Tools and tips???

[Bitsy]

Hi everyone! I am getting ready to open my Laurel kit in just a few moments (drumroll please!!) My girls are napping, so it is as good a time as any.

I'd like to get started asap on the house. Please give me any tips on building that you can think of. Also, I have basically NO tools at all. :o I am a complete novice when it comes to this and a comlete idiot when it comes to tools!! So if you could be specific on the must have tools to make the job easiest, that would be AWESOME!! I'll get pics going as soon as I have some!

Thanks everyone!! :wub:

[Minis On The Edge]

Masking Tape, Wood Glue and a hobby knief is all I used for YEARS lol. I love my easy cutter now but for building, those three things were "it".

:o

I still use those 3 items more than anything while building.

[havanaholly]

What she said plus emeryboards for sanding. Using the search feature and the "old forum" archives you can find almost exhaustive lists of tools, but basically you need something to cut with, something to sand with, something to attach thngs together & something to hold things together while they attach. Everything else is just nice to have.

[Bitsy]

Thanks. Does anyone know anything about the Dremel cordless kit? What will it allow me to do? If I get that, will that cover several needs at once?

What do I use to cut the wood?

What is the BEST glue to use?

As you can see, I was not joking when I said I am an idiot about tools....I didn't even know what a Dremel was, but someone suggested it, so I did a search and it looks good.

Thank you all SO much,

[Minis On The Edge]

I used to use Aleenes tacky glue but now I use Probond by Elmers (wood glue you can find at wal mart too) What ever you do, do not assemble the house using a hot glue gun if you want it to last.

:o

I like to use my hobby knief for cutting wood and have just started using my Dremel this year for sanding. Someone more experianced with tools can help you there.

[Bitsy]

Are all hobby knives the same? Or is there a certain brand I need.

Thanks again,

[Minis On The Edge]

I have used every one that is on sale and my husband bought me a heavy duty one and I nearly cut my finger off with it and several of the on sale ones. The only thing is be sure to use a SHARP blade which ever brand you buy. HAve some extra blade on hand so that when it gets dull you can change it. It will help cut back on accidents. They ALL bite :wub: ;) :o

[MiniMadWoman]

I'm adding my two cents . . . a good masking tape will be your best friend! As Tracy said, Elmer's Probond wood glue is the best I've used. I also keep a ruler and pencil close at hand! I have to write things down or inevitably I will forget them! :o I also write the part number on the appropriate wood piece so that if I have to set it down midway, I will remember what part it is when I come back. As far as knives go, a good sturdy xacto knife is best. You don't want one of those little hobby knives. They break far too easily when cutting through wood or what have you.

I love my Dremel! Hubby bought it for me when I was renovating my Beacon Hill. I used it for cutting, sanding, drilling . . . you name it, I did it!!

Good luck with your house and I can't wait for your pictures!

[nuttiwebgal]

I use aileens tacky glue found at Wal-marts.

xacto knife also found there with extra blades(craft section)

dremmel...this is good for sanding down things to make them fit.

but for sanding big parts I like to use a sanding sponge found at wal-mart(paint dept)

and for the smaller bits I also use an emery board.

I had to have a dremel and for basic building I hardly use it.

also you will need wood fill, spackle or joint compound....to fill in your tabs and smooth out seams inside and out. it makes for a more professional look.

if you do get a dremmel use eye protection. dollhouse dust can irritate your eyes fast. how do I know this?

you also need a pencil for marking each peice as it comes from the sheets and ziploc baggies for putting the smaller peices in.

nutti :o

[havanaholly]

You don't want one of those little hobby knives.

I use a heavy-duty utility knife/ Stanley knife and buy the refill blades (trpaezoid-shaped) in large packs at the hardware store.

For beginning I'd advise you to wait on the Dremel. Wood dust not only is an eye irritant, it also is not good for your lungs, so you'll need safety goggles & a face mask, OR you can handsand.

I use a heavy-duty stapler to reinforce the seams since I sometimes sell finished houses for small children to play with. This is also handy because many years ago DH made himself a sanding block out of woodscraps and when the piece of sandpaper that's on it finally wears all the grit off I can pop the old staples out with a flat-bladed screwdriver, throw away the wornout sandpaper and pop on a fresh piece, fold it to fit, cut off the excess & staple that puppy down to go.

Use the money you'd spend on the Dremel for a nice little heavy bench vise, it's hold your pieces nice & snug while you sand them.

I use my Dremels for furniture making, both the flexshaft tool and the sander. I have posted elsewhere that I use the Dremel as a drill, spot-sander, cutter (very carefully), router & eventually if I can get the old one to run right with new motor brushes I want to set up a small tablesaw. By the time you get close to starting dh #2 you'll have a bettter idea of what other tools you'll need. I got a steel carpenter's square early on both for a straightedge and to check for perpendicular. DH told me I couldn't have too many clamps, and that's the truth! Wooden spring-type clothespins make good pro-tem clamps.

[darrellandmelissa]

holly's right.

One can never have too many clamps. But for the budget minded, wooden clothespins work for many things and masking tape works as "disposable" clamps. Both very cheap.

You do need wood putty or something for filler, (cheap) paint (not cheap but you don't need very much), and plenty of sandpaper. I'd suggest from 150 grit down to a few sheets of finer grits for making things smooth.

Something to cut with and xacto does make a wide variety of good tools. However, as was mentioned earlier get plenty of extra blades. Don't try to make a blade last once it shows signs of dullness. Dull blades are more likely to stick when they should be cutting and cut when they finally unstick, something you don't want them to cut. Sometimes it's a finger. We also buy a box of 100 at a time of both those AND single edged razor blades.

