tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35529034763794316392024-03-06T02:20:25.797-06:00George the MiniguyGeorge has been a miniaturist ever since he was six years old. He began building dollhouses in 1978. He has built and decorated three doll houses - two from scratch and one from a kit. He also has created a number of room boxes - some serve also as lamps in addition to showcasing miniatures.George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-4934842324352543422014-09-23T22:26:00.000-05:002014-09-23T22:26:39.382-05:00Blue Ribbons at The Iowa State FairMy miniatures won two blue ribbons at the Iowa State Fair last month. Below are the two room boxes that were honored.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgga0daingYIiibM7vi1xxMreaSOMdx_VS1VnItFVOqzL0I8RYfs699En-pgMmNwnY3I7euRJ9545lNxzmToUPQ76hAurQwawpgkXb4BmEexOIyKBMjUccyoeOhHjP2kXkiGBlxeiRkJjXy/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgga0daingYIiibM7vi1xxMreaSOMdx_VS1VnItFVOqzL0I8RYfs699En-pgMmNwnY3I7euRJ9545lNxzmToUPQ76hAurQwawpgkXb4BmEexOIyKBMjUccyoeOhHjP2kXkiGBlxeiRkJjXy/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>This roombox was created in an apple crate, which is totally appropriate, since it was the representation of my father-in-law's fruit and vegetable fruit-house business. My younger daughter came up with the idea for this project and enlisted my help in creating the box. She was in high school at the time, and her grampa was going to turn 80. She thought this would be a nice present for him, and indeed it was! Alicia made all of the crates and the fruit. I built the hand cart, the comptometer (on the desk) and the typewriter (which you can't see - it's on a typing stand behind the desk). The office on the right side of the scene was a virtual depiction of grampa's office, down to the lists magnetically attached to the side of the filing cabinet and the pictures on the wall. The silver door on the left is a replica of one of the banana rooms. The red tag on the door indicated that the bananas had been gassed with ethylene glycol gas to get them to ripen faster. Once grampa hung up the sign on the door, no one was to enter until the bananas had ripened a little more.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIFz7tWoa9tsrp_HcoqIT121WjsnMPvJUPljWIgb8WTnX0HXTTf-Gs9DIfT4iyBxvS4qViRX2kyWOTEW7md0JwSeJLnZ8yQMhiToRXTtHG6pNjB1qlDM6T75pti1z-thQmIdYwbUmUZfT/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIFz7tWoa9tsrp_HcoqIT121WjsnMPvJUPljWIgb8WTnX0HXTTf-Gs9DIfT4iyBxvS4qViRX2kyWOTEW7md0JwSeJLnZ8yQMhiToRXTtHG6pNjB1qlDM6T75pti1z-thQmIdYwbUmUZfT/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This room should look familiar to those of you who have followed this blog for some time. I finally finished it! Below is another angle on the room. I was hoping this would win the best of show or people's choice award, but it won neither, unfortunately! Oh, well. I was delighted to earn a blue ribbon for it anyway! The sign on the cash register says, </div>
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"Haircuts $1.25</div>
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Shaves $1.00</div>
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Tall Tales Free - Satisfaction Guaranteed"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAX4w9GuNm87Z0oYCFvk8Vd1CskS95uRqYKzb5nR_WZm2EGtjYSIeQTX7FS3T9KFN6PueDown6O61TMd-OHltPcKjUXhFA-4MU38fRAQLGxejuS_anaWYH5dgG5KMOZ8QDDoZsxzFzX33/s1600/IMG_0534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAX4w9GuNm87Z0oYCFvk8Vd1CskS95uRqYKzb5nR_WZm2EGtjYSIeQTX7FS3T9KFN6PueDown6O61TMd-OHltPcKjUXhFA-4MU38fRAQLGxejuS_anaWYH5dgG5KMOZ8QDDoZsxzFzX33/s1600/IMG_0534.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-36812796996944716222014-06-23T20:26:00.000-05:002014-06-23T20:26:15.224-05:00What Should I Go See?<br />
Friends, I am making two journeys to Europe<br />
in the next year. One trip will include Germany,<br />
Holland, Belgium and Denmark. The other trip<br />
will include Italy, Switzerland and France.<br />
<br />
<b> <u>For those of you living in Europe and those </u></b><br />
<b><u>of you who know Europe like the back of your </u></b><br />
<b><u>hand, what are the "must see" places - full </u></b><br />
<b><u>sized or miniature - that you would recommend </u></b><br />
<b><u>I go and see?</u></b><br />
<br />
The last thing I want to do is to get home and<br />
then discover that I was only X miles away from<br />
some amazing place and didn't even know it<br />
existed! I truly appreciate your input on this!<br />
Thanks! <br />
George<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-1137539886496204882014-06-21T08:28:00.001-05:002014-06-21T08:28:44.033-05:00Why I Have Been Away So Long<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuwJjnMWkNm0Oh6CIfC6uYvls5YBU6hrrL8YL60EVibvM2Wvg6Jb876KJuNtFJE0-Q7lWWreBhpiNL94JktQI_dgdcpwpHecVs1RcwuP0ivoecwWJbcgQXGj5K9-rDueAY8dVvzSpMNuJ/s1600/Baxie+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWuwJjnMWkNm0Oh6CIfC6uYvls5YBU6hrrL8YL60EVibvM2Wvg6Jb876KJuNtFJE0-Q7lWWreBhpiNL94JktQI_dgdcpwpHecVs1RcwuP0ivoecwWJbcgQXGj5K9-rDueAY8dVvzSpMNuJ/s1600/Baxie+002.jpg" height="400" width="255" /></a> It's been a long time since I last posted to this blog, and for those of you who have followed my blog, I apologize for my disappearance from the blogosphere. About this time last year, my wife of 42 years began to have some serious health problems.<br />
We discovered far too late that what we thought was congestive heart failure turned out to be multiple myeloma and a relatively rare condition called amyloidosis. She passed away from heart complications caused by the amyloidosis on December 12, 2013.<br />
Pam was a wonderful person. Extremely well-read. Caring. Dedicated mom and gifted teacher. Our daughters thought of her as a "helicopter mom" - rescuing the girls whenever they needed help. (She commuted to Des Moines for about the first 8 months of our grandson's life, helping to care for him while our daughter worked on getting her master's degree from Iowa State.)<br />
Her students knew her as "the teacher who always smiled." She was also very bright and knew how to challenge the smartest of her students and how to help those who were struggling. Parents loved her and often requested that she be their child's teacher. She loved almost all of her students and loved giving and receiving hugs from her second graders and former second graders.<br />
Life for me has not been the same since losing my best friend, my advisor and spiritual guide, and an irrepressible presence in my home and my life. She was the person who got me interested in doing dollhouse miniatures, and was always supportive of my involvement in this pastime. <div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-50054658891194345872014-06-21T08:03:00.001-05:002014-06-21T08:33:31.657-05:00Planning the Project- It's the Little Details That'll Get Ya! <br />
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You might think that a miniature project is pretty straight-forward. Come up with the idea, visualize what you think it will look like, and then plunge into the work to make it!<br />
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The problem for me is, when I go about a project in that way, it's so easy to put the wallpaper on the walls before I remember, "Oh yeah. I needed to wire that wall for electricity first..." or I installed all of the walls to the dollhouse before I remembered I was going to cut a new doorway to the hall. Oops.<br />
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It's the little details like this that really set a project back. If it's a big enough mistake, it's easy to throw my hands in the air and walk away from the project for days, weeks, or maybe even years.<br />
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That's why I try to write up instructions for my project as if I were creating a new kit. It's so easy to get caught up in the moment of creative excitement only to realize that I have just put the proverbial cart before the horse.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiOt3EDC_ryic-QI0DfSkuXfTWYjPdVtes_IEFwzjdwkNkCNWjqXH-sAE9NCn1O5yz_WLVXVglxdTjmsInrpps1HmzIt20WrxKBKkLixEZSz-WQp_bis3R18qBgjELUEfuai0K6LNcT6Y/s1600/ryansoffice2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiOt3EDC_ryic-QI0DfSkuXfTWYjPdVtes_IEFwzjdwkNkCNWjqXH-sAE9NCn1O5yz_WLVXVglxdTjmsInrpps1HmzIt20WrxKBKkLixEZSz-WQp_bis3R18qBgjELUEfuai0K6LNcT6Y/s1600/ryansoffice2.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a> Miniature club members were chuckling at my latest project when they saw I had jotted notes to myself on the frame of the house (an area that will eventually be hidden by the finishing materials. Several times I've looked at the project and thought, I need to finish the other side of the roof! And just as I approach the project, I look down to see four different notes. Then I realize I don't dare finish the roof until I have gotten my club members to this stage with their houses!<br />
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An example of all this is my latest project, which is dry-walling, then wainscoting my son-in-law's new office. (Not in miniature - in real life!) He works from home, and I promised him I'd install wainscoting and cabinets in his office. I got the cabinets all installed only to realize that the floor in his office (a basement room) slopes almost 1 1/2" in the 7' of length of the cabinets. Sadly, I got the cabinets all installed when I realized this problem. Long story short, I had to do some re-engineering and a little demolition work to get the cabinets leveled.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeyeCJXDYKSqYtdWVwgFd478s4iOtSGoUf292hfQZmDP5rScueJGF3pSPf_97Ol_eoDr-COu4YvNGqFKaSpMF0QWcqrbs4CZ-U_oXKE8VV6NcijkygBP5atMzw4W2flBoefpSTxCIAhMp/s1600/ryansoffice1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeyeCJXDYKSqYtdWVwgFd478s4iOtSGoUf292hfQZmDP5rScueJGF3pSPf_97Ol_eoDr-COu4YvNGqFKaSpMF0QWcqrbs4CZ-U_oXKE8VV6NcijkygBP5atMzw4W2flBoefpSTxCIAhMp/s1600/ryansoffice1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
Prior to that problem (which I had not adequately incorporated into my plans), I had written out detailed, step-by-step instructions so that I wouldn't forget to take care of key details as the work progressed.<br />
All in all, in spite of my set-back with the construction, the walls and cabinets are turned out pretty well, I think. Don't you?<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-30127378348697233702013-05-25T11:20:00.001-05:002013-05-25T11:20:26.211-05:00Sometimes The Plan Isn't Thoroughly Thought Through...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24xw8HErRA4LNPfF-vRrhF7rqeIoAaXsJz5k3i8J00uQ3tK8-cxXyqK06pNMyqDkizeukt1KUX5h593mUYVavYCvlfnm0jwMrrgD0iDglSirqTLUvqRYGZeqVBFwSFl-R40Z9ulPLVvWX/s1600/P5172492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24xw8HErRA4LNPfF-vRrhF7rqeIoAaXsJz5k3i8J00uQ3tK8-cxXyqK06pNMyqDkizeukt1KUX5h593mUYVavYCvlfnm0jwMrrgD0iDglSirqTLUvqRYGZeqVBFwSFl-R40Z9ulPLVvWX/s320/P5172492.JPG" width="240" /></a> As much as I planned and thought through how the various pieces would come together, I forgot to consider the layer build-up of the shingles on the fascia above the ceiling. I could have set the board in that section back another 1/8". Easily. I could even have set it back farther than that if I had wanted. But I didn't. And now I regret it.<br />
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Once I added the shingles, they protruded further to the front than I had thought they might - even though I had cut and sanded them myself! I made them 1/32" thick - really thin. But when overlapped, the overall depth of the shingles came out to about 3/32". I set the fascia board so that it was recessed only 1/16". That doesn't seem like a problem, until you see the top layer of shingles protruding beyond the face of the surrounding boards. It's not very noticeable in the photo at left, but in person, it's noticeable.<br />
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At our last meeting, one of our members was worrying that she might have made a mistake in her work. I told her, "If you think I haven't made any mistakes in doing this project, think again!" (She was thinking mine looked so flawless.) Some mistakes are easier than others to fix or hide. I've hidden most of my errors so far. I'm not sure if I have a good fix for this one, but I'll work on it..<br />
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This brings to mind an article I read recently by a woodworker. He had completed a project and shared it with his friends. None of his friends noticed a tiny flaw that had occurred while he was working on the piece. When they complimented him, though, he couldn't help but point out the flaw, and immediately, they ALL saw it. Most of the time, if we don't point out the flaw, the average person will take in the overall view of the item and will never notice the flaw. If they do, most times common courtesy should generally cause them to withhold a comment in which they point it out.<br />
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If you're making your miniatures for sale, that's a different story. Then the buyer will be scrutinizing the item for every tiny flaw that they might see. Each identified flaw, of course, becomes a new bargaining point for their argument to reduce the asking price. Maybe that's why I don't sell my miniatures! <div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-66626438857323675292013-05-14T21:06:00.002-05:002013-05-14T21:06:26.316-05:00The Porch Continues to Evolve<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> The
Cedar Rapids Miniature club met last Saturday, and I added a number of finishing touches to the front porch project. When club members tackle a big project like this, we end up with everyone moving at different speeds, and so I'm constantly trying to help members catch up or stay up with the project.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> There are some steps I need to do yet, but it's getting close to being done...for now, at least.
