Ms. Mini Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Well as you know the willowcrest is my FAVORTIE of all the dollhouses, and I finally am starting mine. However today was the first time Ive opened this box that I bought off ebay. And let me tell you. This project will be a labor of love. Whoever had this house before me was a heavy smoker, and some pieces are punched out. The wood is fraed when I got to punch things out the wood tries to slip on me. Ive spent the past 4 hours just sanding. But I am determind to make this house my best yet. Ive decided with this house I am going to do all the side paneling, painting, and wallpapering before I assemble. That way it looks perfect. but I know that is going to take a LOT of time. Anyways I just felt like taking a break from sanding and putting this post up. If anyone has tips on dealing with older wood, please please please share :lol: This house kit is 16 years old. By the way, Happy Easter :angry: -Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Clear sanding sealer before you punch pieces out, first one side of the plywood sheets and let them dry FLAT, then repeat for the second side (or stain & then seal whatever you want to stain). This not only seems to minimize warping & preps the wood for sanding, but may help stabilize disintegrating plywood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjack Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Hi Jenny! I can hardly wait to see your progress with the Willowcrest. I have just recently started building mine. It has been in my attic since 1992 so it has aged a bit I'm sure. Since this is my first DH, I have no way to compare it to anything. My biggest problem so far with the wood is it splits pretty easily. I have since discovered clamps and wood glue. Slows me down as I am only taking pieces out as I use them One thing I know for sure.....splinters are very sharp. Brought me to my second discovery....sanding blocks. I am sure everyone here can be far more help than I can since I am still finishing my first DH. I guess the hardest thing is trying to stay 10 steps ahead since I am electrifying it. All the pictures I have found on the web of finished Willowcrests have really helped since Greenleaf doesn't show too many during construction. The entryway and upstairs landing have been the hardest since you really can't see them very well on the box. Anyway, good luck. And please supply lots of pictures. Cathy http://community.webshots.com/user/cjack142 Willowcrest under construction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogster Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 One thing I've found very useful (though very loud) is an electric hand orbital sander (AKA palm sander). If you stick with 120 grit or finer it doesn't chew up the wood, a light touch and the edges smooth down well very quickly. A sanding block is great for inside areas, like windows. For sandpaper I love Sanblaster by 3M. It looks a LOT more expensive at the time of purchase, but it lasts forever, doesn't clog, and keeps cutting like crazy until you literally wear through the sheet. As for the smoking, I'd definitely go with sanding sealer as suggested. If there's tar in the wood the stains could come stright through paint. Worse yet, that process can take a while, so a few months after you're beautifully painted house is complete dark patches start appearing. If the wood smells of smoke, I don't know a thing to get rid of that short of using the pieces as templates to cut all new panels. Some smells are just about impossible to get rid of, unfortunately smoke is one of them. Siding will help, I'd still seal, don't know if tar would eventually cause the glue to fail. As an aside, have you thought of using the vinyl slate roofing tiles? The guy I got mine from had them on a Willowcrest, and it looked amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 the wood smells of smoke, I don't know a thing to get rid of that Longish thread on the subject of getting rid of smoke smells ran on the Small Stuff Digest a few years back, may be in the archives at www.smallstuff-digest.com . The one that stuck in my mind was using a fabric softener sheet for the clothes dryer to absorb the odor. It probably would help to put the softener sheet in a bag with the pieces for a few days. When I worked a geriatric ward in a state hospital we found baking soda after cleaning conventionally removed the odors from "organic" sources, it might work for stale smoke, too. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. Mini Posted April 17, 2006 Author Share Posted April 17, 2006 thanks for the great advice! Actually Ive come across some things ive gotten in the past smelling like smoke, but all I did is spray a little febrezze on it and i was good to go. Im def. going to try sealing the wood, that is a brillant Idea. I already ahve my outer walls punched out, but for everything else that is what i will be doing! thanks again. And I will post some pics soon! -Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Kitty Litter! The clean kind.LOL Maybe put it in a lil baggie, punch a few pin pricks and close up the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. Mini Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 Kitty litter! never thought of that! i may just consider that option! Oh and by the way, an update on my progress. I am starting the side paneling to the front of the house! yes very exciting i know! first time im sidepaneling and completing it. So this will be very rewarding. i will post pics tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa_F Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I can't wait to see pictures of your progress as you build this house! This house is one of my favorites. I hope to find one someday to add to my ever-growing collection of kits! