About Me
If you can make things - you can generally fix them...
I've always worked with my hands, even when the demands of career and family confined making to rare snatched moments in the evening.
As a child, I built models and fixed and painted around the house. At school, I learned some basics of carpentry and metal work. Later on, I earned pocket money working on building projects, doing whatever was needed. Somewhile later still, at university, I designed - and built - theatre sets for student productions.
Meanwhile, at home, as well the growing fleet of wooden model ships, now riding at anchor around various family homes, I made dollshouses for my children and, for fun, revived old wartime RAF navigation equipment to full working order. One of these, a device called an 'astrograph', was donated to Brooklands Museum. I've also made towed underwater listening devices, microwave patch antennas and working model submarines.
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Locally, I also recieved a commission to build a large Christmas crib for Chilworth Abbey which has appeared seasonally for about eight years now.
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It is, perhaps, something of a truism that if you can make things, then the same knowledge and experience can be used to fix them. And that is what I do now.
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Inigo Wilson, January 2022
Charges
I will always give you a quote before starting work so you can decide whether to continue.
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This quote will need to be made on the basis of actually seeing the object close up. I regret I cannot quote from a photograph.
In general terms, I estimate charges based on the likely time to undertake the work.
It is often the case that repairs, expecially to model ships for example, can be very time consuming.
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If, as happens from time to time during the course of the work, I find that the repairs will be larger or more complex than was apparent at first I will contact you to let you know the cost implications so you can make an informed decision about what you want to do.
Working with other experts
While I can carry out a fairly wide range of trade processes there are some I can't do. Among these are, for example, leather work, blacksmithing, art / painting restoration or gold leaf repairs.
If these or other skills are involved in your project I will try to find a suitable expert locally - or further afield if needs be - and sub -contract them for the relevent parts.
I will notify you in advance and supply you with their quote for the work so you can decide whether to proceed.
While I will always use suitably qualified tradesmen and women, I cannot accept liability for the quality of their work.
Time taken...
I make a point of trying to do projects in the order they arrive at my door.
The only exceptions tend to be where a couple of projects need the same treatment - like spray painting or rust removal - where it make sense to do similar work together.
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Nevertheless, few of these projects are quick to complete and there is, at the moment anyway, only me to do them. So I ask you to be patient.
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If you need a project for a birthday or Christmas or some such other date you need to let me know at the outset.