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New From Arizona DuraCraft VH-600


CraftyGramZ

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Hi, I am a 75 year old great-grandma from Arizona.  A friend gave me a 1987 Dura Craft Victorian farmhouse VH-600 today.  It is in desperate need of renovating.  The walls are loose, stair railings fell off, floors need redone and I am unsure where to start.   I have always wanted a large dollhouse (this one is 21x46x40.  I am an avid miniature collector and have several floors in a large cabinet decorated.  No particular scale on those just lots of stuff,  a doll shop, a bakery, a family residence, a dress shop, an antique shop, a quilt shop and a teddybear shop.   This will be my first "stick to it 1"=12' scale.  

Any suggestions as to where to start, where to find supplies, tips, anything would be  so very helpful.

I tried to add a photo but can't get it to fit within the 501kb. requirement.

 

Thanks so much, I have enjoyed reading the posts today and looking forward to keeping up with you all!

 

CraftyGramZ

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Welcome to the little family, Pati.  I'm 76.  Dura-Craft went out of business many years ago, so no more free replacement parts.  I fill gaps with spackling compound or joint compound and I use a good carpenters' wood glue to assemble with, flat white interior latex to prime with and regular premixed wallpaper paste to hang wall coverings; I find all these at the hardware store.  I began making new doors and windows for the houses I build, even the ones that aren't rehabs, and I gather and save flat clear plastic packaging for door and window inserts.  Thrift stores are great places to find old cotton and silk clothes for draperies and bedding, jewelry findings for accessories and light fixtures; I haven't bought embroidery floss or knitting yarn or crochet thread in a regular needlework store for at least 20 years.

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Thanks for the info. havanaholly I am going to have to stabilize the walls and floors first I think.  They have all come loose.  Thinking about taking it all apart if possible and reglueing from the bottom up.  Haven't had a chance to get into it yet.  Tomorrow most likely I will be able to start something.

 

CraftyGramZ

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Welcome Pati, I am from Las Vegas, what part of Arizona are you in?

 Dura craft made great houses and I'm sure you will be able to shore up the sides. Good luck to you and I hope to see you around the forum.

Carrie

 

****You can resize your picture using this free program http://www.picresize.com/. Make sure to save the resized image back to the original computer.

If you have any questions ask.

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Thanks Carrie,  I am from Fort Mohave,  right next to Bullhead City and across from Laughlin, NV.   I get up to Vegas once in a while.  Are there any dollhouse shops up there.  I actually built a plywood sheet dollhouse in the 70's when doll collecting and miniatures was really popular.  Not much of a doll house really but it was fun.   In those days there were lots of stores but no internet.  Now it seems that everything comes from cyberspace.  I miss being able to see things before buying.

I am going to post a question on another forum section about the flooring.  The bottom floor is nice wood? slat. It is a bit loose in places but I would like to save it. I am wondering if there is some type of "wash" that would help to reseal the pieces.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone here.  I saw where one of the members, Jodi? has an adorable shop building on ebay.  I love the colors and the little baskets.  So much work and so much talent!

Thanks for the info.  I will try that program.  I did resize using photoshop elements but for some reason it still would not accept it here.

 

Pati

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No dollhouse stores here, just the bits at Hobby Lobby.

There is a miniature group that meet here regularly. They are very active. Each time there is a meeting, I have a scheduling conflict. I imagine you might have a group close to use.

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Pati, those Dura-Craft floors are really thin wood strips.  I buy rolls of iron-on wood veneer from the hardware store and cut them to length and split them to width.  Greenleaf sells wood siding strips that can be split in half and used as well, but right now their web store is offline, being updated.

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 Thanks Traci,  I am enjoying working on my little house and reading all the posts.  Making a wood slat porch today.  The house had scrapbook paper that looked like boulders on the porch..  I thought a nice wood slat porch suited the house better.  Have all the pieces cut and stained.  Half have been glued down.  Tomorrow I will finish those.  Can't start putting the house back together until the porch is done because the railing and post have to go back on to hold the upper balcony and needed the porch done for the railing to sit on.  I am finding that whatever I want to do, seems like there are so many steps that have to be done first.  If any of that makes sense.  I want to make lattice work to go on the front.  Checked the price and no way.  I need 43 inches of lattice. I'm sure I can make that myself.

Thanks again to everyone for all the tips I have been given.  

 Will post some more pictures tomorrow of the kitchen which is about done.  Waiting on a lighting kit so can't do anymore wallpaper or flooring until I figure that out.

