Squero Scene - Bending Wood with Fire

Here's a photo, taken a few years back, at Squero Canaletto in Venice.

Sean Antonioli was entrusted with many tasks, and he learned a lot about Venetian boat building.
Here, he was caught in the act of "bending wood with fire" - one of the coolest parts of the craft.
Traditionally, swamp-cane is used as it produces an almost moist smoke, but in a pinch, a propane torch will also work.

I just got an interesting e-mail from Sean:
He's been working in NYC for a company that builds things for display windows in department stores.
One of the funny things he wrote:
I was doing carpentry work for them. It's funny...you make big things small and small things big. I made a 3 and a half foot high jack in the box.

Hey Sean, I'll be in Manhattan in December - I'll try to find that giant jack-in-the-box and get a photo.