Modelling4Comfort
Small Projects & Restorations
Overview
Not every project requires months of work or extensive documentation. Some of the most meaningful builds are small in scale but significant in heart - restoring family treasures, completing unfinished legacies, or creating simple joys for loved ones.
This page brings together three such projects: a WWII-era wooden Spitfire restoration, a vintage 1906 Renault model completed in memory of a departed neighbor, and handcrafted dollhouse bunker beds for my granddaughter’s miniature friends.
Each tells its own story of memory, connection, and the quiet satisfaction of making something with care.
Project 1: WWII Spitfire Restoration
The Story
This wooden Spitfire carries history in its grain. It was hand-carved during World War II by my wife’s father - a young man living through extraordinary times, creating what he could with the materials available.
He passed away not long after the war ended, making this small plane one of the few tangible connections my wife has to her father. Over the decades, time took its toll. Parts broke, pieces went missing, and the delicate wooden construction showed its age.
My wife kept it carefully, but it pained her to see it deteriorating. She asked if I could restore it - not to make it perfect, but to preserve what was there and make it whole again.
The Restoration
Original Condition:
- Several broken parts (propeller, landing gear elements)
- Missing small components
- Wood dried and fragile
- Finish worn and damaged
- Structural integrity compromised in places
Restoration Approach:
I approached this with deep respect for the original maker’s work. This wasn’t about making it look new - it was about stabilization, repair, and preservation.
Process:
- Assessment - Documented all damage, identified missing parts
- Stabilization - Reinforced weak joints carefully
- Replacement Parts - Carved new pieces matching original style (not trying to hide repairs)
- Wood Treatment - Treated dry wood to prevent further deterioration
- Reassembly - Rebuilt with modern adhesives for long-term stability
- Gentle Cleaning - Preserved original finish where possible
- Display Base - Created stable mounting for safe display
Philosophy: Visible repairs honor both the original maker and the object’s history. I didn’t try to make it look untouched - the mends are part of its story.
Reflections
Holding something carved by hands you’ll never shake, during a time you can only imagine, creates a peculiar connection across generations. This wasn’t about demonstrating modeling skill - it was about preservation and memory.
When I handed it back to my wife, now stable and complete, her response was simply: “Thank you. Now it can stay with us.”
Sometimes that’s all a project needs to be.
Completed: November-December 2024
Materials: Original wood, careful additions
Objective: Preserve, not replace
Project 2: 1906 Renault - Completing Jeff’s Legacy
The Story
Our neighbor Jeff was a graphic designer and a man who’d lived through remarkable times. As a young boy during World War II, he’d developed a lifelong love of making things carefully and getting the details right - qualities that served him well in his career and hobbies.
In 2024, Jeff passed away. While sorting through his belongings, his spouse discovered a small box in the attic: a half-built plastic model of a 1906 Renault. No instructions. No packaging indicating which kit it had been. Just pieces - some assembled, some still on sprues, some already painted.
She knew Jeff had been working on it but had set it aside years ago. She asked if I could complete it - to give Jeff’s unfinished project a proper ending and create something she could display in his memory.
The Challenge
What I Received:
- Partially assembled chassis
- Loose body panels (some painted)
- Bags of small parts
- No instructions
- No box art or reference photos
- No indication of original kit manufacturer
The Mystery:
Without instructions, I had to become a detective:
- Researched 1906 Renault automobiles for historical accuracy
- Studied which parts were already glued to understand Jeff’s assembly logic
- Examined paint schemes to determine his color intentions
- Figured out part relationships through trial fitting
- Made educated guesses where ambiguity existed
The Build
Approach:
I decided to complete it in the spirit of Jeff’s work - honoring his choices where I could interpret them, making considerate decisions where I couldn’t.
Process:
- Inventory - Cataloged all parts, noted what was assembled
- Research - Found historical photos of 1906 Renaults
- Interpretation - Studied Jeff’s paint and assembly choices
- Completion - Assembled remaining parts logically
- Finish Matching - Painted new parts to match Jeff’s colors
- Final Assembly - Brought it all together
- Display Base - Created proper presentation mount
Decisions Made:
- Continued Jeff’s brass/copper metallic scheme
- Maintained his black chassis with wood-grain floorboards
- Added period-appropriate details
- Kept some of his “quirks” rather than correcting them (his choices, his model)
The Handoff
When I returned the completed Renault to Jeff’s spouse, she held it carefully and smiled. “He would have finished it just like this,” she said.
It now sits on her bookshelf - a completed journey, a remembered neighbor, a tiny vintage car that connects past and present.