 

Pati

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for the welcome.  I have pretty much completed the rehab and have been adding things to the rooms.  Still want to make a plexiglass cover for the back and maybe add a back porch.  I can't begin to count how many hours I spent on it.  Will be posting some photos soon.  I must say I learned a lot and wish I knew then what I know now!  Lighting was a nightmare.  All inside walls are MDF and hard as a rock. I am not happy with the lighting but it will have to do. Would love to do one from scratch. No MDF but this one takes up all the space I can spare what with my other crafts hogging two rooms!

Great fun though.

by the way I am originally from Chicago.  Born in Danville and moved there when I was 5.

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  • 5 months later...

Welcome Pati - you've been moving right along on your rehab!  How exciting!  I'm also working on a Dura Craft at the moment but it's the SF555.  I don't get to work on it as much as I'd like but in the meantime I've also built/rehab two houses that I donated to charity....but the SF555 will stay with me :eek:

You'll find lots of great information here and we hope that you'll join us in sharing all your work!

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16 hours ago, Rosemary said:

Welcome Patti!  I am new also. 

does anyone have the instructions for the Duracraft VH-600?  I sure would appreciate it!  

Rosemary

Rosemary, have you been able to locate the instructions?

while these aren't currently listed for sale - this seller will post them if you contact them and ask. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dura-Craft-VICTORIAN-VH-600-1979-Dollhouse-Instructions-/192663374381?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l10137

and here's a pdf file of the instructions - copy is a little splotchy but they're free! http://dollhouseworkshop.net/instructions/duracraft/VH-600.pdf

Hope this helps!

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  • 1 month later...

Hello Pati, Susie, Holly, Mike and all! 

I am a grandmother of 8 granddaughters and 4 grandsons!  I started restoring dollhouses with my granddaughter about 7 years ago.  Just finished a Newport for my grandkids in California.  complete repaint and wallpaper, flooring and furnishings!  so cute!  they flipped!

I have a Duracraft VH600 that I bought on CL. here in Phoenix area.  I just finished regluing the entire thing!  still putting in new wood on one of the foundation sides.  There is a really nice dollhouse store in the Phoenix Area:  Auntie Em's Miniatures, Peoria, AZ.  I purchased new railing and posts and have gotten them all painted and now will be gluing them on.  I want to get you all a picture!  The interior has a couple rooms that I like the wallpaper in.  But most rooms will be redone.  I love this big house and am making it into a garden themed:  Bed and Breakfast.  lots of rooms to fill with lovely beds and furniture.  The dining room has 3 smaller dining tables.  The kitchen is large as it should be.  Thank you for listening!  Seems I am doing ok without the instructions.  Trish and her girls at Auntie Em's  are great resources for me.

Susie, where do you keep all your houses?  I have lots also and my home is small. It is just me and my pups.  only have 3 in the living room!  EEEK!

Question for you experienced miniaturists:  what glue would you use to attach the new railings (painted and completed) to the porch and upper porch?  These porch surfaces are painted already, the bottom of the railings is not painted.   just want to have it sturdy!  Thinking of Wood Glue would be best.

Happy Miniaturing to all. More later.  working on a photo for you all.

Rosemary

previous and current creations and restorations. RGT Newport x 2, Duracraft Heritage, RGT Log Cabin, RGT Painted Lady, RGT New Orleans, RGT Beachside Bungalow to be restored, RGT Victoria's cottage, RGT Alison Jr. Dollhouse x 2, Greenleaf General Store--to be restored.  LIttle Orphan Annie House 1970's not sure of manufacturer.

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Hi Rosemary!  right now I am finishing one that will stay with me, the San Franciscan 555 from Duracraft.  It will most likely go in the formal living room or dining room.  I have built others that I donated to Charity organizations so they could auction them off.  It's a win win, I get to build them and they get to reap the rewards of an item that is usually not something people see at a Charity event.

I havemany kits stored in a closet or under beds and some will be for me to keep but most will be built and donated or sold to benefit a charity.  I will I had a huge barn that I could turn into a she shed and simply display them all there!  Wouldn't that be awesome?!

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Hi, Rosemary, it's OK to post your own introduction.  I use wood glue to attach wood to wood.  Unbuilt kits and unrehabbed houses are in the workshop along with whatever is under construction.  I have a 1:24 hacienda on my desk in our bedroom and the Fairfields Bar Harbor summer cottage and a Magnolia FL Cracker house in our living room.  Our garage, which doubles as our playroom, holds my pub, farmhouse and White Orchid Christmas house.  

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