Sherry Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I decided to do the dry fit of the house tonite and make sure the flooring fits. Forget dryfit! If I can get this sucker together, it's gonna get glued! Somebody tell me if I understand the directions correctly...you fit the 2nd floor window ledge through the front window, then add each side at an angle, fitting the floor into in the side window and then turning the wall to fit the first floor-right? And there's a gap at least 1/8 inch between the center support and the tab that's supposed to fit into the slot in it. What's with that? There's no way to insert the tab in the porch into the tab into the center support and still have the center support fit into the front wall, it's just not gonna happen. Now I know why everyone uses so much spackle! That's all that's holding the pieces together! Can you tell how frustrated I am with this thing?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Got the front porch glued to the entrance part of the front wall, and the center support. The gap is still there, no way that I can find to change that. It will have to be covered with skinny stick porch or something. I'll add the floor this morning and try those walls again, with someone (DH) handy to help hold it together until I can brace and glue it. Not gonna try anything on this house when I'm tired, again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 The Coventry Cottage walls go on the same way, but the second floor is a bit taller. I wanted to cut the second floor out & move it down or make a new one and convert the Storybook to 1:16 when I attempted my first rehab with it, but no way in H-E-double hockeysticks was that floor going to cooperate (couldn't get my arthritic wrists to flex enough to work with the knife to cut through the floor). If I ever build one from the kit you betcha bippy that liittle rascal's going to become a 1:16 house! with internal walls, just to see how it would look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 I like the second floor where it is, just going to use it for an attic anyway, and I really like the high ceiling on the first floor-more room for the shopkeeper to display his junk! But I am going to glue the shell together and then paper. I have the second floor scored for boards, and the first floor sanded and ready to stain. But I'll paper and all that after I get it together, otherwise I'm gonna worry about getting the thing together the entire time! Let me ask you this Holly. The tabs in the windows are supposed to be window sills, right? So I shouldn't mark them and score them like the rest of the floor? Or am I seeing things wrong? Part of my problem is that the pictures in this copy of the instructions are so dark that it just looks like a gray blob, so I'm having to look at Kitten's gallery to tell how it's supposed to look-thank goodness she posted each step! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Yes, don't scribe the tabs that become the windowsills (you can always spackle over them if you forgot). I was really frustrated with the second floor because I wanted to donate all my rehabs to Toys for Tots, thinking (in vain) that DH wouldn't keep complaining about all the 1:12 houses I wanted to keep <sigh>, and I figured a child would enjoy it more if there were several rooms to play in, all of a size. Since the shell I found in the thrift store had been put together with a super=strong glue I couldn't get it apart for anything, so I redecorated it and let it go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra from Olde Cape Cod Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Okay Holly, I'm dyin' here--what is Boobie Dippindoodle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Okay Holly, I'm dyin' here--what is Boobie Dippindoodle?It's Liza's fault! Go over to Chit Chat and check out Arda's thread. Then let us know what your new name is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra from Olde Cape Cod Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Okay, now I'm Doombah Pottydoodle! Not sure I want to put that under my avatar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well I figured it was better than posting it as my "real name"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I am I was wondering what that was all about Holly but I was afraid to ask...ha ha ha! Skippy Dippin Dunkin ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 LOL! Roxxie, that sounds like the name of a donut dipped in peanut butter-not too bad for a name! I'll answer your pm later, it's been a long day..car broke down on the way home from work. Yucch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 LOL I thought it fit me perfectly...the skippy part...I am Queen of Peanut Butter! Donuts not so much! Boy are we silly or what ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewAtThis Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Oh, that second floor was a bear. It was the first kit I built, and I swore up and down that I'd never do it again. Of course, once the second floor was in, the rest was a breeze and lots of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmesue Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Best of luck with the build. I'm sure it will come together for you. Sometimes they just like to fuss and fight a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 