I'll need to gather a variety of items for all of the seasons so that I
can decorate the porch according to the time of year it is. </span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> As you can see from the picture, the siding is completed. Last weekend I finished with gluing up the slats that fit beneath the porch. The week before that, I put together the porch swing, painted it, and then hung it from the porch ceiling. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Now, here's a fun and somewhat incredible detail about this. The couple are not mine. They belong to one of our club members. When I brought the porch to miniature club, Linda took out this little couple. We set them in the swing, and their feet and the woman's dress fit just perfectly in relation to the floor! It was amazing. I had tried to set the swing at what I thought would be about 16" in height, and obviously, the sculptor adhered to that standard, too. What fun!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3gDQTQbZawK0DKJKblmggw-rRr8gGmLG-btYO66aEqAvxA2Tw5rhS8zwcAHOgaLqWfNvBOsKj9CGQXv2-tEKxfuqCElSHbCEjT_4MGR7_KvjoS4iMv_V3cp5KLZ_ICQUQldk7LuihNtE/s1600/P5122485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3gDQTQbZawK0DKJKblmggw-rRr8gGmLG-btYO66aEqAvxA2Tw5rhS8zwcAHOgaLqWfNvBOsKj9CGQXv2-tEKxfuqCElSHbCEjT_4MGR7_KvjoS4iMv_V3cp5KLZ_ICQUQldk7LuihNtE/s320/P5122485.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> At right is a photograph of the ceiling of the front porch. I could have ordered pre-cut wood with the individual boards etched into it (like the car siding we so often see in many old Craftsman and Victorian style homes). I decided, instead, to make my own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> I used the thinner one </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">of my </span>mini table saw blades, and set it so that it barely peeked out above the table surface. I cut about 1/32" from the 3/32" board - enough to put a noticeable groove into the boards, but not so deep that the overall stability of the boards was endangered. (Sorry about the visual distortion. Taking such a close-up picture apparently caused some curving of the visual lines.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> In my next post, I will share about the jig I created for gluing up the slats for under the porch. I also will share with you one of the glaring oopsies I encountered with shingling the front of the house in the triangular section above the porch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Then I'll need to do a post about the window shades and the roof. The shingles I got from an estate sale were just too thick for my taste, but I loved their texture. So, I ran them through my table saw, one at a time, to make them thinner. I'll tell you all about it, and share some pictures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <b>Next steps</b>: Glue on the roof, paint the railings, and install them, and then start making flowers.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-60353485800162747532013-02-22T22:04:00.003-06:002013-03-09T08:17:43.589-06:00Measure Twice; Cut Once<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the hardest things for me - and I've been told it's difficult for many other wood workers - is getting measurements and angles just right so that everything fits perfectly. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've been off by some fraction of an inch, which leads to a gaping hole somewhere in the project.<br />
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The worst job of measuring I can recall was assembling the frame of a display box, and I put a shelf in crooked. Not just a little crooked. It was off by a full 3/4 of an inch - I put the bottom edge of the board where the top of the board should have been. Needless to say, I had to take it apart and start over again.I also had to replace some of the wood parts because of the nail holes.<br />
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So, imagine my nervous tension as I began to assemble my roof section for the front porch and then slid the porch posts under that section. I was prepared to see a gaping hole. Instead, on the left side, it fit perfectly, and on the right side, I had to add 1/16" to the bottom of my brick column. Wow! I ultimately added some pieces at the top of the columns to hide any flaws in the measurements. After all, that's what baseboards and trim boards around windows and doors are all about - even in full scale houses! <div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-66554317641781275832013-02-21T20:25:00.000-06:002013-02-21T20:25:12.070-06:00Making Bricks for the Front Porch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in 2009, I posted a couple of articles about how to make fake bricks using matte board, paint, and some wall spackling paste. (It's titled - One way to make miniature bricks)<br />
I used that technique to produce the pillars on this front porch project. And I added a new wrinkle - literally. The "bricks" are not just two-dimensional they instead are really "3-dimensional" as I hope you can see in this photo.<br />
But they are still made the same basic way, and you will not find a cut line anywhere on these bricks indicating that they were pieced together - because they weren't. <u>So, how did we bend matte board at a 90 degree angle so that it goes around the corner? That's what I'm going to share with you today</u>! <br />
If you get a thin enough piece of paper, you can usually fold it pretty crisply. The thicker the paper or the cardboard gets, the more rounded your corner becomes on that paper. So, the trick is to take away some of the <u>back side</u> of the brick in a strategic place, and the folding becomes exceptionally easy (and crisp).<br />
As described in the 2009 article, our club members each chose colors of paint to create their bricks. Some chose a family of light browns, pinks, and umber. I preferred to stick with oranges, reds and some umber. I even sparingly dabbed a few spots with a nearly dry brush of white out (used in typing). Next we daubed and scumbled the paint across the matte board at random, which created some dark and light patches of these colors. After the paint dried, we cut out long strips of the matte board in pieces that were approximately 10 to 12 inches long and as close to .97 inches wide as we could get.<br />
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I then set the table saw fence so that there was a gap between the blade and the fence of .22. Calculating in the width of the blade and the cut, I was creating a section that was very close to 3.5" in scale - about the width of the narrow end of a full brick. In the picture at left, you can see the paper-thin thickness of the matte board facing is still there. To keep this depth of cut consistent and not endanger my fingers, I put a 1/8" thick piece of wood down on top of the matte board and pressed down firmly across that wood so that the paper went through the saw blade at a consistent depth of cut. We then had a long piece of matte board with a thin valley cut into it for the full 12 inch long piece. <br />
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We then used a chopper cutting board with a preset depth to slice the multiple bricks from this blank of matte board. At right you can see that Linda had cut almost all of the pieces from one piece of the matte board. When it got down to the last piece (shown here), she used a toothpick to hold it in place and kept her fingers safely away from the sharp razor blade of the chopper.<br />
Now, we had lots of bricks for the corners. You can see below an
illustration I have made to show how we took the pieces from flat little units to 90-degree angled "bricks."<br />
The trick to making the paper easier to bend was to insert a small amount of glue into the
valley of the saw cut, then slowly bend the piece over. The one side of the matte board fits into the valley of the cut, and you have a nice, 90-degree angled piece of matte board that resembles a brick with absolutely no visible cut lines. Nothing had to be pieced together for it to work. Below this large illustration, you'll see Linda's columns as she worked on them at miniature club.<br />
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Linda preferred to do all of the corners on her column from top
to bottom and then filled in the middle bricks. I preferred to go around
the column one complete row at a time. Both styles work.<br />
The important
thing is to make sure the rows are all lined up as you work, and to remember that every other row will have the half brick on the opposite side of the column. Using a try square to make sure your rows don't start going down hill is also advisable.<br />
Note the
spacer Linda is using to help keep her work lined up (it's near her watchband at the top of the column just below her left hand). That was an old credit card I used to create a spacer jig. It wrapped partially around the side of the column, allowing us to make sure that both sides of the bricks remained aligned as we glued them to the columns.<br />
By the way, unless you are an extreme glutton for self-punishment, I would NOT recommend using this technique to do an entire dollhouse, but for four foundation pillars, it was "do-able." <br />
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;o) Geo. </div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-85798833750949080582013-02-17T10:43:00.000-06:002013-02-17T10:43:06.130-06:00Down to Details<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h4>
<i>Getting the details just right in a miniature project is important if you want the final product to look "real." </i></h4>
In this case, I had to use a little geometry (Yeck! I did not like that subject in school!) to get the lintel just right. (The lintel is the board that spans across the front on top of the porch pillars.) <br />
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You see, the roof angle on the porch project is far less than a 45 degree angle. In geometry class I think they called that an acute angle. So I had to figure out a way to get the lintel cut to be compatible with this very narrow angle.<br />
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Because my table saw blade cannot be tipped beyond a 45 degree angle, I had to figure out a way to solidly support a tall, narrow piece of wood to go through the table saw without putting my fingers at risk of getting<br />
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cut by the blade. I also had to make sure that the piece I was cutting would come to a sharp point along the entire 1.5" width. I was able to do that with the setup at right. Because I only had to make two cuts like this, I didn't bother to make a cutting jig. (If I had a lot of pieces to cut, I probably would make a jig.)<br />
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First, I set my table saw blade so that it was at about a 73 degree angle. That's where the geometry came in. The angle of the roof is about 17 degrees. To get to that, I had to deduct that number from 90 degrees to get to my angled cut. I took a square chunk of 3/4" plywood and then used a clamp to hold a thinner piece of plywood at a right angle to the 3/4" plywood.<br />
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Next, I set my table saw fence so that the plywood was touching the side
of the saw blade. That meant that anything held against the plywood
would be cut down to the acute angle without any flat portion on the end, which was exactly what I needed. <br />
