spike Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 This is where I am currently am with my house. I've been working on it for two years. I've noticed some of you are working on multiple houses, so I must be VERY slow! The plan is Architect's Choice Design number 7. I wanted to make changes and redrew the plans before cutting them out of 1/4" plywood. I have the shell all assembled, the siding is on although I have to add some trim pieces still. The floor for the first level I hand cut and layed, turned out very nice! I'm not so happy with the floors on the second and third levels as I used the wood flooring attached to paper and it just doesn't have 'life'. Maybe someone can give me some suggestions on fixing that. I have also changed the tower and yeah, I know it looks like a Burger King, but it will have a light house light in it. I redesigned the staircase from the original pattern and will post pics of that when I get it a little more put together. I am having problems trying to decide what to do with landings. Maybe some suggestions there also? I am making my kitchen appliances and cabinets and I'm not very far with that yet. Anyway, comments welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 It's looking wonderful! What you are doing is going to take more time, but it is worth it to have a one-of-a-kind dollhouse. I think you are doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Thank you, Sherry. I still have a lot to do, I'm trying to get get brave enough to try shingles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantail Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 fantastic!!! More pictures....please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butlerestates Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 looks great! my 1st house took me the longest also, sometimes life gets in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo Med Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I love your house and to build your first from plans is so impressive. I wouldn't have known where to begin. I'm building my first from a Greenleaf kit and its taken me almost a year and I'm still a way off finishing. I'm a slow builder too and I get waylaid by other mini projects but I would only have one house on the go at one time I think. I'm a "started, so I must finish" kind of person and probably not nearly organised enough to have multiple houses in construction - never mind the lack of space. One day I would love to design and build from scratch - but who knows - it just seems a step too far at present. Keep feeding us pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 We're not in a race, Viola. For most of us this is a hobby, and in my case I'm always learning as I go along, so some builds take me a whole lot longer than others. 1/4" plywood? I'll bet it's nice & sturdy! Make a total of five posts and you can open an album for your house. I also make all my items that go in my houses. I'm building a 1:24 Fairfield (actually two of them, I'm still working on the first "half") and I've made a stove, ice box, Hoosier cabinet and Welsh dresser and I'm working on a kitchen sink that looks like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Shingling a roof is really not that bad. It takes time, but if you get your lines marked correctly so that each roof piece lines up with the other, it's just a matter of gluing them on. Are you going to put flashing on the roof, first? I used copper tape from the stained glass dept at Hobby Lobby, so it wasn't hard, either. Here's a great tutorial on shingling, it also has one on the same site about making the valleys, cutting the corner shingles, etc. http://gr123.powweb.com/Dollhouse%20Worksh...album&id=29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I cut strips of regular kitchen aluminum foil to use for gutter flashing on roofs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLyn M. Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Don't worry as to how long a project will take.The type of house you are doing would take me two lifetimes!! LOL! Looks very nice so far-keep those pix coming!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Thank you all for your replies! Thank you for the link showing shingling, that was VERY helpful and makes me want to actually attempt it. You can't tell from the picture I attached, but the flashing is all in place. I used some thin brass sheeting. I guess I need to figure out how to post to the gallery. No, I didn't think this was a race, I would never of entered if I did! LOL! Like probably most of you I have several hobbies and sometimes trying to focus on just one is SO hard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Okay, I've posted to the gallery, hopefully everyone can view it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 That is one gorgeous huse, and definitely well worth all the time you have to invest in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callicat100 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Hi Spike. I'm new here, but I noticed you said you were thinking of tackling shingles. Trust me, they aren't so bad, just time consuming. I don't trust Hot Glue for the long term, but it sticks right away. Here's what I do: Get 8 or 10 shingles ready to go with a dab of white glue on each. Then put a row of hot glue on the house only long enough for the 8 to 10 shingles you have ready. Set the shingles in place quickly. The hot glue will hold them in place while the white glue dries. I found it too time consuming for the white glue to set while you hold on to one single shingle. The hot glue makes it go alot faster. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Thank you, Mary, that sounds like a very good way of doing it, would probably help with keeping the shingles from warping also. Holly, I would like to see pictures of the furniture you have created, I checked out the gallery but I must of missed something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Viola, if you click on the gallery link under my name, on the left of this post, look in the "Bash of Two Fairfields" album for pictures of the stove, icebox, Hoosier cabinet & Welsh dresser (and as KathieB says, I take crappy/ fuzzy pictures). Since this roll of film was finished I've built a trestle table & two ladderback chairs with caned seats and I'm working on a sink similar to the one in the picture in the other post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Viola, what a lovely house. You've obviously put a lot of love in it as well as skill and talent. (and as KathieB says, I take crappy/ fuzzy pictures ;) Guess we'll have to take another trip southward so I can take more pictures, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 The Hobbytown USA manager gave me a lecture about my lousy photography! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hallowell Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 It took me 25 years before I finished my first scratchbuilt house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Thank you for the comments, I am shingling the porch, it's slow as the shingles are curling and I have to weight them down, once they are dry they seem to be fine. I'll try to add more pictures after the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brezavaqt Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Viola- Very impressive first build. WOW. Can't wait to see MORE pics!! Take your time; the house is going to be treasured forever. And, I don't think we ever truly finish building our houses-unless they are gifts and we have no other choice! I know I'm constantly adding to mine! Bre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 Finally updated my gallery, added a pic of the sink I created..boy if you want to see the flaws just take a close up picture! Also added a pic of the patio floor made from lentils..FINALLY a use for LENTILS!! Also added the bottom part of the stair case and the porch trim. The roofing is coming along slow as I am using birch instead of cedar and the warp factor is aweful, but I hold a board down on it with hefty magnets and that is working. The stair case has been a problem. I started with two sets of purchased stairs from the same company but they were not the same height. I had to cut these in half as there are four transistions and getting this to line up with the floors and landings has been a real challenge. But it's getting there. I found out the landings where easy to finish off by cutting a basswood floor to size and wood burning the boards on then adding stain. Same way I did the porch floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 I just realized your dh reminds me of the Fairfield, a little bit! I wouldn't have thought to use lentils as patio pavers, but with the bugs we have I go out of my way not to use food items. Anyway, we far prefer to eat lentils in soup!lol The stairs are going to be gorgeous, if the picture's anything to go by, and I love your attention to detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted March 30, 2010 Author Share Posted March 30, 2010 Thank you for the comments! I thought about the bug thing too, although we don't have many, but I don't want to see any bug willing to chew through fiberglass resin for a lentil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Ours chewed through two coats of lacquer and one of gold paint... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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