Search the Community

Hi Everyone! It's been a while since I've posted on the forum but I have been lurking a bit. I have decided that my piles of "stuff" are a bit out of hand so I'm going to keep some select items but get rid of the rest. I have one or two House of Miniature furniture kits and before listing them elsewhere I thought I would give first dibs to everyone here. Here's the list. Sorry it's not in numerical order. The number in () is the amount of the kit I have. Most of them are still in plastic wrap. House of Miniatures 40031 Chippendale Bench (3) 40044 Lyreback Chair (2) 40012 Chippendale Nightstand (2) 40036 Hepplewhite Serpentine Table (2) 40021 Queen Anne Fire Screen (1) 40013 Queen Anne Candle Stand (3) 40039 Queen Anne Tea Table (1) 40001 Closed Cabinet Top (2) 40002 Open Cabinet Top (1) 40034 Dower Chest (2) 40032 Chippendale Hanging Shelf (2) 40028 Straight Leg Chippendale Chair (4) 40027 Cabriole Leg Chippendale Arm Chair (1) 40026 Cabriole Leg Chippendale Chair (1) 40037 Chippendale Corner Chair (2) 40007 Side Chair (2) 40083 Queen Anne Arm Chair (1) 40040 Chippendale Open Arm Chair (1) 40035 Hooded Cradle (1) 40016 Chippendale Wing Chair (1) 42403 Chippendale Looking Glass (1) 40043 Chippendale Day Bed (3) 40006 Hepplewhite 3 Piece Dining Table (2) 40011 Chippendale 3 Drawer Chest (2) 40009 Chippendale Chest On Chest (2) 40017 Chippendale Desk (2) 40010 Chippendale 6 Drawer Chest (2) 40019 Chippendale Dry Sink (2) 40022 Chippendale Straight Top Highboy (1) 40050 Chippendale Serpentine Chest (1) 40055 Queen Anne Settee (2) 40038 Queen Anne Table (3) 40004 Hepplewhite Side Table (3) 40049 Chippendale Candle Stands (1) 40047 Hepplewhite Candle Stands (1) 42404 Chippendale Pier Glass (1) 40008 Queen Anne Tilt Top Table (3) 40014 Chippendale Canopy Bed (3) 40033 Chippendale Low Post Bed (5) 40060 Single Low Post Bed Chippendale (1) 40015 Chippendale Sofa (1) 40056 Hepplewhite Corner Wash Stand (1) 40057 Chippendale Fire Screen (1) 40030 Chippendale Double Chair Settee (1) 40062 Hepplewhite Cellarette (1) 40076 Hepplewhite Grandmother Clock (1) 40063 Swinging Cradle (1) 40080 Bookstand & Pedestal Desk (1) 40073 Slat Back Chair (1) Also some misc furniture kits and house kits: Shenandoah Designs Chippendale Collection Highboy #3012 Heritage Collection Realife Miniatures Kitchen (still in plastic wrap) Ernie's Bus Kit DuraCraft Manchester Country House

Hi everyone, I'm looking to purchase the 40051 Cupboard Top Kit. I've been scouting eBay for some time and nothing. Does anyone have one which they are willing to part with? Thanks

Hey all! I recently acquired a collection of Xacto House of Miniatures 1" scale kits. I've been putting together the dower chest, and am down to the last little bit. Unfortunately, it seems one of the hinges is defective, and won't close all the way. I've done a good bit of googling in an attempt to replace it, but most 1" scale hinges seem to be 10mm, but these hinges are more like 6mm. Any suggestions? Thanks!

This tutorial deals with converting a House of Miniatures drawer using thinner basswood for the front, sides, and bottom, and dovetailing all four corners, to make a "false front" drawer. A false front drawer is one that has the drawer built as a open box with all four sides and then the front piece is installed. This was done for two reasons: 1. Some woods, especially burls, are not strong on their own and need the reinforcement 2. Veneers allow the use of very thin layers of expensive and highly figured woords that are too scarce and expensive to make a solid drawer from Please refer to my tutorial "Dovetails for Drawers" for details and notes on creating the dovetails I am demonstrating using the House of Miniatures Three Drawer Chest (Kit 40011) drawer using the kit parts as the drawer front and as measuring patterns so you can convert any kit drawer for any House of Miniatures using these instructions In the first part we are going to cut out the new parts using 1/16" basswood for the drawer sides and back and 1/32" basswood for the drawer bottom Step 1: Lay out and measure the kit parts. Here you can see the front, bottom, sides, and back. The kit uses a non prototypical construction method where the bottom and back are the full width of the drawer and the sides rest on top of the bottom and do not extend all the way to the back. This is something else we are going to correct Photo 1 shows the parts and their sizes Photo's 2 & 3 shows how the sides, back, and bottom are assembled (they are just sort of propped up here) Step 2: Cut out the new sides from 1/16" stock. The sides are the full height of the old sides (9/16) plus the thickness of the bottom (1/8 or 2/16) or 9/16 + 2/16 = 11/16 high The length is the full depth of the bottom (1 21/32) plus 1/8 (4/32) for the front plate, 1/32 for the front dovetail overhang, and 1/32 for the rear dovetail overhang or 1 21/32 + 4/32 + 1/32 + 1/32 = 1 27/32 long So the new sides are 1 27/32 x 11/16 x 1/16 Step 3: Cut out the new front and back from 1/16" stock. The back is the full height of the old sides (9/16) plus the thickness of the bottom (1/8 or 2/16) or 9/16 + 2/16 = 11/16 high The length is 3 3/8 (3 6/16) plus 1/32 per side overhang (1/16 total ) or 3 6/16 + 1/16 = 3 7/16 long So the new back is 3 7/16 x 11/16 x 1/16 Step 4: The parts are marked for the dovetails (the four matching jions are lightly numbered 1 to 4 in pencil) Step 4: Cut out the dovetails. As these are a little wider than 1/16" I found that an easy way to clean them up and "cut" the dovetails for the front plate is to tightly wrap sandpaper around the edge of a scrap of 1/16" basswood Step 5: Glue the parts together. I sand off the pencil marks just prior to gluing each side join. Sand off the projecting parts of the dovetails (see my dovetail tutorial) Step 6: Cut the bottom from 1/32 sheet and glue in. I found the easiest way is to put the completed drawer on the sheet and run a pencil around the inside to mark the size to cut. I also use two scraps of 1/32 sheet to space the drawer bottom slightly up from the base Step 7: Cut the false front from 1/42 veneer and sand flat. I found the easiest way is to put the completed drawer on the sheet and run a pencil around the front plate to mark the size to cut Step 8: Glue the false front to the front of the drawer. I use wax paper and a scrap of 1/16 basswood as a backing for the clamps. Notice how the veneer slightly overhangs the drawer edge on all four sides Step 9: I cut the plate slightly oversive and sand to fit after gluing And here it is mocked up in the cabinet. I will cover the polyurethane finish and installing drawer pulls in another tutorial

