Watch A Massive Tanker Ship's Propeller Get Cast At 1,800 Degrees

Humans have built many amazing things. It's one of our most incredible abilities. And we don't just build complex things – we build huge things, things on a scale that far outweighs our own small, fragile bodies. We're excellent builders. 

It's one thing to see those big things when they're all done – it's another thing entirely to see the massive parts that go into them being built. Even that is a considerable process. For example, have a look at what it takes to make a tanker ship's giant propeller.

Once, the main concern for the operators of the tanker ship Maersk Tangier was how fast it could get its cargo around the world. Now, longevity and efficiency are the top priorities.

The ship will travel 124 million miles in its lifetime, and its operators want to keep costs as low as possible, so they've had the propeller designed for fuel efficiency. That requires incredible precision for something so large. 

The 23-foot propeller gets cast in one, big piece, an alloy of eight metals – mostly copper – at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. 

It takes five days (!) for it to cool into one big lump, and then workers have to extract the propeller from its mold without damaging it. 

A tungsten cutting head, guided by a computer, then grinds down propeller's surface, shaving it smooth and getting it ready for 15 days of buffing to a perfectly shiny finish.

After a coating of corrosion-resistant paint, it's ready to be installed on the Tangier.

Check out the whole process in the video below!

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