Morgan Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I knew when I first saw The Garfield that I absolutely had to have it, and after juggling the idea of possibly starting with a smaller house I decided to just go for it and follow my heart! My kit came in Christmas eve and I've been dying to open it ever since, but cannot until I get my spare room cleaned out and set up as a craft room. I'm hoping to get started next Wednesday (Wednesday and Thursday is my weekend), so I will hopefully have some pictures of my start up next week! As for now, I was hoping for some help as far as a basic list of start up supplies, I already know the basics such as tacky glue, painters/masking tape, clamps and spackle. I'm also planning on getting a dremel to play around with detailing and also I'm planning on going with round wiring and like the concept of using a dremel to create divets for the wires to be hidden. Are there any other supplies I should have just starting off? I also would be happy to know other things I should pick up for later too just so I have a general idea what all I should need for each step along the way. Can't wait to get started!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 I just remembered sand paper...and I'm pretty sure I have a utility knife around the house somewhere so I'll pick up some new blades for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 When you do a search for "getting started":, along with "supplies", there are more threads in the archives than you can shake a tick at (although I think the latest upgrade of the site only returns results from the past year). You have a pretty good handle on the basics I like clear-drying tacky glue for the acetate inserts, but for gluing wood to wood I personally prefer to use a good carpenter wood glue such as Probond o Titebond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 Thanks for the tips Holly! I tried searching just "supplies" with mixed results, so I'll try "getting started" and see what I come up with. I've just been jotting down different tips/ideas as I flip through the site, I've greatly benefited from some of the amazing step by step Garfield builds on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I haven't built the Garfield, and I make everything tht I put into my houses, so I have acquired an awful lot of stuff you probably wouldn't need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jitchiwah Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 just a couple things off the top of my head... A good quality steel ruler for measuring and using as a straight edge for cutting. Small saw and mitre box. I got a junior hacksaw and mitre box in a set from the hardware store, but you can get finer hobby specific ones too. Duskmasks and safety specs! Specially if you do get a dremel but even hand sanding throws up a lot of dust. a collection of good paintbrushes with soft/fine bristles in various shapes and sizes. I have a few now ranging from tiny pointed end up to about an inch wide flat head. Makes life easier if you have the right brush for the job. Clamps!!!! Good to have a variety of sizes and types. Also some type of weighs to weigh down flat pieces to ensure they STAY flat when drying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I use regular flat interior latex house paint both for priming and for painting. White latex house paint can be tinted with acrylic paint straight from the tube for custom colors. I use rags from DH's old worn out teeshirts to apply stain. Stonework can be simulated using paperclay, spackling compound, drywall mud or torn pieces of papermache. Bricks can be simulated using paperclay, papermache or sandpaper There are also stencils and compounds available through the Bromley and Majic sytems; our own member, Dawn, is a US dealer for the Bromley System. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 Thanks guys, I've got a decent shopping list started, now I just need to make a trip to Michael's & Home Depot! I live a good 30 min away from the nearest town with actual options for shopping lol, so I want to make sure I get everything I need and don't end up having to turn around and drive back because I forgot something! I would not have immediately thought of a decent metal ruler or safety goggles/mask so I'm really glad that was brought up because those are definitely important pieces that I wouldn't have figured out I needed until I was already started. I'm pretty excited about painting and staining since I'm hoping to do mostly wood floors throughout my dh. I think I'm going to pick up some skinny sticks and some different types of stain and kind of start getting a color scheme sorted out as I get the foundation and initial walls up. I'm really impatient when it comes to decorating so I'm thinking playing with color schemes will help ease some of that impatience as I get through the preliminary set-up. Hubby is supposed to be working on the spare room today so I should still be on track for starting on Wednesday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 Don't forget your credit card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 If you go to home depot look for veneer edge banding - makes beautiful wood floors: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 Ooh I really like the look of that, I like the wider planks when it comes to wood floors and I feel like that would achieve that look better also. I'll add it to my shopping list, and I will definitely be bringing my credit card! