Welcome to The Contraptory - Who we are, where we are and where we're going

Welcome everyone to The Contraptory, and thank you for visiting my online store.

I'll first introduce myself: I'm Mark, the founder, owner, and chief (and, frankly, only) contraptor at this here "contraption factory," based in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin County, United States. I'm pleased to announce the grand opening of TheContraptory.com.

My specialty is repurposing salvaged industrial machine and mechanical parts and vintage items — which otherwise would go to the scrap heap — into lamps and luminaries that look great in your home or office at any time of the day and year. They also make great one-of-a-kind handmade gifts for your family and friends.

Of course that's not all The Contraptory will offer, but more on that later.

How did I get to where I am today? A brief history:

I was born in 1981 and raised in Dayton, Ohio, famous for its bicycle-manufacturing brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright, who in that very city invented the world's first practical airplane. The city boasts several other inventors who also created things that changed the world: the cash register, the electric automobile engine starter, the beer can pull tab, the bar code, the movie projector, and even Cheez-Its, to name just a few.

Am I inventing things that alter the human condition such as them? Absolutely not. But I like to believe their spirit of innovation has influenced who I am and what I'm crafting today.

My late father opened an electronics manufacturing company in the late 70s that still operates in Brookville, Ohio, to this day, and which I was a part of several times over my lifespan — most recently as the maintenance and automation manager before moving to Columbus in 2023. Dad was also a private pilot which gave me a lifelong love for aviation. My mother was a science teacher for Miamisburg, Ohio, schools, and later raised myself and my twin brother and sister as a stay at home mom. I was an award-winning science fair participant in chemistry thanks in part to them and my own determination.

In my mid-20s, when I flew the cozy nest of the 60-acre family farm, I learned through trial and error how to fix my own things when they broke (with the occasional help from Dad and my best buddy Chris who both at the time possessed better mechanical and problem solving minds than myself. Chris still does.). Mostly because I was poor and couldn't afford someone to do it for me. "Necessity is the mother of invention," it's said.

What was a struggle back then in hindsight led me to the present time where I still use those rudimentary skills to fashion what you see in my creations today, albeit in a more refined way.

The seed for The Contraptory was planted around the 2009 year-end holidays when I discovered iron pipe lamps someone had made and were selling at an antique store in historic Waynesville, Ohio.

I didn't know at the time that experience would carry with me all these years, but I never forgot the feeling I had when I saw those lamps.

Nowadays, many creators make and sell similar iron pipe lamps. While it's easy and inexpensive to do, I don't intend to follow the crowd. This has always been my modus operandi whether I've known it consciously or not.

Fast forward to 2021, and many life experiences later, my wife Stephanie's career led us to visit Cookeville, Tennessee, smack dab in the middle of the state. There we wandered into The Munkey Wrench, a fascinating place full of wondrous one-of-a-kind lamps and luminaries and various other interesting art pieces created from vintage stuff like old worn out dolls, driftwood, clocks, old car jacks and more — all from the brain of its founder Bruce Heard. If you're ever in the area, stop in and have a chat with him. His shop is great and he tells great stories.

It was at that time I knew my vision for the future. My past experiences through necessity, my learned skills in industrial machine maintenance, and a need for a creative outlet led me to open The Contraptory three years later in 2024.

My mission: To create pieces that are unintended and unexpected, and place them in your space to excite you and your guests as much as it excites me to create them.

I intend the majority of what I offer at The Contraptory to be absolutely unique. I intend to offer things my customers will remorse passing over because they're unlikely to find it again anywhere in the world. Ever.

Near future endeavors for The Contraptory include:

• Aviation-themed lamps and luminaries from old aircraft parts and unique and personalized gifts for my fellow aviation enthusiasts. More on this soon, but expect to see The Contraptory's mobile store at general aviation airports in the near future. I'll post specific details about The Contraptory's in-person events on social media (hint hint: follow us on Facebook and Instagram - links below).
• Personalized laser-engraved gift items. Think wallets, bottle openers, cigar sets, keychains, etc. with your favorite peoples' initials engraved on them, for example. I'm not quite ready to release this to the world, but if you're already planning for the holiday gift giving season and prefer handmade items, email The Contraptory at info@thecontraptory.com and we'll discuss what The Contraptory can do for you. I should officially release this part of the business to the public in early October.
• Business-to-business (B2B) laser services such as standard and digital metal business cards. If you're a B2B type, reach out to info@thecontraptory.com to discuss what custom services The Contraptory can provide you.

If you'd like to keep up with The Contraptory's creations, you can subscribe to emails on the home page for news, product launches and sales. You will see my latest creations more frequently by following The Contraptory on social media: Facebook and Instagram.

Plenty more details and products will be announced in the coming days, months and years.

I thank you for visiting and browsing my store.