As part of international celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage to the New World in 1620, Axminster has provided a range of tools and machines to help build a 3 metre 1/10th scale replica of the Mayflower in Dartmouth. These include an Axminster Hobby Series Table Saw, UJK Technology Router Table and Trend Router, a Proxxon Table Saw, Proxxon Surface Planer and Festool Cordless Drill Driver.

Axminster delivering tools and machines
Tools and machines for the Mayflower 400 model arrive at the Britannia Royal Naval Academy in Dartmouth where the project build will take place

Renowned North American supply partner to Axminster Tools & Machinery, Lie-Nielsen, have also agreed to sponsor a number of hand tools including planes and chisels, while Tormek have provided a T-4 Sharpening System. Festool have provided a CTL 36 E CLEANTEC Dust Extractor.

The precision cut-away model showing exterior and interior details, will be built by students of South Devon Marine Academy, under the leadership and guidance of Captain Ian Kirkwood who has undertaken the project on behalf of the Dartmouth Museum.

Students examining line drawings
Students from the South Devon Marine Academy, who will help with the build of the Mayflower Replica Model, examine line drawings of the Model with Project Manager Ian Kirkwood and Academy Programme Coordinator Matt Prowse

With the backing of the UK government and US embassy in the UK, Mayflower 400 celebrations are expected to attract over a million visitors to Dartmouth, Plymouth and 10 other cities in the UK, Holland and the US, linked to the epic three-month voyage.

The Mayflower model will be a key attraction within the many special events planned from November 2019 to November 2020, and will become the centrepiece of a permanent display in the Dartmouth museum.