Hydraulic Press Channel

Last updated

Hydraulic Press Channel
Hydraulic Press Channel title screen.jpg
Personal information
NationalityFinnish
YouTube information
Channel
Created byLauri Vuohensilta
Location Tampere, Finland
Years active2015–present
Genre Science
Subscribers8.92 million [1]
Total views4.94 billion [1]
Network Splay Suomi
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg100,000 subscribersJune 2016
YouTube Gold Play Button 2.svg1,000,000 subscribersJune 2016

Last updated: April 9, 2024

The Hydraulic Press Channel (HPC) is a YouTube channel operated by Finnish workshop owner Lauri Vuohensilta. Launched in October 2015, the channel publishes videos of various objects being crushed in a hydraulic press, as well as occasional experiments using different devices. On 31 October 2015, the channel published a video of Vuohensilta unsuccessfully attempting to fold a piece of paper more than seven times with the hydraulic press. The video was subsequently posted to the social news website Reddit in March 2016, causing it to receive more than two million views within a day.

Contents

The channel's unexpected success caused Vuohensilta to continue producing videos for the Hydraulic Press Channel. In June 2016, the channel became eligible for both the silver and the gold YouTube Play Buttons, leading to his attempt to crush the silver one with the press. Analysis of the channel's success often cites the excitement of the unexpected results, Vuohensilta's sense of humor, and his distinctive Finnish accent.

Overview

Each video begins with an intro, in which Vuohensilta announces, "Welcome to the Hydraulic Press Channel". [2] He then introduces one or more objects that he is going to crush using the hydraulic press.

Objects that have been crushed using the press include a golf ball, a book, a rubber duck, a bearing ball, a bowling ball and pin, a hockey puck, Lego toys, a Nokia 3310, a Barbie doll, a diamond, and multiple smaller hydraulic presses. [3] [4] Videos may also feature the press crushing an assortment of items, such as explosive materials, objects that have been placed in liquid nitrogen, fruits, and Australian memorabilia.

Originally at the end of each video, after the outro, a clay figure made by his then wife, Anni Vuohensilta, often described by Lauri as "very dangerous", was "dealt with" by the press as "extra content" of the day. [5]

Hydraulic press specifications

It is noted in the "how to use hydraulic press" video that the press weighs 4 tonnes (8,800 lb).

The press can exert 144 tonnes (142 long tons ; 159 short tons ) of force. The main pump maxes out at 100 tonnes of force then an additional smaller pump finishes the total force.

Vuohensilta noted that the green colour was painted by him and that the press was not always green.

Since 2023, a new press capable of exerting 300 tonnes of force has been used in partnership with Dutch manufacturer Profi Press.

In addition to this, Vuohensilta has manufactured a bulletproof concrete bunker for the press to be encased in, allowing for more dangerous experiments to be performed.

History

The channel officially launched on 6 October 2015. Living in Tampere, Finland, [6] Vuohensilta was inspired to create the Hydraulic Press Channel after discovering other YouTube channels committed to destroying objects, especially a channel called carsandwater, popular for videos of a man using a red-hot ball of nickel to melt various objects. [7] Although Vuohensilta originally promised a new video every week, the channel became dormant after uploading a video on 31 October 2015 of him attempting unsuccessfully to fold a piece of paper more than seven times with the hydraulic press. The paper explosively collapsed into a brittle, stone-like material at the seventh fold. [8] [9] Thomas Amidon, a paper engineering professor at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, speculated in an interview with Popular Science that the cause of the explosion might have been the collapse of calcium carbonate within the paper, which had provided it with stiffness and opacity. [9]

Despite its dormancy, the channel received widespread attention in March 2016 after the paper video was submitted to the social news website Reddit and subsequently received more than two million views within 24 hours. [8] Following its unexpected popularity, the channel began publishing videos again, with new videos typically receiving over a million views within days of their release. The channel's success allowed Vuohensilta to enter a deal with a 3D printing company and receive a 3D printer. Vuohensilta planned to first use the printer to make more sophisticated safety equipment, and then to allow people to send him "... earmarks of stuff that they want to be crushed, and then I can just print them out here and crush them and make the video." [2]

