Glad you all are here to talk to!

[peggyquade]

I have found that I may be overwhelming my co-workers with talk of my dollhouses. I'm not married and my 24 year old son really isn't that interested so you all are my best resource for just talking about my projects. I sure appreciate all your responses to my questions! I really enjoyed looking at what I think was a project house...where several members chose a specific little dollhouse and then each of you built it and put your personal touches on your house to make it special. It was great to see so many different outcomes with the same dollhouse! I have run into some sticky situations with the lap siding I am putting on the Pierce dollhouse I'm finishing for Sheila, a friend. I sometimes just can't get those angles to meet up exactly the way I want them to. I know that, later on, I can come back and spackle any spots that need it but it is unsettling to me at this point. I wonder if I will be able to spackle it so that it looks nice. I know that paint will cover a lot of sins as well. One spot that I am not sure what to do with...the tiny little edges between the windows in the tower bay windows. Cutting lap siding to fit in that tiny spot...I don't think I have wood that wouldn't just fall apart when I try to cut such small pieces. I thought I could use paper clay and mold, sculpt fake lap siding but I'm not totally satisfied with the results. Maybe I just need to practice more. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

[Deb]

Hi Peggy,

Those little gaps in towers and bay windows are perfectly normal. The Pierce was my second house and I drove myself crazy trying to figure out how to get the walls to match up perfectly smooth. Nutti came to my rescue!

As you mentioned, the building team blogs are a tremendous source of information and that's where I found the answer to gappy towers and bays. Nutti used bamboo skewers on her McKinley tower and it works like a dream. I've used it on every tower and bay I've built since then and it works beautifully each time. (and I say a dozen "Thank you Nutti"s every time I do it )

Her McKinley blog is here. You'll need to scroll down to find her section on the tower roof.

Deb

[hydroped]

I've never done a tower like that yet - but I know I've tried cutting those kind of mitres with my easy cutter and when it's cut on the vertacle end like that it tends to push the wood and not quite give me the miter I want which leaves gaps - I gave up doing that and now just usually hit it with the sanding drum on my dremel to take it down to the edge I want. Maybe that would work here <?> just offering that as a secondary option but if Nutti and Deb say skewers work - then I'd definitely say with out hessitation that they must work! These gals know their dollhouses

-David

[SuzyQ]

Deb Posted answer to gappy towers and bays. Nutti used bamboo skewers on her McKinley tower and it works like a dream. I've used it on every tower and bay I've built since then and it works beautifully each time. (and I say a dozen "Thank you Nutti"s every time I do it )

Oh Thanks Deb. That is a great idea. I am sure I would be asking that question myself in a few days with my Garfield tower.

[Deb]

<grinning> Nutti is the genius, I'm just her disciple and spread the word of Nutti's greatness whenever I can. Seriously, she really is a genius builder and her bamboo skewer idea has saved me countless hours of frustration (not to mention all that swearing I'd been doing)

Deb

[MiniMadWoman]

I had many, many gaps to fill on my Beacon Hill renovation and my answer . . . caulking!! I used it everywhere and anywhere . . . works like a dream and if you get the 'paintable' kind you can paint right over it!

Good luck with whatever method you try!!