katclaws

Hello again, I am back with more questions. So, here is the backstory information. I'm working on my GL Harrison Tudor that I've had since 1980. It was built & the outside painted and then has been in storage, until a few months back. A few things I've redone is pulled out the 2 staircases and plan on flipping them around to face the back of the dollhouse. This has resulted in my having to use wood filler where the cutouts for the railings were. Did I mention I hate sanding & the mess it makes inside the house and all around? I'm also planning to put in a Stained Glass look-like window in between an interior wall bathroom & the little studio room at the front of the house. I've reglued some loose pieces and will have to rebuild the platform for the bottom of the house. I painted the interior of the house white to seal, but I did leave the floor alone for now, as I was thinking of scribing them & then staining them-except for the bathroom & kitchen. I've read & learned so many things since I found this forum. It's a case of I wish I knew then, what I know now! I guess I thought there was only one way to build a dollhouse, but now I see how many of you think completely out of the box with your own creations & imaginations & materials. So here is my latest conundrum. I thought I had my wiring figured out. There are at least 13 light fixtures I'm thinking I will need initially. I ordered the Large lighting kit from Cir-Kit, read the booklet, read some tutorials, downloaded more tutorials, saw a few videos on Y-Tube, I really liked-that I could stop & pause & rewatch--step by laboriously slow step. (Seriously, I thought there would be so many more video tutorials-as I do much better with visuals, than by just reading) Anyway, after looking thru Cir-Kit's website-after I got my kit, when I started looking at Ceiling fixtures, I notice that there are "adapters & canopies". Wait, WHAT? That wasn't in the videos I watched! The person I watched drilled a hole into the second floor to the ceiling below! So, I guess my question now is does the tapewire go on the floor above or ceiling below & you then use these wonderful adapters that allow you to remove the fixture with just a turn of your hand to replace bulbs--or do I go with Lady in the Video??? Do I go across the floor, up the now empty stairwells, go under the hexagon shaped windows, make false ceilings for the attic?? Soldering is not necessary-Yes it is necessary-No you can use shrink tubes!!! GAH!!! I'm paralyzed from not knowing what to do next. I thought I got it, but now I'm not sure of anything. I blame the lady in the video who made this look like a snap ! (or I could just blame myself for being so dense with the wiring instructions Just for Reference these are the Vids I watched back when I thought I got it: 1) How to Electrify a Dollhouse (Lady, I'm cussing at--but has nice music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgsi-EnszlA 2) Miniature Electrics Episode 2 --Guy who I liked until I found out that you can't get next Episode to keep watching--Also he turned his dollhouse upside down & on it's side--REALLY?! Wish I knew that little trick before 3 sides with bay windows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8Nq2RG8mjY 3) Miniature Building Construction Step 6 - Installing the Lights -I like this one too, but sometimes hard to see because her hands block what she's doing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD8650I 4) I've also downloaded, printed out, read, studied about 7 tutorials online, but I just do better with step by step visuals. 5) There is a DVD on electrical put out by Cir-kit. (It is about $20.00 ) IF anyone has seen this DVD & would reccommend it, I would seriously consider biting the bullet & buying it 6) Maybe I am just making this so much harder than it is ??? Any suggestions, advice, methods, more helpful Videos, or slaps upside my head, would be welcomed-. I'm just stuck in this holding pattern. TIA and Happy Thanksgiving Eve to those in the U.S. Warm Regards ~~ kat

Thank you all for your replies! Selkie - I did find out that the Harrison is 3.6 mm plywood! So that is a good starting point at least. It's good to know that I'm not the only one that has problems using hand tools! I liked your advice about always using sharp blades because dull ones cause accidents. My dearest late Dad used to say that all the time. Everytime he came to visit us, he would pull out all of our knives and sharpen them for me. But, then again, he always managed to be the one to cut himself. Thank you for your thoughts on the power tools & the Easy Cutter & Chopper. One of these may be a good solution for me for right now as, I'm going to be working on door trim, & baseboards & giving the "punch out kit doors" a more realistic look with small trim. One hand tool that I think might be helpful (for me at least) is a spring-loaded push hammer since those tiny little hinges don't use screw, but rather nails?!? Why, I want to know Why! I have the Front door in, but it's rather wiggly, which is why I was thinking screws would be more sturdy. Nuttiwebgal - What a great thought about using luan! And I would never have thought to use foamcore either. Many, many years ago, I used foamcore for making architectural models in scale for drafting classes, but never thought of it for dollhouse use-just assumed everything had to be wood. Also I'm very tempted into looking into scroll saws. I would like to add a little bit of flair to my divider walls/ceiling divider, but that may have to stay a dream for awhile. Baby steps.... As for taking pictures, that may be awhile, I am still learning how to use my iphone (it's only been 9 months that I've had it-LOL) How sad is it that my Smart Phone is smarter than me? Roxy - Dremels seem to keep popping up in all the replys and seems to be one of the more favored power tools of choice on here--so I really need to check into those. It sounds like it has multi uses, so that is something for me to keep in mind. I like simple and handy and something I won't cut my finger off the first time I use it. I will probably have to go to Home Depot or Lowes to see if I can get someone to give me a demo or more likely check out YouTube. Tracy - Thanks for the encouragement as well. I think the reason I fell in love with the Harrison, was because the inside was fairly customizable for whatever rooms I wanted them to be. Library, Nursery/Playroom, Additional Bedroom or cool old Attic filled with antiques??--the options seemed endless at the time. My one concession is that since it is a Tudor, it seems that it should be have the plainer white stucco-look with dark wood trim. I think it must be fun to choose the colors for the Victorians with all their specialty trim. Some of those Painted Ladies are so grand looking. I think I must be too much of a purist, to try and "paint" a Tudor in primary or pastel colors, or perhaps too much a coward to be different LOL Rbytsdy - "No way are there too many questions" Ha! You many feel differently when I keep bombarding all of you with many more, but I do appreciate everyone's input very much! I've been using Aleenes Tacky glue and Aleenes Jewelry & Metal, Liquid Fusion is another I've found that is multi-purpose that I like. I looked EVERYWHERE for Yes! glue for wallpaper and then found out they changed the name to Grandmother Stover's! That was a hair-puller I also have ModPodge, rubber cement, Triple Thick spray & liquid and a Fabric glue. One glue I will NOT be using is Super Glue after I glued my two fingers together. yes, I am that much of a klutz. Sable - I have the MicroMark catalogue and have been drooling over the tools they have in there and you are right-they are pricey. Kind of why I wanted opinions instead of running out and buying willy-nilly. MM recently had a Sale-a-Thon and while I was chomping at the drill bit, so to speak, to buy something/anything because I didn't want to miss out on a sale, I did hold myself back, because I'm still not sure of what I really need vs. what I would like. As tempting as the MicroLux LaserKnife was, I really couldn't find a good enough reason to drop nearly $2000,00 this month......... year............ lifetime Thank you all again so very much for your warm welcome and for the replys! I truly appreciate the time you've taken to help me along on my "little" journey. Believe me, I will be back with more questions! My internet has been going in & out all evening, so I wish you all a very good night! ~~ kat