In June 2016, the channel was awarded with the silver YouTube Play Button, in commemoration for the channel reaching 100,000 subscribers. [10] On June 20, 2016, the channel uploaded a video in which Vuohensilta attempts to crush the trophy using the press. Already in June 2016, the channel reached its millionth subscriber, making them eligible for the gold Play Button. Vuohensilta considered acquiring a more powerful press to accommodate the achievement. [10]

The fourth most-viewed upload on the channel, with 24 million views as of June 2021, was produced in 2017 in partnership with 20th Century Fox to promote the then-upcoming film Logan , in which Vuohensilta tries to crush an "adamantium" bearing ball and then Wolverine's claws, both resulting in damage or destruction of the "hardened" pressing tool. [11]

Anni Vuohensilta took leave of the channel in 2021 due to burnout and mental health issues, as well as having lost interest. In December 2022, Lauri and Anni announced their amicable divorce. [12]

Since 2023, Lauri has run the channel with his new partner Hanna.

Response

Brad Reed, in an article published in Boy Genius Report , wrote that the "couple’s reactions are part of what make the videos so funny", highlighting Vuohensilta's wife Anni's laugh, which can frequently be heard in the background of the Hydraulic Press Channel's videos, as well as Vuohensilta's tendency to "state the obvious in a fairly deadpan manner". [13] Vuohensilta has a distinctive Finnish accent, which he believes influenced the Hydraulic Press Channel's success. [2] Jesse Singal, in an article published on New York magazine's website, wrote that the channel attracts viewers by combining the "tension" created by the hydraulic press's destructive power with Vuohensilta's "goofy nerdiness". [6]

Vuohensilta also attributes the channel's attractiveness to the excitement of the explosions and the unexpected results, as well as "the humor value of everything, my accent and stupid jokes". [6] In 2017, the channel received a Shorty Award in the "weird" category. [14] They got two pieces of the award, of which they crushed the other one.

Beyond the Press channel

In April 2016, the Vuohensilta couple opened a secondary YouTube channel called Beyond the Press, featuring behind-the-scenes material from the Hydraulic Press Channel. The video content includes, for example, the usual work in the workshop, experimental videos as well as various creative ways to explode or destroy stuff beyond the hydraulic press. As of April 2024, the channel has over 700,000 subscribers. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydraulic press</span> Machine press using a hydraulic cylinder to generate a compressive force

A hydraulic press is a machine press using a hydraulic cylinder to generate a compressive force. It uses the hydraulic equivalent of a mechanical lever, and was also known as a Bramah press after the inventor, Joseph Bramah, of England. He invented and was issued a patent on this press in 1795. As Bramah installed toilets, he studied the existing literature on the motion of fluids and put this knowledge into the development of the press.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">YouTube</span> Video sharing website owned by Google

YouTube is an American online video sharing and social media platform owned by Google. Accessible worldwide, it was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States, it is the second most visited website in the world, after Google Search. YouTube has more than 2.5 billion monthly users, who collectively watch more than one billion hours of videos every day. As of May 2019, videos were being uploaded to the platform at a rate of more than 500 hours of content per minute, and as of 2021, there were approximately 14 billion videos in total.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viral video</span> Video that becomes popular via Internet sharing

A viral video is a video that becomes popular through a viral process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email. For a video to be shareable or spreadable, it must focus on the social logics and cultural practices that have enabled and popularized these new platforms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Higa</span> American YouTuber and streamer

Ryan Higa, also known as nigahiga, is an American internet personality. Best known for his comedy videos on YouTube, Higa began making YouTube videos in 2006 and was one of the most popular creators on the platform in its early years. His main YouTube channel, nigahiga, was the most subscribed channel on YouTube for 677 consecutive days from 2009 to 2011, an achievement that has only been surpassed by PewDiePie and T-Series. Higa was the first person to reach the milestones of 2 million and 3 million subscribers on YouTube. Higa launched a podcast in 2018 called Off the Pill, which has featured YouTubers and celebrities such as KevJumba, Andrew Yang, and Jeremy Lin. In 2020, Higa started streaming on Twitch, where he reacts to his past videos and broadcasts video game content, most notably in Valorant.

