Bob Cleek

I agree! You just assemble a plastic kit. "Glue part number 5A into hole number 5B" and so on. There's no need to understand what the part is called or what its function might be. To a greater extent, particularly with earlier wooden models, be they ship or otherwise, at least before laser cutting, is was just assumed by the manufacturers that their customers has some basic understanding of what they were building and adequate woodworking skills to cut and fit the parts together.  Unfortunately, many of recent generations are often clueless when it comes to the manual arts and the high schools by and large abandoning their shop classes hasn't helped any, either. Anybody starting in out in sailing ship modeling would do well to start by reading Chapelle's Boatbuilding and learning how a wooden boat is built from the lines up. That will make their modeling tasks much more understandable. Of course, such advice would be sure to fall on deaf ears in this age of instant gratification. How many kids today know "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey?"
 

I think some of the disappointment in the instructions of most traditional wooden ship model kits lies in their different evolutionary pathway from plastic kits.
I think plastic - being a new material - post WWII - and the subjects for the kits were metallic and heavily engineered with lots of detailed plans for the original ships or aircraft or rail or war machines.  The plans for each kit were complete and self sufficient.  Plastic kits are mostly about assembly of pre- formed  components. Plus- now very sophisticated finishing techniques.  In origin, it was just a few jars of Testors oil based paint and a basic small brush.
 
Wooden ships - pre 1860 - had a different sort of plan.  The construction the shipwrights art and was pretty much common to all vessels - with changes from generation to generation.  So there were no voluminous detailed plans to copy for a kit.   
The original versions were solid carved hull scratch builds, using instructions in magazines like Popular Mechanics.  I see the kits starting as a shortcut for those not wishing to carve a block of Pine or Basswood.  
There were a few  how-to  books that were expected to be the major source for directions.   The kits just provided some materials for what was still essentially a scratch build process.  Kits became more involved and reduced a lot of the scratch build aspect.  It was still assumed  that general instruction books would be used for learning the basic techniques.   For wooden kits, it is about first shaping the components and then assembling them.   The basic skills are mostly the same for all kits, so detailed instruction for any single kit is just repeating the same instructions over and over.  It also involves a multitude of tools, that must be learned and practiced with.  
 
 
 

Regarding plexiglass cost: when I lived in Boston (more than 40 years ago) there was a plexiglass dealer in South Boston that sold the scraps left over from cutting. I was able to get pieces big enough to build cases up to about 2 ft x 3 ft x 1 ft. The dealer sold the scrap by the pound. I would pick out the pieces I wanted and carry them to a big scale. It never cost much. If you can find something like that it makes the plexiglass affordable.

You must be a ruthless culler!  

You must be a ruthless culler!  

You must be a ruthless culler!  

You must be a ruthless culler!  

You must be a ruthless culler!  

I have most of the “Two Foot Library” books in my collection, bought when I was much younger.  While they are old standbys, their scope is limited pretty much to Eighteenth and Nineteenth British and American Sailing Vessels.  As such they would be useful to most kit builders trying to improve the accuracy of their work.
 
The list mostly omits small craft, regional craft, and completely omits engine powered ships.
 
I am a scratch builder that tries to build models of vessels never modeled or at least rarely modeled before.  This means that these ships either did not participate in noteworthy historic events,  or for which little information is commonly available. This means tracking down information on a project by project basis.  Others venturing into scratch building will need to either buy the plan packages available from sellers like Ancre and Seawatch or develop a library for each project as I have done.
 
Roger
 
 

It might have been a good start twenty years ago, but nothing more. Continually acquiring related research materials as one goes along is an essential part of this hobby. The technology of modeling has increased and complexified tremendously in the twenty years since that was written. I would say that any of the then-contemporary "how-to-do-it" books are fairly obsolete by now, save for the very few "classics." Avoid anything with the words "How to" in the title. For example, you will hear about frequently-recommended books on how to build kits, but they will have been written in the days of double "plank on bulkhead" construction long before laser-cut parts and photo-etched fittings became commonplace and they really fall short of addressing what a quality kit can produce today.  They are generally a waste of money. There will always be yet another "must-have" volume to acquire. If someone starting out asked me, I'd advise them to first acquire the "classics" that have stood the test of time, such as the books by Davis, Underhill, Longridge, and The Ship Modeler's Shopnotes I and II on modeling technique and Chapelle on American period vessels, if that's your focus of interest. Wrap your head around that information, then take it from there. Also, don't limit your selections to specifically ship modeling books, either. Any good book on any of the related crafts will contribute to making you a better modeler. You will, eventually, want to know about various wood species and their qualities, how to cut, turn, and carve wood, how to finish wood, how to fabricate metal parts and join them together, how to sew, how to make your own scale cordage, how to read "lines drawings" and do drafting, both manual and CAD, if that's your cup of tea, and on and on. This is what makes this hobby one that can stay with you for a lifetime.