Add a good wood glue and you're set to go.

It's true there are many things you'll find make some parts of the job a bit easier but we all have our own favorites. After building a house or two with just the basics you'll find you will reach out and pick one or two more specialty tools up at a time. And over the years your tool kit will grow.

Darrell

[knitfiend]

Just getting caught up on my reading, but it appears that one of my favourite house construction tools has not been mentioned, namely Lego blocks. A carpenter's square is great, but even the small ones are often too big for the tiny spaces we work in, and Lego, depending on how you put them together can assure perfect 90 degree angled corners as well as perfectly vertical walls. The best part is that they can be left in place while the glue dries.

Speaking of glues, I agree that ProBond wood glue is great BUT <voice of experience enters here>, it has to be clamped or put under some sort of pressure if you want a really solid joint, despite what it may say on the info tag. Wood glues needs to be forced into the pores of the wood in order to do the job, and although it may hold well now, in 10 years you may find that ever-so-perfectly straight wall between the kitchen and LR has detached itself on 2 of it's 3 sides and has developed a decided lean towards the piano. (Photographic evidence is available on request.) ;)

Chris the Crazed in Canada

[hydroped]

Hi Bitsy,

Just wanted to add my 2 cents about dremmels. You asked about the cordelss ones - There is a small cordless for about 18$ I think - I had one of those and used it for years for all kinds of things! I loved it! In fact I loved it so much that I wore out 2 batteries and a battery charger for it. It got LOTS of use. I have one with the flex shaft and base but I find myself constantly fighting the flex shaft.. other people don't seem to have this problem but I guess I have a hang up about being attached to something <?> - anyway last year I moved up to the bigger cordless and I use it for everything! I give all the house pieces a quick zip to sand the edges. I use it for cutting. Recently I used it to cut a hole in the wall of one of my dollhouses to fit in a better door. I've used it to cut holes for fireplaces and to fix walls that were improperly put together in some houses I'm working on renovating. I would however recommend a good pair of eye goggles - I'm a firm believer in eye protection. That and my easy cutter are really my favorite tools. I use them both constantly. And lots of masking tape! I made a spiral - stone look stair case with my dremel and cutter (to cut and shape the wood) and masking tape to hold it while the epoxy dried. I don't know what I'd do without those tools. I also use lots of clothes pins as clamps. However - to be really honest there are folks here who are lots more experienced at building dollhouses than I am - and most people don't dig in and start bashing things the way I do, but since you asked I absolutely love my cordless dremel.

-David

[havanaholly]

one of my favourite house construction tools has not been mentioned, namely Lego blocks.

Yeah, well, any Legos in our house get snapped up by DS#3 because his hobby is building with them. We figure if Mom plays with dolls & houses, everyone else in the familhy can play with what they want ;)

[Lyn]

Yeah, well, any Legos in our house get snapped up by DS#3 because his hobby is building with them.  We figure if Mom plays with dolls & houses, everyone else in the familhy can play with what they want  ;)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My kids too are BIG lego fans also.

Lyn

[Ed_Cal]

Try the oversized Duplo Blocks from lego as your clamping blocks rather than regular size blocks which are much smaller. I would use them with the little blue x-acto clamps to guarantee square corners in my buildings

Rockler makes clamping corners in 2 sizes the smalle one should work well for squaring larger panels in our dollhouses

Ed

[shutterbugkc]

Oh what greatidea about the big blocks. We have lots of those! I'll have to give them a try. :lol:

[jditter]

I am wondering if anyone knows how to mitre the corners of the base boards and crown molding? Is there a "craft" size mitre box? Thanks, Jen

[Minis On The Edge]

Yes there are craft size miter boxes. They sell them at Michaels too in the scrap wood section (Where they have stuff for airplanes and model cars).

It even comes with a saw

[havanaholly]

"craft" size mitre box

Exacto makes an aluminum version that I got from HBS to cut longframe pieces for the Dura-Craft kits after I discovered I really didn't like "guesstimating" with the pasted paper & wood block version they supplied.

For baseboards I've had better luck marking 45 degrees on the edges and sanding the mitre.

[Ed_Cal]

X-Acto makes a wonderful aluminum mitre box used with their razor saw (#5 handle and 34 35 or ? blades. There is another option, Northwest Shortline one of the railroad model suppliers makes a device called the chopper which was made for precision cutting of stripwood like what we use for our moldings. I do not own one but do know they are fantastic for cutting basswood strips often used by the RR people

Ed

[MicroJivvy]

I have the Chopper, the easy-Cutter, and the aluminum X-Acto Mitre box.

For heavier weight woods (such as crown molding/coving, I use the mitre box. For lighter weight woods (thin trims), I use the easy-cutter.

Since getting the Easy-Cutter, the Chopper is no longer on my work table.

And whatever you do, don't try to save a few bucks buying the plastic mitre box Micormark sells -- it is absolutely worthless and mine ended up going straight in the trash can -- I wouldn't even GIVE it away.

[MiniMadWoman]

The Easy-Cutter is on my wish list! I'm tired of using an x-acto knife . . . it's hard work!

[jditter]

Thanks everyone. I will go buy the mitre box at Michael's and I will also get an Easy Cutter too. Those seems to be pretty popular. Do they have the Easy Cutter at Michael's too?-Jen

[havanaholly]

I bought my EZcutter from www.micromart.com , it came with an extra blade but so far the original blade is still going strong