Thanks Eric - great clarification.

I am a woodturner as well as an espresso devotee. Woodturners have in common a passion for wood and the lovely transformations made possible by a lathe. The woodturner forums are similarly technical when compared with this espresso forum -- physics and engineering considerations of tool steel formulation, vacuum chucking, gouge sharpening angles, wood grain ultrastructure, wood finishing techniques, etc, are endless. And all of it is, despite some remove, in thrall to a passion, an aesthetic experience.

Enough before I receive a bulletin board reprimand. Cheers.

Bluer Ridge wrote:Enough before I receive a bulletin board reprimand. Cheers.

Not at all, I have friends who are into woodworking and appreciate their craftsmanship. One point related to espresso: When someone comments on my investment in espresso equipment, I remind them that a "dream" espresso setup would be an entry-level setup for hobbies like a home workshop, audiophile, home theater, etc.