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working windows for Rosedale


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Of course, full-size building standards don't have to dictate what a miniature house looks like.

 

Miniature houses use more smoke and mirrors in their construction than do real life houses and are not bound by engineering or design constraints. They are limited only by the scope of their creator's imagination. 

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Unless I think it will add to the play value I want from a house I build, I don't care if the windows open or not; it didn't occur to me to make the oval windows opening.

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One more question... I've had these two knives since I was in art school - x-acto knife and a retractable utility knife. (The x-acto badly needs new blades, I know.)

1. When would use one versus the other?

2. Which is best for cutting through 1/8" basswood or balsa wood?

3. Should I get some different kinds of blades for the x-acto? I know there are a zillion kinds, but I don't know what each is for, or if all these different types of blades are really necessary.

I need to do quite a bit of cutting holes in wood - 1/8" basswood and balsa wood - for the dormers I want to add, and the windows in the cabinet door I plan to put on the back of the dollhouse (and wish was on the front). Plus I'll be cutting curved sashes for the custom windows, etc.

What's the right tool for the job? I have lots of tools. Besides the knives, I have micro saws with various blades, an old jigsaw, and a Dremel that includes one of those circular saw blades.

I'd appreciate any advice you have!

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It's a grabbing tool for tiny items like beads and those miserable little brass brads that come with the hinges.

Thanks, Holly. It's coming back to me... I was losing my mind trying to put teeny-weeny grommets on a handmade shower curtain. :)

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Miniature houses use more smoke and mirrors in their construction than do real life houses and are not bound by engineering or design constraints. They are limited only by the scope of their creator's imagination. 

 

I'm fairly obsessed with working miniatures, so windows that don't open make me very sad. I play with everything when I dust. (Dusting - the great downside of collecting miniatures. Saving grace: you get to play with everything.)

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Blah - I'm wasting money by buying the wrong thing, over and over. The first plastic I bought for the windows was 0.03", but when it arrived, I realized it was unrealistically thick. Then I bought some clear plastic that was the same thickness as the plastic that comes with the kit - 0.007". But it's too thin and flimsy - especially if I want to use glass paint on it in places for a stained glass effect. I had a piece of plastic lying around here that seemed the right thickness (can't use it because it's cloudy), and my electronic calipers said it's 0.02". I looked up the thickness of single pane window glass in a full-size house, and it's typically 1/4". One-twelfth scale is 1/48", or 0.02" - just right. So I just ordered yet another package of plastic. Yeesh.

 

If I use Holly's suggestion to cut the curved sash from basswood, I can put the window in the center of the hole for it, rather than against the interior trim, which I think will look better. This should work well, if I can do a good job cutting the sash.

 

I bought some new x-acto knife blades, and some basswood for the window sashes and cabinet door (to keep out dust and give a full-house illusion).

 

And now I'm utterly broke and must cut back on food for the rest of the month. :p

 

I spent too much money on this stuff.

 

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I use my Xacto knife for making polymer clay dolls & stuff.  For cutting wood and just about everything else I use my utility knife  For one thing, blades are easier to find and cheaper.  If you plan to use your Dremel with the mini saw blade, for pity's sake (and the sake of your fingers and other body parts you want to keep, undamaged) build or invest in a mount to hold the tool so you can maneuver th piece you're cutting with a hand and a push stick (Id also make a table for moving your work through the blade).

You BUY plastic?  Good Lord! I use the flat pieces from clear acetate packaging.

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.... I want to modify the kit to include some details that are missing. For example, the attic in these buildings always included dormers, so I really want to add some dormers (though it seems daunting). ....

I added a dormer to the White Rose by duplicating the trim from the first floor front bay window. I also added a skylight which really helps open up the attic. It really wasn't that hard to do (despite my nervousness) and the result was gratifying, so I say go for it!

For the Copper Rose the attic will be a clerestory :)

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"And now I'm utterly broke and must cut back on food for the rest of the month." Today is the first of the month. There are a lot of days left this month. Do we need to gather up care baskets so you don't starve? : )

I'm beginning to spend too much money on this stuff too but it is so much fun!

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I use my Xacto knife for making polymer clay dolls & stuff.  For cutting wood and just about everything else I use my utility knife  For one thing, blades are easier to find and cheaper.

That surprises me because I think the x-acto is much sharper, so would cut through wood more easily. But that's just a guess. I'll try both and see.

If you plan to use your Dremel with the mini saw blade, for pity's sake (and the sake of your fingers and other body parts you want to keep, undamaged) build or invest in a mount to hold the tool so you can maneuver th piece you're cutting with a hand and a push stick (Id also make a table for moving your work through the blade).

