Webpages: Ikea catalogs that are free http://www.ikea-usa.com/customer_service/order_catalog/order_catalogue.asp Hobby Lobby for those of us that don't live near one or we thought we didn't http://www.hobbylobby.com/ Fabrics online and to find the store closes to you http://www.joanns.com Miniature tools and a free catalog http://www.micromark.com/ To join other miniature groups online after you join then do a search for dollhouse miniature and then just miniature then just dollhouse to see how many groups are there you will be shocked.. http://groups.yahoo.com/ Arts and craft store and to see if you have one close by or order online http://www.michaels.com Another miniature webpage with some goodies http://miniatures.about.com/mbody.htm Bombay company http://www.bombayco.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/BombayCompany/home.d2w/report Hallmark company http://www.hallmark.com NAME; if you are looking for a club in your area this is the place to go look also if you don't have a group then start one, find your state and then find out who is your state rep is and email her or him and ask for advice also ask smallstuffers they are full of knowledge! :)) http://www.miniatures.org CIMTA http://www/cimta.org IGMA http://www.igma.org Associazione DollsHouse and Miniature Italiane http://web.tiscali.it/admi2000/ Miniaturists Trade Association (MinTA), UK http://www.minta.co.uk/ Minitaly - Associazione Italiana Miniaturisti http://www.minitaly.com/minitaly/associazione.htm Most all of the dollhouse miniature magazines i say most cause i don't know if this is all of them or not, you can be the judge it lists the American magazines and how to order them and as well the British magazines! and i see some other countries there too! also this link if you go to the home page lists almost anything and everything that you are looking for... http://www.imaginationmall.com/periodic.htm Hope this helps some of you!:) keep this handy tomorrow someone will ask you for a link LOL JenniferKY |
Real to scale measurement converter: Actually, no need to convert. Measure the "real" furniture with a "real" tape measure, yardstick, etc. Make a drawing and label the dimensions in true feet and inches. (There is NEVER a measurement of 18 inches. It is one foot - six inches) Now use a proper one inch "scale" which is simply a ruler with full inches (representing scale feet) twelfths on an inch (representing inches) and (usually) quarters of a twelfth (1/48) representing quarters, halves, and three quarters of a scale inch) If you use the most common "Architects' scale", there are full scale feet varying from 2 to 24 scale feet along most of the length. The "inch increments" are only at one end to the left or right of "zero". There are also metal scales available with scale inch divisions within every scale foot. Usually, these are full inch (1/12th) divisions with finer detail only in the first real inch (scale foot) For quick reference. 1/16" thick hobby woods are equivalent to 3/4 inch (modern one-by lumber) 1/8" thick hobby woods are equivalent to 1 1/2" (modern two-by lumber) 3/8" thick plywood would represent a wall 4 1/2" thick (IF actually 3/8 thick) (if you add 1/16" basswood siding to one side of 3/8 ply - your wall is scale 4 1/2" + 3/4" = 5 1/4 scale inches) 1/2" thick plywood represents scale 6 inch thick walls, floors, etc "single strength" (picture frame" glass is just over 1/16" (3/4 scale") thick AWG 14 (14 gauge) bare copper wire is just under 1/16" diameter The only question now is: How useful is all this in metric Netherlands? I tried doing a metric project once and simply ended up using pocket calculator with "divide by 12" and "multiply by 12" as programmable constants. I think I would be a maverick in Europe or Asia and simply model in one- tenth or one-twentieth. For what it is worth, there are vernier calipers available in the USA that measure 0 to 6 inches on the lower scale (in inches and decimals of an inch) and 0 to almost 15.5cm on the top scale. Simply set one and read the other for quick conversion to 3 decimal places. Example: 1/16" (measured) = .062" = 1.62mm Micro Mark has an economy version for U$ 10.00 on page 38 of current catalog For U$ 50, there is a digital model with push button conversion on page 66. I can't say for the Micro Mark offerings but my own Brown & Sharpe has a handy fraction-to-decimal conversion table (to 64ths) engraved on the back. The nice thing with vernier calipers is that you measure and convert with the same tool. NOW- - - -If someone would just offer a scale vernier caliper for 1/12th. It would have a middle scale: Decimals of an inch on the bottom, cm/mm on top and scale feet- inches in the middle We can dream can't we? B^))?> Mel K. |
Lumber Types: *Quarter sawn cherry is our wood of choice for most furniture because of its hardness, color and texture. We just purchased 10 boards rough sawn to 1 inch thick, 8-12 feet long and 4-6 inches wide. This will last over a year but we need to buy it when we see the good stuff! Besides, Pam egged me on. *American walnut has similar physical properties to cherry except the grain is more open, which is problematic in finishing. We have used it often in darker pieces. I have a pile of 1-1/2 inch low grade material that was used in the cutlery factory for handles. *Hard maple turns very well on the lathe. We have used it often for beds. I traded for short pieces from a local wood shop program. It doesn't take a stain as well as cherry and is harder to work. *I made a run of Stickley tables from quarter sawn white oak fumed in ammonia. *Red oak and white pine were both effective for flooring in room boxes we used to make. *Basswood and yellow poplar make good secondary wood for drawer interiors and the like. My stash came from the same school program. I gave them a flitch of red oak veneer and some sanding belts. *Holly and ebony veneer make great contrasting inlay or parquetry. Rosewood, padouk, bubinga, red heart, purple heart and teak make stunning small boxes and turned items as well as interesting inlay. In addition, I have a collection of pearwood, applewood, lacewood and a variety of exotic woods and veneers ready and waiting for future projects. In a moment of weakness I acquired a 10in x 12in x 2in thick plank of Obeechie and a similar sized piece of white oak from a boatbuilder who was retiring. No, I don't have any projects in mind. We never use balsa. We don't use birch because it is too unstable and has caused problems. That is same reason we don't use coffee stirrers or the like. They are usually rotary cut birch and cup terribly. We also stay clear of most softwoods because the grain contrast between winter and summer wood is too pronounced. On the other hand, birch toothpicks and imported dowels work fine. All of these species have been of great value to us. Pete Boorum |