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I held my small, right-angle square against the plywood to make sure that it stayed upright at precisely a right angle. The picture to the right shows the finished cut of the lintel. I got it right with the very first cut, which meant I didn't waste any wood on this part of the project. (And believe me, I've wasted plenty of wood in my miniature-making!) I was pleased with how the lintel turned out.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-60938611703879426772013-02-11T17:54:00.002-06:002013-02-11T17:54:59.784-06:00Getting Closer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are truly making progress with our front porch projects. The pillars in the front now connect to the roof. The windows and the front door are glued in place . The porch floor is laid. The steps are in, though they need several more coats of paint! Now I'm working on the siding.<br />
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If I were doing this like many dollhouse builders, I would have glued the siding in place and then glued the windows and corner boards OVER the siding. I'm not doing that.<br />
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In looking at old houses, it appears that the windows don't stick out that much from the siding; so I'm doing my best to be authentic. That's a pain when you get to the spots where the window sill projects out 1/16" from the left and right sides of the window. I then have to cut out my siding to fit around that little projection precisely.<br />
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You perfectionists with a discerning eye might notice on the window on the right, the siding is only about 2" (scale) in width below the window; so I have LOTS of fun trying to cut THAT out. I also discovered at this point that somehow I glued in the right window between 1/64 and 1/32 of and inch higher than the left window in each pair of windows. That plays havoc when you want the siding to run evenly across the bottom below both windows. Yikes!<br />
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Our club members are beginning to talk about their color schemes for their houses. It's always fun to see how other club members personalize these projects with their choice of colors and decore. We all start with the same idea/framework and then take it from there. <br />
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I'm hoping to get the rest of the siding done by next week. Then it's on to doing the front porch swing. Then the shingles on the triangle above the porch. Then the roof. Then more shingles on the roof. Then the porch railings and the slats under the front porch, followed by some flowers or maybe I'll be lazy and just create some ferns to go there! And last, but not least, the Welcome sign to go across the base.<br />
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After that, I can begin to decorate for various seasons, which makes me realize I need to make the flowers/ferns removeable so that I can pile some snow in front of the house for winter time, some pumpkins and leaves in the fall, and tulips or daffodils for the spring. <div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-45694479962609482612012-08-23T17:35:00.000-05:002012-08-23T17:35:01.813-05:00Roughing It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttMGcWjD5aNq3nLvPzEGR3JmMXW8dhyphenhyphenINeMI7qoei2_ksvl1sQnfe_Jo8z-IMUKGX46WSj8DJE4GJvHdsH3A5S8VDDiECF2WVmENEL6gU3LZhHhh-xELYKHqashr2eJkhD-IZKWtKUvNn/s1600/Porch+Basic+Frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttMGcWjD5aNq3nLvPzEGR3JmMXW8dhyphenhyphenINeMI7qoei2_ksvl1sQnfe_Jo8z-IMUKGX46WSj8DJE4GJvHdsH3A5S8VDDiECF2WVmENEL6gU3LZhHhh-xELYKHqashr2eJkhD-IZKWtKUvNn/s320/Porch+Basic+Frame.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgV1B2HLkD4TX1EOxV4CWQdgzY5CXsqZa_pzf_ODCnpu2SXDwOz2CcFCPi_OkwTsVPV7m6X7K72vvbCLl_L2kB1FbLc6SROtTqnvismGPkPpX-P0zc693QJHPjik6-iZKJCYsNTwrxb3S/s1600/blog+stuff+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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It doesn't look like much yet, but here is the front porch project. I used 1/2" plywood sheets from the Michaels store for most of the club's porches. It was expensive, and I had some left-over 1/2" plywood that I had purchase at a lumber yard/do-it-yourself store. So, I used that instead. It doesn't take much effort to see the difference in quality.<br />
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The surface veneer above the left window and the front door popped loose in the cutting-out phase of construction, and even other pieces may eventually pop off of the frame for me. Fortunately, that will all be covered over and no one will ever know (except you) how crummy it looked!<br />
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Another thing I did to save on production costs was to make the angled roof section out of a couple of smaller pieces of plywood. I then pieced them together in the center, and glued a piece of plywood to help support the joint where the two pieces meet. You can see small dark oval spots along the edge of the roof area, just above the windows and door. Those are pocket screws. This requires a special tool (jig) which helps me to drill those holes at an angle. The advantage of pocket screws is that they help a builder to anchor a couple of flat surfaces together - like this or at angles. Glue alone would not be a satisfactory way to put this together. It's just not sturdy enough.<br />
<br />
By the way, I used my Office 2010 software to modify the photograph above so that you can really focus in on the house structure in spite of the clutter of my workbench. I love playing with some of the new software that's out there. You can do some really interesting things with it!<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-25019674656523127722012-07-30T17:41:00.000-05:002012-07-30T17:41:30.204-05:00It's Almost August!I know I promised to be better about posting to this blog. That was back in December and it's almost August! Sorry about that. It's been a crazy bunch of months.<br />
<br />
In late January, I had a stroke. Fortunately, I could tell that I'd had one and my wife took me to the hospital ASAP. They treated me with a medicine called TPA (I have no idea what that is short for. All I know is, it works!) I have hardly any residual effect from the stroke. The only thing I've noticed is a little numbness in my left foot. What a blessing.<br />
<br />
Last week, our daughter gave birth to a healthy little baby boy. Our first grandbaby! In the meantime, the Miniature Club members finished their room boxes of the barbershop, and we've started work on the front porch project. I should have some pictures to post in the not too distant future - if I get any time to do that. Visits to see the grandbaby will definitely take priority!<br />
<br />
Geo.<br />
<br />
P.S. I thought you might appreciate knowing what the symptoms of a stroke are. General symptoms of a
<a href="http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/stroke-7439">stroke</a> include:<br />
<ul>
<li>Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of movement in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body. (this is what I had)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sudden <a href="http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/default.htm">vision</a> changes.</li>
<li>Sudden trouble speaking.</li>
<li>Sudden confusion or trouble understanding simple statements.</li>
<li>Sudden problems with walking or balance.</li>
<li>A sudden, severe <a href="http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/default.htm">headache</a> that is
different from past headaches. </li>
</ul>
Source: http://www.webmd.com/stroke/guide/stroke-symptoms<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-73165064963924109672011-12-06T21:05:00.000-06:002011-12-06T21:05:19.659-06:00How the Doghouses Turned Out<div class="separator" style="background-color: black; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Thought you might like to see how the dog houses turned out. I was able to snap a few shots of what some of the miniature club members did with their projects. All of the photos below were of various members' houses. Mine? Well, I was busy helping others, and later when I tried to fix something I'd done badly, the little house split in half! Oops. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEd7yoo60pMC_rIe9-l8Ms697PPVbcivyy11vOKku63Laux7A4D9VNLMrJJTvlpzApZSUfNODAjUVR6ChLtUWDwfyLnMwCu_nCgLnqJY-Fr2rYpYjuTGib_AsR-qQoDPo-a3fQ3zu659k/s1600/P3261788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEd7yoo60pMC_rIe9-l8Ms697PPVbcivyy11vOKku63Laux7A4D9VNLMrJJTvlpzApZSUfNODAjUVR6ChLtUWDwfyLnMwCu_nCgLnqJY-Fr2rYpYjuTGib_AsR-qQoDPo-a3fQ3zu659k/s640/P3261788.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvxC9pPE0f6BBVo95_WyGoAmWbApIiFdB6UYthTvLm2uUUVtL96c_2zZkE0y04DqK6PTsErPXhea1PkuoxpaoB0qs-0fYKsIdfo41dv4BDsdSrfgeEvPxS1uNFnWoESPgoCwn5CBSbDit/s1600/P3261788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXB3eXuATCCzYBreowGqMUI1AMJoILqEpJD4bJV86DAXcj7XJKTDlFKZQr-vIPlqdfdoQGGaORyQWTQ16n8ZesoJgRvhGjxJ84j3ITHtzKLg8YwvsOALYu2tHGwu2ZHDGZyW6rylVgjj9x/s1600/P3261787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXB3eXuATCCzYBreowGqMUI1AMJoILqEpJD4bJV86DAXcj7XJKTDlFKZQr-vIPlqdfdoQGGaORyQWTQ16n8ZesoJgRvhGjxJ84j3ITHtzKLg8YwvsOALYu2tHGwu2ZHDGZyW6rylVgjj9x/s640/P3261787.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsThPnzdL7feEsKqgHStNxSJ3bnrb5GHuK2IWc-k0bzMwlgFyxswuRceUeIv65pRtdxnUxNs6nd_00z0UsORAmsMPcZpmYNyuQ-zslHuD013z5RoUCwzGe5VzYqq9HeP6VCvnEFSO9b-r/s640/P5211792.JPG" width="640" /></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaGTuk32vc__fbuk6o6ai2v8cpZ9yd5tmQ6JwOmYXGLWN1Dgsr2WErQirWjjnH2MXBCPDqTQnnhw_Vk5VYoNXB5pSn71aGiiw6w0mHpk8eQhgc-rz9uRtwS4tnFq9S7sgeOw7YhxCmTum/s1600/P3261785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaGTuk32vc__fbuk6o6ai2v8cpZ9yd5tmQ6JwOmYXGLWN1Dgsr2WErQirWjjnH2MXBCPDqTQnnhw_Vk5VYoNXB5pSn71aGiiw6w0mHpk8eQhgc-rz9uRtwS4tnFq9S7sgeOw7YhxCmTum/s640/P3261785.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ehmnkpshxmVaUw0u2av3PSp7ixz5IN5vR0ZlitRftJHuPjGqND27-VNLJ10vHNJ6gw_6rmJsZqma0ipgStj-aXGYGhjvWWKRYAY2qM0w787_zxOae281dMcULq3RUr0Hhq75MevzFZOd/s1600/P3261786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ehmnkpshxmVaUw0u2av3PSp7ixz5IN5vR0ZlitRftJHuPjGqND27-VNLJ10vHNJ6gw_6rmJsZqma0ipgStj-aXGYGhjvWWKRYAY2qM0w787_zxOae281dMcULq3RUr0Hhq75MevzFZOd/s640/P3261786.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-50959974411005471292011-12-03T08:57:00.000-06:002011-12-03T08:57:14.372-06:00New Club Project - a Front Porch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3ME5TuFHW6c1bZrDEXQ0RUzQ-Gf7Jyvu-qldHzl4f8RyVwRDfX-SPTPKRN-4VLPvxjEdd1IAEfg03aQ_W1PgfP9Mu9iRLlTE6TKmOe_vwZ45jscIXV-R7VjL0rN-wxVE2pKW7UXW5mYC/s1600/project2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3ME5TuFHW6c1bZrDEXQ0RUzQ-Gf7Jyvu-qldHzl4f8RyVwRDfX-SPTPKRN-4VLPvxjEdd1IAEfg03aQ_W1PgfP9Mu9iRLlTE6TKmOe_vwZ45jscIXV-R7VjL0rN-wxVE2pKW7UXW5mYC/s400/project2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>At our most recent meeting of the miniature club, we got to talking about what we might do next. I had an idea of doing a craftsman style house front porch, complete with a porch swing.<br />
<br />
I've always liked the craftsman style houses - especially the gently sloping columns on the porch. Those should be interesting to cut out with my table saw! <br />
<br />
Above is my PowerPoint "drawing" of what I proposed to club members. Based on the feedback I received, it looks like this could be our next project. <br />
<br />