It might have been a good start twenty years ago, but nothing more. Continually acquiring related research materials as one goes along is an essential part of this hobby. The technology of modeling has increased and complexified tremendously in the twenty years since that was written. I would say that any of the then-contemporary "how-to-do-it" books are fairly obsolete by now, save for the very few "classics." Avoid anything with the words "How to" in the title. For example, you will hear about frequently-recommended books on how to build kits, but they will have been written in the days of double "plank on bulkhead" construction long before laser-cut parts and photo-etched fittings became commonplace and they really fall short of addressing what a quality kit can produce today.  They are generally a waste of money. There will always be yet another "must-have" volume to acquire. If someone starting out asked me, I'd advise them to first acquire the "classics" that have stood the test of time, such as the books by Davis, Underhill, Longridge, and The Ship Modeler's Shopnotes I and II on modeling technique and Chapelle on American period vessels, if that's your focus of interest. Wrap your head around that information, then take it from there. Also, don't limit your selections to specifically ship modeling books, either. Any good book on any of the related crafts will contribute to making you a better modeler. You will, eventually, want to know about various wood species and their qualities, how to cut, turn, and carve wood, how to finish wood, how to fabricate metal parts and join them together, how to sew, how to make your own scale cordage, how to read "lines drawings" and do drafting, both manual and CAD, if that's your cup of tea, and on and on. This is what makes this hobby one that can stay with you for a lifetime.

It might have been a good start twenty years ago, but nothing more. Continually acquiring related research materials as one goes along is an essential part of this hobby. The technology of modeling has increased and complexified tremendously in the twenty years since that was written. I would say that any of the then-contemporary "how-to-do-it" books are fairly obsolete by now, save for the very few "classics." Avoid anything with the words "How to" in the title. For example, you will hear about frequently-recommended books on how to build kits, but they will have been written in the days of double "plank on bulkhead" construction long before laser-cut parts and photo-etched fittings became commonplace and they really fall short of addressing what a quality kit can produce today.  They are generally a waste of money. There will always be yet another "must-have" volume to acquire. If someone starting out asked me, I'd advise them to first acquire the "classics" that have stood the test of time, such as the books by Davis, Underhill, Longridge, and The Ship Modeler's Shopnotes I and II on modeling technique and Chapelle on American period vessels, if that's your focus of interest. Wrap your head around that information, then take it from there. Also, don't limit your selections to specifically ship modeling books, either. Any good book on any of the related crafts will contribute to making you a better modeler. You will, eventually, want to know about various wood species and their qualities, how to cut, turn, and carve wood, how to finish wood, how to fabricate metal parts and join them together, how to sew, how to make your own scale cordage, how to read "lines drawings" and do drafting, both manual and CAD, if that's your cup of tea, and on and on. This is what makes this hobby one that can stay with you for a lifetime.

It might have been a good start twenty years ago, but nothing more. Continually acquiring related research materials as one goes along is an essential part of this hobby. The technology of modeling has increased and complexified tremendously in the twenty years since that was written. I would say that any of the then-contemporary "how-to-do-it" books are fairly obsolete by now, save for the very few "classics." Avoid anything with the words "How to" in the title. For example, you will hear about frequently-recommended books on how to build kits, but they will have been written in the days of double "plank on bulkhead" construction long before laser-cut parts and photo-etched fittings became commonplace and they really fall short of addressing what a quality kit can produce today.  They are generally a waste of money. There will always be yet another "must-have" volume to acquire. If someone starting out asked me, I'd advise them to first acquire the "classics" that have stood the test of time, such as the books by Davis, Underhill, Longridge, and The Ship Modeler's Shopnotes I and II on modeling technique and Chapelle on American period vessels, if that's your focus of interest. Wrap your head around that information, then take it from there. Also, don't limit your selections to specifically ship modeling books, either. Any good book on any of the related crafts will contribute to making you a better modeler. You will, eventually, want to know about various wood species and their qualities, how to cut, turn, and carve wood, how to finish wood, how to fabricate metal parts and join them together, how to sew, how to make your own scale cordage, how to read "lines drawings" and do drafting, both manual and CAD, if that's your cup of tea, and on and on. This is what makes this hobby one that can stay with you for a lifetime.

