Grandpa's new project

[BigC]

3 hours ago, speedytones21 said:

Can't wait to see how your project turns out. 

Me too Speedy...lol..at the moment I'm just collecting as much info as I can...I'm sure there will be some mistakes and re runs along the way...for me personally the structure and facade details are the immediate priority and of course the scale.   Havanaholly...I have clamps amongst my extensive array of tools but no finger clamps where would I buy  few of these

Edited December 6, 2017 by BigC

[KathieB]

1 hour ago, BigC said:

finger clamps where would I buy  few of these

At the ends of your arms? <ducking and running>  No, really. Other than holding something long enough for the superglue to set, I've never heard of finger clamps.

[Sable]

Use blue painters tape to use as clamps. Works great.

[havanaholly]

Why finger clamps?  Masking or painter's tape works well for clamping, and my personal favorites are these:  https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mini+spring+clamps&qpvt=mini+spring+clamps&FORM=IGRE, which I find at the hardware store.

[Thimble Hall]

Colin, US houses generally don't have basements  and are usually open backed unlike the UK houses which are often offered with basements and are front opening. When you get further on I can give you some good links for finishing things for floors  and mini bricks , lead  and bricks for chimneys  etc from over there. If you want to light your house there is a dealer on UK ebay that seems to have a constant supply od preowned lights( and other stuff) he puts them together in lots , I have bought a good deal  of his stuff and it sells for a very reasonable price for a lot. His ebay name is nicksandbits, take a look as his stuff changes all the time

[havanaholly]

I use a hint from Beryl Armstrong and use sandpaper/ glasspaper for bricks.  For floors I have scribed the boards into the plywood floor pieces and the stain picks out the scribing, but I don't think that will work as well with MDF.  I also cut the iron-on wood veneer edging into "board" lengths and split them and iron them into place on the floors.  For window leads some folks here in the US use the lead tape for golf clubs and split that but you will want to wear protective latex or nitrile gloves to work with lead.

[KathieB]

3 hours ago, havanaholly said:

Why finger clamps?  

Hmmm... learned something new again. They really do look like fingers, don't they?

[BigC]

Thanks for all the replies guys lol...here I am talking about dolls houses at 1.45 am lol...brick work I'm already sold on the silicone style sticky reusable template and brick paste...not sold on roof tiles yet though ...any idea's?

[Sable]

Being as you are in the UK, you HAVE to get (well you don’t have to but I think they would look great with your design) Richard Stacey’s Real Slate roof tiles.  I use them on all of my houses. Expensive but worth it. http://www.miniaturebricks.com/roofing/slate/3013rs

Here they are on my pool house:

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=view&id=115382

[havanaholly]

I also use sandpaper/ glasspaper for shingling roofs.

[Sable]

22 hours ago, BigC said:

Is that the terminology for someone who builds their own from raw materials....?? I'm torn between two worlds mostly to err on the scratch side but would maybe buy one small kit without the basement etc just to see the principals, scales and cutting (mainly of the roof components) maybe these books will offer up some answers...anyone know of any great links on roof construction plans(not finishing with slates etc) just general construction..I'm really interested in this area of the facade and how it either is cut at the time of building the sides etc or is a separate entity and lifts up away entirely from the main box structure and the way it sits on the structure and by what means...Regards C

Mansard roofs are generally held up with a special channeled  trim. If you are good with a router you could make your own. I’ll take a photo of mine tomorrow.

[BigC]

5 hours ago, Sable said:

Being as you are in the UK, you HAVE to get (well you don’t have to but I think they would look great with your design) Richard Stacey’s Real Slate roof tiles.  I use them on all of my houses. Expensive but worth it. http://www.miniaturebricks.com/roofing/slate/3013rs

Here they are on my pool house:

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=view&id=115382

They look fantastic..and would sure compliment the natural red brick I have in mind for the upper 2 thirds of the front facade...thanks for the links

[BigC]

The bottom third of a typical Georgian upright Kensington style terrace mansion is usually flat painted an alabaster colour or large regular blocks painted the same laid in uniform lines thinking  of routering fine straight lines into the mdf to create this look I also wish to use a quinion stone effect on the corner edges..its all a matter of bringing all these good idea's to fruition hence the homework.. I appreciate everyone's comments and inputs regarding this learning curve..thank you all. Apologies for all the questions lol..both previous and more to come hahaha...Regards C 

Edited December 7, 2017 by BigC

[KathieB]

2 hours ago, BigC said:

Apologies for all the questions lol..both previous and more to come hahaha

No apology necessary. When one of us learns, we all learn. Questions fuel the engine that drives this forum!

[BigC]

 

2 hours ago, KathieB said:

No apology necessary. When one of us learns, we all learn. Questions fuel the engine that drives this forum!

