nikki Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I cannot contain myself! Oh, I'm so nervous, excited, overwhelmed, confused!!! ;) Oh boy!!!!! Oh Boy!!!!!!!!!! OH BOY!!!!!! Look at the size of that box ;) I can see why this thing sits in peoples house for years and years, unopened and untouched! Woo baby! This is something else! hmmm, can I realy do this? :lol: Where to begin!!??? Where to begin... n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydroped Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Congratulations Nikki!! Yes! you can do this! ;) - A couple pointers read the instructions through a couple times before starting and then post any and all questions here! I've never done a pierce but there are lots here who can give you all kids of advice on it. Congratulations again!! You have your first doll and now you have a place for her to live :lol: -David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 Thanks! Even the instructions look overwhelming! Like a big huge monster! It's hilarious when I think about it, but it's true, I think they glowed at me when I took them out of the box! LOL Thanks for the encouragement! I'll post as soon as I get through all the instructions.. n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 YES you can do it Nikki! It's a beautiful house! And you are correct--it is BIG!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 Thanks Linda, It's late, but everyone is almost sleeping and I think I'm going to take a little peek inside the box. Just a peek, just to not feel overwhelmed n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless1 Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Is the squid ready to rush in with a relevant link? You betcha. I know nothing about these people as a dollhouse shop, but they provide an almost-complete account of building an Annabelle (same house, different name). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 ohhhhhh Im sooo Excited for you!!!! plzz do not let the size of the box or the number of peices freak you out. it will all go in order and You CAN do it! ;) and if ever you want to reach for that hammer...remember walk away walk away...come again another day. dry fit first always with and without paint....sometimes those slots fill up and the tabs need shaping...dont be afraid of you exacto knife...it is your friend! ;) and remember to take alot of photos we are terrible eyecandy addicts ;) congrats on your new real estate! nutti :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllThingsMini Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Add an item to that necessary items list at Calamari's link....Wood filler. You'll use this a lot to fill in tab slots on the exterior to leave a smooth finish. It also comes in handy when you want a smooth finish on exterior pieces like trimwork, etc. Once it's dry, all you have to do is sand it smooth and then paint over it. The Pierce was my first house too, so if you have any questions, I 'might' be able to help. It's been a number of years since I did it, but I'll try to help answer questions if you have any. And...CONGRATULATIONS! (how much sleep did you lose last night?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judithfa Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 You can di it, Nikki. It is a lovely house and I am sure you will have a great time building and decorating it. And as Marie said -- don't forget the wood filler :o B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugkc Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 WooHoo! Congratulation on your new kit! It's a beauty. Just go step by step and all should be fine. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molmrath Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Yay! Try not to feel too overwhelmed, and take it step by step. You can always get lots of advice and support here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki Posted June 22, 2005 Author Share Posted June 22, 2005 ok, thanks everyone! I had to take a couple of days to not feel overwhelmed. So, I looked at the box, and the pieces. So I saw all the numbers, And felt the wood. ok, Now, I don't have much space to put this thing together in secret ( away from my baby girl) so, I think I'll do it in my walk in closet. ( I moved my shoes..) I think, I'll put down some plywood and work on that -- I just hope ther's enough room. So, I really just want to build it and then worry about painting it. Is that ok? I can't really imagine painting and stuff before it is sitting in front of me.. If I can just get the pieces together, I could then move on to the next step of painting. Can I do that? I read that you could either paint before or after, what do you all recommend? Dry run means put the whole thing together and then take it all apart again? Seriously!? Put it together twice? Would I not be lucky enough to get it together the first time! :o Please explain this to me.. I think I just don't understand. Wood fill- ok, I will definitely go out and get some today! I have no idea, and cannot envision right now when or how I will need it yet, (because I've never built one before.) but I trust you guys and you say I'll need it, so I guess I'll figure out when later.. antything else, anyone can think of? I THINK I'm gonna start tinight, so expect LOTS of questions! n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Hi Nikki, first PLEASE be sure once you build it in your closet, there is room to remove it after it is assembled. "Dry fit" means, before you add glue to the part, you want to check and be sure the tabs fit. If they don't fit you may have to cut or sand it down a bit then youdry fit it again and if it fits you add glue and glue it in place. Hope I did not confuse you :o . I can't wait to see what you do and how youdo it. You can paint it after assembly but the hallway, I would paint it before assembly or wallpaper it before assembly because some parts are hard to reach once the house is assembled. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 just dont put the outside window trims on untill you have the outside painted. oooooohhh your gonna have so much fun! nutti :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki Posted June 22, 2005 Author Share Posted June 22, 2005 OHHH!!! Ok, I get dry fit now! and the wondows, ok! Got it! I'm going in! n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Measure your closet door 1st too. Closet doors are usually smaller than regular entry doors (depending on when your house was built, that it :o ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Nikki: just in case you haven't read elsewhere on this board, do not use a glue gun to put your house together. I definitely agree about putting the windows in last, that was one thing I did before I found this great forum and my panes are dull looking because I've removed paint/stain/glue from them so much and I've had to sand and restained my windows several times. The siding would have gone on much easier also if I had not already put them in. (I've cussed my dablamed windows sooooomuch for getting in my way. LOL) I also believe that some advice given on the old board stated that you should put a primer on your pieces that you are not going to stain before assembly. But be careful it may warp, I was lucky and no pieces of mine did. Have lots of sanding paper handy, the pieces need to be smoothed. I believe havanaholly says that she primes each piece with sanding sealer before she even takes them out of the board and this helps cut down on the amount of sanding she has to do. As a first time dh builder myself, as I