Inlay Strips: You may want to check out http://www.constantines.com for inlay strips. They have a pretty good variety of assembled veneer inlays. Free catalog also.

Brian

Parquet Flooring: I just completed a great parquet floor that turned out wonderfully. Here are some tips on making it easy.

1. First I glued 1/8 X 1/16 bass wood strips using glue on the bottom only so there was not any seepage onto the top, onto 11 X 17 1/8" graph paper in groups of four (this will give you mini size 6" squares when complete).
2. Then stain each set of four (I used Golden Oak) and let dry.
3. Using that handy X-Acto miter box, cut each length of 4 boards into 1/2"squares (Turn the strips upside down so that the graph paper is on top and it gives you easy 1/2" marks. Put all your mini parquet into a zip lock bag for use)
4. Cut another piece of graph paper the size of your finished floor. I marked out an area for the parquet, and a plain wood strip border around the perimeter of the room.
5. Glue the 1/2" squares onto the cut graph paper starting from the middle out. Use the graph lines to line up your pieces. Push them up tight close to each other to minimize gaps.
6. I glued a border of walnut stained board around the parquet and then finished with Golden Oak outside of that.
7. Fill any gaps with putty and then run a coat of Golden Oak stain over it all.
8. Apply final finish of your choice.

It came out absolutely lovely and I am very impressed with myself. I prefer the 1/2" squares to the 1" squares. It just looks finer.

Michael

Cutting plexi glass and Lucite: I found that by using the Plexiglas cutter on Lucite (1/4" thick) and making numerous score marks on both sides. (regrooving the same score mark many times) I was able to snap off the portion of Lucite that I needed. I originally tried sawing and it took a year and a day and made me perspire too much (in Florida that is easy)

Dr Bob

Slotted Houses: I have used the Dopesold in model shops to condition and strengthen these devils prior to cutting or working with them. This material is used to strengthen balsa in airplane models. Work in a WELL-VENTILATED area. If you don't, you'll quickly discover why it is called Dope. It will make you high as a kite and can cause permanent brain damage. I have been satisfied with the results. I use it on both sides of the scored material. It also helps to prevent warping and elements many of the splinters. I have sealed the area around the assembled slot with wood filler or spackle then used my Dremel to sand the area smooth. The result is very neat and gives a smooth surface. Though not the kit of my choice, I have found they are workable if you spend time prepping the material before you work with it. I would point out, however, that the expense of this prep work often negates the saving in purchasing a kit of this type

Becky Holliday

Cutting toothpicks: Made a new discovery. I cut some toothpicks out in the shop by rolling them under a razor blade, but the project I was working on was in the house. I grabbed up my cut toothpicks, and went to the kitchen with them. Found out they were a little too long. Of course I didn't want to run back out again. As luck would have it, my sister-in-law gave me a pair of toenail clippers for puppies, and of course they were on that jam packed kitchen table. So......I used them to cut one of the toothpicks. Works wonderful! They're super sharp, don't mash the toothpicks and much quicker than the old way.

Bonnie Lavish

Paper: I too have an obsession with paper. It started with Joann Swanson and her articles but went from there to what can I make from paper. So most my roomboxes and accessories are made from paper, foamcore, matboard and card stock. I do make sure that what I use is as acid free as I can get it. I even make tables from matboard and when I'm finished with them they look like wood. Only wood in them is the legs. The purpose is dual fold. It keeps the roomboxes very light and easy to hang, but it also is very satisfying to see the look on peoples faces when I tell them almost everything is made from paper. The last 3 boxes I've done have even amazed me.

Kathy in E. TN

Pre-staining shingles: I do prefer staining my shingles before putting them on as I glue too heavy and glue does not stain well. I used two plastic containers that I got at a dollar store, or you could use old ones around the house and a strainer. I put the stain in one container and then shingles, only enough to be covered by the stain. When the allotted time was up, I strained them into the second container. This means that I had shingles in the strainer and stain in the second container. I then put more shingles in the second container and dried the shingles in the strainer with paper towels and put them on wax paper to dry.You keep doing this until the amount of shingles that you want are done.

Isabel-CT

Staining shingles: When I wanted to stain the shingles for my house, I bought two of those inexpensive aluminum turkey-roasting pans at the grocery. I punched holes in the bottom of one to make a "colander" and set it inside the other. I then poured in the stain and a bunch of the shingles and stirred them around a bit. When they were stained to my liking, I simply lifted the inner pan out and let the stain drain into the bottom pan where it was ready for the next batch of shingles.I spread the shingles out on newspaper to dry (it was summer so I could do this all outside) and repeated the process until all the shingles were done. Hope this description is clear to whoever needed the help!

Chris in Minnesota

Staining Shingles: Just a thought about shingles, instead of buying light colored shingles and then staining here is a method for making your own and achieving a very nice finish. First find a timber with plenty of colour preferably hardwood a dark red Maranti or something similar will do. Cut it into strips about an 1/8 of an inch thick by about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide, the width can vary they don't need to be of uniform width. Take a good third of the strips and scorch with a blow torch on one side of the strip working down with scorch gap scorch gap to the bottom. Now mark all the strips on the side of the strip that is going to be glued to the roof. A line with a dark marker pen from top to bottom. Sand the unmarked face and the scorched face plus the two edges of the strip. If you have a disk sander this is perfect. Most of the scorching will now have sanded away leaving intermittent dark patches down the length of the strip. Cut your strips into the length you require for you shingles. lightly sand the cut edges and fix to your house. Apply one coat of matt varnish to seal the shingles. When dry with a blue green and yellow water colour paint put the color on the roof to make it look like algae or moss as much or as little as like. To save time dry with a hot air gun or hairdryer. Now finish it off with a dark furniture staining wax not beeswax or pine wax it needs to be good quality dark wax. This method really does give an effective finish. Try it on a bit of scrap wood first it helps in learning how to blend the paint Most of the houses at http://www.dolls-house.net have unpainted or stained shingles but one or two have it and will give you an idea whether or not you would want to try this method.

