Screw Eyes: All you need is the fine brass wire that most craft places sell. 28 gauge would be good, or even 30, if you want really small 'screws'. Cut the wire into 1-1/2" or so pieces, fold in half over a thin rod, (this will establish the diameter of the 'eye') and then spread the two tails and start turning the rod, to twist the two ends. After a number of turns, you'll have a nice 'threaded' stem, and the two tails sticking out, trim them off to the length 'screw' you wanted, and you've got a tiny screw eye. I make them to hold the stair rods for the stair runners I weave, and if the drilled hole is just right, they really do 'screw' into the wood. I use 1/16" brass rod, available from some mini stores and most train stores, but anything from the tip of some ball point pen tips, or the tapered end of a toothpick would do. The 1-1/2" starting length is excessive, it just gives you something more to hold onto while you twist, and you're probably wasting 1/100 of a cent's worth of wire.

Bonni Backe in Jersey City, NJ

Saving scraps: This is a little tip for beginners and anyone else that is building a slot and tab dollhouse.  I have had mine under construction for a number of years and a few moves (waffling about the wiring) and in the process managed to misplace the dormer roofs.  Tried to measure and cut new ones and there was too big a gap between dormer roof and main roof as I had to cut it on an angle.  Was looking through the box the other day and looking at parts I had not popped out yet when I realized I had the outline/pattern from the dormer roofs right there in the scrap pieces that I, as a life time member in packrat anonymous, did not throw away.   I just laid that on a new piece of wood traced it and cut it out.  Much better fit.  So it pays to keep the outline of parts you used even if you finish the house in case you ever need to replace it.

Elizabeth Cooper

Cheap Doll Houses - The Fix!

If you have a cheaply made DH. Don't despair! Use it as a pattern! Just buy good grade plywood, use your pieces as patterns and re-cut the pieces. Don't try the tab and slot, just square and butt join the corners (trim your pattern to eliminate the overage on the edges before using).

Most cheaply made DHs are pretty well designed, it's just the material that is awful and not worth the grief to work with.... Your time at this point is going to affect the entire project... spend it well!

Many lumber yards will do the basic cuts for you. An inexpensive hand held scroll/Saber saw will cut out windows and doors (drill a pilot hole first). or find some woodworking shop and make a deal with a worker (maybe at home or after hours) to cut out your DH.

This is a neat way to customize your final house too. Using the patterns in different ways can allow you to add another story, a wing or some other feature that pleases you.

Judie St. Onge

Scratch Building dh: I have been building my dh from booklet plans - the measurements are all given and directions are pretty clear. I had the lumber company cut the 10" widths (walls) for me since they use a big saw and can do a much more accurate job. Well worth the $1.00/cut. I filled all knots and my BIG mistake was not sealing the wood right then. I understand shellac is excellent. My wood warped before I got it sealed. Use glue and brads to put it together and brace walls with something square (I used hollow bricks and checked my angles with a Rt. angle square). It was not difficult.

Jacqui in Hilo, HI

Hardwood Floors: Find the roll up type calendars made of thin wood. I find them at garage (tag) sales for about 25 cents. Be sure to get the type that is plain on one side. Cut brown paper (use grocery sacks or wrapping paper) the size of the room to be floored. Glue down strips of the wood in scale lengths. Look at real hardwood floors for the idea. Alternate rows, never having boards in two rows break at same point. I usually use thick tacky glue or yellow carpenter's glue. When dry, sand carefully. If you can get a hold of a palm sander (full size)- the job goes faster. When smooth as a baby's "cheek," stain, using Miniwax stain. Do not use a water base stain. Also, shoe polish does a good job if you have the right color on hand. Glue whole thing down with white tacky glue. Also, these same bamboo type wood strips can be cut to brick lengths and used for fireplaces, brick walks, floors, etc. Price is right.

