AIC's 46th Annual Meeting

Supporting and rotating heavy and cumbersome objects throughout the treatment process can present a real challenge. This problem is especially true when it comes to the conservation of cannons. The awkward size, shape, and weight of cannons makes it difficult to conduct surface cleaning and coating because work can only progress so far before the objects have to be turned over. This task is often carried out by having the objects elevated on wooden blocks which enables them to be carefully rolled over by hand to expose a new side to work. This process can be time consuming, requires the participation of several staff members, and can lead to surface abrasion of the objects and/or recently applied coatings. Therefore, when the conservation staff at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia was asked to treat several cannon within the museum’s collection, it provided an opportunity to develop a new support approach. This led to the fabrication of a wheeled mount that held the cannons in an elevated horizontal position while at the same time through the use of a bearing system allowed the objects to be freely rotated. The use of the new support device during the conservation of the cannons resulted in a much easier and safer treatment for both staff and objects. This poster will provide an overall description of the construction and operation of the new support structure as well as highlight how the system could be modified for use with other kinds of large objects.