Live Stream 1980: Netizens Teach Me How to Make a Rocket by Hand

"Squeak—"

Accompanied by a teeth-grinding scraping sound, the long-sealed iron gate of Workshop 5 was slowly pushed open.

A strong smell of stale engine oil mixed with dust hit me.

The setting sun pierced through the windowpane, and countless dust particles danced wildly in the beam of light.

The workshop was large, but very empty.

Most of the equipment was removed during the relocation several years ago.

All that remains on the ground are rows of black holes where anchor bolts were used to fix the foundation.

At the far end of the workshop, a colossal creature crouched.

A green canvas stained with oil covered it, its outline menacing.

Lin Xi strode forward and ripped off the canvas.

A cloud of dust rose up, causing everyone to cough.

A dark green C620 conventional lathe suddenly appeared in everyone's view.

Even with its rusty marks, the rugged and oppressive feel unique to Soviet heavy industry still hits you right in the face.

Rugged and robust.

"C620?" Lin Xi's eyes lit up.

"Products from Shenyang No. 1 Machine Tool Factory in the 1950s."

"This is one of our most valuable machine tools, why wasn't it moved?"

"Who would dare move it..."

It wasn't Zhao, the cadre, who spoke, but Sun Erga, who was hiding in the back.

Sun Erga's face turned pale, and he pointed at the machine tool, his voice trembling slightly:

"This is that... 'cannibal machine'."

"Cannibalism?" Lin Xi raised an eyebrow.

"Five years ago, when this machine was still running, an old worker was machining a high-speed flywheel." Sun Erga swallowed hard.

"I don't know if the chuck exploded or the workpiece flew away, but... the person was killed on the spot."

"That was horrible. I heard their brains were splattered all over the ceiling."

Zhao, the clerk standing next to him, nodded, his expression somewhat unnatural.

"That's true."

"After the accident, the mechanics repaired it several times."

"But the strange thing is that this machine only works when the speed exceeds 600 RPM."

"A woman's crying sound would come from the spindle box, a sobbing, whimpering sound that was really creepy."

"Moreover, the bed vibrates so much that it's impossible to do any strenuous work."

"The workers say in private that it's the wronged spirit that's bothering them with the noise."

"Later, everyone thought it was bad luck, and whoever opened it would be unlucky. When it was time to relocate, the leader just waved his hand and scrapped it here."

Wang Yu was so frightened that his teeth chattered, and he clung tightly to Wang Dapao's clothes. Wang Dapao, on the other hand, remained calm, only frowning as he stared at the cold, hard metal object.

Lin Xi almost burst out laughing.

These days, not understanding science can easily lead to scaring yourself.

He didn't explain, but instead took two steps forward and carefully examined the machine tool.

In my mind, the live broadcast room has become an "expert consultation room".

[Mechanical Ascension: Good heavens, is this the legendary haunted house... no, the haunted machine? The patina, the texture, isn't this even more exciting than Boruto?]

[Cyber ​​Taoist: Howling like ghosts? I think it's the bearing crying. I suggest a physical exorcism.]

[Long Five Screw - Retirement Version: The C620's spindle box is basically a large gearbox. The flywheel accident back then must have caused minor deformation of the spindle, or the thrust bearing at the rear end must have broken.]

[Master Wang, a lathe repairman: Host, don't listen to their nonsense. I've repaired eight hundred of these old machines. Open the spindle box cover and check if the counterweight at the rear of the spindle is loose. That whistling sound is 90% likely the sound of air cutting caused by dynamic imbalance!]

This is the joy of having cheat codes.

Lin Xi felt much more at ease, straightened up, and looked at him with a playful expression.

"Cannon, go and close the gate!"

"Since you're following me, whether it's ghosts or gods, you'd better work hard for me!"

Upon seeing this scene, Officer Zhao slipped away to the front door—ready to make a quick getaway.

"Snap!"

Wang Dapao gritted his teeth and turned on the power switch. The indicator light turned red, like a scarlet eye.

Lin Xi skillfully shifted gears and started the engine.

"Buzz—"

The motor runs smoothly even at low speed.

Lin Xi's lips curled slightly, and he suddenly pushed the tachometer lever to the high speed setting!

"Ugh—!!!"

A sharp, piercing whistle suddenly rang out, echoing through the empty workshop.

The sound rose and fell, truly like the wailing of a wronged woman in the dead of night!

The ground began to shake, and dust began to fall.

"Oh my god! It's screaming like a ghost! It's screaming like a ghost!"

Sun Erga was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground and scrambled away.

Even Zhao, the clerk, felt a chill run down his spine and turned to run away.

Lin Xi, however, acted as if nothing had happened, even closing her eyes and bringing her ears even closer.

[Master Wang, the lathe repairman: I heard you! Frequency and rotation speed are directly proportional! It's a matter of counterweight!]

[Physics class representative: This kind of vibration can be canceled out by adding a reverse torque. Host, look at the counterweight hole on the back of the chuck, find that phase!]

Lin Xi turned off her phone.

The chilling shriek came to an abrupt end.

The world became quiet instantly.

"Dapao, find me an M10 screw and a wrench," Lin Xi ordered.

Wang Dapao snapped out of his daze, rummaged through the scrap heap, and handed over the item.

Lin Xi rotated the chuck, his fingers groping through the counterweight holes on the back, and finally locked onto one.

"The accident back then did cause the main shaft to tilt slightly."

While tightening the screws, Lin Xi casually explained, "But this 'ghostly cry' isn't from a ghost; it's from the wind."

"The spindle is unbalanced, and when it rotates at high speed, it cuts through the air like a whistle."

"Add the resonance of the machine tool, and that's what you hear as the wailing of ghosts."

He exerted force with his hand, screwing the screw firmly into the counterweight hole.

"alright."

Lin Xi patted the rust off his hands and looked at the few people huddled by the door.

"Erga, stand up."

"Watch closely as our 'money printing machine' is revived."

Power was restored.

Push the handle all the way down—maximum speed 1200 RPM.

Everyone instinctively covered their ears.

however……

The expected "ghostly wailing" did not occur.

Only the steady, powerful hum of the motor is the most beautiful rhythm of the industrial age.

The machine tool, which was originally shaking violently, was now as docile as a big cat.

Dead silence.

Zhao, the clerk, opened his mouth wide enough to fit an egg.

The machine tools that had troubled the mechanics for years, and were even abandoned because they were "haunted".

This kid fixed it by just stuffing in a screw?

"Amazing..." Wang Dapao muttered to himself, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Lin Xi.

Sun Erga got up from the ground, not even bothering to brush the dust off his backside, and circled the machine tool three times:

"Good heavens, Manager Lin managed to take care of this ghost?"

Lin Xi ignored the shock of the crowd.

The focus now is on the materials.

"Officer Zhao, now that I've fixed this machine..."

Lin Xi turned around and looked at the other person with a half-smile.

"According to the previous agreement, this falls under the category of 'irreparable and obsolete assets'."

"It's under our service center now, is that alright?"

"No...no problem! It was an asset destined for scrap anyway!" How could Officer Zhao dare to say no?

Lin Xi turned around, his gaze sweeping across the mountain of waste materials in the corner of the workshop like radar.

A jumble of aluminum plates, ceramic tubes, bearings from who-knows-when...

Lin Xi smiled.

This isn't a junkyard; it's a treasure trove!

"Dapao, get the brothers to work!" Lin Xi waved his hand.

"Our first pot of gold is buried in this pile of junk!"