How Are Crayons Made?

DID YOU EVER WONDER HOW CRAYONS WERE MADE?

I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT PEOPLE MAKING CRAYONS.

I'LL DO MORE LATER.

I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU PEOPLE MAKING CRAYONS.

I HAVE A FILM OF IT HERE.

THERE'S THE RAILROAD TANK CAR WHICH CARRIES THE HOT WAX.

AND FROM THE TANK, IT'S POURED INTO A KIND OF BIG KETTLE.

THIS IS A POWDER THAT MAKES THE WAX HARD.

THEN AFTER THAT, PEOPLE PUT IN THE PIGMENT, WHICH IS LIKE COLORED FLOUR.

THIS PIGMENT IS YELLOW, SO IT'S HELPING TO MAKE YELLOW CRAYONS.

NOW ALL OF THAT HOT WAX AND HARDENER ARE MIXED TOGETHER AND DRAINED INTO A POURING BUCKET.

THIS IS A MOLD FOR LOTS OF CRAYONS.

EACH HOLE IS FILLED WITH THE COLORED WAX.

SEE HOW THEY POUR THAT IN?

KIND OF A DOUBLE BUCKET.

AND THAT COLORED WAX IS GOING DOWN INTO ALL THOSE HOLES.

AND A LITTLE LATER, EACH HOLE WILL SHOW A CRAYON COMING UP.

THE PEOPLE WAIT ABOUT FIVE MINUTES FOR THE WAX TO HARDEN.

THEN THEY SCRAPE OFF THE TOP, WHICH THEY'LL MELT AND USE AGAIN.

WATCH THE CRAYONS COME INTO THOSE COLLECTORS.

THERE THEY ARE.

LOOK AT ALL THOSE YELLOW CRAYONS.

HANDFULS OF YELLOW CRAYONS.

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THIS MACHINE IS FOR?

YOU KNOW THOSE THINGS THAT GO AROUND CRAYONS?

THOSE ARE LABELS.

SO THIS IS A MACHINE THAT PUTS LABELS ON THE CRAYONS.

IT'S LIKE A FERRIS WHEEL, ISN'T IT?

THESE CRAYONS HAVE LOTS OF RIDES.

THEN PEOPLE TAKE THE CRAYONS TO A COLLATING MACHINE, WHERE 16 DIFFERENT COLORS OF CRAYONS ARE PUT TOGETHER.

LOOK AT ALL THOSE COLORS.

BEAUTIFUL.

EACH ONE IS MIXED INTO A LITTLE BOX.

SO EACH OF THOSE LITTLE BOXES HAS 16 DIFFERENT COLOR CRAYONS IN IT.

MORE COLORS.

AND MORE LITTLE BOXES.

TO MAKE UP BIG BOXES OF CRAYONS...

MANY LITTLE BOXES ARE PUT TOGETHER...

IN ONE BIG BOX.

THEN THEY'RE ALL PUT INTO THE BIG SHIPPING BOX.

THEN PEOPLE TAKE THOSE BOXES TO THE STORES, WHERE OTHER PEOPLE BUY THEM.

THAT'S HOW THEY BUY THE CRAYONS.