remember the advice given I will pass along to you. Peggi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless1 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Back when her site had content, Wanna in El Paso suggested that if you're painting one side of a piece of wood, lightly wet the other side. That way, both sides are damp, so there's no direction for the wood to warp in. I haven't tried this myself, since I covered, rather than painted, pretty much all the major surfaces of my Arthur (and my trim didn't try to warp). I strongly suspect that painting after assembly should minimize warping, since the house holds itself together. You want "tacky glue" for the main assembly -- it sticks things together faster than Elmer's does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Nikki, whatever you are going to do to the stairs, do it before you install it. Meaning, if you are going to paint it, then paint before you install. If you are going to stain it, then stain it before you install them. They are very hard to take out once they are in, and they are impossible to paint/stain once they are in. Also, don't install the windows (acetate panes/thingies) or the interior window trim until you have either painted or wallpapered the interior, whichever you decide to do. Everyone does things differently with different results. Hubby prefers to put the basic shell of the house together without painting it first. We use wood glue and he says that wood glue sticks/holds a lot better to wood than paint, and you get a better hold if you do it prior to painting. I personally have to have the base shell together before I know what color I want the house to be. I have to have the interior walls in place (but on some houses you can dry fit those) before I know what I want to wallpaper a room with. Good luck and enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllThingsMini Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Hi Nikki, first PLEASE be sure once you build it in your closet, there is room to remove it after it is assembled. OH MY LORD, YES!!! Closet doors are typically made narrower than regular passage doors and you could literally get that house "stuck" in the closet!! :o Oh what drama!! And another thing you REALLY must be careful of when working in a closet. Closets have very poor ventilation, so I don't recommend using paints and/or stains, varnishes, and even some glues in there. Wood glue or tacky glue should be fine, but nothing else. Fumes can be very harmful to you. AND...another hazard...sawdust. When you sand your pieces, you'll raise up a lot of wood dust. This can be harmful when breathed in. I know you want this house to be a surprise for your little one, but there's got to be a safer....and healthier....place for you to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki Posted June 23, 2005 Author Share Posted June 23, 2005 ok, well my first day is done! Boy oh boy, what a lot of information to remember. It was a pretty good experience. Yes! I premeasured my closet to make sure it would come out of there ok, before I started.. Oh! would that not be some drama! Some of the pieces didn't fit too well together, but I got them to fit My pics of my first day are at the bottom.. teo things I learned the hard way: Splinters & Hot Glue Burn! OUCH! Peggy> Too late! :o I already used the hot glue gun. It actually seems to work pretty well, but I did burn myself as you'll see in the pictures. I just used it because of the instructions, is it bad to use it? let me know, so I cna use the right thing for the rest of assembly. I know I'm not supposed to use them for the windows though. and I'll remember to put them in last! Calamari> What is the tacky glue I should be using for the assembly? The one at Micheals called "Tacky glue" Will the hot glue fall apart? I like that it dries so quickly... Please let me know Linda> Ok, windows in last.. got it, after outside and inside are painted, right? I see.. Linda, I'm like you, I think I need to see the whole thing together before I can envision what it will look like. Does wood glue dry within a few seconds? And I will... I will stain my stairs before I put them in (if staining is not to hard... is it?) If it is, I'll leave them natural.. AllthingsMini> Yes, I actually thought of that, and the closet is well into our bedroom, so I am actually working in the bedroom, because the closet door stays open while I'm working, and the bedroom has very good circulation because of the windows in it.. Eye Candy B) http://community.webshots.com/user/adeleilori n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Closets have very poor ventilation That is so right. I know I don't have windows in my closet LOL B) . I always assemble most of the shell of the house and then I prime it (If I am ging to need primer, When I paper clay, I do not prime the house). I don't have to worry about warpage then (sometimes I do put the roof panel on to help keep the wood straight as it dries too but I don't glue the roof on. I just stick it in the tabs. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Linda> Ok, windows in last.. got it, after outside and inside are painted, right? I see.. Linda, I'm like you, I think I need to see the whole thing together before I can envision what it will look like. Does wood glue dry within a few seconds? And I will... I will stain my stairs before I put them in (if staining is not to hard... is it?) If it is, I'll leave them natural.. n <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No, wood glue does not dry within a few seconds--and that's one of the lures to using hot glue--it does dry quickly. However, pro-bond wood glue does dry quicker than regular wood glue. You have to let it sit for a few hours, although I prefer to let it sit overnight. Staining is very easy. If you will go to the Team Arthur blog on the forums, I think I showed how I use stain on my Arthur--just find follow lpcullen's arthur. Viewed your pix and it's looking good Nikki! Thanks for the eyecandy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 very nice photos! cant believe you are working in such a small area....I need the whole room and I make a huge mess. your little girl is going to be so happy! nutti :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless1 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Calamari> What is the tacky glue I should be using for the assembly? The one at Micheals called "Tacky glue" Will the hot glue fall apart? I like that it dries so quickly... Please let me know Yeah, it's that tacky glue. Tacky glue or white glue or wood glue usually gives a cleaner join than hot glue does. I was in a miniatures store in Arizona that had some otherwise unfinished Greenleaf kits assembled with hot glue, and I thought the joins looked messy and off-kilter. You also can't paint over hot glue, and you can paint over some forms of wood glue (the label on the bottle will say). Tacky glue dries faster than wood glue, but not so fast that you can't scooch things around until they fit right. There are rumors that hot glue doesn't wear as well as the other forms of glue, but I suspect that depends somewhat on your climate. If you really want walls apart, there's a way to dissolve any glue you're likely to use. If it's working for you, I wouldn't worry about it -- I've been tempted to try it just because the instructions do say to use hot glue, and if that's not right, the instructions shouldn't say it. (But I loved the effectiveness of tacky glue on my Arthur.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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