Dirty Jobs“Bell Maker”
Original Air Date: December 12, 2006
Stacy –TwoCents Reviewer
Just two weeks to go before new episodes of Dirty Jobs begin on their new day, Monday’s, still at 9pm. Until then we’ll have to content ourselves with the repeats. But, since this is Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, it shouldn’t be too hard to do. In last night’s episode, Mike finds out the hurricane barriers need cleaning too and that bell making requires only the purest of pooh.
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Dirty Jobs
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Original Air Date: December 12, 2006
Stacy –TwoCents Reviewer
Just two weeks to go before new episodes of Dirty Jobs begin on their new day, Monday’s, still at 9pm. Until then we’ll have to content ourselves with the repeats. But, since this is Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, it shouldn’t be too hard to do. In last night’s episode, Mike finds out the hurricane barriers need cleaning too and that bell making requires only the purest of pooh.
First up, Stamford, CT where we learn that the hurricane barrier designed and maintained by the Army Corp of Engineers normally lies on the bottom of the bay, but not today. Today, the four foot wide structure has been hauled out to be cleaned and inspected, primarily in an effort to replace the zinc anodes throughout the structure that deter rust. It’s all very scientific, and fascinating, but also completely filthy.
It’s so bad; Mike says it best when he describes it as “like Dante’s inferno”. Between the cramped corridors, the progressive levels of muck, the smell, the threat of wildlife, and the fact that all of this could very well be hazardous (it is 40 year old mud after all), it’s definitely one of the dirtiest jobs I’ve seen on the show.
On Stacy’s Sliding Scale of Ick, I’d rate it a solid 8. Working to clean hurricane barriers is definitely a dirty job. And it’s also a potential filming location for the next Saw movie.
The second have of the show takes us to the McShane Bell Foundry for some good, old-fashion bell making. And I mean it. This foundry has been making bells since 1856 the same way, with horse pooh. No, the bells aren’t made of pooh, but the molds used to make the bells are. It’s more fascinating then dirty, but it’s definitely like hard work. Also, dangerous work. The metal used in the bells has to first be melted and then poured once it is over 2000 degrees. And of course, they let Mike do this. The man not only has an iron stomach, but also iron will, because there’s no way I’d ever want to be in charge of a potential lava flow like that. But, apparently “I’m a baby” and there’s no room for babies at the foundry.
It isn’t all potential flesh-melting fire hazards at the foundry, they also clean and refurbish bells. Mostly, it’s not too taxing or even that messy compared to other jobs Mike has had on the show, but just as I’m starting to relax and think the worst is over, they visit a belfry. And it’s disgusting, and pigeon ridden, and otherwise everything you’d expect in an episode of Dirty Jobs. Plus there’s some accidental blasphemy as Mike is stuck under one of the bells that began to ring during a prayer service and will not stop. Poor guy.
On Stacy’s Sliding Scale of Ick, I’d rate it a 3. There was pooh, and dead birds, but no one got stuck in anything vile or ended up waste deep in garbage. Making bells is still a dirty job, but there’s more potential to go deaf or die in a flaming disaster than there is get to truly messy.