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 The iron-on veneer also makes nice flooring: as does the Greenleaf siding strips: the self-adhesive vinyl flooring that Greenleaf sells in their store: and my personal favorite, scribing "boards" directly into the kit plywood and staining it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheckMouse Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I really like scoring the boards and making "hardwood" flooring that way. I learned how to do that a couple years ago and it is very handy. I've even used it on my 1:144 kits and it works great! You can make that as rustic or as polished as you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 Lots of great ideas, thanks guys! I'm going to probably pick up a small amount of a couple different things and just try stuff out, I have a feeling I wont really know for sure what I want to do until I play around and see what speaks to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 I am very happy to be posting tonight showing that I have made some progress! I've spent the last couple of days organizing all the sheets in the kit based off the instruction order and labeling literally everything from the schematics onto the boards to make following the steps much easier. This afternoon I finally got the chance to start popping out the pieces for the foundation, which I had intended on constructing tomorrow. I was feeling pretty good about watching everything come together so I decided to just keep going and I've pretty much completed the main framing for the foundation! I know I'll be moving onto the stairs most likely at some point tomorrow and I am really hoping for some advice in this department. I swear I had seen a good bash on here of a different dh staircase but the process itself was applicable pretty much anywhere. Anyways, long story short I am not a fan at all of the railings/spindles that come with the Garfield and would like to do something different. What I'm wondering is if I should construct the stairs completely, following the instructions as if I was going to make it normally then remove the railings etc. The alternative obviously being removing the railings before completing construction, I just don't know if it really makes any difference as far as its structural integrity. I can do it either way, but I am not suffering the nightmare of popping and sanding all those tiny spindles! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 If you remove the balusters and banisters before assembly you will want to sand the top edge of the stringer nice and flat and smooth. I used a tracing of the punched out stairs for the Pierce and made the stringers from corrugated cardboard, since I didn't have large enough pieces of wood to do it. I sealed and papered papered the cardboard and then trimmed it all with 1/8"x1/4" strip wood that I cut to fit and stained first. Then I could measure and cut my risers and treads and I attached my balusters to the sides of the treads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Thanks so much for the suggestions Holly! Did you make your own stringer just so you wouldn't have to remove the balusters and do all that sanding, or is there some other benefit that would make construction easier/more secure? I'm just so nervous to start hacking away at pieces of the kit, I wish the main part of the house I want to make changes to wasn't like the 2nd step of building the house so I felt a little more comfortable with things, but I guess I'm going to have to dive right in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 No, I was rehabbing a Pierce without stairs and KathieB was kind enough to trace the parts from where she had punched hers out and sent them to me. When I traced over that tracing to make my pattern I had decided to make different balusters and banisters. Something you might want to considerer in making your replacement baluster spindles is to insert the business end of a pin into the bottom and drill a wee hole for the other end of the pin into the stair tread so that sucker isn't going anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Oh okay, that makes sense. I got the sub floor on today, was going to start on the stairs but I'm exhausted and I couldn't find balusters or posts that I liked at any of the local craft stores so since I'm going to have to order those anyways I'm not in any rush to move onto the stairs. I'm going to glue the foundation together tomorrow I think, it fit together pretty well with the sub floor so I'm confident with my dry fit and will do a dry fit of the rest of the house before I move any further with gluing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 So apparently it turns out I'm terrible at gluing...thankfully my DH came to the rescue and gave me a quick gluing 101 lesson on some scraps of wood, I quickly came up with a plan and got the first part of the foundation glued. My original glue job that I did yesterday was a huge disappointment that came apart in 2 seconds, but I've got a much better feeling about the second time around. No use postings pictures, not much progress unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I hope your DH used a good carpenter's wood glue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 Yeah I had purchased the right glue, titebond wood glue, just didn't have the right skills to use it! I feel much better about my second attempt, we will know for sure tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Betcha your DH will tell you what mine told me; you cannot have too many clamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 The funny thing is I bought a TON of clamps just in preparation and I haven't used a single one. I've found I like pulling masking tape tight and using that as a clamp, then adding weight (I cleared off every bookshelf in my house and dumped them all in the craft room). I'm hoping the clamps I bought come in handy later on in the process, I think they will be more beneficial on some of the smaller stuff, the foundation is just too much I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 2 hours ago, Morgan said: ...the foundation is just too much I think. I have bar clamps for foundations & walls, in addition to tape and heavy duty steel staples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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