Baking Mini Food: I second Kim's suggestion for smooth ceramic tiles for baking mini food and other clay items. Depending on your oven, many toaster ovens will easily take a 6" tile for larger/longer items. I also prefer the glazed tiles. I make twisted candy sticks and prefer cutting to length after baking. Get several in white and a couple of a dark color like green or blue. White and translucent Fimo shows up better on the dark tile. As you are cooking with one tile, get more food ready on the extras. Write your name on the bottom if you are going to a class where several use tiles. No mix ups with someone wanting your better looking strawberries! My favorite trick for baked "cookies" is to lay rolled out clay directly on the tile and then use the Kemper punches to cut cookies. Peel the excess away leaving the cookies undisturbed. If the baked clay "sticks" to the tile, you can pop it off with a fingernail or razor blade. You can also dust the surface with ordinary cornstarch. I quit using baby powder when I ruined some red cookies trying to get the baby powder off. Kathy in KY |
"Leather" chair: I tried my own version of what I remembered and it actually worked pretty well. I have a stash of 45 pieces of beautifully made House of Miniatures furniture that I purchased at ONE garage sale, all signed and dated by the man who made them almost 20 years ago. The blue fabric that came with some of the kits faded over the years. I had one little couch with a broken leg and wobbly arms, so I chose that one to experiment with. I took all the wood off and painted the fabric with several coats of acrylic. (Should have sealed it first -- it absorbed a lot of paint!) A couple of coats of satin polyacrylic sealer, and I got a pretty convincing result. I even pushed in the cushions in a couple of places to reflect years of little bottoms sitting there, and the wrinkles held, making it look like a lot of well-used leather furniture I've seen. I built a simple box platform for it and it looks "mid-century modern", though it started out Chippendale. Now I regret the caramel color I used and may be giving it several more coats of a different color. It's still fun. Rosalind in Houston |
Grand Piano Sizes: Petite Grand: Under 5 feet in length. Maureen in St. Albert AB Canada |
Computer viruses: I see so many remarks about viruses. I belong to a very informed computer group. They have told us Outlook Express is very vulnerable to viruses. Use a different mail program. Download Eudora or Incredimail from a download site. They have free version. Also use a good Antivirus such as AVG or Norton. I have a cable modem and I am ALWAYS connected. I have Zone Alarm and Norton's Internet Security with antivirus. I not only do not get viruses, if I use the preview pane in my mail program, Norton blocks any communication hidden in the e-mail that would go back to the sender. You can go to Norton site and check your computers for viruses and also go http://www.pcpitstop.com/ to check computer performance. I do much of my mini shopping and my husband's car part business on the net so I would be lost without the "puter". I know these programs work especially if you update them weekly. How would we talk if all our computers are down? :( Another good email (free) program is Pegasus Mail http://www.pmail.com Susan Robbins, Germansville, PA |
Sturdy Play Furniture: Aletha asked for ideas for sturdy mini furniture her nieces can play with: having 7 grandchildren who have been between 3 and 5 yrs old (youngest is 4 now) I can speak from experience: buy plastic. Think unbreakable, because unless you have highly unusual children with advanced motor skills, or can sit and watch them like hawks while they're playing, whatever can be broken WILL be broken. I buy plastic furniture at Kmart, Meijer's, Walmart, yard sales, etc. Save the good stuff for when they get older and can appreciate it. Right now they need to be able to PLAY. Paulette in IN |
Finishing Inexpensive wallpaper: Saw the note about wallpaper/paint for finishing rooms and a response saying most people wallpaper which is true. Also said wallpaper really isn't expensive which is debatable depending on the state of your pocketbook! :) At $2.50 per sheet retail and assuming you use three sheets per room so you don't have to do any piecing, that can add up if you're doing a house with 6 or 8 rooms. Anyway, I just wanted to suggest that you think about very tiny print "real" wallpaper that you can buy closeouts on usually for $1.00 per roll. But even better (cause you don't end up with 6 or 8 huge rolls of wallpaper when you're done) is looking at fabrics as wall coverings. The colors, prints, etc., are limitless and it is very inexpensive to use. If you your rooms have 8" high walls, you can buy a quarter of a yard (9") of a 36" or 44" wide fabric and have enough to do the entire room for just a dollar or two depending on the fabric you select. When I paper with fabric, I use double sided carpet tape on poster board panels and then glue the panels to the walls but there are various other methods also. Mary Lynne in Huntington, WV |
Sturdy Furniture: I have a store in Ont. and a web site http://www.ddsdollhouse.com/ When people come in to buy for children I recommend the name playstuff. It reminds me of the sturdy good quality wood toy cars and trains you can buy at better toy stores. If you go to my site look up CLA91100, 10410, 10415, and G2830N that is playstuff and you can buy it by the room. furniture like 10261 is like wood blocks covered in fabric with no small pieces to break off.They even have non-electric lamps with wood lamp shades, all one piece. I don't have all their pieces on my site but if any one is interested I will put in more pictures. I'm sure any store that you shop at can get it if you ask them. There is other 1/12" scale furniture on the market for children made of nice wood, but I find this to be the best quality for the price. (Try it! You'll like it!) lol Doris Davis |
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