<i>Annoying Orange</i> American YouTube web series

Annoying Orange is an American live-action/animated comedy web series created by Dane Boedigheimer. The series follows an anthropomorphic orange who annoys fruits, vegetables, and various other objects by telling crude jokes and puns until their demise. In addition, the show satirizes and parodies pop culture with a touch of off-color, surreal and gross-out humor.

Kyle Lamar Myers is an American podcaster and former YouTuber known under the stage name FPSRussia and FPSKyle. His YouTube channel features Myers portraying the fictional role of Dimitri Potapov, a heavily accented "professional Russian" from Moscow. His videos center around the usage of large amounts of firearms and explosives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PewDiePie</span> Swedish YouTuber (born 1989)

Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, is a Swedish YouTuber known for his comedic videos. Kjellberg's popularity on YouTube and extensive media coverage has made him one of the most noted online personalities and content creators. He has been portrayed in media as a figurehead for YouTube, especially in the genre of gaming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dude Perfect</span> American comedy group

Dude Perfect (DP) is an American sports and comedy group headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The group consists of Tyler "The Beard” Toney, “The Twins” Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett "The Purple Hoser" Hilbert, and Cody "The Tall Guy" Jones, all of whom are former college roommates at Texas A&M University. Their YouTube channel has over 60 million subscribers and is the second-most-subscribed sports channel as well as the 31st-most-subscribed channel overall. In addition to their main channel, they have launched additional channels such as Dude Perfect Plus, Dude Perfect Gaming, and Dude Perfect en Español. Collectively, these channels have amassed 1.8 million subscribers and garnered 116.7 million views in total, as of August 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Forsberg</span> Finnish singer-songwriter and YouTuber (born 1994)

Sara Maria Forsberg, formerly known professionally as SAARA, Smo, Smoukahontas, or Smokahontas, is a Finnish singer, songwriter, YouTube personality, and television presenter. As a singer, Forsberg was signed to Capitol Records in 2014 and released her debut single "Ur Cool" in April 2015, which went on to become a top ten hit in her home country of Finland. She left in early 2016 after disagreements with the label and her producer. Forsberg has continued to release music as an independent artist in affiliation with Universal Music Group. As of November 2017, her YouTube channel has more than a million subscribers and over 100 million views.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Atwood</span> American YouTube personality

Roman Bernard Atwood is an American YouTube personality and prankster. He is best known for his vlogs, where he posts updates about his life. His vlogging channel, "RomanAtwoodVlogs", has a total of 5 billion views and 15 million subscribers. He also has another YouTube channel called "RomanAtwood", where he used to post prank videos. The channel has been inactive since 2016. His pranks have gained over 1.4 billion views and 10.4 million subscribers. He became the second YouTuber after Germán Garmendia to receive two Diamond Play Buttons for his first two channels.

YouTube Premium is a subscription service offered by the American video platform YouTube. The service provides ad-free access to content across the service, as well as access to premium YouTube Originals programming produced in collaboration with the site's creators, downloading videos and background playback of videos on mobile devices, and access to the music streaming service, YouTube Music. It has over 100 million subscribers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MatPat</span> American YouTuber (born 1986)

Matthew Robert Patrick, better known as MatPat, is an American semi-retired YouTuber and internet personality. He is the creator and former host of the YouTube series Game Theory, and its spin-off series Film Theory, Food Theory, and Style Theory, each analyzing various video games, films alongside TV series and web series, food, and fashion respectively. Each of the different series are posted on individual channels, each named after the respective series. In addition to the creation of his channels, Patrick narrates the majority of the videos that are presented on his channels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TechRax</span> YouTube channel focused on smartphone destruction

TechRax is a YouTube channel focused on making videos about the destruction of phones and other technological devices. The channel was founded by Taras Maksimuk on September 20, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domics</span> Canadian YouTuber (born 1990)

Dominic Panganiban, better known online as Domics, is a Filipino-born Canadian YouTuber, animator, and cartoonist.

