There was the possibility of expanding the business and turning it into a small manufacturing operation. But Ives enjoyed the pleasures of careful craftsmanship. He didn't want to be a manufacturer. He wanted to build things that were even more individualized than his game tables. Dividing his time between a workshop in Milford, Connecticut and a studio in upstate New York, Ives now makes about 12 tables a year.
Controls are in a table drawer that can be pulled out.
Perimeter lighting, on a circuit of its own, is arranged around the upper interior of the layout. Lighting for miniature buildings or street lamps has its own circuit, as do the automatic electronic devices triggered by the motion of the train, for example, to activate a highway crossing signal. Frequently, there are scenery actions as well, like carnival rides. Looking diagonally across the table will then make one building appear to be four, increasing the apparent size and complexity of the scene. Ives gets to know his customers pretty well by telephone and correspondence.