Andrew has started the Garfield!

[ilovecats]

Andrew has started the Garfield....and I'm hearing loud noises and cuss words from the next room....oh, turns out one of the cats was helping I am sooo excited for him, I can't wait to see what he does with this gorgeous house!!!! Margarita

[LPCullen]

Yipppeeee!!! I can't wait to see what he does with it either!

[doogster]

All I can say is thank God for palm sanders. BTW, got this one for Marg from Harbor Freight on sale for $8.99, she doesn't go for power tools, so I'll use it. Did a quick and dirty clean up of the foundation floor great. Just got the 2 bits glued together, polyurethane glue as promised. Hoping to get the foundation walls on tomorrow then mucho filling and sanding, the end grain of the flats has got to be filled too.

[Missymew]

Cheers!!! So glad to know that everything's a go.

At our house, my electrical wiring kit has arrived, so next week Ray and I can start to wire our "reno project" - Arrow dollhouse shown in my webshots.

We've decided to let this house be our guinea pig to try our hand at wiring and such. Then, we'll build the McKinley together.

Susanne

[SuzyQ]

Our 3 cats want to help with our Garfield also. Just chased one out of a bag I keep my supplies in.

SuzyQ

[havanaholly]

I'm hearing loud noises and cuss words from the next room

That's because he's building the dollhouse, dear. Some builders are required by the kit to use *magic* words in order to get the parts to cooperate. I am handicapped by the lack of furball helpers, I suppose, but then I have no excuses when I cuss in frustration.

[wenlaine]

Good luck with your building and don't forget to take lots of pictures so we can watch your progress.

Wendy

[doogster]

The loud noise was Cassie, the tiny one we got Christmas week, pulling a rather large bundle of wire down off an upper shelf, because it looked like something fun to play with. By tiny, she's 3.3 pounds. But more than makes up for it in personality. Getting these 2 parts together I'm surprised by the footprint of this thing. It's a lot bigger than I expected. Exspecially in the length. The pics here don't relay the fact that it's a lot longer than it is wide. The polyurethane glue seems to be working well. Nice thing is it'll expand to fill any voids while retaining strength unlike gap filling CA. It's essentially a 1 part resin glue. Part 2 is just water, you simply damped both parts, then apply the glue to 1 part, then hold them together, for 4 hours. For the 2 flat 1/8" parts to the foundation there basically aint any clamps you can use. Gotta go with masking tape. The urethane glue does foam and expand as it cures, but it doesn't push the pieces apart, and you can see that the glue really penetrates into the wood.

I'm hoping to get the vertical parts of the foundation done tomorrow, have to see how the cutting and fitting goes. Still have a few slots to finish on the flats. I'd prefer the slots too big than not have the tabs fit. It's a lot easier to fill a slight gap in a slot than fill the entire length of a piece because the tab was too wide. This aint gonna be done fast, but it will be done right.

[ilovecats]

All I can say is thank God for palm sanders. BTW, got this one for Marg from Harbor Freight on sale for $8.99, she doesn't go for power tools, so I'll use it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, I forgot about that....i'll have to use it on something, although it is true I'm not a power tool person, I do have some homemade stuff I'm coming up with ideas for my new project!!!

[ilovecats]

That's because he's building the dollhouse, dear.  Some builders are required by the kit to use *magic* words in order to get the parts to cooperate.  I am handicapped by the lack of furball helpers, I suppose, but then I have no excuses when I cuss in frustration.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you know, when he mentioned that he was interested in building this house, I could just picture this happening...now it's started....this time it's the cat, next time it will be due to the pieces not cooperating...

[wenlaine]

Why does 'typical male' come to mind?

[doogster]

Hey, I Kept it down tonight, and was doing the walls for the foundation. No power sander (aint doing that again) and then found the fit of the parts is hilarious. A slot on one piece is too high so the next piece won't seat down, slots in the base for another are too shallow, so the vertical piece sits proud. It's gonna be a pain to make the adjustments while the pieces are separate, I'm just glad I didn't follow the instructions and prep and glue on one piece at a time, modying the bits would be an absolute bear in place. I'll get back to it in a couple of days.

