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A while ago I took delivery of a couple of ships in display cases in need of some TLC, the larger of the two models was in pretty good shape overall, the second smaller model however had suffered some major damage to the masts etc and the case was far to damaged to rescue.
So the first task as always was to take some photos for future reference with the restorations, once this had been done I decided to tackle the larger of the two models first, so once I had assessed the work required I could start by repairing any damaged fittings etc along with any rigging before re-coating with varnish where required.
The final job for this model was to clean off the sails very carefully so as to preserve the very nicely made sails and to enhance the overall look of the model, this as you can imagine took quite some time due to the delicate state of the sails and adjoining rigging but was well worth it in the end.
This model was now finished so I could move onto the case, the first task being to take it apart fully and replacing the glass with Acrylic sheet.
Overall the cases timber was in pretty good shape and only required a general tidy up before staining the colour required by the customer this also included the ships stand so everything matched perfectly. Now with the case repaired I could re-position the model and stand and fix into place before the case was then carefully re-assembled prior to giving it all a final polish before handing the finished restoration back to the customer.
Smaller model
Now I could move onto the second smaller model, this would again require some very careful handling due to its size and delicate state. The first task was to remove the model from the case and put it to one side so work could begin. I decided to start by doing the repairs to the masts and replacing the rigging where required, this as you can imagine proved to be very fiddly work due to the scale of the model but as always well worth it. Now with the model structurally sound I could carry out the very delicate cleaning process and also any touching up of paint work etc thus completing the actual ships restoration.
With regards to the models case the best way forward was to just build a completely new case again using Acrylic and timber and colour matching it the same as the larger case in the previous restoration. Once the new case had been completed the last job was to fix the model on its stand back into place on the new stands base and then the new cover, with the cover in place this completed the second restoration.
Overall these restorations proved to be very satisfying and are now back with the customer to be enjoyed and preserved for years to come.