Hello Again! Well, I'm still trying to manuever my way aroung this HUGE Forum. I have tried searching for certain topics, but am finding things in different topics, so my apologies if I am repeating questions. However if someone can point me in the right direction, that would be great too & you all wouldn't have to repeat yourselves. Question 1) I have GreenLeafs: Harrison Tudor. Are the interior walls Basswood, or thin Plywood? It appears to be some type of engineerd wood, but I'm just not sure. Doesn't seem to be Balsa wood at all. I would like to divide up the attic area, but not sure what wood/thickness I should be using to make divider walls. I brought a sample of wood from the kit (scrap push out pieces) with me to HobbyLobby, but it was thinner & it didn't match up thickness-wise, so I'm in a quandry what I should be using. I am wanting to make doors w/ fluted trim & square rosettes & later on after floors, put on baseboard--which is why I very interested in getting the right tools! Hopefully that is in the right order of construction? Question 2) I have some basic tools already, (but I don't have a lot of strength in my hands & bad eyesight), so I've been checking Hobby Cataloges like MicroMark & Minatures.com & of course Ebay for HAND TOOLS, like Finger Drills, Battery Powered Screwdrivers, & Spring Loaded Push Hammers-(which of course, don't work with brass hardware) I'd be grateful for any of your recomendations! And that brings me to another thing-- How do I figure out what size tools work with certain size screws & nails (depth & diameter) in inches and/or milimeters? Do those gauge guides things really help & worth the investment? MATH is like a foreign language for me! I am Not Smarter than a 5th Grader! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`~~Right now I have a self-healing mat, clamps, clothespins, C-clamps, a tiny mitre box & hacksaw, articulating vice, hemostats, tweezers, stainless steel ruler, 90 metal square, pliers, rubber mallet, small hammer, exacto knives, sanding papers, Dust masks, Eye protection (hope to get a very small dust vacuum or attachment because I have to work in the house- no woodshop) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. Question 3) What POWER TOOLS do you have that are your MUST HAVES & CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT or WOULD LOVE TO HAVE- IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY? I've been looking at Amazon at the Rockwell RK7323 Blade Runner X2 Portable Tabletop Saw , the Proxxon 37006 KS 115 Bench Circular Saw and also Proxxon 37088 Scroll Saw DS 115/E Some got great reviews for working with minatures/dollhouse & some didn't, but reviews are always so subjective. OPINIONS are Welcomed! If you had to pick one that does the most to acheive your objectives, what would you go for first? I've also seen those Chop It & Chop It-II Do those work or do they crush the wood, like heavy duty scissors do? I can't buy everything at once, but I do have a Birthday coming up & Christmas is around the corner Thanks again, everyone for listening to my ramblings--and these are only half of my Questions List--Wait until I get to LIGHTING LOL. Sorry I don't do Posts--I tend to do Novels I appreciate anyone taking the time to help a newbie out. TIA ~~katclaws

Hello, Nice to "meet" all of you! I'm already overwhelmed by this forum and the wealth of knowledge that everyone is so happy to share! I'm sort of New/Old to miniatures/dollhouses. My husband & I married in 1980 and for our first Christmas I hinted for a Dollhouse and that's exactly what he got me: The Harrison Tudor. We spent our first New Years Eve building it together. I started getting a few pieces of furniture & accessories here & there always with the intention of getting it finished. But, in 1982 our son was born and my doll house interior was never finished. Instead, I found myself building Legos with my son, getting involved with his sports, school, interests, etc. My dollhouse was carefully covered in plastice, furniture & accessories carefully stored away, has survived three houses, two moves, job changes, my growing son's basement-hockey-playing-puck near-misses, 3 nosy cats and 2 dogs, care-giving elderly parents, & more recently babysitting. Life Happens & Time Gets Away. Fast forward 35 years later my two Granddaughters, now 8 & 10, are finally old enough to understand & appreciate the fragility of this beautiful dollhouse. (Now I finally have someone to play with my dollhouse with!) LOL So, the protective coverings came off and my girls sat fascinated oohing & awwing over all of grandmas's teeny-tiny-little things. With my dear husbands blessings--(actually his excuse to enjoy golf, hockey, tennis, soccer, baseball, basketball, football, or anything ending in ball, etc. on TV without interruption), my dollhouse is finally moving upstairs where I can work on it. I'm going to need all the help I can get! Warm Regards ~~ kat