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Posted: 1:54 PM Sep 2, 2010
Texas A&M Gets Huge Freeze Dryer To Restore Old Ship
The French ship, La Belle, dates back to the 1600's and right now it is being restored at Texas A&M.
Reporter: Shane McAuliffe Email Address: mcauliffe@kbtx.com |
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11 Comments 
The French ship, La Belle, dates back to the 1600's and right now it is being restored at Texas A&M. To help researchers with the task, the university has added one of the biggest freeze dryers in the world.
Sitting at 40 feet long with an 8 foot diameter, the massive freeze dryer is the largest used for conservation on this side of the globe. It will be used to restore the hull of La Belle, that was carrying 43 people when it sank in Matagorda Bay back in January of 1686.
Within three years, the hull will be reintroduced to the world as part of a keynote exhibit at the Bob Bullock Museum in Austin.
"It is a wonderful instrument to have, it's going to allow us to do so much more than with the normal two step emerson treatment," said Peter Fix, the project conservator for the La Belle.
"It allows the wood to stay in its original form without having disrupting it. So it's a fast way of doing it and an effective way. Except most people don't do it at this level," said Donny Hamilton, the head of Texas A&M's anthropology department
The freeze dryer cost about $500,000 but researchers think that money can be recouped through future restoration projects.
Latest Comments
This $500,000.00 is an investment. Like the article states this freeze dryer is the only one on this side of the globe. This means when there are more projects of this magnitude they will have to come here. These projects won't be done for free and they will keep people employeed. Plus, when it's all said and done the work will be on display for the public to enjoy. It is still ok to enjoy some things in life, isn't it?
I doubt that it has employed enough people to justify a 500,000 price tag. Give some of the "grant" money to let 20 year employees who need their job to keep them. Lame excuses. Athletics was supposed to support themselves with money coming from other sources, but I seem to remember a little 16 million dollar loan from a little university in town. That 16 mil could have kept the employees their jobs.
It sucks that something this amazing with all of A&M's hard work can't be on exhibit here but has to go to all the way to Austin.
