Brass to Brass: When I took a class, we glued the brass pieces together with super glue. The thinner the super glue, the better. However, the teacher did mention that you need to clean the brass using steel wool or sandpaper. Brass sometimes can have a coating on it that you need to remove. Also oils and tarnish can keep the glue from properly adhering too.

Trish in Sunnyvale, CA

Sharpening X-Acto Blades: My major reason for blade disposal is a broken tip. I also sharpen blades. One real cheap, but effective sharpener is the striker strip on a safety match book. I recently obtained a sharpener from Micro Mark that hold the blade at the correct angle. It works like a charm.

Dave

The Chopper: I have the Chopper. I believe the Chopper III is either the bigger one or the one you can use to cut multiple setting. I love mine. I compare it more to my X-Acto mitre box and an X-Acto knife. Since I work a lot in 144 scale, I actually use it to cut my furniture pieces, but it also work well in 1" scale to cut exact or duplicate sizes of trim, picture frames and I'm sure other things that you will come up with as you start using it. If you keep a fresh blade in it, it will also give you better cuts than you could make just using a regular X-Acto knife. I'm sure you got info with it, but the company also has a web site. www.NWSL.com (Okay, I just looked at my info. The Chopper III has a bigger work surface than mine). I also want to get the Duplicutter and the Bender as well. I think you will enjoy it once you start using it. You will find more uses for it than you originally think you will.

Peggy

Painting Checkerboards: Here's my cheapo folk-art version; not for exactamente-type persons:

Draw a line for the lower edge of your painted checks. Look at the ends of all your wood pieces until you find one that's the size square you want; just dip it in one color - say white, if you're doing black and white. Stagger those colors on the line, one up, one down. Then use another piece of wood and fill in the blanks with your second color. Just experiment on a piece of scrap wood or paper until you get the hang of it.

Works for me - and probably Joann Swanson, who probably invented it lol.

Wanna in El Paso

Checker board border: Making a checker board border could be easy with the use of a rubber stamp. Close to my heart sells, small scale checkerboard stamps. You could paint your back ground white or what ever colors you want, and then use your paint on the rubber stamp. If you do check into rubberstamps you need to keep in mind that you do not have to use the entire stamp, you can pick what you want on the stamp. One set in their catalog 4375 Alphabet frame set, has a checkerboard border with dots around the outer edge. Easily you could take your paint brush and just paint the checkerboard area. I am sure that any one you find that sells stamps would be more than happy to show you how to do that. (S120 Annie Quilt set also has a checkerboard, I have not looked into the other stamping catalogs that I have but I do know that they are out there)

Also in the catalog they carry 'texture' stamps, these would work great as table cloths, etc. Fabric stamping is easy and a lot of fun to do. Having a lot of fun putting my different hobbies together!

Theresa McCann

Making checkerboard designs;: Needed the 2 different colors of paint. Also painters masking tape. It is blue and when placed on an already painted surface it will not removethe paint when "lifted". So paint your base coat and let it dry thoroughly. then place the masking tape over the base coat. Apply the tape in strips that create a checkerboard effect and then paint over the open spaces and the tape. Neatness is not required nor is a steady hand. After all is dry remove the painter masking tape and you should have the checkerboard pattern

DrBob

Checkerboard painting: I haven't seen this tip so I'll submit it. Use a stencil, ie a piece of paper or plastic with square holes in a checkerboard pattern. I've made my own by cutting very carefully with an exacto-knife. I've also seen punches online that can cut that pattern, not sure about the size, though... You paint the piece in the lighter colour first (easier to cover with dark), let dry, put your stencil in place and dab darker paint all over with a blunt brush or a sponge. The paint has to be rather dry to keep it from running under the stencil.

Saga in Sweden

Painting on plastic, glass or even metal: I am new to miniatures but not new to painting and I thought that I would put a few tips "out there" for anyone interested. I use only acrylic paints (Delta, Apple, Plaid...) and I use them on everything! What I use is different primers for different surfaces. One thing I use a lot of is Acrylic top coat or finishes. Krylon makes a good one ineither matte of gloss finish. I use the matte finish for a primer on glass, pottery and even plaster. Spraying this on glass gives a frosted look and I have used that when designing glassware (display purposes only) I have also dabbled in painting metal lately. I buy plain old roof flashing from the local hardware store and just cut with regular scissors. In this case I use a primer made by Delta that is intended for glass but works quite well on metal. I use the delta glass paints on the metal too. This is new to me and I learned it from the Carol Duvall show on HGTV. It was a very interesting show and I used the "tin flowers" idea to make a room box out of those pesky metal tins that fruit cake comes in every year at Christmas. I just cannot bring myself to throw them away and now I have a use for them. Anyone interested in this idea go to HGTV.com and Find the Carol Duvall show episode CDS-429 for directions. Very useful idea for making many things besides flowers!

Vicki Reiter

Getting Paint to stick: I would like to suggest you use high- adhesion primer if your paint won't stick. It will even stick to plastic. I use it for everything, just to be sure. As far as I know, you can only get it at real paint stores, so you would have to get a liter minimum. But that liter will last just about a lifetime

Pat M, London, ON

Thatching: a few years back Nutshell/DHM had an article on using luffa sponge as thatch. Directions weren't very complex or extensive. Basically, buy a bunch of luffas at the dollar store, cut into strips, apply tacky glue to roof, and position luffa strips, pushing them tightly together to merge and disguise the "seams." Effect wasn't truly realistic thatching, but did have a nice rustic fantasy look. Can be spray or sponge painted afterward to increase the realism.

Loretta