It might have been a good start twenty years ago, but nothing more. Continually acquiring related research materials as one goes along is an essential part of this hobby. The technology of modeling has increased and complexified tremendously in the twenty years since that was written. I would say that any of the then-contemporary "how-to-do-it" books are fairly obsolete by now, save for the very few "classics." Avoid anything with the words "How to" in the title. For example, you will hear about frequently-recommended books on how to build kits, but they will have been written in the days of double "plank on bulkhead" construction long before laser-cut parts and photo-etched fittings became commonplace and they really fall short of addressing what a quality kit can produce today.  They are generally a waste of money. There will always be yet another "must-have" volume to acquire. If someone starting out asked me, I'd advise them to first acquire the "classics" that have stood the test of time, such as the books by Davis, Underhill, Longridge, and The Ship Modeler's Shopnotes I and II on modeling technique and Chapelle on American period vessels, if that's your focus of interest. Wrap your head around that information, then take it from there. Also, don't limit your selections to specifically ship modeling books, either. Any good book on any of the related crafts will contribute to making you a better modeler. You will, eventually, want to know about various wood species and their qualities, how to cut, turn, and carve wood, how to finish wood, how to fabricate metal parts and join them together, how to sew, how to make your own scale cordage, how to read "lines drawings" and do drafting, both manual and CAD, if that's your cup of tea, and on and on. This is what makes this hobby one that can stay with you for a lifetime.

Got it! That should keep the case solidly in place on the base. I addressed that problem by cutting a rabet in the base edge which the case sets down on. The side of the rabet keeps the case from sliding around.. "Different ships, different long splices!"  
 
I used your "notched mitered corner" method on this case pictured below for rigidity as you do.  It was built before I'd added epoxy to my armamentarium.  I was concerned about the strength of the glued corners given the relative narrowness of the framing, which, for aesthetic reasons, I didn't want to make larger. It was made from a particularly nice plank of hard old-growth redwood I happened to have on hand.  This case has held up well for over 35 years, two wives, three kids, and several moves. The somewhat narrow table has always been screw-fastened to the wall, which was a good thing in the big 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake! We native Californians learn to adapt to our environment!  

This sounds like great stuff! Not only does it provide the advantages you mentioned, but it's unbreakable! Regrettably, "expensive" is an understatement, though. A 4'X8' sheet of the stuff runs around $1,500! Optium Museum F 0001 Tue-Vue Specialty Sheet - 48 x 96 x .125 (acplasticsinc.com) I've "saved" the site address in my "favorites" in case I win the lottery one day.  

Got it! That should keep the case solidly in place on the base. I addressed that problem by cutting a rabet in the base edge which the case sets down on. The side of the rabet keeps the case from sliding around.. "Different ships, different long splices!"  
 
I used your "notched mitered corner" method on this case pictured below for rigidity as you do.  It was built before I'd added epoxy to my armamentarium.  I was concerned about the strength of the glued corners given the relative narrowness of the framing, which, for aesthetic reasons, I didn't want to make larger. It was made from a particularly nice plank of hard old-growth redwood I happened to have on hand.  This case has held up well for over 35 years, two wives, three kids, and several moves. The somewhat narrow table has always been screw-fastened to the wall, which was a good thing in the big 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake! We native Californians learn to adapt to our environment!  

I will suggest you consider "Tru Vue Optimum Museum Acrylic" for your case.  It's expensive - but - it's antireflective; you may not appreciate the difference this makes in presentation.  It makes an amazing difference.  It is also thinner than most acrylic sheets or glass.  This minimizes the refraction effect as light passes through the inside and outside surfaces.  It does not out-gas and has antistatic, scratch resistant and UV blocking coatings.  It is also much lighter than glass or thicker acrylic. 
 
Framing shops will handle this acrylic for you.  Considering its cost, I would let them do the cutting.
 
And as mentioned above, the case's design must allow for ventilation.  

Got it! That should keep the case solidly in place on the base. I addressed that problem by cutting a rabet in the base edge which the case sets down on. The side of the rabet keeps the case from sliding around.. "Different ships, different long splices!"  
 