John

Tile Floor: making tile: My club once made tile by using a grout compound.We measured what size our floor needed to be and then cut out this pattern on a piece of cardboard. Posterboard would be fine.

Then we spread the compound out all over this board, trying to make it an even thickness about 1/16th" to 1/8". Then let set for awhile, time will vary due to humidity, but you want it to set up but not get completely hard.

Now draw your grout lines in the compound.An old pen or toothpick can be used as a tool here. Use a ruler to guide you so they are even. Remove any extra that the tool pulls up. Now let dry completely.

To color we used artist pastels. Experiment with different colors.You can give streaks and lines with the points of the pastels or just color all one color by rubbing with the side of the pastel. Now you can shake off any extra chalk. Try not to rub unless that is the effect you want.

Now spray with a fixative. A gloss is usually your preferring surface since this is tile. Let dry, you may want to recoat 1-2 more times drying between each coat.Once it is completely dry at least 12 if not 24 hours, fill in the grout lines with spackle or other grout like substance. Let dry and then lay in place.

This is a wonderful method IMHO that gives you a world of possibilities. You can go simple or complicated and not the headache of individual tiles. It also helps when trying to match a certain color wallpaper for instance.

Preble in GA

Sink: Just saw one in an old NN that appeared to be a Sucrets box (maybe) with a snap grommet for the drain hole. looked very good.

Leslie

Strip paper shingles: The quarter scale strip paper shingles are great, too. I painted them with my window trim color, then sponged on a cream color very lightly - aged them nicely.

Carole Pierce in TN

Foam Boards: I've been using the foam insulation boards for quite a while (instead of foam core) and just love the stuff! You'll find its easier to cut and shape, and sheds less than foam core. To the question of how to get PaperClay to stick......try Modge Podge. Just brush on a thin layer of modge podge, then apply the PaperClay and mold/sculpt away! I've used it several time for various projects, and it works well. Hope this helps!

Sloan

Reducing wood thickness: To those interested, The thickness of wood can be accurately reduced by a method I have been using for some time now. Try to understand the following;

NEEDED;

The wood to be reduced in thickness etc.

A Dremel drill press

A Dremel rotary tool to fit into the drill press.

Sanding drums of various grits to go into the Dremel rotary tool.

Small "C" clamp

From a piece of wood that has a 'true side," grind out (using the sanding drums) a half circle on the "true side".

With the "C" clamp place the wood with the cut out on to the base of the drill press so that when the Dremel rotary tool is lowered the drum that has been inserted into the chuck will nest into the cutout.

CONCEPT:

The more of the drum that is nested in the cutout will have less of its surface protruding past the "true side" of the jig. That is what this piece of wood with the cutout is now called. Therefore by moving the jig so that more or less of the sanding drum surface is protruding past the cutout allows me (you)to adjust how much wood you will remove from the stock you pass along the "true side" and pass it in front of the rotating sanding drum. The sanding drum can be replaced with a router bit and the drill press can be used as a router/shaper in this configuration.

DrBob...Delray Beach, Fl

Nailing MDF:I have made several room boxes etc.. from MDF and have never had a problem with it splitting.   The method I use is to drill then nail using thin panel pins (3/4mm diameter, 2cm long roughly)  I drill and nail at approximately 2 inch intervals, knock the end of the nail in and fill over the top to make a flat surface if required.  I also tend to glue with wood glue (PVA) as well in order to add extra stability and fill any little gaps.

Natalie

I work with a lot of MDF,   get free pieces from local cabinet shop. I drill holes with a small bit, then one the diameter of the center of the screws.   I also use a counter sink to make a funnel shape for the screw head. I use what we have here that is called drywall screws,   they have a wider spaced thread.   I did split some of my starting projects at first until I figured out to make the holes for the screws just a little smaller than the screw.   I have made lots of cabinets and drawers for my workshop. An MDF box, with a cabinet handle and 4 casters does just fine under my workbenches.

Rhoda in Sunny Whidbey Island

Archival   cardboard: This is the first time I've posted, but I actually have something to add.   I am a fine artist and there are all kinds of great thin cardboard-type products that are acid free, archival quality, and pretty durable.   The first would be matt board, which you can get in pretty big sizes at artist supply stores and places like Michaels, as well as framing stores.   It comes in a variety of colors, so you could pick one that complemented your decorating scheme, and save yourself the trouble of painting.     Another idea would be illustration board, which has a really nice tooth (texture), can be painted or glued on without warping, really nice stuff.  Both are strong enough to glue trim to and are easily cut with a mat cutter (also available in artist supply stores).

Rigel Wood, Cincinnati, Oh

Log Cabin: We had a real life log cabin and to make it more rustic we singed it with a propane torch before we oiled it.   Which is what I would do in miniature.   If you have access to one of those butane fireplace starters it would be perfect to "toast" the wood some.   Barring that, I would try a light brown watercolor or acrylic wash on the logs and then seal with Tung oil.

Renee Kutcher

Small grommets (1/16") : Get thee to a hobby shop and purchase some brass tubing (any tubing for that matter) with the inside diameter that you want. Cut off what you require and flare the end(s) and there you are.

DrBob....Delray Beach, FL

Tubing bender: Micro-Mark carries a mini tubing bender that should be just what you are looking for.   Check their catalog on line for this item.   Their web   site is http://www.micromark.com

Spencer