Preservation Architects, Museum Conservators & Cultural Institutions
For Preservation Architects, Museum Conservators & Cultural Institutions
The element is damaged, missing, or at risk. The original drawings — if they ever existed — don't capture the hand-work, the weathering, or the variation that makes the detail authentic. Traditional physical templating is imprecise and intrusive. Photogrammetry and terrestrial LiDAR capture rooms and buildings, not the 0.5mm profile of a plaster acanthus leaf.
We bring engineering-grade metrology to preservation work. Non-contact, portable, battery-powered, and deployable in any environment — on scaffolding, inside a museum case, or on-site at an excavation. Deliverables include the geometry your fabricator, conservator, or artisan actually needs, not just a point cloud. We travel nationally. National Register of Historic Places experience.
Completed Projects
Column Capitals — Lockeland Springs
Five missing ornamental capitals. One original left to scan.
Scanned the surviving capital, segmented the model for large-format 3D printing in durable ABS, and produced five reproductions indistinguishable from the 110-year-old originals — including the weathering.
Read the case study →
Crown Molding — Hermitage, National Register
Water-damaged plaster on a National Register property.
Scanned the surviving master section, engineered a laser-cut aluminum die, and coordinated local plaster artisans to run exact reproductions. Result is indistinguishable from 19th-century originals.
Read the case study →
Sculptural Archiving
High-resolution scan for digital archiving and foundry reproduction.
Full exterior capture of sculpture for permanent digital archive and scaled reproduction. Scan-to-watertight-mesh workflow coordinated with local foundry for bronze casting.
Read the case study →
Service Listings
Ornamental Architectural Element Scan — Capitals, Cornices, Moldings, Friezes
Metrology-grade capture of ornamental plaster, stone, terracotta, cast iron, and wood architectural elements. Column capitals, crown moldings, cornices, friezes, pilasters, lintels, pediments, and ornamental tiles. Deliverables scoped to your fabricator's needs — DXF profiles for die cutting, STL for 3D printing, or parametric CAD for CNC machining. Supports National Register of Historic Places, historic tax credit, and Section 106 documentation requirements.
From $470
Est. per element
Museum Artifact & Object Scan
High-resolution, non-contact capture of museum collection pieces — ceramics, metalwork, sculpture, furniture, ceremonial objects, and fragile artifacts. No coatings or surface preparation required on most objects. Deliverables include full-resolution OBJ/STL mesh files for digital archiving, exhibition reproduction, 3D printing of display replicas, and scholarly documentation. On-site at your institution or mail-in for smaller objects.
From $470
Est. per object
Historic Structure — Facade & Elevation Scan
Full facade geometry captured at engineering precision — ornamental details, masonry coursing, window and door surrounds, decorative stonework, and relief carving — at a level of detail that terrestrial LiDAR cannot achieve. Used for rehabilitation permit documentation, condition assessment before restoration, and as-built records for National Register and historic tax credit projects. Particularly suited to courthouses, civic buildings, religious institutions, and landmark commercial properties.
From $2,400
Est. — contact for quote
Monumental Sculpture & Memorial Scan
Full exterior geometry of public monuments, memorial markers, grave markers, and outdoor sculpture — for digital preservation, condition documentation before conservation treatment, and foundry reproduction when sections are damaged or missing. We have coordinated this workflow through to bronze casting with local foundries.
From $1,800
Est. — contact for quote
Archaeological Site Object Scan
Portable, non-contact, battery-powered scanning of excavated objects, structural remains, and site features. Suitable for CRM Section 106 documentation, academic publication, and archival preservation. No infrastructure required — we deploy wherever the object is. Deliverables meet standard requirements for state and federal CRM reports.
From $650
Est. per session
Historic Industrial Artifact — Locomotive, Machinery & Large Equipment
Large-format capture of industrial heritage objects — steam locomotives, boilers, industrial equipment, and large mechanical artifacts — using the HandyScan MAX Elite (objects up to 15m). Used for museum documentation, condition assessment, and restoration planning. Direct project experience includes the NC&StL No. 576 steam locomotive firebox.
From $2,800
Est. — contact for quote
Reproduction Engineering — Scan to Fabrication-Ready Model
Conversion of scan data into the specific production format your fabricator or artisan needs. DXF knife profiles for aluminum die cutting and plaster running. Print-ready STL for FDM, MJF, or SLS reproduction in durable materials. Parametric SolidWorks models for CNC machining in wood, stone, metal, or composite. We coordinate with plaster artisans, foundries, CNC shops, and 3D printing services — you receive finished geometry, not a raw file.
From $950
Est. — contact for quote
Mobilization & Access
We come to your institution, site, or property. Equipment fits in carry-in cases and operates from internal battery — no shore power, no fixed infrastructure, no disruption to collections or site operations. We work on scaffolding, in storage, in gallery spaces, and in the field. Within 50 miles of Nashville is included in all base prices. We travel nationally and internationally with advance notice. Mail-in scanning is available for objects under 36 inches that can be safely shipped.
| Within 50 miles of Nashville 37206 | Included |
| 51–150 miles | +$180 |
| 151–300 miles | +$295 |
| 300+ miles / Multi-day | Quoted individually |
| International travel | Contact for quote |
| Mail-in (objects under 36") | From $470 |
When Preservation Professionals Call Us
Scenario — Missing ornamental elements
One original survives. Five need to be reproduced.
