter hole and use such a short mandrel.
Wow, just think how far this channel has gone! From simple one-man videos (which a wonderful, nothing wrong with that), you are now recognized globally. Kudos
The guy at 14:05, definitely has the world's greatest job. I wish that were my job, lucky guy. Seriously great video, I've been wanting to see something like this for a long time.
Welcome to Poland Ian! Great to have you here :) I hope you not only came to Radom but you could get to see some great museums we have. Thanks for this interesting video!
Yes the exacting heat treatments are absolutely essential to get correct - otherwise you end up with a very expensive pile of items that look like guns but can't cycle ammunition because the bolts or barrel extension lugs are either too brittle or too soft so parts bend, deform, or shear off. It's a series of exacting procedures. Also an emphasis on the QC/testing department is essential for any production run on an assault rifle project. 😊
Very cool factory tour. I actually noticed that CMM machine is from ZEISS which is a company that I assemble PCB's for at work! Really cool to see where our hard work goes to.
This is really cool, thanks for this. Always wanted to see weapons factories but obviously it's not something that comes up too often and never really searched it myself.
As a metallurgical engineer, I can confirm that proper heat treat is super important for many materials. I recall an incident some years ago at a foundry where we found a heat treat process issue and asked for a few loads of steel to go back through the furnace for a second round of heat treating; the cleaning room supervisor was confused and said, "but they got hot, didn't they?" I think we successfully explained what happened by using baking cookies as an analogy: the wrong temperature and/or the wrong time means you either still have dough or you've burned the cookies. Great factory tour!
This was amazing! It's really mind boggling how much time and effort goes into making a firearm much less MANY firearms! The guy at the test firing booth must be a crack shot with that many rounds down range!
Its cool that give you perm to film this without any weird staff preparation, showing only specific parts/tools that are offline, "forced" director interview that would later fallow you to get in more shots and all that awkward talking where some office staff that never used any of tools and still try to talk about how it work