When I drew up the plans, my wife suggested that we make it a welcome sign. So, we will most likely cut out half-inch tall letters to set into the framed box below the house. We will make these so that they can be hung on the wall. I'm hoping they will be no more than about 8" deep.<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-32289707863917547712011-01-29T12:12:00.002-06:002011-01-29T12:29:26.712-06:00Doghouse Details and Construction Instructions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDBm-9einCOLg8TClliErW_cmly3SYmXC_xVbV0whhmAHuyLIMuHOUVOtUdB8WWeP1E8JKa7_Bf1WtkET55xHpuLVcZ7ahQw8yYmNRLrR32gQOB6547hGZ_ucOYMs0dLy0fZsLFqGQ9DQ/s1600/Project1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDBm-9einCOLg8TClliErW_cmly3SYmXC_xVbV0whhmAHuyLIMuHOUVOtUdB8WWeP1E8JKa7_Bf1WtkET55xHpuLVcZ7ahQw8yYmNRLrR32gQOB6547hGZ_ucOYMs0dLy0fZsLFqGQ9DQ/s640/Project1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Here are the instructions and dimensions for construction of the doghouse. If you want to use the picture from this blog as a template for cutting out the front of the house, copy it and paste it into a Word document (if you have Word). You can then resize the picture as needed to get it to where the dimensions print out exactly as drawn.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">Here are the individual pieces you will need to cut out. The base is 1/8" basswood and the sides and roof are all 1/16" basswood. I have not sided my doghouse yet. I plan to do it with individual pieces of siding that I cut myself. I'll do a blog post for how to do that soon. If you use sheet siding, I recommend the siding that is ¼” rather than the ½” plank widths. You don’t <i>have</i> to side the house, but it looks really cute when it is.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="bottom" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Piece</span></b></div></td> <td style="border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="bottom" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dimensions</span></b></div></td> <td style="border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="bottom" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Quantity</span></b></div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Sides</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">2” tall x 2 ½” wide</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">2 </div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Front and back</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">2 ¼” wide x 3 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>” tall</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">2</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Base</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">2 ½” x 2 <sup>1</sup>/<sub>8</sub>” *</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">1</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Roof piece A</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">3 ¼” x 1 <sup>15</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub>” (1.937”)</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">1</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Roof piece B</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">3” x 1 <sup>7</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>”</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">1</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Inside supports</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;"><sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>” x ¼” x 1 <sup>7</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>”</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">4</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Roof beam</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;"><sup>3</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub>” x <sup>3</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub>” x 2 ½”</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">1</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Siding – sides</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">1 <sup>15</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub>” x 2 <sup>5</sup>/<sub>8</sub>”</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">2</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Siding front & back</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">2 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>” x (about) 1 <sup>7</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>”</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">2</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Upright corners</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;"><sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub><sub></sub><sup>” </sup>x (about) <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub><sup>” </sup>x<sup> </sup>2<sup> 1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub><sup>” **</sup></div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;">4</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 110.1pt;" valign="top" width="147"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;">Sign for front</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 164.55pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in;"><sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub>” x 1 <sup>7</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub>”</div></td> <td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt;" valign="top" width="94"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;"> 1</div></td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 345.5pt;" valign="top" width="461"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">*This may need to be sanded slightly narrower.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">**These pieces will need to be cut at a 45 degree angle on one edge so that they fit snugly against the roof line. The height is approximate and is the longer dimension of the pieces. You might want to cut this a little long and then trim it off as needed.</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4pt 0in; text-align: center;"></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Assembly instructions:</b></div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal">Cut out all of the pieces, including the doorway of the house. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal"> If you plan to side the house, use double-stick tape or use a slight amount of rubber cement to hold the siding to the face of the doorway piece. Cut the doorway entrance through both pieces. This assures you that your parts will match. Once this piece is cut out, sand the cut for any slight errors you may have made, and then disassemble the two pieces and mark the two sides that will be glued together (in case your cut is not perfectly centered or symmetrical).</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Now you can begin to assemble the house. Glue one of the sides to the base. (It’s helpful to have a right-angle jig to clamp the side to so that the pieces are glued at exactly a 90° angle.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue the back of the house to the base and side, using the jig again for this.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue one of the inside supports into the corner.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue the other side to the back and base.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue the other inside support into the corner.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue the front to the base and sides. Make sure the side you marked to be glued to the siding faces outward!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue the remaining two inside supports into the corners in the front. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">If you want to stain the inside of the doghouse, do that now, before you add the roof. It will be much easier. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Put a little glue on the inside at the top peak of the house at each end. Glue the roof beam in place. Make sure the roof beam angle aligns with the angles of the front and back of the house. (See drawing for the yellow square and note how it is angled.)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO SIDE THE HOUSE, paint the roof pieces before you glue them onto the house. This will save you a lot of time and frustration of trying to paint the undersides of the roof close to the house. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Start with the slightly narrower roof piece and glue it flush with the edge of the roof beam. Put glue along all of the edges of one side of the roof, place the roof piece against this, then set the house down onto the roof piece, then push the entire piece up against your gluing jig or other fixed object. (This assures you that the roof is perfectly aligned across the top of the roof beam.) Make sure that the same amount of roof is exposed at the front and back of the house.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Now add glue to the rest of the roof edges and glue the other roof piece in place. Use the same technique of placing the house on its roof and press it against the gluing jig to assure that the top edge of your second roof piece is aligned across the top.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Seal and paint your siding and the external upright pieces. Also seal and paint the edge of the doghouse front doorway. I recommend you paint this the same color as the siding.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Seal and paint the under sides and edges of the doghouse roof. If you're going to add siding, you don't need to worry if you get a little paint on the sides of the house. Glue the siding to the house starting with the sides.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue the back piece of siding in place. Add the uprights on each side of the back piece.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glue the front onto the doghouse. Add the uprights.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Now add shingles to your dollhouse. I would recommend buying or cutting shingles that are only 1/2" wide. In full scale, the shingles would be 6 inches wide, and that would look more appropriate on such a small scale building. I also would recommend spacing the shingles so that about a third of an inch of shingle is exposed per each row. The amount of shingle exposure is your decision -- like that of a cook when the recipe says, "season to taste." If you want to use fancy, shaped shingles, that is also your decision!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">I plan to put the doghouse onto its own small base which will be about 6 inches square. I'll then paint it to look like dirt and grass, and perhaps I'll add a few weeds, maybe I'll even grind out a "hole" in the base, add a "mound of dirt" and put a bone in the hole.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Dog dishes would also be appropriate, but I'll leave the decorating details to you.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Don't forget to add the sign above the door (if you want to name your pooch). You can seal and paint the edges of the piece of wood and then print the signage (if you don't trust your own penmanship) and then glue that to the sign. (Remember to seal your printed sign with spray-on fixative so that it doesn't fade as badly over time.) Or you can hand paint the name in as detailed or as sloppy a hand as you want. </li>
</ol><b>Remember, many a doghouse has been built by the children of the family; so, you can feel okay about the finished house if there are a few flaws!</b> You might even want to "build in" a few flaws!<br />