BTW the polyurethane glue worked great! I backed it with plastic wrap, no sticking, and the foam sands down easily. And it's Norm's favorite, so you know you've got it right.

As for the magic words, after watching 2 seasons of Chappelle's Show I've at least got a whole new selection to choose from.

[havanaholly]

Don't ask how I found this out, but generally when the tabs & slots don't fit the way you describe it was because I was either trying to fit the piece backwards (or, once, upsidedown!), or it was a different piece that looked almost exactly like the piece I thought it was.

[nuttiwebgal]

Roflmao!

ok we wont ask Holly how she knows that

but dont ask me either!

if it says it will fit...it should with minimum tab and slot trimming

the Glencroft was a chalengoing house with all its nooks and crannies I imagine the "Garf" with all its walls and rooms would have such challenges!

call out some magic words and itll go!

lol

nutti

[doogster]

Well they're not way off, but enough to bother me. Definitely the right parts, and they're completely different top and bottom. Glad to hear tab and slot trimming is normal. Juss gives me an excuse to pull out the power tools. Though the slots on part 8 do seem to be at an angle relative to the part. Want them tizight is all. Thanks for the input. Keep it coming.

[havanaholly]

Juss gives me an excuse to pull out the power tools. Though the slots on part 8 do seem to be at an angle relative to the part. Want them tizight is all

I used power tools for gross adjustments on the first Dura-Craft kit I built (getting all those bay window openings to even up on the San Franciscan, what a joy THAT was) and found hand-trimming to be far less potentially destructive to the house. I use my sanding block or an emeryboard & a utility knife to make the adjustments.

As for the tabs fitting the slots precisely, I thought that's what wood putty or spackling compound were for.

I would like to see how the polyurethane glue is working for you (Gorilla Glue?), I like the yellow carpenter's wood glue because it sets up enough to remove the tape within a couple of hours and doesn't take much to get a neat, tight bond; not sure I want something that foams & expands (especially remembering some of the Glencroft's tighter spots ;) ).

[LPCullen]

LOL! Sounds like you're having lots of fun Doogster!

[doogster]

It's a challenge, but such a neat shape as opposed to so many boxes with facades. I don't really care how well the tab fits in the slot, unless the slot's off and holding the tabbed part in the wrong allignment. That's case for one piece, and on the one side the base slots are too shallow, it could be filled and feathered, but then those slots won't allign with the first floor slots etc. etc. So easier to get the verticals correctly alligned from the beginning. As for power tools, I plan on using fine spiral saw bit in the Dremel, I'd not consider using a jigsaw, the reciprocating blade would tear the luan to bits. Pre-score the top surface with an X-acto, mask off the good bits etc. A friend who worked on luan doors gave me some pointers on working with the stuff. Even if I cut the slots too deep I can still glue the vertical bits flush to the edge. If the tab can be cut down, way to go, lot easier, and as you say that's what filler's for.

The Gorilla Glue, I use Elmer's actually, same stuff, half the price, working really well, fills gaps without losing strength, so you can be a bit sloppy. The foam sands down pretty easily. You do need to clamp for 4 hours though. But be careful with the wood glues, even the 'bond' glues, I got Loctite as well for hard to get at parts, while you can unclamp in 25 minutes, it still says not to stress the joints for 24 hours. And I did use masking tape as a clamp, not my favorite way, but I couldn't see any alternative to holding 2 huge pieces of 1/8" thick wood together and keep it flat. The polyurethane glue is like a 2-part resin, where 1 part is simply water. Gaps are filled with solid plastic.

It is fun, this wood splinters a bit, but the stuff for Marg's Dura-Craft Heritage seems worse. Harder, but the splinters are nastier. The Greenleaf wood cuts easily, and sands pretty easily too. Though the Dura-Craft is cut further through by the die and can just be punched out pretty cleanly. I still prefer the Greenleaf. Overall I still think it's the most attractive scale house you can get. And I do believe it can be built to the same standards as one of the mega-buck kits.

[Minis On The Edge]

I am waiting for pictures too! Have you picked out colors yet? I can't wait to see how this turns out. You two crack me up .