Completed: December 2024
Original Work: Jeff (our neighbor, 1930s-2024)
Completion: 2024
Era Depicted: 1906
Type: Vintage plastic kit (manufacturer unknown)
Project 3: Dollhouse Bunker Beds
The Request
My granddaughter loves her dollhouse. It’s not just a toy - it’s a miniature world where stories unfold, characters have adventures, and imagination runs free.
One day she came to me with a problem: “Grandad, my dollhouse friends need more beds. Can you make bunker beds like the one I have?”
She showed me the existing bunker bed (bunk bed) - a simple but functional piece of dollhouse furniture she’d acquired somewhere along the way. “The friends need to share rooms,” she explained seriously, “and bunker beds save space.”
The Challenge
Requirements:
- Match scale of existing dollhouse (approximately 1:12)
- Similar style to sample bed she showed me
- Sturdy enough for play (not just display)
- Safe for children (no sharp edges, non-toxic finishes)
- Multiple beds needed (the dollhouse has many “friends”)
The Build
Materials:
- Basswood (lightweight, works well at small scale)
- Dowels (for posts and rails)
- Non-toxic wood glue
- Child-safe varnish
- Scrap fabric (mattresses - granddaughter’s choice of colors)
Construction:
- Measurement - Used sample bed for dimensions
- Cutting - Precise cuts for bed frames, ladders, guard rails
- Assembly - Glued frames carefully, ensuring square corners
- Ladder Construction - Tiny rungs, proper spacing
- Guard Rails - Safety features for upper bunks
- Sanding - Smooth all edges (child-safe)
- Finishing - Clear varnish (granddaughter wanted natural wood)
- Mattresses - Simple fabric-covered pads
Features:
- Upper and lower bunks
- Functional ladders
- Guard rails on upper bunks
- Sturdy construction for play
- Natural wood finish
The Joy
The best payment for any project is seeing it used with delight. My granddaughter immediately installed the new beds in her dollhouse, narrating elaborate stories about which friends would share rooms and who got which bunk.
“Now everyone has somewhere to sleep,” she announced with satisfaction.
Simple projects. Pure joy.
Completed: August 2025
Scale: ~1:12 (dollhouse scale)
Materials: Basswood, dowels, fabric
Beds Built: Multiple sets
Client Satisfaction: Extremely high (granddaughter approved)
Reflections on Small Projects
What These Projects Share
Despite their different subjects, these three projects have common threads:
They’re About People:
- The Spitfire connects my wife to her father
- The Renault honors a neighbor’s memory
- The beds bring joy to my granddaughter
They Don’t Need Perfection:
- The plane restoration shows its mends
- The Renault follows another builder’s logic
- The beds are sturdy, not museum-quality
They Have Meaning Beyond Craft:
- Preservation of memory
- Completion of unfinished work
- Creation of joy
- Connection across time
Why Small Projects Matter
Not everything needs to be ambitious. Sometimes the most meaningful work is:
- Fixing what’s broken
- Finishing what someone started
- Making something simple for someone you love
These projects took hours, not months. They won’t win awards. They don’t showcase advanced techniques.
But they matter to the people who receive them, which makes them some of the most important work I do.
Lessons Learned
From the Spitfire Restoration:
- Preservation doesn’t mean perfection
- Visible repairs can be honest and honorable
- Sometimes the best restoration shows its history
From the Renault:
- You can complete someone else’s vision respectfully
- Research fills gaps when instructions are missing
- Finishing another’s work is its own form of tribute
From the Bunker Beds:
- Children appreciate handmade objects
- Functional beats fancy for play items
- Simple requests can be deeply satisfying to fulfill
The Value of Small Work
In pursuing large, ambitious projects (scratch-built dioramas, detailed landscapes, commission work), it’s easy to overlook the value of small builds. But these modest projects often carry the greatest emotional weight.
Small projects teach:
- Efficiency (no time for perfectionism)
- Purpose (made for specific needs)
- Connection (personal relationships)
- Completion (finished quickly, satisfaction immediate)
They remind me that modeling and crafting aren’t just about displaying skill - they’re about making things that matter to people, whether that’s preserving the past, honoring the departed, or delighting a child.
Gallery
Projects Included: WWII Spitfire Restoration, 1906 Renault Completion, Dollhouse Bunker Beds
Completion Dates: November 2024 - August 2025
Time Investment: Hours, not months
Purpose: Memory, tribute, joy
Status: All completed and delivered
Most Important Metric: Smiles received
Gallery
Have questions or feedback about this project? I'd love to hear from you.