That would be lovely, but I live in a very small NYC apartment. Not happening. People here have made me so afraid of the Dremel that I hardly use it - kind of a shame.

For the dormer holes, I'll probably drill a hole then use a razor saw.

You BUY plastic?  Good Lord! I use the flat pieces from clear acetate packaging.

I don't tend to buy things that come in plastic packaging, so that wouldn't work for me. Also, I'm concerned with UV sensitivity. After all the work I'm going to put into making these windows, I don't want them to yellow. Plus I'm picky about the thickness, as you can tell.

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Unless I think it will add to the play value I want from a house I build, I don't care if the windows open or not; it didn't occur to me to make the oval windows opening.

 

"Play value"... Are your dollhouses meant for children? I guess I'm trying to make more of a scale model than an actual dollhouse.

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Debora, I read practically your whole White Rose blog when I first bought my dollhouse kit. I love what you did with it. You also (as I recall) cut holes in the roof for dormers using the Dremel circular saw freehand (not mounted) and lived to tell the tale. :)

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Debora, I read practically your whole White Rose blog when I first bought my dollhouse kit. I love what you did with it. You also (as I recall) cut holes in the roof for dormers using the Dremel circular saw freehand (not mounted) and lived to tell the tale. :)

Yes, but I won't do it that way again. The last time I did cuts that way the saw blade disintegrated and the pieces went flying. I was just lucky I wasn't injured (and I was wearing eye protection).

I have a BladeRunner which is basically a jig saw turned upside down and mounted to a small cutting table like a mini table saw. It's great for straight lines and gentle curves. Even though most of the cuts I make could be done with a sturdy craft knife, my hands won't tolerate the pressure (even doing multiple passes with the knife). So the BladeRunner is a great tool for me.

Thank you for your kind comments about the White Rose. :)

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Well, not hard for people like you with serious construction skills! I'm still learning. :)

Honestly, I don't (or didn't) have much in the way of construction skills. It's all trial and error for me too. When I find techniques that work I like to repeat them to practice and improve my skills. I like to think I'm getting better at this :) I'm also more open to trying new things now that I'm not really paralyzed by fear like I was when I first started :lol:

That's why I encourage others to try their ideas and experiment. I learn something new with each build, whether it is a house or a flower.

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I'm also more open to trying new things now that I'm not really paralyzed by fear like I was when I first started :lol:

Yes! I've been paralyzed by fear quite often in this process - so scared I'm going to do it "wrong" that I can't get myself to do anything at all. Recently, though, I'm feeling more relaxed about it for some reason, and I work at it every day when I'm done doing the "make money" stuff.

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I finally realized that even if I totally ruin a piece, I can contact GL and get a new sheet if I can't remake or recut the piece myself. Almost anything can be fixed or repaired. Many times it turns out to be a happy accident. :)

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I have a BladeRunner which is basically a jig saw turned upside down and mounted to a small cutting table like a mini table saw. It's great for straight lines and gentle curves.

I looked at a BladeRunner online. Nice. I wish I had space for something like that. It's difficult for me to use power woodworking tools of any kind because I'm working in the middle of my home (I live in a studio apartment). When I used an electric sander, I had to clean the saw dust off every surface in my apartment. Nightmare. I wish I had a workshop.

The tool I've long wanted to buy but I don't have a space is a little scroll saw. Dremel makes one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFELU6O

I've made peace with using hand tools for most mini building tasks. These are tiny things so doing it by hand isn't that arduous, and it gives you good control. When I built a dollhouse from scratch, many years ago, I used 1/2" plywood (?!) and I had the lumber yard cut it to size for me. When I had to make changes, I used a jigsaw, which I still have. I was living in a studio apartment then, too (in Boston).

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I finally realized that even if I totally ruin a piece, I can contact GL and get a new sheet if I can't remake or recut the piece myself. Almost anything can be fixed or repaired. Many times it turns out to be a happy accident. :)

Really? They'll do that?

Like, what if I completely screw up the holes in the roof for the dormers (which I'm very afraid of doing). I could contact Greenleaf and they'd help me out??

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Really? They'll do that?Like, what if I completely screw up the holes in the roof for the dormers (which I'm very afraid of doing). I could contact Greenleaf and they'd help me out??

Yes, it's my understanding you can order replacement sheets.

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...Are your dollhouses meant for children?...

No, dear heart; they are meant for me, and I play with them after they are built.  I do not need all the windows to "work", although I do make working doors and when I make new doors and windows, if I want them to work I make them that way.  I don't get jazzed enough on having electricity to go to the expense.  When I buil for children to play with the houses I ue quit different construction methods, reinforcing the structure to withstand most manhandling.

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