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. Mini Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 goodmorning! just wanted to let you all know i posted a few pics of my Willowcrest up in my gallery. Its nothing much, just progress on the side paneling. Hope you all have a great day! off to work i go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 I'll be interested to see how siding it before assembly works. Originally I was thinking stucco, but now I'm leaning heavily (oops, a pun, my word!) towards a stone or brick treatment, definitely with quoins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. Mini Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 I'll be interested to see how siding it before assembly works. Originally I was thinking stucco, but now I'm leaning heavily (oops, a pun, my word!) towards a stone or brick treatment, definitely with quoins. ya im intrested to see how it will work too. haha. Im taking my time paneling around the intsert holes, so we'll see. Im hoping it will make it look better in the end. brick treatment sounds really nice, i was cosidering that as well. But decided to go with the paneling. I'll keep you all posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogster Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 thanks for the great advice! Actually Ive come across some things ive gotten in the past smelling like smoke, but all I did is spray a little febrezze on it and i was good to go. -Jenny I had not thought about Febreze, but a great idea and great info. Marg gets a lot of antique kits, thankfully none have stank of smoke up to now, but there's always that possibility. And she's had some miniature pieces from England sent that smelled smokey. Yopu know Martha Stewart really pushes (or should I say pushed, seems like she lost that endorsement) Febreze, wonder if she used it to keep her cell smelling fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 ooooo doogster you so Baaaad! ;) rofl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjack Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Hi Jenny! Am so looking forward to see your progress with the Willowcrest. This is my first DH and very new to the forum so I love seeing what everyone is doing. I do have a question tho'. Since this is my first DH, I have been following the directions down to the letter and not until I saw some things from Nutti's pictures was I even aware of kit bashing. (I actually thought it was disgrutled reactions to the Greenleaf kits!) Anyway, I would like to know why you decided to do the siding as you build the house. I am such a novice at this so please forgive me if I ask stupid questions. I hope to learn alot from this forum (so far everyone has been really great!). So, I figure you experienced guys must have a reason why you do the things you do. As I have said, any and all hints are greatly appreciated. Cathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 stupid questions Repeat after me: There is no such thing as a stupid question. That is a very good question. I would like to see how putting siding on pre-assembly works, too. I have done a lot of interior finishing before assembly, but I have trouble staying in straight lines, even when I succeed in drawing straight lines! Actually following the instructions is probably a very good idea with your first kit, at least until you get comfortable with what you're doing. Often we'll change the order just to see how it'll turn out (or if we can). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 . Marg gets a lot of antique kits, thankfully none have stank of smoke up to now, but there's always that possibility. And she's had some miniature pieces from England sent that smelled smokey. You were out of town when the coventry cottage arrived....very stinky! It reeked! fortunately the smell disappeared quickly. Still an odor when you open the box but not as bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. Mini Posted April 21, 2006 Author Share Posted April 21, 2006 Hi Jenny! Am so looking forward to see your progress with the Willowcrest. This is my first DH and very new to the forum so I love seeing what everyone is doing. I do have a question tho'. Since this is my first DH, I have been following the directions down to the letter and not until I saw some things from Nutti's pictures was I even aware of kit bashing. (I actually thought it was disgrutled reactions to the Greenleaf kits!) Anyway, I would like to know why you decided to do the siding as you build the house. I am such a novice at this so please forgive me if I ask stupid questions. I hope to learn alot from this forum (so far everyone has been really great!). So, I figure you experienced guys must have a reason why you do the things you do. As I have said, any and all hints are greatly appreciated. Cathy Yes cathy there is NO stupid question. Well I decided to do the siding before assembling for a few reasons. 1 because I wanted the alinment to look as perfect as possible. 2 because on my garfield i assembled everything before doing any painting, wallpapering , or anything. and in the end i was not as happy as i would have liked to have been with the house. so this time i am staying all the wood, painting, and wallpapering before assembling. and if for some reason the paneling gets in the way of the process of putting it together, i will trim a little hear and there. but im not worried. i'll keep u all posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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