I didn't even touch it last night, too tired after all the mess with the car. It will probably be this weekend, now. Oh well, it's not a race, is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I found with the Coventry Cottage that rotating those walls into dry fit started all sorts of conversation with the kit! so it was worth a lot of the aggravation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Oh, we had a conversation all right. I reminded the house how good plywood smoked sausage could be, in case it was thinking of giving me any more trouble! I did sand and scribe the second floor this evening, so that's a little progress. OK, I got industrious and stained the second floor. I really like the color I mixed for my wood in this house...about the color of a Hershey's milk chocolate! Anyway, it's done and now I can't wait to see how my first floor looks with a stain on it. I'm curious to see how well the design is going to show up, before I cover it with furniture and rugs-lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 After I scribe the floors I apply the stain with a soft rag, so the excess wipes off the "boards" until they're the color I want, and the stain that settles into the scribed lines & nailholes shows up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 I tried a little different mixture for my stain this time, instead of the gel medium. I used a glazing medium and it really turned out well, on top of which it doesn't have to be coated for a shine like the gel medium does. But I will probably add a coat of poly to the ground floor and leave the attic floor more neglected looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 I am trying to get a picture of what scribing a floor looks like. You actually carve lines or boards? Pictures will help! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 You don't have to carve them. It's kind of like when you were a kid and scratched your name in a school desk. I've used pencils before, but then got a neat scribing tool in the wood carving section of Michaels. it's just a handle with a pointed metal end. Mark your lines lightly with a pencil, about 1/4 inch apart, the length of the floor, then use a ruler and scribing tool to press down firmly and pull it down the edge of the ruler on the marked lines. Then go back and make lines on individual boards to mark the ends of the boards. I will make these about every 6 inches, which is about the length of real board flooring pieces. It makes an indention in the floor that shows up when you stain it and looks like flooring. Is that clear as mud? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 I couldn't get enough pressure using the scribing tool, I use the back point of my utility knife, doesn't require me to press down as much. I didn't care for all that graphite so I just mark the width intervals across the ends and use my LONG cork-backed steel straightedge and "draw" the lines with the knife point. I also stagger the "board" ends from row to row, offsetting approximately 1/4 the "board" length. I've started scribing my Fairfield floors (1:24 scale). I also go back with a small awl and poke "nailholes" into the board ends, especially attic floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLyn M. Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Oh oh,I'm sorta freaking out,Sherry. I just bought a Storybook and have no earthly idea what you're talking about but it sounds horrific! Luckily as soon as I finish my Sugarplum Tudor and put a new chimney on my SF'09,I'm starting some little projects for Christmas presents.But I have plans for my Storybook and will come back to it.Hopefully by then your project will be beautiful and someone will have figured out how to put in the 2nd floor with ease.Hopefully........ Then again-I've NEVER seen a DH that totally defeated someone.And I've noticed that people finish their projects with pride and smiles.I'll just keep my fingers crossed!LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Llyn it isn't anything to be alarmed over. Because part of the 2nd floor forms sills with the windows you need to rotate the window walls onto the floor so the sill0tabs will slide into the slots at the bottoms of the windows. If I were going to build this kit (I rehabbed an already-built one) I'd redo the 2nd floor to make the rooms upstairs taller than they are, basically making the kit 1:16 scale and bashing a couple of extra rooms. It's a super kit to make into a fairy tale cottage or little shop as it is. The Coventry Cottage's 2nd floor is similar with the sill tabs on its 2nd floor, it's just a little different. I had more fits fitting the Glencroft's partition wall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 I'll try to remember to take photos when I do it, Llyn. I was just so tired the night I tried to dryfit it, and one of the tabs broke off and had to be reglued. First time I've even broken a piece was with this house and I've already broken 2! That's not to mention all the pieces of plywood that split. Like I said, this may turn out to be a salute to spackling before I'm done! But aside from that, it really is not that hard to do once you understand the directions-I hope! I'll let you know, I should get to try it this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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