rodentraiser Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I forgot about the minwax stuff too. That will hold an spindle to something, but I really don't like it because then you have to scrape it off the bottoms, or your regular glue won't bond to your spindle. Some words in an instuction isn't translatable (sp?) either as they are sort of an special expression in this particular contect but it takes some schematic looking, puzzling and fiddling to "see" it.... Ack! To me, no words are translatable when it comes to instructions. I do have a very difficult time with any written instructions though, which was one of the reasons I had such a hard time in math. Maybe that's why I love house plans so much - I can just look at them and envision the rooms and the outside and the elevations and everything. Is that just me or are there other people like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 That's me, too, Kelly. I can still do algebra in my head, if I see an equation, but for all the reading I do I have the devil's own time deriving an equation out of a word problem (unless it's a recipe I'm recalculating for larger or smaller numbers of servings). I read through the instructions at least three times holding the schematics sheet and also with the plywood in my hand so I can "see" what I'm looking at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I realize this is an OLD thread but I am right in the middle of trying to make my porch railing look decent and I am making a mess! I wish I had found this thread sooner! I tried to paint the railings blue and the spindles white. The spindles are splintery looking no matter how much I sand them. Then I get the blue railing looking nice and get the blue paint on the white spindles....then the white on the blue when I try to touch that up! Sorry for bringing this thread to life again but following the directions doesn't seem to work for me at all so far! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbytsdy Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I realize this is an OLD thread but I am right in the middle of trying to make my porch railing look decent and I am making a mess! I wish I had found this thread sooner! I tried to paint the railings blue and the spindles white. The spindles are splintery looking no matter how much I sand them. ... Don't know if this will help, but I usually try to smooth up splintery-looking pieces with spackle inbetween paint coats... Actually this often makes the decision for me when I am choosing between stain or paint-- if a piece is splintery, I'll choose paint just so I can spackle it smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Ok thats helpful. The spindles are so small they are starting to look kind of lumpy...lol So much for trying to make them two colors. I made a similiar boo boo with the front door trying to paint the door frame white and stain the door. It would have worked but the wood on the door was not good enough for stain to look good. Learning lots by my goof ups! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbytsdy Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 .. Learning lots by my goof ups! Me too, Roxxie-- I had just finished a nice basswood floor all laid out on cardstock, sealed it a couple times, and went to glue it onto the main floor... But I used white school glue and smeared it all over the back of the cardstock-- well that little floor just buckled and warped like no other because the white school glue is so watery and my basswood strips were quite thin, 1/16"! I think I managed to pound out most of the bumps but there are still some warped spots in my nice floor that I was so proud of... That'll teach me-- stick to quickgrab tacky glue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Painting turned spindles more than one color works best if they're loose. I load the smallest brush I have & sipe off as much paint as I can, touch the brush to the middle of the segment I want to paint and roll the spindle against the brush, giving me some modicum of control over where the paint goes. I let them dry thoroughly between each paint color, and when I start to get tired (usually after the first dozen or so spindles!lol) I stop and give it a rest. It's what I did with La Casita: I have been known to attempt to paint spindles in situ in more than one color... (I'll never knowingly post the results, either!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Thats what I had to do...........STOP! It seems like I have been on these stupid spindles for days now! I can't hold onto them long or my wrist starts sceaming at me! I have a piece of styrofoam I have been using quite a bit to hold things. Good news! My new door arrived yesterday and I just gave it the first coat of white white and only white paint! I think it will be ok! lol I haven't read many instructions yet but I haven't put it together yet either You will hear me discussing it with myself all the way at your house most likely!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bea Killion Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I assembled the railings on My VFH first, then I spray painted them. When I paint them by hand the paint always runs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo Med Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I painted 2 colour spindles by sticking them in a block of florists foam, you just have to touch up the end bit when they are dry.Worked well for me. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 My railings came already assembled as well as the door so maybe its easier to work on individual pieces? Its done now I am moving on to the door and those fun shutters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Try painting your round spindles this way, it worked great for me. Didn't take any time to paint those 148 spindles! Get a piece of fun foam like the kids use for crafts-a thin piece about 4x4 or so. Smear a bit of your paint, not too thick, on the foam in a line. Now take 4-5 spindles and lay them on the foam parallel to the line of paint. Fold it in half like an omelet and roll that omelet back and forth with your fingers. The spindles will be covered with paint when you open the omelet up again. Let them dry, and do another coat if you need to. It's very even coverage, just drop them on some wax paper to dry and you're done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 My railings came already assembled as well as the door so maybe its easier to work on individual pieces?If it's already attached to the rest of the house structure painting all around the spindles with more than one color involves more curse words than even I'm willing to admit I know. Jo, I used your method to paint the turned toothpicks I used for newels for the 1:24 Lighthouse ladders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewAtThis Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Ooh, Sherry, I like the rolling/ smearing idea. I've only done one project with spindles, and there weren't very many of them. My solution was to cut little X holes in a paper plate, stick the spindles in the holes, paint half, wait, turn them over, paint the other half. Same concept as the styrofoam idea, just more work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellee Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 I also have the Victorias Farmhouse... Everything is finished except the porch railings... I am dreading al those beautiful porch spindles.!!! kellee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniwendy Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Why oh why didn't I see this post before I spent days and days painting the unassembled porch rails and spindles.... It was agonizing, and then gluing them all together was nothing short of torture! It made shingling seem like a jolly holiday. I did use the masking tape method, which made things a lot easier than doing them one by one. But, since they're all white, I wish I'd just preassembled the rails and spray painted!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 LOL Wendy. I am fairly new to building and painting all those teeny parts was driving me crazy too! I am thinking of leaving out my inside stairs just because I have no idea how to deal with the railing...lol My two tone railing still looks kind of messy to me. I may resort to covering parts of it with vines and flowers or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantail Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 There is a tutorial similar to the fun foam method at the real good toys web site. They used two kitchen sponges........works great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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