Such a great answer KathieB.

One thing I have learnt in such a short time (even though it's a dollhouse world) is I find myself looking at house facades especially Georgian of which I hope to create even estate agents boards real estate shop windows...it has made me more aware if these things of which in a normal situation you wouldn't give a second glance or take much interest in....weird in a sense lol

[KathieB]

3 minutes ago, BigC said:

it has made me more aware if these things of which in a normal situation you wouldn't give a second glance or take much interest in....weird in a sense lol

Wait until you start eyeing restaurant jelly containers as possible kitchen or bathroom sinks and the little plastic cream containers as possible waste baskets or lamp shades. Guaranteed to embarrass your dining companions.  

[BigC]

Sounds a little extreme lol

For me the internals dont hold the same attraction as the outside at the moment even the furniture aspect...I'd be more interested in alabaster coving, skirting boards, wall pannelling and ceiling designs not to mention lighting hahahaha 

[NellBell]

41 minutes ago, BigC said:

Sounds a little extreme lol

For me the internals dont hold the same attraction as the outside at the moment even the furniture aspect...I'd be more interested in alabaster coving, skirting boards, wall pannelling and ceiling designs not to mention lighting hahahaha 

When I read this it makes me chuckle on how our brains work opposite . When I see the house my brain goes to the inside , color scheme type of look etc...What windows have to change especially in the kitchen since I don't want an item in front of a window. I find I have to think out the kitchen first to determine what may need to change .  

I tend to decorate the inside and then let the outside speak to me on how it should look with the inside . 

I bought the Coxwold house you posted I do have an idea for the shop and apartment. BUT I will do the outside first and use all the elements that are true to the house . I'm very excited to start that house .  

[BigC]

Message from Amazon...my books are marked as dispatched...I cant wait to see what information they hold within their pages...hopefully I'm not dissapointed...I may even make a start on the house over the weekend if I get some time...Not wanting to rush in an make too many mistakes.

Questions... maybe silly....

are staircases all the same size/treads for 1/12 scale? (I might be better to buy one to get the room floor scale correct)

can railings and balustrades be joined or cut to make an ideal size?

if I was to use mini natural slate tiles for my roof as proposed above what does one cut them with ...a tile saw perhaps?

Regards C

 

 

Edited December 8, 2017 by BigC

[Sable]

34 minutes ago, BigC said:

are staircases all the same size/treads for 1/12 scale? (I might be better to buy one to get the room floor scale correct) 

can railings and balustrades be joined or cut to make an ideal size?

if I was to use mini natural slate tiles for my roof as proposed above what does one cut them with ...a tile saw perhaps?

Regards C

 

Miniatures.com offers good quality stair kits which include the railings and balustrades. The floor opening width, the ceiling height, and Railing style will determine which kit you should purchase.  With 1/12 scale you should look for a kit that will fit an 8 inch to 9 inch ceiling height (depending on what your plans call for). A normal 5.5 to 6 foot inhabitant would be 5.5 to 6 inches tall with good ceiling clearance. Personally, I prefer a dollhouse with 9 inch ceilings.

I cut my real slates a number of ways. Kerf is important. Kerf is the width of the blade. You want a very fine blade to avoid waste and excess dust from the slate.  I use a hobby hand saw (link below), utility knives (requires multiple scoring passes) and my hobby table saw with a diamond blade. Fine sandpaper  is also good for smoothing the edges or taking off a millimeter or two. I just attach the sandpaper to my work table and rub the tile against the surface until it is the correct  size or shape. Small nippers are good to take off small bits.

https://www.micromark.com/4-in-1-Zona-Saw-Set?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt6Kaipj71wIVhYJpCh1KsAADEAQYCSABEgLxAfD_BwE

[Sable]

This was a nice kit from Miniatures.com. The treads come separately in the kit so you can stain them. I had to cut off the bottom step.  Note: this photo was taken before I finished off the trim to the second floor.

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=view&id=99057

[BigC]

Some really good info there Sable, it helps explain things further thank you 

Regards 

C

[Sable]

You are very welcome. I believe I’m the only one here who has experience with real slate so if you have any further questions about them I probably have the answer.

My favorite things about real slate, besides the cost, are that they are so easy to clean. A damp rag is all you need. The realism factor is another reason and they will last forever making them perfect for a multigenerational house.

[Beulah]

I didn't realize they made tiny slate tiles, ty 

[NellBell]

8 hours ago, Sable said:

You are very welcome. I believe I’m the only one here who has experience with real slate so if you have any further questions about them I probably have the answer.

My favorite things about real slate, besides the cost, are that they are so easy to clean. A damp rag is all you need. The realism factor is another reason and they will last forever making them perfect for a multigenerational house.

Can you get the slate in the states are you buying it from the UK?