steelwoolghandi Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 (edited) I have started on my first Dollhouse and as promised I have uploaded a couple of images to start my "Gallery". I custom cut a base for the house as I am putting together 2dollhouses in one. The base Dollhouse is the Duracraft CA750 Cambridge and the second I am using for the add-ons is the HR560 Heritage (I will call it Basher). I bought a piece of material to set the Dollhouse on but this thing is just a bit bigger then I thought so I will have to by another piece as it is growing in its "Largeness"! The floor plan layout was hard to do as joining the two buildings (adding to each side of the Cambridge) is not an easy task especially for a beginner in the Dollhouse arts. I think I have it laid out correctly but might have to adjust as I build. I will have to wait to install the walls as I just purchased16 windows (sliding) and plan to use them instead of the ones that came with the kits. Since the windows I purchased are just a tad bit bigger then the stock ones it's a wait and adjust thing! Well I guess that's it for now I plan to post more as I go along, I will be asking questions of the forum experts here down the road so I hope no one gets tired of me… Edited January 2, 2009 by steelwoolghandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Since you're adding onto the Cambridge on both sides you might want to invest in some plywood thick enough to fit the grooves in your longframe pieces and cut new sideswalls to put doors in to accdess the new rooms on either side, and save you milled siding pieces for the exterior walls. When I built the Cambridge DH built me a "shortie" workbench that's only about 3' high and cut a piece of 1/2" plywood for the top but didn't fasten it down, and after I'd built the Cambridge I moved it to one end of the former table top and landscaped it, and it's now the yard/ base the house sits on and that we use to move it around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelwoolghandi Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Since you're adding onto the Cambridge on both sides you might want to invest in some plywood thick enough to fit the grooves in your longframe pieces and cut new sideswalls to put doors in to accdess the new rooms on either side, and save you milled siding pieces for the exterior walls. When I built the Cambridge DH built me a "shortie" workbench that's only about 3' high and cut a piece of 1/2" plywood for the top but didn't fasten it down, and after I'd built the Cambridge I moved it to one end of the former table top and landscaped it, and it's now the yard/ base the house sits on and that we use to move it around. Thanks so much for the advice. I was planning on saving the outside walls that I don't use for the add on. whats nice is the Cambridge and the Heritage both have the same slated siding. Since I am not using the base or the roof of the Heritage I am planning on using that material for the inside walls that would have been outside walls, its the same thickness and there is large pieces I can cut to size. As for the lager base I have a table that will be its final resting place so I think I will wait on the plywood landscape base and move the finished house to that then let the wife go at the landscape part. Oh and after I posted pictures I checked the mail and my windows came in! they look great and I have the first Bay window almost complete with the new windows installed! I think its going to work out great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 We're anxious to see what you come up with, since we already know how talented you are! Keep the pictures coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelwoolghandi Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Got my widows in and proceeded to build my first Bay Window using the new windows as apposed to the stock windows. They are a bit larger but they worked out fin and they should look much better then the stock type. I have all the base pieces cut and ready to put into place so I should have the base Built by tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Got my widows in and proceeded to build my first Bay WindowAll those extra hands will help make the work go quickly, and I'm sure they appreciate the work, but won't your DW be a tad jealous of all those single ladies in the house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelwoolghandi Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 (edited) My "Basher" is starting to take shape; I finally got the first floor all laid out and a section of the second floor. The add-ons are taking shape it really adds quite a bit to the over all floor plan. I added a whole room to the Right hand side with a large Bay Window and added a larger room to the Left hand side also with a large Bay window. The windows I bought off of eBay are working out vary well I definitely like them much more then the Stock windows that came with the two kits. I plan on using the French doors that came with the kits on the second floor but will put clear glass in then instead of the type with the designs. The walls are all laid out right now but not glued together as I need to put the wood floor down first then have the walls glued into place. On the Left hand side second floor I plan to have a greenhouse that the French doors on that side open up into. Not sure how I am going to lay that out but will cross that bridge when I come to it. Here are some pictures if ya'll see anything glaringly wrong with anything please let me know! You will notice that some of it is painted, I bought them off of Craigslist so some of the panels were already painted. They will not stay that color as I do not care for the colors and will paint it (not sure yet) other colors. THE WIDOWS ARE WORKING VARY HARD!!!!! Edited January 9, 2009 by steelwoolghandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 :thumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Its looking great!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 wow its really coming together quickly. have to keep an eye on this one! i love those 2 houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelwoolghandi Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Built a custom Bay Window for the front and got the rest of the windows in. The Walls are now glued down solid. Next is the flooring for the bottom floor then I will start on the second floor. I decided to have a hidden room on the right hand side, it will have access to it from a built in bookcase. I plan to make it so if you pull the right book out it trips a lever to open the bookcase! :lol: Here is the Custom bay window. The top will have stain glass and the bottom part will be clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 That will look SO awesome! I wish I had known some of the things I do now, I would have loved to put a copper roof on my Cambridge's bay window. The secret room sounds very neat, someone here had done that with a tower room, I don't recall now if the bookcase slid or pivoted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelwoolghandi Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 oohhh a copper roof, I would like that! Is there a link to someone that has done that??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I think Melissa's Darrell did it on their Beacon Hill, and then "aged" it with household bleach to get it to go verdigris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melva Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Ooo, I like how your house is coming along. It's going to get great sunlight with all those windows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Jefery had a good idea for copper roof at home depot you can get a sheet of adhesive copper meant to cover light switch plates, haven't tried this my self but i want to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelwoolghandi Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 I found some copper at the hobby store that is thin and made for crafts there is a good size roll of it and it would be enough to do the sections of the house I want to. I plan to use it on the Dormers, trim, roof edge and the bay windows. I have researched Victorian houses and have seen where they use the copper not on the whole roof but on just the sections I mentioned, the rest of the roof the use either slate of wood shingles. I want to make the square ridges in the copper roof and plan on getting square copper stock and put it on with adhesive, there is also the ridge caps that go on the sides and any peak points that I will custom make. I am not sure if I will keep it bright copper or age it? I also decided not to use the decorative Ridge cap as I have never really see that on any Victorian homes? I have seen Wrought Iron at the peaks but not the funky wood trim. I do plan to make the top cap on the tower with something that looks like wrought Iron but the rest of the ridge caps will be copper. will probably change my mind several times before I work on the roof so we will see? I am putting the wood floor down on the first floor right now and running the first floor wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfieldzoo Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I just watched a movie last night and all the houses had that trim on the roofs. It was set in Ireland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I ran across a book of Victorian homes, some of them "painted ladies", and I was really surprised to see how mini of those RL homes have the gingerbread roofcaps, in wood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I've seen them done in wood, but I think the pieces that RGT supplies with their less expensive kits is sadly out of scale. If you want it, you'd be better off ordering a better quality piece of trim. I have the pieces that came with my first RGT house, and have yet to see any use for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Northeastern Scale Lumber carries some lovely scale trim, I think they're the line that HBS & Micro-Mark carry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.