I used your "notched mitered corner" method on this case pictured below for rigidity as you do.  It was built before I'd added epoxy to my armamentarium.  I was concerned about the strength of the glued corners given the relative narrowness of the framing, which, for aesthetic reasons, I didn't want to make larger. It was made from a particularly nice plank of hard old-growth redwood I happened to have on hand.  This case has held up well for over 35 years, two wives, three kids, and several moves. The somewhat narrow table has always been screw-fastened to the wall, which was a good thing in the big 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake! We native Californians learn to adapt to our environment!  

The reason for the notches used with my system is to secure the uprights.  The uprights pass clear thru the mitered base joints to the case bottom.  They are easily cut with my bandsaw.  For an earlier case, I used short pieces of dowels glued into holes drilled into the base and longitudinally into the uprights.  This didn’t provide the same rigidity.
 
Roger
 
 

Who makes this table? Can you tell us where you got it? It's exactly what I have been looking for.
 
Regards,

I used to use this method of corner joint before I started using epoxy resin adhesive. I got lazy and tried "pinning" the corners with metal pegs after assembly with the epoxy adhesive, sort of as a "belt and suspenders" approach to make sure everything was fastened securely. It seems to produce a strong joint and I'm not even sure the pegs are necessary, since a lot of the rigidity of the structure comes from the panes set in the grooves.
 
The one problem I've yet to devise an easy solution to is cleaning the glass on the inside of a case that's taller than the length of my arm! I've tried folding a sponge over the end of a stick and wrapping the sponge in terrycloth toweling held in place with duct tape. It's still tedious business. The next case I build, I will wear clean nitrile gloves in the hope of avoiding a fingerprint somewhere deep on the inside of the glass!  

There is at least one article on building cases in one of the Shipmodeler's Shop Notes volumes and perhaps a few posts about case making on the forum, but the search feature didn't help any when I looked for them. It's a simple enough project to make a case, although it helps to have three arms! A decent table saw is a must and you'll need to have a way of making very exactly accurate 45 degree angle cuts. This is where your Jim Saw will really come in handy!  A picture framer's 45 degree corner clamp is also very handy, although one can build their own jig for this purpose easily enough.
 
I've found the best-priced glass can be sourced from places like Michael's that do custom framing. Ask them to cut to the exact dimensions you specify and buy the picture framing glass with the UV-blocking filtering in it. I've also used simple window glass, which is a bit cheaper, but I've found a glazer's shop may not cut to the exact measurements you request and may not have the thinner glass you'd likely prefer.  
 
Construction is pretty simple and any article on building cases will give you the details. You can pick whatever method you prefer. I like glass because it doesn't scratch like the plastics can and it's less expensive. It's easier to clean, too.  I've found that you can't build a glued box plexiglas case unless you are a pro. They use special proprietary adhesives that dry to an invisible weld at the corners and if your adhesive (I've tried CA) goes anywhere that you don't want it, you'll have a mess that is relatively impossible to buff out unless you are using the professional proprietary adhesive which is only sold to licensees, I believe. If you prefer plastic, you can always build a wood frame case and glaze it with plastic.  Plastic out-gasses and that troubles me in terms of archival quality. Others' mileage varies in that respect, of course.
 
One can buy case kits, but they are expensive and the size selection is limited. Purchasing a professionally built case has always been prohibitively expensive in my estimation, although I have the tools to do it in house myself, so I'm biased in that respect. Most of the case kits on the market do not include the glass or plastic. Shipping the fragile built case from the manufacturer is quite expensive, as well. I expect the special handling and insurance is costly.
 
After trying a number of construction methods, I've settled on what I've found to be the most simple. I make two rectangles with 45 degree mitered corners. these define the shape of the top and bottom of the case frame. The top rectangle has a saw kerf cut into the inside sides of it, as well as on the bottom sides of it. (A table saw blade kerf just matches thickness of the glass I use. It should be a tight fit.) The top rectangle is assembled with the glass held in place in the saw kerfs. The corners are glued with thickened epoxy adhesive and allowed to set. Diagonal holes are then (carefully) drilled at right angles to the joints and a dowel or metal pin (or two, depending on the size of the case) is inserted into the hole(s) at each corner and glued with epoxy or CA. The bottom rectangle is assembled in the same fashion, but without the glass, of course, for which reason it will only need saw kerfs on its top sides. Then four posts are cut and saw kerfs run on the two inside sides of each post. (All this kerf cutting will take careful measurements to ensure the kerfs on the posts will be in line with the kerfs in the top and base.) The entire case is then assembled with the edges of its glass sides being captured by the saw kerfs in the top and bottom rectangles and the side posts and the side posts are glued with epoxy to the top and bottom rectangles. (Here again, fitting is critical. A little bit of extra depth in the saw kerfs is helpful. Do not force the glass panes into the kerfs. Don't ask me how I know this!) When this epoxy is cured, again carefully, drill one or two holes in the top and bottom rectangles at each corner and insert a dowel or metal pin cemented with epoxy or CA. The holes for the metal pins can then be filled with a bit of furniture refinisher's wax or putty and will be virtually invisible. If you use dowels, they can be sanded flush.
 