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Good luck. Have fun with the work, and let me know how your house turns out! I'd love to see pictures!<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-53542534029065421692011-01-17T09:01:00.000-06:002011-01-17T09:01:33.032-06:00Our Next Club Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zkXc8c7gw_a4y3a-EJ-DU3zOzw4BPOZSj28OR8ZYnfzVbK1W4feM8E5bMWObLUN5NZ7QIFLc7KRGmDxOouW_kAHk91RvzMI-hxRvbV6w3GnmICJQ3bWj7YjXIW1PBMj_HLEQPzct6r4U/s1600/doghouse+project.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zkXc8c7gw_a4y3a-EJ-DU3zOzw4BPOZSj28OR8ZYnfzVbK1W4feM8E5bMWObLUN5NZ7QIFLc7KRGmDxOouW_kAHk91RvzMI-hxRvbV6w3GnmICJQ3bWj7YjXIW1PBMj_HLEQPzct6r4U/s320/doghouse+project.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Our miniature club will be leading the project for our joint state meeting of miniature clubs. Over the weekend, our small group of our miniature club members got together and decided we'd work on building a doghouse. Above is the basic shell that I worked up yesterday. We plan to add clapboard siding and shingles. We'll also have the participants make old-fashioned rag rugs to put inside the doghouse, and we'll include a base that they can "landscape" outside of the house. If you'd like me to post dimensions and construction details, please let me know. Thanks!<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-32498037928842219532010-12-04T15:10:00.000-06:002010-12-04T15:10:07.551-06:00Constructing Miniature Rooms - What's the Best Way?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFGXJuRq5G4mSu-Qd2EQVdFhb15FMGjRM501oC_MLuueefgAOaMzSqeajPIyQLPv-m8FYHq-zjh3VPClhh3VBda8wij4ETVw32iu6E4ljcGqw7QlAc51CtP67z-9qe9fbJwJMTnUTDb1S/s1600/PC041764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFGXJuRq5G4mSu-Qd2EQVdFhb15FMGjRM501oC_MLuueefgAOaMzSqeajPIyQLPv-m8FYHq-zjh3VPClhh3VBda8wij4ETVw32iu6E4ljcGqw7QlAc51CtP67z-9qe9fbJwJMTnUTDb1S/s320/PC041764.JPG" width="240" /></a>What's the best materials to use to build room boxes or dollhouses? I've built two dollhouses from scratch - one with 3/8" birch plywood and one with Gatorfoam. (The photo at left is of a house built with Gatorfoam.) I was happy with both projects. But dollhouses are generally box construction projects. Unless they have turrets or bays, the building is pretty much 90 degree angles - simple to do. <br />
<br />
Room boxes, on the other hand, are often more complicated. The design of a room box is like a stage set design. Few of the angles are actually right degrees. This allows the artist to create a variety of angles in the room and a sense of depth in a small space. It also makes construction of them more complex.<br />
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There are drawbacks to using both Gatorfoam and plywood. Both comes in large sheets. Cutting large, flat sections of wood or Gatorfoam, on a small hobbyist's table saw can be a challenge. At best, you'll waste more of the expensive building materials than you would like. At worst, you'll not get the walls cut precisely at the angles you need or want, leaving gaps and walls standing at awkward angles. Some of these gaps can be hidden with crown molding or with matte board glued to the ceiling of the room. Baseboards and flooring also help hide any gaps along the floor seams.<br />
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I've made several roomboxes now, and for two of them, I utilized old-fashioned, stick-frame building with matte board glued to the surface. The stick-frame uses pieces of wood assembled much like a real building is built. The problem with the stick built frame is that it's a bit flimsy until it's all glued up with the matte board attached. It's too easy to glue it up so and end up with walls not being perfectly square with the ceiling or floor.<br />
<br />
The barbershop project our miniature club is working on is a perfect example. I cut out the pieces for everyone. The pieces were all the same size and shapes, planed to within microns of being the same in shape and angles. Yet, the four people assembling them ended up with slight variations in the finished product, and the angles of the corners are all slightly different one from another. Go figure!<br />
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The advantage of the stick frame build is it's lightweight, and you can easily run wiring through the walls or along the walls. The disadvantages are the irregularities you can get with assembly.<br />
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I have also done some construction with the paper-backed foamcore material. This material usually comes in quarter inch thickness. I have found two problems with it. One is that it tends to warp pretty easily. Add wall-paper to it, and as the paper and glue dry, the foam can become distorted.<br />
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I also find it a bit flimsy. It just doesn't seem like a product that will hold up for an extended number of years. If you don't intend on keeping your miniature creation for an extended period of time, then maybe it would be okay for your project. I plan to burden my kids and maybe even my grandchildren with my creations. ;o) So, when I build my pieces, I want them to be durable.<br />
<br />
The most stable, light-weight and easy to work with material is the Gatorfoam. An added bonus to it is it's white. So, if you want white ceilings for your room, there's little or no painting that you need to do! The downside of the material is it's expensive, and not widely available. If you're okay with mail ordering, though, then you're probably good to go!<br />
<br />
I started building Pam's dollhouse over 30 years ago, and the house is still as structurally sound as it was when I put it together. The ceilings are still white. The foam core has not shrunk. I know this, because no gaps have emerged.<br />
<br />
You can't use screws or nails to put Gatorfoam together. I discovered, though, that a little glue and wooden pegs I made from dowels worked quite well. I used a pencil sharpener on the dowel pieces and then I used my X-acto knife to cut gill-like edges along the sides of the pegs. The sharp pencil-like tips made it easy to push the peg into the Gatorfoam, and the gill-like edges helped keep the pegs from pulling back out. <br />
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Even though I've built three dollhouses now, I still want to build a computerized, animated, haunted house. When I do, I will most likely use Gatorfoam to build it. And I think if I do another room box, I'll use Gatorfoam for that project, too!<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-90164302278240180492010-11-15T22:03:00.000-06:002010-11-15T22:03:12.124-06:00Faux Marble Painting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4NhrBoNTV1OXxl5jbWARYkIWnLOeiOmddtkSUslhpVJLe7o2ZaY8AUnT3tWHLg5zFF0Ub3UJMTyzchEwg5IWj1IPhMw8p-88V_aycsR8ZO1FO4I0mOvXGJx8XcPaQsupzJccrn7sWRkT/s1600/fireplace+mantle+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4NhrBoNTV1OXxl5jbWARYkIWnLOeiOmddtkSUslhpVJLe7o2ZaY8AUnT3tWHLg5zFF0Ub3UJMTyzchEwg5IWj1IPhMw8p-88V_aycsR8ZO1FO4I0mOvXGJx8XcPaQsupzJccrn7sWRkT/s320/fireplace+mantle+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> One of nature's more astounding creations is metamorphic rock. Specifically, I'm thinking of the crystalline form of limestone that is hardened from heat and pressure into marble. Marble comes in so many different colors and it's crystal consistency varies so much - anything from swirls of color to dense points of color. And in almost every case, it's beautiful! It's also one of the more fun things a miniaturist can create for a dollhouse or roombox. <br />
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On the left is the faux marble fireplace I made a few years ago. In today's blog, I'm going to share the techniques for how to paint faux marble.<br />
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<b>Step One: </b>Sand your wood until it is smooth. Then paint the wood with a white paint such as gesso, Kilz or Zinsser Bin primer sealer. (I prefer Bin, since it is alcohol based and doesn't raise the grain of the wood like water-based paints can.) Sand the white paint until it is smooth. If any wood shows through, add a second coat of paint and sand it smooth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GoYkE9eeI5Gyu0PKgfMYJnqS3YbzorvM9GbtyalDOU2daME2YQUvUgwn6fht4H4Q8Au0awYAafgB7a29GJwXjn1qlzAErahH0lQw8uKQMolbwikzb6tK8gWc4QfksmsmSFNHnM0xY4Pe/s1600/PB141777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GoYkE9eeI5Gyu0PKgfMYJnqS3YbzorvM9GbtyalDOU2daME2YQUvUgwn6fht4H4Q8Au0awYAafgB7a29GJwXjn1qlzAErahH0lQw8uKQMolbwikzb6tK8gWc4QfksmsmSFNHnM0xY4Pe/s200/PB141777.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><b>Step Two: </b>Decide on the color you want your marble to be. Green? Teal? White or cream? Or some other coloration? I use mostly Ceramcoat hobby paints. It's not that those are my favorite paints, it's just that the hobby store near me carries a wide assortment of colors in that brand.<br />
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The teal-colored marble at left was created using the following palette of colors:<br />
<ul><li>Med. Victorian Teal</li>
<li>Cape Cod (blue)</li>
<li>Metalic Gunmetal Gray (Folk Art brand)</li>
<li>Blue Velvet</li>
<li>Dark Burnt Umber</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1cmRocAQqwLc-EV88TnNVfcB6UYwaJpks5nsjVNNyRX9tZSCpUw5tIttM18f05S-2Lw6O0ygnLAVSORm7QQUuIx4-YDz9ShTUXyw6gOmDl0F-cW8xn0lQYlrFIeuD8ajPTQ6ecdraxJH/s1600/PB141778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1cmRocAQqwLc-EV88TnNVfcB6UYwaJpks5nsjVNNyRX9tZSCpUw5tIttM18f05S-2Lw6O0ygnLAVSORm7QQUuIx4-YDz9ShTUXyw6gOmDl0F-cW8xn0lQYlrFIeuD8ajPTQ6ecdraxJH/s200/PB141778.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> The beige and rose sample at left contains these colors:<br />
<ul><li>Fleshtone</li>
<li>Georgia Clay</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
<li>Sandstone</li>
<li>Heritage Brick (Americana Brand)</li>
<li>Blacksmith Black (Folk Art Antiquing)</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzsuVoufjiZd0bfgVq35XRXzT2Qox0_tyXpgrNEbCBCX6y_mMYS0duvZhzAGJ4-KEX6tk481cJNBYth0_HzUaLxKqkKcP2DCo0SjRUbA_gfspFUZ4lN7RAFpzPLWP1G5r_OGONZPgbSVl/s1600/PB141779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzsuVoufjiZd0bfgVq35XRXzT2Qox0_tyXpgrNEbCBCX6y_mMYS0duvZhzAGJ4-KEX6tk481cJNBYth0_HzUaLxKqkKcP2DCo0SjRUbA_gfspFUZ4lN7RAFpzPLWP1G5r_OGONZPgbSVl/s200/PB141779.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> This green marble was made with these colors:<br />
<ul><li>Dark Forest Green</li>
<li>Blue Velvet</li>
<li>Mudstone</li>
<li>Burnt Umber</li>
</ul><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXlp7I2qkASzxSueGp_1GrU86T4agxR5bnTKGJGs9lTC9sNBj3xo4nKxMxTf967fBGXzjKvMKpnH08WhcOVXzVBee6DFjwF2y8icUoapg-zdDcMOzS3phFWBYt2yxS75fyI_oZCKPZsHU/s1600/PB141776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXlp7I2qkASzxSueGp_1GrU86T4agxR5bnTKGJGs9lTC9sNBj3xo4nKxMxTf967fBGXzjKvMKpnH08WhcOVXzVBee6DFjwF2y8icUoapg-zdDcMOzS3phFWBYt2yxS75fyI_oZCKPZsHU/s200/PB141776.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>And this one was made with these colors:<br />
<ul><li>Old Parchment</li>
<li>Dark Burnt Umber</li>
<li>Lt Ivory</li>
<li>Burnt Orange (Americana brand)</li>
</ul>If I would have had another light brown or taupe color in my drawer, I think I would have added that to this one. (I'm not thoroughly satisfied how this one turned out.<br />
<br />
So... now that you know the color schemes, here's what else you'll need:<br />
<ul><li>a very tiny paint brush</li>
<li>a broad, chisel point paint brush (between 1/2 and 1 inch wide)</li>
<li>natural sponge</li>
<li>a cup of water</li>
<li>facial tissues, paper towel or toilet paper</li>
<li>a stiff paint brush</li>
</ul>Below, you can see my first step with the green marble. I put some of my green paint onto some wax paper, then I dipped my half-inch brush into the water and then dabbed it into the green paint. I then <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zUMwdJWvHp-ca1KJyOfiyRF3Ef8la_cddLuLLbSViVtumLSZ5RGRf-nWtXuDhyesBLljJVyH5sfkhXPc5aJtNh2f1flu-2BbInYtOeZb7Rzag1_UwaDaaYaZBjeW2CuCwMmSWEBTyNkv/s1600/PB141765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zUMwdJWvHp-ca1KJyOfiyRF3Ef8la_cddLuLLbSViVtumLSZ5RGRf-nWtXuDhyesBLljJVyH5sfkhXPc5aJtNh2f1flu-2BbInYtOeZb7Rzag1_UwaDaaYaZBjeW2CuCwMmSWEBTyNkv/s200/PB141765.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> unloaded some of the paint onto a piece of newspaper so that the brush was slightly less loaded with the paint. I then swished the brush across the boar. (Sorry for the slightly out of focus shot here.) As you can see, it was fairly intense in color. In fact, too intense for my first layer of paint. So, I immediately dabbed at it with a tissue, and thus the color became less opaque.<br />