Lauri is an Estonian and Finnish male given name. It can also be a surname.

Cocomelon is an American YouTube channel owned by the British company Moonbug Entertainment and maintained by the American company Treasure Studio. Cocomelon specializes in 3D animation videos of both traditional nursery rhymes and their own original children's songs. As of March 2024, Cocomelon is the 3rd most-subscribed and 2nd most-viewed channel on YouTube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5-Minute Crafts</span> YouTube channel

5-Minute Crafts is a do it yourself (DIY)-style YouTube channel owned by TheSoul Publishing. As of October 2023, it is the 15th most-subscribed channel on the platform. The channel is also the 5th most-followed Facebook page. It is based in Limassol, Cyprus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Ridiculous</span> Australian YouTube trio

How Ridiculous is an Australian YouTube channel based in Perth, Western Australia. The channel's main personalities are Brett Stanford, Derek Herron and Scott Gaunson. As of January 2024, they have 20.3 million subscribers and more than 11.25 billion video views. They are mostly known for their trick shots and experiments involving dropping objects onto other objects from a great height, typically 45 metres (148 ft). Objects that have been dropped by the channel include, but are not limited to, bowling balls, basketballs, anvils, lifting stones, custom-made heavy metal objects such as giant darts and a Mjölnir-like hammer, household appliances, cars/motor vehicles, and even a small plane. The group also frequently devises interesting targets to drop said objects onto, such as RC car race tracks, giant axe blades, multiple cans of spray paint or silly string taped/grouped together, bedliner-covered obstacles, a bulletproof glass table, and pools full of oobleck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah McCreanor</span> Australian dancer and content creator (born 1992)

Sarah McCreanor, known professionally as "Smac" and Hydraulic Press Girl, is an Australian actor, dancer, comedian, and content creator. She is known for her content series in which she moves her body to imitate objects being crushed in hydraulic presses. Among other activities, she has performed in about 70 television commercials.

References

  1. 1 2 "About HydraulicPressChannel". YouTube.
  2. 1 2 3 Sensenig, Kate (19 April 2016). "Welcome to the 'Hydraulic Press' YouTube channel, a truly crushing experience". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  3. Kooser, Amanda (7 April 2016). "Watch a hydraulic press crush another press inside yet another press". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  4. Christian, Jon (12 April 2016). "I Asked The YouTuber Who Crushes Stuff In a Hydraulic Press: Why?". Motherboard. Vice Media. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  5. Siese, April (5 April 2016). "Hydraulic presses can crush anything, and the Internet is obsessed". The Daily Dot. Daily Dot Media. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Singal, Jesse (27 April 2016). "Why YouTube's Hydraulic Press Channel Is So Addictive". New York. Vox Media. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  7. Campion, Freddie (16 June 2016). "Inside the Curious, and Extremely Lucrative, World of Destroying Stuff on YouTube". GQ.com. Condé Nast. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  8. 1 2 Menegus, Brian (16 March 2016). "Watching Stuff Get Smooshed by a Hydraulic Press Is So Satisfying". Sploid. Gizmodo. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  9. 1 2 Griggs, Mary Beth (17 March 2016). "Why This Piece Of Paper 'Exploded' In A Hydraulic Press". Popular Science. Bonnier. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  10. 1 2 Kooser, Amanda (22 June 2016). "Hydraulic Press Channel crushes its own YouTube award". CNET. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  11. "Hydraulic Press Channel statistics". SocialBlade. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  12. "Työmatka Podcast - Me Erottiin". YouTube (in Finnish). 29 December 2022.
  13. Reed, Brad (8 April 2016). "A man who crushes things with a hydraulic press is 2016's viral video sensation". BGR. Boy Genius Report. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  14. "The 9th Annual Shorty Awards Winners". Sawhorse Media.
  15. "Beyond the press's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats". Social Blade. Retrieved 15 April 2024.