This wooden framed glass box is the top of the case. A base, upon which the model will rest, must be built to accept the "box" cover when it is placed over it. A rabet in the base board edge secures the case over the base and keeps it from slipping around. If one desires, holes can be drilled in the edges of the frame of the glass box and through into the edges of the baseboard rabet and a nail, brass escutcheon pin, or other unobtrusive fastener provided to slide into the holes with a "slip fit." these will prevent a disaster from occurring if someone attempts to lift up the case by the "box" instead of the baseboard, thinking it's all attached and whacks the model with the box! This is particularly relevant to small models that hamfisted cleaning ladies seem to think the can just throw around when they are dusting! 
 
It is important to provide a means for air circulation in a model case. Otherwise, an acidic atmosphere can be trapped in the case environment and cause deterioration of the model. The acid out-gasses from various sources within the case environment, including PVA adhesives and without air circulation, can reach destructive levels over time. Only a very small hole is required. A space of an eighth of an inch between the side of the baseboard rabet and the box bottom rectangle and a space of and eighth of an inch between the baseboard and the bottom of of the "box," provided by something like those adhesive felt "buttons" they sell for putting on the lower back edges of picture frames so they don't mark up the walls should be sufficient. The "rule of thumb" is that there should be one square inch of "hole" in a case for every one cubic yard of a case's interior volume, so it doesn't take much to provide enough circulation. An alternate method of providing ventilation is to make the base rectangle higher than the size of the rest of the framing rails and drill a few ventilation holes through the back of it. This "heavier" base rectangle side can also be more aesthetically pleasing, particularly if the baseboard plinth upon which the model is mounted is raised up a bit. See: Nautical Research Guild - Article - Ephemeral Materials in Ship Models (thenrg.org) for more details on preventing acid deterioration in ship model cases.
 
So, there you have it. It's not rocket science, but it does take care and accurate measurements and cutting. Building a case for a 36" model yourself can easily save you several hundred bucks!
 
Oak case with mahogany plinth made using the above-described method. Note the thicker bottom rectangle sides:

 
Detail of baseboard construction with glass box removed showing the mahogany plinth on a plywood baseboard with mitered oak trim around the edges:
 

There is at least one article on building cases in one of the Shipmodeler's Shop Notes volumes and perhaps a few posts about case making on the forum, but the search feature didn't help any when I looked for them. It's a simple enough project to make a case, although it helps to have three arms! A decent table saw is a must and you'll need to have a way of making very exactly accurate 45 degree angle cuts. This is where your Jim Saw will really come in handy!  A picture framer's 45 degree corner clamp is also very handy, although one can build their own jig for this purpose easily enough.
 
I've found the best-priced glass can be sourced from places like Michael's that do custom framing. Ask them to cut to the exact dimensions you specify and buy the picture framing glass with the UV-blocking filtering in it. I've also used simple window glass, which is a bit cheaper, but I've found a glazer's shop may not cut to the exact measurements you request and may not have the thinner glass you'd likely prefer.  
 
Construction is pretty simple and any article on building cases will give you the details. You can pick whatever method you prefer. I like glass because it doesn't scratch like the plastics can and it's less expensive. It's easier to clean, too.  I've found that you can't build a glued box plexiglas case unless you are a pro. They use special proprietary adhesives that dry to an invisible weld at the corners and if your adhesive (I've tried CA) goes anywhere that you don't want it, you'll have a mess that is relatively impossible to buff out unless you are using the professional proprietary adhesive which is only sold to licensees, I believe. If you prefer plastic, you can always build a wood frame case and glaze it with plastic.  Plastic out-gasses and that troubles me in terms of archival quality. Others' mileage varies in that respect, of course.
 