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The photo below and to the right shows how the color looked after I dabbed at it with the tissue. I continued to make dry brush marks onto the wood. I probably should have been more cautious to make sure that my strokes weren't all <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdAYNfQ4WR6RUE1lmNhMtCBBFTTqK3nQwd2xfZTY6WDHe3dBVFRXceQC8Ln-aPfOZHnVLXX2e8jeC3a5PDq1I0rO2FX4OIDZlPBLtKau8WY_MfiZjrZncLnTsmOuHqbFt3vqq0u7M_cs1/s1600/PB141766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdAYNfQ4WR6RUE1lmNhMtCBBFTTqK3nQwd2xfZTY6WDHe3dBVFRXceQC8Ln-aPfOZHnVLXX2e8jeC3a5PDq1I0rO2FX4OIDZlPBLtKau8WY_MfiZjrZncLnTsmOuHqbFt3vqq0u7M_cs1/s320/PB141766.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>vertical. As you can see here, there was a strong directionality to my strokes. The beauty of real marble is its randomness. So, make sure to be random with your paint strokes!<br />
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You can see in the photo at right that there's a second color beginning to appear. That was the dark blue color mixed with a hint of the green.<br />
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Next, I squeezed some of the mudstone colored paint onto the newsprint and spread it out so that it wasn't a thick blob. Then I took a small piece of natural sponge and dabbed it into the mudstone paint. Then I gently blotted the grey paint over the green. I did the same with some of the green paint, and I did a small amount of this with some of the blue (watered down). <br />
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Notice how I left some of the white <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVZoz36nqK14l-qfnaD24aMJ3PeFGclvj9QPEP91V4IHioOYjRIOl8iwaykvxSaJ1bW7ZP4r3vu7aBCVMTkoeePoqDoc-mBRrkq35Hx1rzSqfqGDYak2zKrlfG5qi-UGton2I3ifVmo91/s1600/PB141767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxVZoz36nqK14l-qfnaD24aMJ3PeFGclvj9QPEP91V4IHioOYjRIOl8iwaykvxSaJ1bW7ZP4r3vu7aBCVMTkoeePoqDoc-mBRrkq35Hx1rzSqfqGDYak2zKrlfG5qi-UGton2I3ifVmo91/s320/PB141767.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>peeking through the colors. If at all possible, you want to make sure that you don't totally cover over all of the white. This adds to the luminescence of your marble slab and makes it look more real.<br />
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The next step is to take a dark color such as black or dark umber and create tiny blobs of the darkness on your piece. You can do this with a the stiff paint brush. Get a little paint on the brush and then tap it on a sheet of paper until most of the paint is gone, then tap it onto your painting surface. If you get a large blog anywhere, immediately dab at it with a tissue. If that doesn't soften the color enough, moisten a tissue or a piece of paper towel and dab at the spot with the moistened tissue. Another way to get tiny dots is to take an old paint brush, dab it into the dark paint, and then flick your finger across the bristles so that the bristles flick dots of paint everywhere. (Make sure you're not doing this on your most prized antique dining room table!) It's messy, but it you don't get too much paint on the toothbrush, you can get a very nice, random effect this way.<br />
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If you want to tone down the piece, you can add a light wash of one of your dominant colors. Again, try not to paint the entire surface - swish the watered down paint across portions of your marble. Then dab at it with your tissue to keep the tone more subtle. <br />
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Finally, you need to create the fissures in the rock. That's where you use a very fine brush and use the black, burnt umber or other dark color and add the most delicate lines you can muster with this brush. These lines need to be random. Some connect. Some go a little ways and then take a sharp angle in another direction. This adds another interesting dimension to the painting.<br />
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And there you have it! Let the paint dry. Then cover it over with a couple coats of clear sealer to give the paint a deeper luster. With a modest amount of practice, you'll be able to paint a piece of marble that you can be proud of! Have fun with it, and don't be afraid to play with multiple colors!<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-60115366378347217252010-09-25T09:52:00.001-05:002010-10-29T16:08:53.719-05:00Making Solid Furniture Pieces There are two basic lines of thought with miniature furniture making. One line of thought is to make the piece virtually the same way as a full-sized piece is made. If the full-sized piece has working drawers, then the miniature has them, too. If the real one has padded cloth seats, then the replica does, too. <br />
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The other line of thought is, "If the people who view the piece will not be able to pick up or touch the item, does it really need to be such an exacting replica?" I have created a variety of miniatures and have used both philosophies.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMlbyXJGAzgkABCpbgh9VthIw1eLIsaKYEP6CkLtsmYcZjtI9J1lUiSxrtexyL5gMwamhjaJapm7F8soXhf2WII200LeUaCH8gVfsibfjX_GNB-KRfgHVv08baXecVR-ZT2ELH84ndgRg/s1600/shoeshine_chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMlbyXJGAzgkABCpbgh9VthIw1eLIsaKYEP6CkLtsmYcZjtI9J1lUiSxrtexyL5gMwamhjaJapm7F8soXhf2WII200LeUaCH8gVfsibfjX_GNB-KRfgHVv08baXecVR-ZT2ELH84ndgRg/s400/shoeshine_chair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Right now, I'm building the shoeshine stand and chair for my barbershop. The picture at left is my working drawing that I did in PowerPoint. In real life, it would be a heavy piece; probably constructed out of oak. It reminds me a lot of the minister's chair that was in the church where I grew up. <br />
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I plan to sit my barber doll in this chair, reading a newspaper or a hunting magazine. The main thing is that the seat and back of the chair will mostly be obscured by my little barber. So, do I need to put real padding and leather on the chair? I don't think so. I currently plan to make the black leather parts out of wood. I'll seal it; then paint it. I may even grind in some indentation into the "leather" so that my barber sits more comfortably (that way he won't tip over too easily). I most likely will glue him to the seat anyway!<br />
I also plan to make the drawer in the bottom fake. It won't be open and doesn't need to open; so, I will glue a piece of wood to the base to represent the drawer front. I'll add some knobs to this (small <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5mRnE4Nko2lUY0x1dvpf9js2c_3GOyc3WKBp0VoDt3X98uLYgWV2ijxrDDui-XaMCCrYnpu7Dr_YSVmV_3KCX3SGKdfGZF5yVcRHfnB2CJszjr4vfFPL_yNvAOA68-gBNdo_HIu59QtN/s1600/PB150121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5mRnE4Nko2lUY0x1dvpf9js2c_3GOyc3WKBp0VoDt3X98uLYgWV2ijxrDDui-XaMCCrYnpu7Dr_YSVmV_3KCX3SGKdfGZF5yVcRHfnB2CJszjr4vfFPL_yNvAOA68-gBNdo_HIu59QtN/s320/PB150121.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>brads), and call it good. I did this with the dresser in the maid's room in Sara's dollhouse. It turned out okay. (You can see it in the background on the right side of the picture.)<br />
The nice thing about making a solid miniature piece is how quickly it goes together. Also, because it is not nearly as delicate, it holds up for a good long while.<br />
It's a good argument for making any furniture a child might play with in a dollhouse. Skip the fancy working drawers and delicate furniture. Make something the kids can accidentally step on without smashing it! And if they do break it, (a) you, the builder, aren't devastated that all your beautiful work has been wasted and (b) you can make a replacement piece in a heartbeat!<br />
I'll share the finished piece with you when it's done.<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-75171052359471668292010-09-11T11:37:00.002-05:002010-09-11T11:45:19.594-05:00How to Make Routed Moldings Using the Dremel Tool<div class="MsoNormal">Sorry about my absence, friends. It’s been an incredibly busy summer and start of school. Plus, I’ve had a bout of writer’s block! The full-scale projects for my daughters are coming along nicely, though. The deck is nearing completion at my one daughter's house as is the bathroom/walk-in closet at the other daughter's home. So, now I can begin to think small again...</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today I'm going to discuss how to use the Dremel router table. I use my Dremel tool and various router bits to make an endless array of moldings for my miniatures, including baseboards. One of the frustrations that I have encountered when running long, thin pieces of wood across the router is that sometimes I press down too hard or too lightly as the wood goes over and past the router blade. As a result, I can get cupping or little dips or waves in what should be one continuous indentation the length of the wood strip.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Through trial and error, I have developed the following approach to help reduce this problem. Here are the steps I take to get better routing performance:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVhs8o4XiK0znRnljeXCXGrwAKo80oY2K33y849U_CwP7wjet7OMhaipltMGUCaF48fWykEwqTxOTS22lpL9QeyGus_-A_pJhft77A1IzGgxy_5opMjIV8Hz_NZdA7hBmrH7F9OayquBO/s1600/blogsep11+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVhs8o4XiK0znRnljeXCXGrwAKo80oY2K33y849U_CwP7wjet7OMhaipltMGUCaF48fWykEwqTxOTS22lpL9QeyGus_-A_pJhft77A1IzGgxy_5opMjIV8Hz_NZdA7hBmrH7F9OayquBO/s200/blogsep11+002.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Step 1: Take a piece of wood that is at least 1/8" thicker than the piece of wood you plan to route. It doesn't need to be particularly wide. As you can see by my example, it can be a little over an inch wide and about four to six inches in length. I prefer to cut this piece of wood at a slight angle, as shown in the picture at left. This will become your "hold-down" piece that will help you keep a more even pressure on the routed board as it goes past the router bit.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PezUMtq-HFRFlxwWmBmkvDiE8M_RpniiZ6iIPwctgeZu4pi-UV-GU6TrcAaPfDlY4Ky6j93eykmisncqyHZhlfuCXm6LXbuCgQg2y8g6eUQpWRoUCg4hSDQRqCwFTJcl16W-4lKwRP46/s1600/cuofcut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PezUMtq-HFRFlxwWmBmkvDiE8M_RpniiZ6iIPwctgeZu4pi-UV-GU6TrcAaPfDlY4Ky6j93eykmisncqyHZhlfuCXm6LXbuCgQg2y8g6eUQpWRoUCg4hSDQRqCwFTJcl16W-4lKwRP46/s200/cuofcut.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Step 2: After you have cut your hold-down piece, lower your blade until it is at the same height or slightly lower than the thickness of the piece of wood that you will be routing (see picture at right). If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you'll notice that the blade is as much as 1/32" lower than the top edge of the wood strip that I will route. For this step, always make sure the blade <i><b>does </b><b>not extend above</b> </i>the piece of stripwood.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYBvvIknitTSZJVutiZjYF-OpweXTOEEu15y8mnvfoq-EZ0TmDKeb_5197-tm3Jhkv-DMQ9Wg4njN1wI5x65CSdYOeDOZjVrKuUjsdUo1ytMU_-ARGA77SSKDx2tmJGqZ8ccGCh1xEeXP/s1600/blogsep11+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYBvvIknitTSZJVutiZjYF-OpweXTOEEu15y8mnvfoq-EZ0TmDKeb_5197-tm3Jhkv-DMQ9Wg4njN1wI5x65CSdYOeDOZjVrKuUjsdUo1ytMU_-ARGA77SSKDx2tmJGqZ8ccGCh1xEeXP/s320/blogsep11+011.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Step 3: Take your hold-down board and make a number of passes across your table saw blade so that you slowly nibble away the wood. You can see in the example at left, as the saw blade cuts through the bottom portion of the hold-down piece, it creates a shoulder on the hold-down board. Continue to cut your hold-down piece until the stripwood <i>almost</i> is the depth of the cuts. When you put the hold-down board on top of the stripwood, you should be able to see about 1/64" of the stripwood still protruding above the hold-down. (See picture below for example.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOMSZ6D7DlP-RqbJEPI-gF4-hFJGRAxleyaplGdjgS8aEBMEkUkFWPQJY73FdE2oyr51yh7SYNAoe66EYAtlaGI12HlbkkRiwFaEMDlZYK-AzINCbM2-RoRwcpTkJONcwDfYgP0hyY0R9/s1600/blogsep11+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOMSZ6D7DlP-RqbJEPI-gF4-hFJGRAxleyaplGdjgS8aEBMEkUkFWPQJY73FdE2oyr51yh7SYNAoe66EYAtlaGI12HlbkkRiwFaEMDlZYK-AzINCbM2-RoRwcpTkJONcwDfYgP0hyY0R9/s320/blogsep11+012.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Step 4: Install the router bit in your Dremel tool and adjust the height to the approximate height you want to route. (Tip: I always cut extra pieces of wood so that I can run some test cuts past the Dremel bit to make sure I have set the bit at the right height and that the adjustable guide fence is in the right position.) I often set the blade and the fence ever so slightly less than what I ultimately will rout the wood. If I'm removing a lot of wood from the stripwood, I will cut perhaps half of the amount of wood that I plan to remove with the first pass across the router.<br />
