Y-Wing box restoration - before and after!

Redward

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May 14, 2020
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Hi everyone, just thought I'd share the before and after pics from a pretty beaten up Y-Wing box I picked up recently... you name it, it had it - dry yellow sellotape, creasing, bashed corners, split cardboard... quite pleased with the results, just good old fashioned book restoration techniques and patience... I'm sure many of us have boxes that could do with a bit of tlc... Let me know if you want any tips or help with yours!
 

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Mini99

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Great job...let us in to the secrets and have a Snaketibe guide to box restoration. 8)
 

Redward

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Thanks everyone, you're right I should do a step by step guide... I used to work in a professional art gallery which taught me a few restoration tips. Maybe I should take commissions in return for bits and bobs missing from my collection! Let me summarise a week's worth of Y-wing lockdown night shifts in roughly 8 steps:

You have to loosen the glue from the sellotape and the box itself, flatten it out, then clean all the dirt and glue residue painstakingly, then reinforce it but taking care not to go too close to joins, flaps etc, leave under a press or weighted until firm, flat and dry. Where the cardboard has feathered apart you have to re-stick each layer with dry paper glue and weight until tight and flat (this is the slow bit, I use a pin to apply glue).

Once you're happy the box is clean, reinforced and structurally sound you can start the tidying up. It depends how far you want to go - I wasn't aiming for a 'brand new' box, I wouldn't recommend it. There's a lot of black to the design and my inks were a good match, so you can ink out every scrape, scratch, crease etc where white shows through the original black. You have to be careful to match and blend so it doesn't look patchy. Close up you'll see the box is worn, but without the white damage it looks good.

I didn't do anything to the artwork, but did touch up the Jedi logo red as I had a good ink pen match. Then you're ready to glue it. You can't really go back once you've glued the main seal. You need to do this evenly with the right glue, and weight enough to give a nice seal. Buff it down, use a light wax on a sponge to restore some of the sheen and protect.

No printing, no fakery, just old school techniques.

The main thing is not to rush it, and do it in stages. Be patient. Patience leads to concentration. Concentration leads to restoration...

PM me with any requests!
 

Mini99

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What did you use to strengthen the box, normal card or something "special"?
 

Redward

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May 14, 2020
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HI Mini99 I used a 2.5mm corrugated card - near colour match to original box (you'll never see it so up to you). Corrugated gives a bit more flexibility but you could use a thinner, denser card.

I don't think its necessary to use a Ph neutral card as the risk of yellowing through the card over time is negligible to non-existent I'd say. But you can get this if you're especially cautious with a rarer box.

You have to cut to allow for folds and so that it doesn't disrupt the flaps.

I wanted to do a video diary type thing to show but didn't get round to it. Maybe I can do that if anyone wants to donate a knackered box! (its always going to be the mini-rig radar laser cannon haha)
 

Sundancer Squadron

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Very nice, well done indeed. Currently restoring a badly crushed ripped and battered X wing box at the moment to make it displayable so I might put a couple of before and after images up.

Nice to put a bit of life back into something that would of otherwise just gone to the wind.
 

Redward

Youngling
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May 14, 2020
Messages
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Good luck @Sundancer Squadron yes go for it hopefully will get more before / after shares on this thread. PM me if you want to sense check anything although I'm sure you've got it locked down - no pun intended.
 

Cazza

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Redward any pics of the inside of the box? What glue do you use to attach the reinforcing card and where do you get the card? Sorry for all the questions! Got an X-Wing box that needs some work ;)
 

edd_jedi

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Looks great. It's a touchy subject with collectors, many are against restoring using techniques like ink touch ups, however looking at the original state of it I don't think anybody could argue you haven't saved it.
 

theforceuk

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Yes agreed, ink touch up on MOC's is a pet hate for me. However this is a great job, done perfectly.
 

Redward

Youngling
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May 14, 2020
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Cazza you can pick up card at a local hobby / craft shop otherwise I found the panels from packing boxes from John Lewis were plain brown 2 to 2.5mm and colour blended nicely. You need to make sure when you're cutting that you allow for a) the folds of the box once refolded (I left a 2mm gap either side and b) you cut them short so that the side flaps insert in again onto the original card not the new card as that will push them up and is visible when you put the flaps back in.

Don't forget to cut the new card thinner on the long side where the box is glued back together so accommodate the original flap.

A decent wood glue works well on cardboard, just get some wood and weights / food tins to distribute weight evenly and produce a nice flat finish. Do this step well and it helps smooth out any residual wrinkles even more.

If you need to, depending on the condition of the box, you can effectively add new card panels to each side of the box. This really helps the display after.

Recommend ironing the flat box between two sheets / towels etc after cleaning to flatten out, before adding new card. No steam and medium heat. Make sure you've cleaned off sellotape residue otherwise will stick to cloth.
 

2stripes

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Oct 20, 2006
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theforceuk said:
Yes agreed, ink touch up on MOC's is a pet hate for me. However this is a great job, done perfectly.

The MOC I received today has a slight bit of touch up, so no grading, but I'm not too fussed and didn't call the seller out for not mentioning it . When you see what can be achieved with the Y Wing box.. I don't think anyone could argue it would be better off falling to pieces, but it does need to be in the right hands. I'd be really tempted to learn some of the techniques, I'd find it totally absorbing to put in those sort of hours to get those results.
 
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