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Support: The Orchid Dollhouse Instructions


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Same with me and my tiny Arthur.........it was daunting at first and I still don't understand the instructions........mostly I am winging it! Keep going!!!

Oh to answer the support question.....yes you have to kind of hold it all together until the glue sets. I just did that this afternoon and my hands still hurt! Taping didn't work because I couldn't hold the pieces in place and get the tape on at the same time.
Sometimes in this hobby you need an extra pair of hands.

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What Shawn said. A few drops of super glue along with regular wood glue and you can get the part in place and then the super glue will act as a clamp to hold the part in place while the wood glue sets up.

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Super glue is another one of those things that has always frustrated me-glueing my fingers together fine,but being a runny mess on things I wanted to stick together,so I haven't tried it on my current build (Ashley).But,I'm getting to that point where I need two pairs of hands. Next week I'll have to get some Loctite or such and try it out. Any other brand suggestions?-the cheaper the better!!! By the time I get to The Orchid,I hope I have all MY kinks out!! lol

Oh,Perry and Shawn,thanx both of you for posting those Orchid Instructions. Don't laugh at me,but I finally learned how to 'download' today! At 56,this is my 1st computer and I'm a slow learner. Slow and steady,inch by inch and all that!! :)

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  • 4 months later...

Ok I have the front roof on and I do not understand where the gussets are suppose to go! I can see the diagram but its not clear to me exactly where they are suppose to be....help please?

edited: Never mind I think I figured it out! :)

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I will need to know this part when I get to my Orchid kit-so,what is the 'gusset'-looking it up didn't help,as I know this isn't a sewing term in this context. So,what is it and where on the house is it-post a photo maybe? Thanx!

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Kat, They give you these little triangle pieces that I guess support the roof inside at the peak. There are two at each end and one as close to the middle as you can. I guess that each dormer has them also. If I get them on I will take a picture for you!

I also don't get where the "eves" go. I may have some left over pieces because I can't figure them out! :p

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The gussets are the 6 little triangles.

I looked at the Orchid instructions & my best guess is the gussets are used for roof support where the two roof halves meet at their top edges. (Not much surface area to glue to.)

Two of the gussets are more about filling in the gap at the peak on the main right & left gables. (Not sure if they fit in the gap or over it?)

Three gussets are for the three dormers, they should be placed at the center of each dormer roof.

And the last gusset is to support the main roof. Its placed slightly off center because the large dormer is in the way.

gallery_4762_5211_26026.png

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Mike, I see that now BUT I don't like how you will be able to SEE the gussets in the dormers. hmmmmmmm

Now I can't figure out where the eaves go! I hate being dyslexic and the instruction diagrams are totally unclear to me.

Thanks again for this picture..........very clear!!! :)

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Mike, I see that now BUT I don't like how you will be able to SEE the gussets in the dormers. hmmmmmmm

Now I can't figure out where the eaves go! I hate being dyslexic and the instruction diagrams are totally unclear to me.

Thanks again for this picture..........very clear!!! :)

Yeah, I don't think many people use them, other than for the end gables.

Check out Cynthia Sperin's blog

Scroll about two thirds down the page & you'll see an unpainted Orchid - click the photo for a close up of the eaves.

Or do a page search for: LAST PHOTO

She created a beautiful Orchid :)

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Thanks Mike! I saw this one on Pinterest but I didn't see the unfinished one. Hers is beautiful! I left out the stairs!!

I guess I won't bother using the eaves I can't figure why or where you need them. I didn't see her gussets in the dormers......maybe she didn't use them?

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The only way you can see a gusset in my Orchids is if you can wedge your head under the roof upstairs. I glued the ones in the ends, gable and dormers to the wall peaks to give a double thickness of wood to glue the roof pieces to.

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Holly,so you are saying that you glued the gussets to the wall just over the windows under the peak of each dormer? I covered mine with the wallpaper that I used on the wall just for added camouflage.

I know I am neurotic but I hate to see support pieces or bare wood. I paint or cover everything!!! :p

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The only gussett I put out in front of God & everybody was the one in the middle of the main roof, that I painted the same color as the ceiling. The others I just glued to the wall tops., or else to the roof at the edge of the interior wall (I don't remember, I haven't had the wood Orchid for quite some time).

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I can't wait to have time to drag out one of my Orchid kits and see these gussets-I don't want them showing either,but if you could use them in some way,like Amy and Holly said,I guess they'd be okay...

Are the eaves the straight piece of trim that runs along under the bottom edges of the roof? A lot of people seem to paint it to contrast with the scalloped edges of the fishscale shingles. I see Roxy's point,about not needing it,but I also like it when it contrasts to the roof. My (4) Dura-Craft Ashley kits come with a roof that has the fishscale shingles already scored in and so a scalloped edge,and I have actually thought about adding a piece of trim under that edge,on one of my kits,to copy the Orchid! :)

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