The only power tool I have used so far is the dremel my Dad bought me. In Novemeber, he bought me a new one with all types of neat gadgets. I can't wait to move so that I can open it and not worry about losing parts of it (I missplace everything which is why I am waiting till we move).

[Deb]

Roflmao!

ok we wont ask Holly how she knows that

but dont ask me either!

heheheheeheee I'm not saying how I know that either, but I know that I'll never forget it.

Speaking of power tools, check this one out. Bruce found it and is encouraging me to get it. The surprising thing is that I think he may be right....I may be reaching the point of actually needing it. What do ya'll think? Practical or overkill? I was just going to get a mini jigsaw, but I'm giving this one some thought.

http://www.maxmax.com/fMini-mate.htm

Deb

[doogster]

The Unimat's been around forever, I know a few guys on Starship Modeler that have one, they all say you're further ahead to get tools separately. Why a mini jigsaw? For fine work a scroll saw may be more fitting. I personally wouldn't go near luan plywood with a jigsaw, full sized or mini, the reciprocating blade will tear it to bits. Ask yourself what you need a metalworking lathe, milling machine etc for? I think it's interesting that the chuck for the metalworking lathe is plastic, don't know how serious you cound get working metal with a plastic chuck. I also considered the Unimat, but was unable to locate any vendors for replacement parts, plus I've never seen add-ons or attachments for the Unimat. Something to consider, but it is an expensive machine, I'd look at what you really need, or want, in a tool(s) and get a good one of those.

[doogster]

Well still woking on the foundation. Got the parts all removed and de-burred yesterday. Did a dry fit of the parts, then spent a couple of hours with the Dremel making them fit. Used a combination of drum sander and spiral saw. Then assembled the internal bracing, after figuring out what the heck went where since there's no indication in the instructions (remove and prep parts 1 through 18, glue in place, enjoy). Then installed the internal brace, gives the exterior walls something to hang on to. While I'd started with the polyurethane glue I found it unnecessarily problematic for this build. And sanding down the urethane foam on a coupla dozen parts seemed less and less appealing as time went on. I switched to Locktite Wood Worx. Evidently it'll withstand 2 tons of force, well the luan sure won't so what more do you need? 25 minute clamping time (versus 4 hours) and you can work with it in 2 hours (versus 24). For very small mating areas that have to be really strong the poly is the way to go, like the 2 flats that make up the base of the foundation. Guess the fact is I realized the luan that makes up the kit is too flimsy to worry about glue. The kit is engineered so that the whole is very strong, but individual glue joints are neither here nor there. For a box structure such as made by Real Good Toys the polyurethane is the only glue I'd use. Don't know about Dollshouse Emporium stuff, it's all MDF.

That being said, my plan for the vertical parts of the foundation is the glue it all down with the Loctite, give it a coupla hours to dry, then wet the joints, and fill the gaps with the polyurethane. Use the penetrating glue/resin as filler. Also make it strong as anything. (You have to wet the surfaces for the poly to cure).

[JaimieMarvon]

Wow! I wish I had read all that before I started mine! Since, as you may or may not remember, I am constructing mine in removable parts, and I keep moving them... the regular wood glue cracks occassionally. Is that stuff you were talking about expensive? Probably worth the expense in the long run....

[doogster]

Gorilla Glue is a little expensive, you can get other brands of polyurethane for less. I use Elmer's polyurethane. It's great if you can prepare bunch of parts and then glue up at the end. The Loctite was only sumink like 4 bones for a huge bottle. As for cracking. Wood glue shouldn't crack, unless you really torque on it. It's designed to remain flexible. Don't know about the dehydrated PVA's, like Aleene's tacky though.

[SuzyQ]

doogster Posted Today, 11:12 PM

  Well still woking on the foundation. Got the parts all removed and de-burred yesterday. Did a dry fit of the parts, then spent a couple of hours with the Dremel making them fit.

Boy doogster you are seroius about this building stuff. I thought my foundation looked ok but it will probably look awful compared to your smooooth foundation!!!! :o We didn't do that much prep work. Looking foward to some pictures.

SuzyQ