Restoring Old Plans

[Vincent Serio III]

I have a set of original drawings of a boat that my grandfather designed in 1934 (Hampton One-Design). They are on drafting paper, and done in pencil. The paper is yellowed and brittle. Any suggestions for unrolling the plans without damaging them and how to preserve them?

[Ken Hutchins]

The first thing I would do is record the table of offsets, preferably into a CAD system or at least Excell, if that data is recorded you have the capability of recreating the lines if your print gets damaged. The next thing would be have a copy made of the entire print, this can be done at some copy shops if they have a big copier or go to a civil engineering outfit they should be able to copy it and give you an electronic image as well as a paper copy. Once you have a working copy you can store the original and not have to worry about handling it.

[Nels]

I don't know how to restore the old plans. But you might like to know that your grandfather's Hampton one-design is still alive and well here in Hampton Roads (Hampton and Norfolk), VA. Lots of them still sailing.

[mmd]

Vincent, do you want to display the drawings, or preserve them for posterity with rare viewings?.

[Meerkat]

If you are afraid the paper will crumble just from unrolling, you need a professional document preservation/restoration specialist. He/she can treat the paper to restore some flexibility to it so you can at least unroll it to make copies.

Once you're at that point, you can discuss what else can/should be done to preserve the original documents, if that's what you want to do.

If Antiques Roadshow is to be believed, such basic preservations are in the "$200" or so range. Full restoration/preservation may cost somewhat more, but they don't make it sound like it's a bank breaker.

It all depends on what the drawings are worth, either because of the subject matter or their sentimental value...

[htom]

Vincent, I'd contact the Idaho Historical Society; they would probably know where to address your question.

[Vincent Serio III]

Thanks to everyone for the help. I found a great site from the Northeast Document Cons Ctr--Manual (http://user823621.sf1000.registeredsite.com/plam3/manhome.htm) which has a 514 page manual that you can download in pdf. Despite its enormity, you can page fairly easily to the section on "Flattening Rolled Documents" and "encapsulation", etc.

Looks like good material for the DIY document conservator.

[Ken Hutchins]

The other thing you might try is contact Mystic Seaport (http://www.mysticseaport.org/library/collections/ships.cfm) , they are handling and copying old plans every day.

[Otto49]

You probably do not want to take the drawings to the typical blueprint shop. Their machines are usually designed to pull the individual sheets through the copier.

Find a graphics shop that has a large flat-bed scanner, that way the drawings are laid-out flat and do not move during the process. A 24"x36" scan runs about $7.00 a sheet in north Florida.

Barry

[David S. Hinckle]

Hello Vince. I believe that I have a digital copy of the plans you are talking about. I got them from the class association a few years ago. I scanned them into a tif format file. Also I had the hull lines and rudder and centerboard plans redrawn in AutoCad. I will be happy to send them to you but the files are too big to email. I have an ftp site that you can download them from. Email me if you are interested. David

[Thad]

For softening and unrolling, hydration. This may best be accomplished by putting the rolled plans in a closed container like a covered plastic trash barrel, water in the barrel bottom and the plans standing up in a dry container that stands in the water (don't put the paper in the water). Hydration will probably take a couple of days and you will be checking on the progress until you find the roll safe to flatten out. Flattening should be done between sheets of archival blotting paper. When flat repairs can be made with archival tape.

[Nicholas Carey]

Take a look at the archives of the Conservation DistList (http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/).

You can't subscribe or post to it unless you're a professional: If you are professionally involved with the conservation of museum, archive, or library materials, please consider participating in the Conservation DistList. An interdisciplinary forum, the DistList is open to conservators, conservation scientists, curators, librarians, archivist, administrators, and others whose work life touches on the preservation of cultural property. In addition, if you are a student in museum, library, or archive program, or considering conservation as a career, you may find the DistList an interesting introduction to the work of our field(s).But you'll probably find the same issues you're facing have been raised at some point.

I think you'll find that stabilizing/unrolling your granddad's drawings will involve two things: rehydration (the paper needs to be [very carefully] rehydrated so it can be unrolled), and de-acidification (removing the acids that have caused it to yellow and brittle).

And once it's there, it probably wants to be kept flat and in the dark (light is the enemy) in an archival container (acid-free. no wood please.)

Here's an organisation in Andover, Mass., that specializes in just what you need: The Northeast Document Conservation Center (http://www.nedcc.org/), which caters to libraries, museums, etc. But they can probably give you some guidance. Here's the number of their Field Service Office (978-470-1010). They do publish a manual, Preservation of Library and Archival Materials: A Manual, but it's oriented towards professionals.

Hope this helps.