A historic porch has five ornamental column capitals. One is still intact. The others were damaged or removed decades ago. We scan the surviving original — capturing every surface, every weathering mark, every hand-worked variation — and produce the geometry the fabricator needs to reproduce the missing elements in period-appropriate materials.
Scenario — National Register compliance
The rehabilitation has to meet the Secretary of the Interior Standards
A historic tax credit project requires that any new or reproduced element match the original in character, dimension, and profile. Physical templating is imprecise and difficult to document. Scan data provides an objective, dimensioned record of the original that satisfies documentation requirements and gives the fabricator a precise target to hit.
Scenario — Museum collection documentation
The object needs a permanent digital record before conservation treatment
A conservator is about to treat a significant collection piece. Before work begins, a complete geometric record is needed — current condition, surface geometry, any distortion or previous repairs. We capture a high-resolution baseline scan that becomes part of the permanent object record, available to future conservators regardless of what the treatment changes.
Scenario — Monumental sculpture
A section of a bronze monument is damaged beyond repair
Storm damage or vandalism has destroyed a section of a public monument. The foundry needs geometry to cast a replacement that matches the surviving original in profile and surface texture. We scan the intact sections and any surviving fragments, process the geometry, and deliver foundry-ready files for bronze casting or stone carving.
Scenario — Archaeological CRM
The excavated objects need documentation before the site is closed
A CRM project has produced significant objects that need to be documented before reburial or transfer to a repository. We deploy to the site — no infrastructure needed — and capture high-resolution geometry of objects, features, and structural remains. Deliverables include mesh files suitable for inclusion in the Section 106 report and archival record.
Scenario — Industrial heritage
The museum needs a complete geometric record of the locomotive before restoration
A historic steam locomotive is about to undergo a major restoration. Before work begins, the museum wants a complete as-existing geometric record — firebox, running gear, cab, boiler cladding — that documents the locomotive as it arrived, before restoration changes anything. This record supports grant reporting, publication, and future maintenance reference. We have completed this work on the NC&StL No. 576.
Questions from Preservation Professionals
How accurate is your scanning for ornamental and detail work?
The HandyScan Black Elite captures geometry at a measurement accuracy of 0.025mm — fine enough to capture not just the intended profile of an ornamental element but the authentic hand-work variation and surface texture that give historic details their character. This is an order of magnitude more precise than terrestrial LiDAR, which is designed for architectural-scale capture, not ornamental detail.
Is the process truly non-contact? Can you scan fragile or irreplaceable objects?
Yes. The scanner projects laser lines onto the surface and reads the reflected geometry — nothing touches the object. Fragile plaster, aged gilding, painted surfaces, delicate stonework, and museum-grade artifacts can all be scanned without risk. No coatings, sprays, or surface preparation are required in most cases. Objects that are too fragile to move can be scanned in place.
How does your scanning differ from architectural LiDAR?
Terrestrial LiDAR is designed for site-scale documentation — room dimensions, floor-to-floor heights, as-built floor plans — at 3 to 6mm accuracy at range. Our scanning captures ornamental and object-level detail at 0.025mm. These are different tools for different problems. If you need a building's room layout, LiDAR is appropriate. If you need to document the profile of a plaster cornice, the relief depth of a stone carving, or the surface geometry of a museum artifact, that requires our level of precision.
What format do you deliver, and what can my fabricator or artisan do with it?
Deliverables are scoped to the specific workflow. For plaster artisans running moldings: DXF knife profiles for aluminum die cutting. For 3D printing reproductions: print-ready STL files. For CNC machining: parametric SolidWorks models. For archiving and scholarly documentation: full-resolution OBJ and STL mesh files. For foundry work: watertight mesh files in the format your foundry specifies. We coordinate directly with your fabricator or artisan to make sure they receive what they actually need.
Can scan data support a historic tax credit application or Section 106 review?
Scan data provides an objective, dimensioned record of existing conditions and reproduced elements that supports documentation requirements for historic tax credit projects and Section 106 compliance. Whether that documentation meets the specific requirements of your State Historic Preservation Office or reviewing agency is a determination for your preservation architect or SHPO contact — we provide the geometry and the scan record, and we have direct experience with National Register properties in Tennessee.
Do you travel to sites outside Tennessee?
Yes. Our equipment fits in carry-in cases, operates from internal battery, and deploys in minutes. We have mobilized to projects across the country. Within 50 miles of Nashville is included in base pricing. Beyond that, travel is quoted individually. For objects under 36 inches that can be safely shipped, mail-in scanning is available from anywhere in the world.
Can you scan a steam locomotive or large industrial heritage object?
Yes. The HandyScan MAX Elite handles objects up to 15 meters. We have direct experience scanning steam locomotive components, including the NC&StL No. 576 firebox. Full exterior capture of a locomotive or large industrial machine produces a complete geometric record suitable for restoration planning, exhibition documentation, and archival preservation.
Ready to discuss your project?
Tell us about the object, element, or structure, where it is, and what you need the geometry for. We'll respond within one business day.