Hi everybody! I'm eager to get started on my first roombox, but I just love tiny furniture and I was tempted into buying a few House of Miniatures kits off Etsy this morning in preparation! I don't have them in hand yet, so I don't know what the parts and instructions will look like, but I've seen a lot of finished kits and I know how lovely they can be. The two multi-kit listings I grabbed include a couple of different chairs, a couch, a chest, and a lowboy--those are going to be some fiddly little bits and pieces! Does anyone have any favorite tips or tricks for finishing and assembling these kits? I can see they'l need staining, but will I need to keep an eye out for alterations or does everything tend to fit pretty snugly? Do you have a sneaky way to make sure the finished piece is sturdy? Since I've done some modding and painting with gaming miniatures before, I'm generally too paranoid to glue anything together without also pinning, but surely wood takes glue better than metal! Any help is greatly appreciated

I was working on taking photos for some sanding and finishing guidance clinics on my business web site for my upcoming new furniture kits when I realized that I had never before photographed some of the classic House of Miniatures kits from the 1970's that I've built over the years. Here are some, along with a room box featuring a grand piano model I built from a Mini Mundus kit several years back. Merry Christmas to you all! - Chris

I found several House of Miniatures Kit lots on a website. If I buy a lot/multiple lots, does anyone want to buy the items that I do not want? Or if anyone buys that lots, I am interested in the items listed below. http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=13692209 I want the bed and tavern table. http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?itemid=13692392 The small side table( hepplewhite serpentine table) http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?itemid=13691992 The corner chair, mirror and lowboy.

Hello Everyone, I have several questions about different areas. I found a Victorian styled built dollhouse at a Flea Market but it needs some tlc. The highest point on the dollhouse is 33 inches tall. I am building multiple House of Miniatures Kits and Realife Miniatures kits, what is the best stain and polyurethane/shellac to use? Any suggestions? I have the Minwax 2 in 1 stain/poly, would that be ok? Oh and I bought the wood preconditioner since the wood is old and dry. I was wondering about flooring in a dollhouse? I want to do wood floors. Some of my floors just need a stain/finish, others need wood flooring installed on top because of the two pieces of wood coming together. Any product suggestions? Also if I use wood clapboard as flooring what glue should I use? Or is it best to buy the ready to install wood flooring? I plan on electrifying my dollhouse but I am not sure if I could do it myself or if I should have it done at the dollhouse shop near me? I want to have multiple outlets in each room to move lamps around. Also after installing the electricity, how do you wallpaper? The shop near me charges $10 per room for electric + $10 to wallpaper. My dollhouse has 5 to 6 rooms. I have a 1:12 or 1:1 scale dollhouse with small 10 3/4 inch deep rooms that are 9 1/2 inches in length. With ceilings that are about 9 1/4 inches tall. I want to add molding on the top and bottom of the walls. Is there a size of molding that would be best for such small rooms? Thank you for your responses, I am new to the hobby of miniatures. I need to learn the skills and secretes of miniatures. I appreciate any tips or advice. I have included a picture of my house and the wallpaper books that I will be using.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone is selling these kits/items?: I really need/want these: Realife Miniatures: Heritage Series Victorian Parlor kit 202 (finished or unfinished) Complete--------REALLY WANT THIS ONE Nursery Kit 192 (finished or unfinished) complete or near complete Heritage Series Library Kit 153 (finished or unfinished) Complete The House of Miniatures: 40075 Chair Table, circa 1700-25 (piece that supports table top on four legs, I have one but need two supports) 40072 Trestle Stand, Conn. circa 1770-90( I have one of the legs but need the other) 40078 “Duncan Phyfe Window Seat” Kit Chrysnbon: bathroom kit F-230 ( finished or unfinished) bathroom accessories kit Victorian dresser set (finished or unfinished) Random Accessories: any Realife Miniatures rugs(like the ones pictured on the boxes) Queen Anne Drawer Pulls Door Hinges Window Plastic Wood Flooring, Molding, Chair Guard/Chair Rails Electrical lighting supplies Also I have some spare pieces to the Realife Miniatures Country Kitchen set if anyone wants to trade or buy. I bought two kits one was missing pieces so I will only be using a few pieces from the extra kit. I also have rolls of extra dollhouse wallpaper. Its regular wallpaper but as close to scale as I could find.