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I do the rough cuts, running the wood past the bit a couple of times, then I sand the wood to remove burrs that pop up. See example photo below of wood with burrs on it. NOTE: If you attempt to rout too much of the wood at one time, the burrs can become large splinters, and no amount of sanding will correct for the gouge made in the wood from that large splintered spot. Take your time - make multiple passes, cutting a little at a time, and you'll be much happier with the final product! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7qu-41lU42W5KNDZ-hxNRRtMM0aWLFTeKNahipBJzTgCPSvpZVNmc2Z2BvOpN-ouR52U8P3fNoNCBP4WYkBKBxrZpor20TaM4sjlx8ifjTVfhUamGO3KN4xW2gPVQbatNoNLZHYeyvPH/s1600/blogsep11+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7qu-41lU42W5KNDZ-hxNRRtMM0aWLFTeKNahipBJzTgCPSvpZVNmc2Z2BvOpN-ouR52U8P3fNoNCBP4WYkBKBxrZpor20TaM4sjlx8ifjTVfhUamGO3KN4xW2gPVQbatNoNLZHYeyvPH/s320/blogsep11+023.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Step 5: Take the hold-down piece of wood and set it over the piece of stripwood. Then push the stripwood against the adjustable fence and press down on top of the hold-down wood. The picture below shows how I start a piece of wood. Once the stripwood begins to engage the router bit cutting blades, I slide the hold-down to where it is centered <b><i>over</i> <i>the cutting blade</i>.</b> Try to maintain consistent amount of pressure on the hold-down wood throughout the entire pass of the stripwood. When I get toward the end of the piece of wood, I often take a piece of scrap that is the same size as my stripwood and push the stripwood on through the router and past the hold-down area so that I cut the entire length of stripwood. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GvNOWHrDWPjfnKX_g83GisLPdK9rLEe0x-LJoO9jHvGn5WD2JpLmh00xe-j7hc78Oq4ZC2mQoSksusocwBVoQxTW2PSISRcAPPff46nR2tVKN3r4TeFMAuH70eVMLKmMRvn_20K4AwYz/s1600/blogsep11+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GvNOWHrDWPjfnKX_g83GisLPdK9rLEe0x-LJoO9jHvGn5WD2JpLmh00xe-j7hc78Oq4ZC2mQoSksusocwBVoQxTW2PSISRcAPPff46nR2tVKN3r4TeFMAuH70eVMLKmMRvn_20K4AwYz/s320/blogsep11+013.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Step 6: Once you have run the stripwood past the router bit, adjust to the final height and depth, gently sand the stripwood with a fine sandpaper, and then do your final pass on the router. When making this final pass, you should cut only a minute amount of wood. This final pass should actually help sharpen the edges and lines of your routed wood. Also, because it is removing so little wood, there is less likelihood of your getting burrs on the edge of the wood.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD0lDZOXgGqM3wukdw_bEGK98xea_LYSd9sYoVElil1plU_E5M6i4hvzJpIFyr-o9Tzqpuu6cZ6PAAzZEpKwkUGYnMtvvBvOR0sxqXKZcEam77PeLYgD0mR7qgNVBKVG9MMy4VbgAWY9B/s1600/blogsep11+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD0lDZOXgGqM3wukdw_bEGK98xea_LYSd9sYoVElil1plU_E5M6i4hvzJpIFyr-o9Tzqpuu6cZ6PAAzZEpKwkUGYnMtvvBvOR0sxqXKZcEam77PeLYgD0mR7qgNVBKVG9MMy4VbgAWY9B/s320/blogsep11+019.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">As you can see above, here is an example of wood routed with a ball-shaped cutter. The piece of stripwood was not perfectly flat between the 4 3/4" and 5" mark. As a result, the cut is slightly (and I mean <i>slightly!</i>) less deep than the rest of the piece of wood. To help prevent this from happening, always make sure you start with a piece of wood that has a consistent width and depth to it. Sand it or run it through your table saw as needed to make sure you have a good piece of stripwood to work with. <i><b>Remember</b></i>, whatever your router bit shape is, the shape you cut into the wood will be the opposite. A ball-shaped cutter produces a rounded indentation in the wood (as illustrated above). A cup-shaped cutter will round off the edge of your wood.<br />
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Happy routing! </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-48737528134881392522010-08-14T10:50:00.000-05:002010-08-14T10:50:47.604-05:00Filling Blemishes or Flaws in Your WoodSorry for not posting for so long. Every weekend since July 4, I have been out of town working on my daughters' home improvement projects! The deck is coming along - no more broken windows so far! And I actually fixed a crooked door frame unit on my other daughter's remodeling project; so I feel pretty happy with that accomplishment.<br />
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I just learned a new trick from <i>Woodworker's Journal </i>that may help you if you're working on a painted wood project where there is a wood knot or a flaw in your wood. (When you put paint over those types of blemishes, they almost always show through.) Here's the trick for filling and hiding that flaw:<br />
<ol><li>Sprinkle baking soda on to the flawed area. Then take a putty knife and smooth the baking soda across the flawed area. You'll see the low points fill with the white baking soda.</li>
<li>Push the excess baking soda aside, leaving the white residue on your wood.</li>
<li>Next, take some cyanoacrylate (CA) glue, and drip it onto the areas that show up as white on your piece of wood. It will darken the wood, but since you're going to paint over it, don't worry about that. Let the glue cure and harden.</li>
<li>Take some fine sandpaper and smooth the area to your satisfaction. Wipe off the sanding residue. You're now ready to paint, and the blemish from the wood knot won't show through!</li>
</ol>I'm sure you probably figured this out already, but if you intend to do a natural wood look, with stain and varnish, this is NOT a viable solution!<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-10413460347581972622010-07-19T22:34:00.000-05:002010-07-19T22:34:29.054-05:00Free Online Design Software<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfPGn7pnF9CzeQ3B5-SG9ZazV9GFpfG6s9EIgNj49VZGD5S2ju00mLdSpsigkBC9rvC8YyGpyr4YLE8E7ARrtnoOBT7YZ5lSASH2QtijD2472XMT80S-bHoJIsEwxIyRDZ2maCPTyo2Mw/s1600/sketchup+sample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfPGn7pnF9CzeQ3B5-SG9ZazV9GFpfG6s9EIgNj49VZGD5S2ju00mLdSpsigkBC9rvC8YyGpyr4YLE8E7ARrtnoOBT7YZ5lSASH2QtijD2472XMT80S-bHoJIsEwxIyRDZ2maCPTyo2Mw/s1600/sketchup+sample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfPGn7pnF9CzeQ3B5-SG9ZazV9GFpfG6s9EIgNj49VZGD5S2ju00mLdSpsigkBC9rvC8YyGpyr4YLE8E7ARrtnoOBT7YZ5lSASH2QtijD2472XMT80S-bHoJIsEwxIyRDZ2maCPTyo2Mw/s320/sketchup+sample.jpg" /></a></div>Tonight, I began to experiment with some new, three-dimensional software from Google called Sketch-Up. It's available FREE from Google. Working with this software is reminiscent of the first time I started to do something in PowerPoint.<br />
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I felt lost and a bit overwhelmed, but excited at the same time. It's just amazing what you can draw using this software - if you know what you're doing. You can "put a hole" through a solid object in no time at all. Create a square, click on the pull out icon, and suddenly you have a pillar or a box - whichever you need!<br />
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I hope to become proficient at using it, because it allows the user to see every angle, every side of a project - even the bottom of the object! What an interesting tool for drawing up dollhouse plans or for designing mini furniture! I hope I will someday say I feel as competent in using it as I do with using PowerPoint! That only comes with practice and experience, though. So, back to the (online) drawing board! See ya later!<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-34663528109279479412010-07-09T19:53:00.001-05:002010-07-09T19:53:40.550-05:00The Deck - Part Deux (Or Is it Doh!?)I was hoping you all would get a laugh out of my goofy demolition story. The saga of the deck just continues. Here is part two of "the project."<br />
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So, my daughter and I went to City hall and applied for the building permit. The chief inspector was there. He shook our hands. Took a very long look at each of us, and repeated our names a couple of times - as if preparing himself to be able to recognize our obituaries in the newspaper after we dug the postholes. He almost had a look on his face of "You poor fools. You have no idea what's in store for you!" But he kept his comment to himself.<br />
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Once I picked up the auger, I realized that in spite of her can do/never say die attitude, there was no way my tiny little daughter and I were going to be able to handle that auger. So, I prepped the holes - dug all six of them about 18 inches to 2 feet deep. All my son-in-law and I had to do was to plop the auger in the hole and dig down another 18 to 24 inches. Piece of cake! Right?!?<br />
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...or not. We got the auger started and it dug like crazy. It pulled itself into the earth like there was no tomorrow. Then we tried to lift it out. Uh, I said LIFT. Um, no go. I said, LIFT!!! Nothing happened. The auger had dug itself into the earth, and it seemed like there was little or no chance of our freeing it from its self-dug grave. But the devilish thing cost me $90 to rent, and I knew I had to get it back to the rental store. So, my son-in-law got out a tiny plastic trowel, and we took turns reaching into the hole and digging out what seemed like tiny spoonfuls of dirt. We eventually got down to the auger blade, and once we did, it was <i>somewhat</i> easier to pull it out of the hole. When we got it fully extracted, with its extension still on it, I realized that the handlebars were nearly up to my armpits.<br />
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By this point, both my son-in-law and I were tired, but we rested up and got ready to take a stab at digging posthole #2. Then the digger wouldn't start. We pulled. We adjusted the choke. We pulled and pulled again. Nada! Zip. Not even a burp out of the stupid machine. By this point, my arms were already aching and my son-in-laws back was, too. We agreed we'll try a smaller machine and dig down from there to the official 42" frost level. So, tomorrow is another day. Maybe we'll get this deck built. Miniatures are looking better and better every moment as we go further into the holes!!!<br />
:o)<br />
Geo.<div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-47078207018916053922010-07-09T09:20:00.000-05:002010-07-09T09:20:02.015-05:00Why I Like Working in Miniature So MuchFair warning... this is not your usual blog from me...<br />
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I am reminded today WHY I like working in miniature so much. I'm about to build a deck with my daughter at her house.<br />
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Yesterday, I tore down the old back porch from her house. The wood was quite weathered, and many of the screws were hard to remove. I finally took my power saw and started cutting. What I couldn't tear apart with the saw, a sledge hammer managed the rest. I was down to the last upright post, which was hanging on by a few strands of wood. So, I took my sledge hammer and gave it a whack! That did it! The 8 foot tall 4x4 careened over to its side -- right into my daughter's 3' x7' plate glass window! They tell me it will cost a little over $400 to fix it....<br />
