Ep 1. Putting the 'N' in Iowa

West End Salvage is a reality series that follows Don, Hal, and Joe, the expert craftsmen, who turn unwanted objects into useful and valuable items. In the second season's premiere episode, titled "Putting the 'N' in Iowa," the team is back to work, and they have a challenging task at hand. They must transform a 19th century soda fountain into a functional bar for a client in Iowa.

The episode starts with Don, the owner of West End Salvage, visiting his client Tom in Iowa. Tom owns a historic hotel and wants the team to turn an old soda fountain that he has lying around into a bar for his hotel. Don accepts the challenge and brings in Hal and Joe to work on the project. They start by taking the soda fountain apart and assessing its condition. The team discovers that the soda fountain is in bad shape, and they have to deal with many issues, such as rust, missing parts, and outdated technology.

The team then splits up to work on different sections of the soda fountain. Hal takes the base of the fountain and begins to clean it up, replacing any rusted pieces with new ones. He also installs a cooling system to keep the drinks cold. Joe focuses on the marble top of the fountain, which is in terrible condition. He uses a technique called "cathedraling" to restore the top, which involves filling in any holes or missing pieces with epoxy resin and dye to match the original color.

Meanwhile, Don and the client Tom take a trip to a local salvage yard to find some unique pieces to add to the bar. They come across an old neon sign, which they decide will make a perfect addition to the bar. They also find some old theater seats and decide to use them as the stools for the bar.

Back at the shop, the team works hard to put all the pieces together. They install a new bar top, which features the restored marble from the soda fountain, and add the neon sign and theater seats. Don also adds a custom-built shelving unit behind the bar to display Tom's liquor collection.

As the project nears completion, Tom comes to the shop to see the final product. He is amazed at the transformation of the soda fountain into a fully functional bar. The team has incorporated many unique and one-of-a-kind pieces into the design, giving the bar a personality that fits perfectly with the historic hotel.

In the end, the team has successfully completed the challenging task of turning an old soda fountain into a beautiful and functional bar. The episode showcases the team's incredible craftsmanship, creativity, and ability to transform unwanted objects into valuable and unique pieces. "Putting the 'N' in Iowa" is a great start to the second season of West End Salvage, and it sets the tone for the rest of the episodes to come.