A rigged model ship can take hundreds of hours to build. Left in the open, it can be ruined by dust, a curious cat or a careless elbow. Dust in particular settles into rigging and is very hard to remove without damage. A display case is the most reliable protection, and a good one also frames the model.
This guide covers types of case, how to measure for one, glass versus acrylic, ventilation and lighting, and two DIY builds.
Why Use a Case at All
- Dust: the biggest long-term threat to rigging, sails and fine deck detail
- Physical damage: from pets, children, cleaning and accidental knocks
- Handling: a case stops visitors touching
- Light and air: a case reduces, but doesn’t remove, the effects of sunlight and humidity changes
Many experienced builders say that leaving a model uncovered is the decision they most regret.
Types of Display Case
- Tabletop cases: a clear cover that sits on or locks into a wooden base. These are the most common type for single models.
- Wall-mounted cases: shallow cases with secure brackets, suited to half-hull models and smaller full models.
- Floor-standing cabinets: furniture-style units for large models or collections, often with shelves and doors.
- Flat-pack cases: delivered as panels for assembly, handy for very large models or awkward stairs.
- Curio or glass-fronted cabinets: ordinary furniture works well for several smaller models, such as a 1:1250 fleet, as long as the shelves are deep and tall enough.
How to Size a Model Ship Display Case
What to Measure
Measure the model on its stand, at its widest, longest and tallest points:
- Length: from the tip of the jibboom (or bowsprit) to the end of the spanker boom, ensign staff or any overhanging gear at the stern
- Width: on square-riggers, this is usually the length of the longest yard, not the hull beam. Yards can be braced at an angle, so measure them as they are actually set. On fore-and-aft rigs, check booms and any boats or davits that overhang the side.
- Height: from the underside of the stand or baseboard to the top of the tallest mast, including any flag or pennant
Measure twice. Write down the figures with the model in its final display state.
How Much Clearance to Allow
There’s no single standard, but many builders and case makers allow something like 2–5 cm (about 1–2 in) on each side and above the model, with more for large models. Tight clearance can look cramped and makes it hard to lift the cover off without catching the rigging. Very generous clearance makes the model look small and the case bulky.
If the model is going on a separate base inside the case, add that base’s size before calculating the case.
Glass vs Acrylic
| Glass | Acrylic (Perspex, Plexiglas) | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Heavy | About half the weight of glass or less |
| Scratch resistance | Good | Scratches easily, so clean gently |
| Breakage | Can shatter | Much more impact-resistant |
| Clarity | Excellent, with a slight green tint at the edges in thick panes | Excellent, no green tint |
| Static and dust | Less static | Can attract dust through static |
| DIY | Harder to cut and join | Easy to cut, joined with solvent cement |
Cleaning acrylic: use a soft microfibre cloth and plain water or a cleaner made for plastics. Avoid ammonia-based glass cleaners and rough paper towels, which can cloud or scratch acrylic.
UV-filtering versions of both glass and acrylic are available. They reduce, but don’t eliminate, fading from daylight.
Bases and Frames
Most bases are hardwood: cherry, walnut, mahogany, oak or maple, often with a moulded or routed edge. Many have a groove or rebate so the cover locates positively and dust has a harder time getting in. Finish the base with oil or varnish, and let it cure fully before the model goes in (see the next section). Our guide to making a model ship stand covers choosing baseboard wood in more detail.
Ventilation, Dust and Humidity
Opinion is divided between fully sealed and slightly breathable cases:
- Sealed cases keep out the most dust. If the model goes in while paints, glues or varnishes are still curing, though, their fumes can be trapped inside, and over time this may affect the model or haze the cover.
- Slightly breathable cases let moisture and fumes escape but let in some fine dust.
A sensible middle course is to let all finishes cure thoroughly, for weeks rather than days for oil-based varnishes, before you close the case. Use a cover that fits well in a groove or onto a felt or foam strip. Avoid placing the case where humidity swings widely, such as near bathrooms, kitchens or exterior walls in damp houses.
Lighting
LED strips or small puck lights are the usual choice because they run cool. Mount them at the top edge or under a shelf, angled to light the rigging and deck without glaring at the viewer. A warm white usually suits wooden models. Hide the wiring in the base and use a low-voltage supply.
DIY Build: A Simple Acrylic Cover
This is a five-sided acrylic box that sits on a wooden base.
- Cut the panels. You need two sides, two ends and a top. Acrylic can be scored and snapped, cut with a fine-tooth saw, or bought cut to size, which many plastics suppliers will do accurately.
- Finish the edges. Scrape or sand the edges square and flat so the joints close up properly. Leave the protective film on the faces while you work.
- Set up a square jig. Use a square block or right-angle clamp so each joint is held at 90°.
- Join with solvent cement. Acrylic solvent cements fuse the parts. Products sold for this include Weld-On in the US and Tensol in the UK. Run thin cement into the joint with a needle applicator and let capillary action draw it in. Work in a ventilated space.
- Add the top once the four walls have set.
- Make the base. Rout or cut a groove in a hardwood base that matches the cover’s footprint with a little play.
- Peel the film only when everything is finished.
Practise on offcuts first. Solvent cement leaves marks on the faces if it runs.
DIY Build: A Wood-Framed Glass Case
This is the traditional style, with slim wooden corner posts and rails holding glass panels.
- Make the frame from hardwood strip with a rebate (rabbet) cut along the inside edge to take the glass.
- Join the corners with glued mitres or simple joints, and check the frame is square.
- Have the glass cut by a glazier to the rebate size, minus a small allowance. Ask for the edges to be arrised (lightly ground) so they are safe to handle.
- Fix the glass with thin wooden beads, glazing points or a clear silicone bead.
- Make the top removable, or make the whole cover lift off a grooved base, so the model can come out for maintenance.
Glass cases get heavy. Make sure the base and the furniture under it can take the weight, and lift with two people when needed.
Where to Put the Case
- Away from direct sunlight, which fades paint, sails and wood
- Away from radiators, heaters and air vents, which bring heat cycles and dust
- On stable furniture at a height where people can see the deck
- With enough space to lift the cover off
If you’d like to build a scene around the model before it goes under cover, our guide to model ship dioramas covers resin seas and dockyards. For the finishes that keep up best behind glass, see our guide to model ship finishes.