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Next, I called the rental supply to line up a power post-hole digger (an auger). The guy at the rental place said, "It works best with these power augers for the two people running it to be the same size." (I'm 6'4". My daughter is 5'2".) "Otherwise," he said, "the shorter person really takes the brunt of the lifting and running of the digger." My daughter is all of about 110 lbs. I'm a string-bean, too. The auger weighs 80 lbs. This could be a very interesting day.<br />
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So, here's my list of why I like building miniatures as opposed to full-size stuff...as if I <i>really</i> need to tell you, dear readers!<br />
<ul><li>No building permits required. </li>
<li>No heavy lifting (unless you have to move a dollhouse...)</li>
<li>No power drills to maintain and charge.</li>
<li>No blisters.</li>
<li>No heavy-duty sweating. </li>
<li>No mud on your shoes after building a mini deck.</li>
<li>No sunburn or mosquito bites (unless you <i>really</i> want to work on your mini on your patio or deck). </li>
<li>The framing boards on a dollhouse deck weigh less than an ounce for each 12' length.</li>
<li>No back-ache (unless I bend over my minis at my workbench for extended hours at a time).</li>
<li>I would also include "no building inspectors", but I have to admit that if I build a mini, I usually want to show it off to others, and every time I do that, there are the critics and critical eyed people who give me their two cents worth about what is right or not right with my project!</li>
</ul><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3552903476379431639.post-74768406529214672442010-06-29T16:03:00.000-05:002010-06-29T16:03:57.663-05:00More Details on Making Your Cabriole Legs<span style="font-size: large;">The old saying is that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, in still pictures, here are the steps for creating the cabriole leg. I promise, this is the last that I'll write on this, unless someone presses me for more details! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpj3bn07BUterEJ2lU_ncO2Rsbk-YqjTiL3WTdanQhxwoDvdFljetOmsqCMEJnnlHc8VIfJX5OpnNpmRMq1QcBJbDQrc0i9xg2SJUQGGtJJ0jLqDEN3KLIa5j1995PuHcC3PWtrpPUKa2/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpj3bn07BUterEJ2lU_ncO2Rsbk-YqjTiL3WTdanQhxwoDvdFljetOmsqCMEJnnlHc8VIfJX5OpnNpmRMq1QcBJbDQrc0i9xg2SJUQGGtJJ0jLqDEN3KLIa5j1995PuHcC3PWtrpPUKa2/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Step one: Cut your wood to a length that is slightly longer than the cabriole leg. (See photo at lef.) As you can see, there is a little white space above and below the table leg drawing.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboFK_edRta20VYXJpSh1aR5IAb0CkwBi6_NrKzAM2zmnKnAo0EELwMJcofR-uJvSwr4sm_M5FnPE69m5sa0k1hYWFd-RmOcbePZqnPohiF_bYtwuWNgUN-qKgtcmy6qTAGY3UIR9CX5Wi/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboFK_edRta20VYXJpSh1aR5IAb0CkwBi6_NrKzAM2zmnKnAo0EELwMJcofR-uJvSwr4sm_M5FnPE69m5sa0k1hYWFd-RmOcbePZqnPohiF_bYtwuWNgUN-qKgtcmy6qTAGY3UIR9CX5Wi/s320/2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Step two: Cut the leg blanks. I placed the piece of wood on its side against the saw blade and then pushed the fence up against the block of wood. This way, I know I'll be cutting a block of wood that is as wide as it is deep. The length, of course, will be as long as the table leg blank.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9dMxNF5a-8XK3ShoBjgkT9R050nEen8rVptTJrIaOUH5JU-A9vozazclQVpn6HmNf8-wfBX7sbXTQTziyAgl1ztesjKhvAa8joN5l4KrC81K-H871x5ZO2cYKyaCeeKdvFgT7Pc9fEwj/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9dMxNF5a-8XK3ShoBjgkT9R050nEen8rVptTJrIaOUH5JU-A9vozazclQVpn6HmNf8-wfBX7sbXTQTziyAgl1ztesjKhvAa8joN5l4KrC81K-H871x5ZO2cYKyaCeeKdvFgT7Pc9fEwj/s320/3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You can see from this angle how I cut the blanks for the leg pieces. The cabriole leg I designed here is less that 3/4" wide. So I am able to cut all four table legs from a single piece of 1 x 4 wood.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIwZ5IuKcWvIoqDLQkFPiRTc5XEE1iS-j04TMy7MiIk1QETFaRIxU7n8By-Lokq4yGDqdiCwWVUApIKWNyJxVPI0nwD7mtD7YPNa5r3JOm8cUE2pxGSL9o_QVHDFg_GhN-J87RgJ8xR4S/s1600/a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIwZ5IuKcWvIoqDLQkFPiRTc5XEE1iS-j04TMy7MiIk1QETFaRIxU7n8By-Lokq4yGDqdiCwWVUApIKWNyJxVPI0nwD7mtD7YPNa5r3JOm8cUE2pxGSL9o_QVHDFg_GhN-J87RgJ8xR4S/s320/a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Step 3: Cut out the paper drawing of the cabriole leg. Fold the paper along the dotted line (see previous blog for photos of the cabriole leg drawings). Use any kind of craft glue or double-stick tape to apply the drawing to the sides of the table leg blank.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikl0Ytjnv7yUcFjH0FqT3t8EBolEl7NP7gUHlP9DOtqGZXwZ4eLGgAMEtOWfX-uEIkaUd-Nk-Eqnzo7dWuaxy7sZ8vkWrglZyAyptaKm_AT2AW0MidwP8d5DmA12og2f8YuuP_VtfNhlfT/s1600/P6291691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikl0Ytjnv7yUcFjH0FqT3t8EBolEl7NP7gUHlP9DOtqGZXwZ4eLGgAMEtOWfX-uEIkaUd-Nk-Eqnzo7dWuaxy7sZ8vkWrglZyAyptaKm_AT2AW0MidwP8d5DmA12og2f8YuuP_VtfNhlfT/s320/P6291691.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span> <span style="font-size: large;">In this photograph you can see that I glued the paper tightly to the blank. I did not leave any gaps between the fold and the wood. (If there are any gaps, the cutting process will not be accurate.)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdQIRJc7vE5Gqp1eSnpTxCjtk2UrJuGwdJErAqzs7AKWHngtWZQ1ns1cC5D9euMR1GSEIEgIoyw2FiW68LMnYYdEqbS4m6BvpFmka_sl36aK25CMvNeAQr5gtiU4rdyjzpby0UjLT4HQK/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdQIRJc7vE5Gqp1eSnpTxCjtk2UrJuGwdJErAqzs7AKWHngtWZQ1ns1cC5D9euMR1GSEIEgIoyw2FiW68LMnYYdEqbS4m6BvpFmka_sl36aK25CMvNeAQr5gtiU4rdyjzpby0UjLT4HQK/s320/5.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Step 4: Begin cutting the leg. In this illustration, you can see how I use a lighted, artist's magnifying glass with my table jigsaw. This makes it much easier for me to look at the piece and see exactly where I'm cutting. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Pm_w0uinabOIhlAyUKqChF3ogWqDKI8iU5eIeWdffXuGFn8BrjpxrmcXNtxKi8TejxnHbx1U83TTzLj0IHnB99TEysJCySD_KUiu4PLVggDng_KPgA-jjNpZqLE_LwVEK4h1ognD0Ggv/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Pm_w0uinabOIhlAyUKqChF3ogWqDKI8iU5eIeWdffXuGFn8BrjpxrmcXNtxKi8TejxnHbx1U83TTzLj0IHnB99TEysJCySD_KUiu4PLVggDng_KPgA-jjNpZqLE_LwVEK4h1ognD0Ggv/s320/6.JPG" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I began to saw the cabriole leg by cutting through the bottom of the blank, and continued up along one side of the leg. I make sure to stay on the outside edge of the black line. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHLd62FwElIrsdVsxLJXMZFf6232l2yBtSqvTKY2QVIxocHb7jRW84q_UargmcMUlt061LqLXPjYLhrVgumwXwv23JM1hh-uFb3F_9xnQzS1-fgZEl5tMz9s3zzcWMwnIe08gXePCE_al/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHLd62FwElIrsdVsxLJXMZFf6232l2yBtSqvTKY2QVIxocHb7jRW84q_UargmcMUlt061LqLXPjYLhrVgumwXwv23JM1hh-uFb3F_9xnQzS1-fgZEl5tMz9s3zzcWMwnIe08gXePCE_al/s320/7.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">When I got to the top of the leg, I continued to cut a little above the leg, then made a gentle curve over to the other side of the leg, and then cut down along the back side of the cabriole leg. I continued to cut all the way along that side until I cut through the bottom edge of the blank.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9p2VoaDW3h02-h-Y1pgQZFStGzIK66lZ6aafSnr11YdjGR8tzM-3k1gjZL4Kk97udji7YeEcbiUtmFWle060xPAQbT7X9q4lO5Hf87AafBcdbG-zBQq23co1CN1DEs7PxKXq8OyOWyoz/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9p2VoaDW3h02-h-Y1pgQZFStGzIK66lZ6aafSnr11YdjGR8tzM-3k1gjZL4Kk97udji7YeEcbiUtmFWle060xPAQbT7X9q4lO5Hf87AafBcdbG-zBQq23co1CN1DEs7PxKXq8OyOWyoz/s320/9.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">As you can see, when I finished this cut, the "leg" is loose within the blank. It could actually fall out, and it could wiggle as I cut the other side. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcnUKw9uc2zgLkAbgDms4u0qEZ_Sz5zzWmYBv_CBoLrQ1cnqzPTE50KESi7ZrB7_R0av-VZt_gPeeLuqrGQBocL19tkBXu0aBVqUubQVyEACFsKQ_gyt0pEAl6tI9Fqm9pPrd5WwuB4p1/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcnUKw9uc2zgLkAbgDms4u0qEZ_Sz5zzWmYBv_CBoLrQ1cnqzPTE50KESi7ZrB7_R0av-VZt_gPeeLuqrGQBocL19tkBXu0aBVqUubQVyEACFsKQ_gyt0pEAl6tI9Fqm9pPrd5WwuB4p1/s320/11.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Step 5: Put clear tape around the blank piece to prevent the leg from moving. This will help you to make a more accurate cut as turn the leg a quarter turn and make the same series of cuts on side two of the blank. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIdhFstizZnwz86r1MzGiNUiHLfHzZFI5uOMkqJ7v2rM8fVJoY3CMZ5wQMiwD3qkoSjN6YqMRIiujk_9qbQ8jsAb9wZqU3nJu3Os4JJfd7bEZsWrDOitsiAe06NDxzwsnQWioXrVORVKE/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIdhFstizZnwz86r1MzGiNUiHLfHzZFI5uOMkqJ7v2rM8fVJoY3CMZ5wQMiwD3qkoSjN6YqMRIiujk_9qbQ8jsAb9wZqU3nJu3Os4JJfd7bEZsWrDOitsiAe06NDxzwsnQWioXrVORVKE/s320/12.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">As you get to the end of the cut, be sure to hold down the piece of wood so that the wood doesn't rattle as you make the final cutting strokes on the piece. (Note my finger at the top of the table leg in the photo at left - the saw blade is at the bottom of this picture.)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7h4YAvAAnzxYOZPyUnFukBjuXliPBrzojQoeijgbl6-9DpeXFCd3MlXbhzWYrtoZ4msXevvK-od6KAxGKjDdRhhUVeDq1tJrM-x6gulZVtTH-KH7aOommhQFKr0lRneex_L60EzNHRVa/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7h4YAvAAnzxYOZPyUnFukBjuXliPBrzojQoeijgbl6-9DpeXFCd3MlXbhzWYrtoZ4msXevvK-od6KAxGKjDdRhhUVeDq1tJrM-x6gulZVtTH-KH7aOommhQFKr0lRneex_L60EzNHRVa/s320/13.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Step 6: If you have a table saw, I recommend cutting the bottom and top of the leg using this saw so that you get a precise, right-angle cut. If you don't have a table saw, take a try square, mark all the way across the piece of wood and slice the bottom and top edges of your table leg. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5454OBaSQbEAwldeHVqGMv67OahVpmFuomd4JBMI0B-HixWkjysSOGjmCROv1nLitYMshaulA3wnSupP25Wg-6F_JdrOBIeBgt08u_To4O6ZaUu9f7AhS97gk203unuzVEtdD7d0oc4VS/s1600/16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5454OBaSQbEAwldeHVqGMv67OahVpmFuomd4JBMI0B-HixWkjysSOGjmCROv1nLitYMshaulA3wnSupP25Wg-6F_JdrOBIeBgt08u_To4O6ZaUu9f7AhS97gk203unuzVEtdD7d0oc4VS/s320/16.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Step 7: Remove the waste from your table leg. You will have nine pieces of wood. Only one - the one in middle - is useable. The rest become scrapwood, unfortunately.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">At this point, you will have a roughly cut table leg. You'll need to sand it and perhaps carve it. I usually round the edge of the outside curved portion of the leg. I also use my Dremel tool to round the underside (back) of the leg. I try to leave the sides of the leg fairly "sharp." I will sand them to remove the raw cut marks, but generally, I prefer not to round their edges as much as the front and back. Find some examples of real cabriole legs and study them to see how the woodworker finished those pieces. That will give you a better sense of how to finish the cabriole legs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope this has been helpful for you. Have fun with your cutting<strike>!</strike></span><strike> </strike><div class="blogger-post-footer">All images and text in this blog are copyrighted by George Held.</div>George the Miniguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12043767173899822613noreply@blogger.com7