The Workshop, Romanticized

I've mentioned elsewhere that our biz recently got an Android tablet, which is why it's been so long since last I updated - I've spent a good week or more just learning the thing, backwards and forwards.  It's a fascinating little device and quite a departure from the world of iOS.  The tweaker and fiddler in me loves the ability to customize it, while the perfectionist is a bit let down by its lack of "that extra 10%" that makes iPads such a seamless joy to play with.  Since I can't do two things at once (I've never been able to do this.  I boggle at people who can multitask as I invest 110% in exactly what I am doing until it is done, then move to the next project), that has meant a delayed site update and delayed production.

However, one good thing has come from this bit of sidetracking, and that is that our Cafe Press shop has gotten a small bit of new stock.  The tablet has an app that produces some fascinating photographic effects and between that and some Photoshop work, I've created a few "enhanced" pics of our workshop stations - Check them out!

Above is our larger metal lathe, where we do some of our pipe drilling, some stem drilling, and all of our Ligne Bretagne shank drilling.  Below is my personal workstation in the adjoining room, where I do all of the hand shaping and detailing of the more complex pieces, along with detail polishing, sketching, and every other complicated manual process.

And finally, here is the pic I chose for our Cafe Press shop - A beautifully romanticized, enhanced photo of our staining table that shows off the small mountain of different colors and tints we use to create our finishes.

This picture is now available from our Cafe Press shop in the form of a 9"x12" framed wall print and a pack of greeting cards (Note - Both of which are further enhanced and much higher definition than these JPGs), so those of you who like to decorate with a pipe theme have something to hang on the wall AND something to mail to your friends for the next special occasion!  If anyone is interested in any sort of print versions of the other two pics, let me know and I'll be happy to post them on our Cafe Press store also.  In the meantime, I hope you've enjoyed this little "beautified" look into our home workshop.