Rebecca Williams Posted February 4, 2019 Author Share Posted February 4, 2019 Hi there all if you smart mini lovers! 1) Any suggestions for removing the clear window so I can paint the grids behind it without taking off the whole window trim? How would I get it back on? In? 2) when gluing the walls together do you recommend I let each wall set separately to ensure stability? Any suggestions for matching the mahogany color that went with the House of Miniatures furniture? I can’t seem to get it right, try as I may. Thanks y’all! Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 If the windows were assembled with hot glue you can use a blow dryer to take them apart. If the house is very old you might want to invest in some transparency sheets/ report covers and make new inserts. When gluing exterior walls together I stabilize the corners with strips of masking or painters' tape; if I'm going to flip the shell around whilst decorating its insides I also reinforce those corners with a few steel staples along the edges. I never used the stains that came with the kits, just Minwax, and that way I knew I could match whatever. If you can find some transparent water colors and mix your shade you can thin it with gum arabic to work as a stain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 4, 2019 Author Share Posted February 4, 2019 So is it possible to use an xacto knife and carefully cut outvold window, paint then lay new on top and say glue at the corner of panes? I know that’s lazy. I have so many parts just hate to create more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 If you're going to cut the old acetate out, how do you expect to insert new? I can't imagine the windows looking "right" if they're just tacked in place at the corners with a dab of glue (which will still show). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 Yes. I know you’re right. I’m hating I’ve already painted the window frames and to now pry them off is my dread. Thankfully it’s only 2 of the windows where the paint on the grids is yellowed. The rest are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 You could go over the lines with fresh white paint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 Are you talking about over the plastic? Mom put the plastic on the inside of the grids so unless I take apart to get to the grids I’d have to paint the plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 I'm confused; on the windows in some kits the mullions are printed on the plastic, so if it's the printed lines that have yellowed, yes; paint over those. If your windows have the wooden mullions as part of the wall then you can cut away the old plastic, repaint your wood mullions, and run a thin bead of Elmer's all-purpose white glue (NOT "school glue") on those when they dry, aas well as the edges of the window opening to hold your replacement piece. The Elmer's white glue dries clear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 That’s perfect!!! So yes they are wooden and not printed. That technology must’ve come later! Heehee!! I’ll give it a try and let you know how it works! Thanks so very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 The windows in the Washington 2.0, a more recent release, were like that. In a fit I cut those crosspiece parts out and made working pin-hinged transom windows instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 Wow! You are impressive! I’m happy to get them cleaned up and back together! Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Not really; I've been at this awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 On 2/1/2019, 10:38:05, havanaholly said: If you have the doors and don't want to pin-hinge them (you'd probably need to trim & sand them if you did) you could cut a piece of chamois into strips 3/16 wide and fold them in half lengthwise and glue one half of the strip to the hinged edge of the door and the other to the edge of the door opening and then glue the hinges on for decoration, but the chamois strips would actually be the hinges. If you can fix the ruined floors without replacing them and they're already stained you can use the iron-on veneer. I get the red oak and cut it into 6" lengths and 1/4" widths. As long as you keep the glue for a temporary hold to wee drops and don't get any glue on the surface they take stain wonderfully. Hey! I’ve got a question... I’ve spent allllll day trying to use the “new” door hinges I bought to put up my doors. Well, all but 2 doors got ripped off but some of the old hinges and nails were there so I thought, heck I’ll try and reuse those first! Well, the hinges that were original to the dollhouse were a better quality and the nails were twice as long which was awesome! But then I found that I didn’t have all the nails. So I attempted to use the new nails with the original hinge. Those squatty barely hold on to nails wouldn’t fit in the original hinge holes. So then I thought darn, I’ll have to use the new ones. They would not stay to save my life! The nails were so short and the hinge holes were almost too big that they were kinda floating around and coming loose. So I tried gluing after they were in and it looked awful! So I thought okay... I’ll use your trick with the chamois. Figured that out but then you suggested that the hinge could then be glued to cover the chamois. When I attempted to do that it’s like it’s too thick and the door won’t close. I am exasperated with this step!!!! Should I paint the chamois brass color! Haha OMG this day was ridiculous!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 That’s why I don’t use the doors that came with the kit. Hobby Lobby has doors but you might have to resize your opening. People have had better success with the white envelope packaging Fedex uses. It’s thinner and doesn’t stretch like chamois. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 I thought your hinges were on the door face (as I have seen done on dollhouse doors, rather then flush-mounted in the edge, like a 1:1 door). If you glue half the lengthwise folded strip of chamois to the edge (side) of the door and the other half to the edge (side) of the door opening, it won't show when the door is closed and you can omit the hinges, or mount them to the face of the door if that's where they were in the first place, and they will not be "over" the chamois. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 So how does a fed ex envelope work? Like a thick mailer or simple envelope? I really just want it done right so in a few years I’m not having to take it apart to get to the doors to redo them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 28 minutes ago, havanaholly said: I thought your hinges were on the door face (as I have seen done on dollhouse doors, rather then flush-mounted in the edge, like a 1:1 door). If you glue half the lengthwise folded strip of chamois to the edge (side) of the door and the other half to the edge (side) of the door opening, it won't show when the door is closed and you can omit the hinges, or mount them to the face of the door if that's where they were in the first place, and they will not be "over" the chamois. So the hinges are hudddn when the door is closed but can see the bound ( ?) part of the hinge which means you can see the edge of the chamois. Have you found this stretches? I cannot believe how long and frustrating this has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 The white waterproof envelopes. Normally sandwiched in between the inner and outer doors and the frame. But since I haven’t seen your door this point is probably mute. I’ll look for a photo of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 Just now, Sable said: The white waterproof envelopes. Ok how long would you say these “ hold up”? I’m worried I get my walls glued together then have trouble with my doors on the difficult side to reach and then what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Tyvek envelopes last quite awhile. Yes, Chamois stretches. I have also used twill tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 I edited my statement. I need to see what we are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 Just now, havanaholly said: Tyvek envelopes last quite awhile. Yes, Chamois stretches. I have also used twill tape. Ok thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Thank you Holly, I couldn’t remember “Tyvek”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 6 minutes ago, Sable said: The white waterproof envelopes. Normally sandwiched in between the inner and outer doors and the frame. But since I haven’t seen your door this point is probably mute. I’ll look for a photo of it. I’ll send a pic in the am I haven’t posted any of the doors! Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Williams Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 9 hours ago, Rebecca Williams said: I’ll send a pic in the am I haven’t posted any of the doors! Thank you Good Morning!! Here are a couple of pics of one of the doors. Also Holly I wanted to tell you I did my windows and they look amazing! I used a product my son’s gas for Baseball pics preservations called top loafers and cut from a 5x7 and although it was thick it really is much nicer than a flimsy piece of plastic! Anyway hopefully I can decide today what to do with these doors ( and hope it won’t take all day again)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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