pugdog
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Apr 26, 2007, 5:08 AM
Post #1 of 1
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Dollhouse Construction Techniques
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Dollhouse construction is the first step into the world of miniatures for many people. They purchase a kit, take it home, open it up and stare in disbelief at the many parts and pieces just waiting for a guiding hand. At this point, one of two emotions sets in. Excitement - that this is going to be their new house. Dismay - that this is beyond anything they feel they can do.
At this point, if the kit doesn't end up in the attic or at the bottom of a closet pending some "future" date of construction, a location will be chose to unpack the box, and look at all the "stuff" that came in it.
Once this exploratory phase wears off, what do you do next? What is the next step? What are the steps after that? Do you just start gluing? What glue should you use? What about paint? Do you paint before or after building? The questions are endless.
When I start out, I do several things. I have of course pretty much decided that I want to build this kit. But, on occasion, I have taken my tour through the box and changed my mind for one reason or another. Maybe I want to save it for a future date when I can modify it, or do "extra" work on it, that I am not in the current frame of mind to do at this time. But, barring that, I next check out the quality of the wood.
Wood quality varies greatly. The die cut kits usually have a very poor quality wood in a thin 1/8th size. One side is visibly much better than the other, although, at times, it can be hard to tell. The wood is often very friable, and is very splintered. There may be gaps, voids, cracks, and other defects. All this needs to be taken into account, and any missing/broken stuff replaced by the manufacturer (if they are still in business - and many are not!). If parts are not available, you will have to figure in the costs in time and materials to cut new parts. Hopefully, you can trace the broken part. But if it's missing, you may need to get creative.
The next step, and the step most people skip, or do not take the time to do properly, is FINISHING THE WOOD! This is the most important step of the whole process, since if it's not done right, your dollhouse will never finish properly and may deteriorate over [a short] time.
After that, you will need to decide what parts will be painted, papered or stained before assembly, and this can be a difficult decision for many people, especially first timers. Some parts, especially the trim, will look much better painted before assembly. The edges will be sharp and look much nicer.
Then comes actual construction, starting with dry fitting and testing the parts. At this point, last minute changes and fixes can be made.
Some wiring will be better if it's done before construction, especially running wire up a wall.
Then comes the final assembly, finishing touches, final wiring, and it's ready.
All these steps, starting with proper (and advanced) finishing will be discussed here, and on my DollhouseDiscussions website.
Preparation & Finishing the wood.
Repair or recutting defective or missing parts.
Considerations about painting before and/or after construction.
Pre-wiring, painting and papering.
Wiring Basics & Planning.
Dry-fitting and shell construction.
Building the house.
Finishing the house.
Wiring/Electrifying the house,
Moving in.
Long-term care issues will also be covered.
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