One can buy case kits, but they are expensive and the size selection is limited. Purchasing a professionally built case has always been prohibitively expensive in my estimation, although I have the tools to do it in house myself, so I'm biased in that respect. Most of the case kits on the market do not include the glass or plastic. Shipping the fragile built case from the manufacturer is quite expensive, as well. I expect the special handling and insurance is costly.
 
After trying a number of construction methods, I've settled on what I've found to be the most simple. I make two rectangles with 45 degree mitered corners. these define the shape of the top and bottom of the case frame. The top rectangle has a saw kerf cut into the inside sides of it, as well as on the bottom sides of it. (A table saw blade kerf just matches thickness of the glass I use. It should be a tight fit.) The top rectangle is assembled with the glass held in place in the saw kerfs. The corners are glued with thickened epoxy adhesive and allowed to set. Diagonal holes are then (carefully) drilled at right angles to the joints and a dowel or metal pin (or two, depending on the size of the case) is inserted into the hole(s) at each corner and glued with epoxy or CA. The bottom rectangle is assembled in the same fashion, but without the glass, of course, for which reason it will only need saw kerfs on its top sides. Then four posts are cut and saw kerfs run on the two inside sides of each post. (All this kerf cutting will take careful measurements to ensure the kerfs on the posts will be in line with the kerfs in the top and base.) The entire case is then assembled with the edges of its glass sides being captured by the saw kerfs in the top and bottom rectangles and the side posts and the side posts are glued with epoxy to the top and bottom rectangles. (Here again, fitting is critical. A little bit of extra depth in the saw kerfs is helpful. Do not force the glass panes into the kerfs. Don't ask me how I know this!) When this epoxy is cured, again carefully, drill one or two holes in the top and bottom rectangles at each corner and insert a dowel or metal pin cemented with epoxy or CA. The holes for the metal pins can then be filled with a bit of furniture refinisher's wax or putty and will be virtually invisible. If you use dowels, they can be sanded flush.
 
This wooden framed glass box is the top of the case. A base, upon which the model will rest, must be built to accept the "box" cover when it is placed over it. A rabet in the base board edge secures the case over the base and keeps it from slipping around. If one desires, holes can be drilled in the edges of the frame of the glass box and through into the edges of the baseboard rabet and a nail, brass escutcheon pin, or other unobtrusive fastener provided to slide into the holes with a "slip fit." these will prevent a disaster from occurring if someone attempts to lift up the case by the "box" instead of the baseboard, thinking it's all attached and whacks the model with the box! This is particularly relevant to small models that hamfisted cleaning ladies seem to think the can just throw around when they are dusting! 
 
It is important to provide a means for air circulation in a model case. Otherwise, an acidic atmosphere can be trapped in the case environment and cause deterioration of the model. The acid out-gasses from various sources within the case environment, including PVA adhesives and without air circulation, can reach destructive levels over time. Only a very small hole is required. A space of an eighth of an inch between the side of the baseboard rabet and the box bottom rectangle and a space of and eighth of an inch between the baseboard and the bottom of of the "box," provided by something like those adhesive felt "buttons" they sell for putting on the lower back edges of picture frames so they don't mark up the walls should be sufficient. The "rule of thumb" is that there should be one square inch of "hole" in a case for every one cubic yard of a case's interior volume, so it doesn't take much to provide enough circulation. An alternate method of providing ventilation is to make the base rectangle higher than the size of the rest of the framing rails and drill a few ventilation holes through the back of it. This "heavier" base rectangle side can also be more aesthetically pleasing, particularly if the baseboard plinth upon which the model is mounted is raised up a bit. See: Nautical Research Guild - Article - Ephemeral Materials in Ship Models (thenrg.org) for more details on preventing acid deterioration in ship model cases.
 
So, there you have it. It's not rocket science, but it does take care and accurate measurements and cutting. Building a case for a 36" model yourself can easily save you several hundred bucks!
 
Oak case with mahogany plinth made using the above-described method. Note the thicker bottom rectangle sides:

 
Detail of baseboard construction with glass box removed showing the mahogany plinth on a plywood baseboard with mitered oak trim around the edges:
 

Tell her "Better these sites than porn!"   
 
I'm sure you can figure out how to avoid getting caught. Most model-building husbands acquire those skills early on. If you have trouble figuring it out, just study how she buys clothes and kitchen gadgets on line!