Alice in IN

Hobbit Hall, cave, natural hole habitat: I've made a wood-look tunnel/cave thing by using fine mesh wire (1/4 inch hardware cloth)and fashioning it into an irregular tunnel, then laying wet newspaper over it with clumps of damp tissue for "warts," then spraying it with left over Xmas tree flocking. After Xmas sales are wonderful! I've also used that expanding foam sealer that comes in an aerosol can. As it puffs, toss dirt on it. After it cures, do the inside and toss in wood chips, patting them down with very wet hands (dip often). When hard, carve or sand into neat shapes and texture. This stuff can be dangerous - it gets hot and smells bad and sticks terribly until cured. Be Very Careful! Results are Outstanding!

Wainscoting: Need 36 inches of wainscoting, the kind that has the raised rectangular pieces every little bit. Go to your local picture framing shop and ask for some matteboard scraps. They are thick enough, and can even be cut on a bevel for your raised panels.

Tom Berkner

Wainscoting: Try balsa wood. It is quite cheap and easy to work with. Use as you would the mount board but bevel the edges using sandpaper. I have used this method because I don't have special tools and I find balsa really easy to use and you can stain or paint. Just make sure you have sanded it smooth.

Melinda from Down Under

Picture frame paneling. I would think you could mimic the look very easily with simple picture frames of the right size glued onto the wall in the places you choose, add a chair rail a little above and paint the whole thing one color. If you are really adventurous, you could get the little wood molding strips and custom build your own "picture frames" with the help of a mitre box. This would make it easy to get just the look you want.

Kellie

Mat Board: I use mat board for many things. I used it to make the kitchen cabinets in my beach cottage. I've used it for structures like my 1/4" adobe house. Once it is glued together I paint or paper both sides and have never had any problem with warping or separation of layers. It cuts easier than foam core (which I have quit using for most projects) and wood. Covers nicely with paint, material, spackle and siding. I always have ample supplies and they are free. My local frame shops have scrap piles I go through and they toss the biggest pieces. Even find a source of material on the mat board such as velvet, burlap, leather-like, heavy cotton and other materials. I've gotten so much free stuff from the frame shop, I am making a miniature frame shop in a picture frame as a surprise for them.

Terri Young

Mount board/Mat board: Is mat board the same as mount board (used for picture framing)? If so, I have made a room setting featured in DHW magazine June 99 designed by Joan Key.

All the furniture was made from mount board which I glued, painted with acrylic paint and glossed. I even stained some and it is so hard and it did not split and is still in good condition. I was also told by my friendly guys in the railway hobby shop when I first started making mini furniture (didn't know about bass wood) that balsa can't be stained - well I have stained it with success.

Melinda from Down Under

Foam core: Anyone looking for small pieces of foam core, yesterday I went to my local framing store and they were only too happy to give me lots of pieces - off cuts from framing mats that are useless to them now. great for furniture, shelves etc., and the edges are cut so beautifully!

Jan

Foamcore edges: Why not cut the walls about 1/8" short on each exposed end, and glue a piece of 1/8" basswood to it. It would take the bumps and bangs better and reinforce the foamcore a little.

Tom Berkner

Foamcore edges: I used foamcore for the base of my Lighthouse and I am going to put either braid or some other kind of trim around it.

Carole Pierce

Foamcore edges: I wonder if the ready-cut outside-corner moldings from the building supply store could be used? They also would add some support framework at the corners of a box.

Susan at the White Rabbit's House

Foamcore edges: Our club made foamcore Southwestern 1/2 scale homes. There was a lot of different ideas but I found the edges really looked finished when I glued the channel molding on the edges. I stained them dark brown, glued them together and voila - finished edges, stained molding, and straight corners all in one fell swoop. Really turned out neat.

Rhonda J King

Painting Styrofoam: you definitely need water-soluble paint such as acrylic! I have used Styrofoam to build props and settings for theatres, and it *will* shrivel if you use other paints -I know this from experience. We used a wire with a high resistance and applied voltage over it to cut the Styrofoam. The current in the wire will make it hot and melt the Styrofoam, and it is a very good method for making rounded shapes. This may be a little hazardous if you don't know what you're doing, though, so a safer alternative may be a hot knife. We used wood glue to glue parts together, but since there isn't much air flow between two pieces of Styrofoam, it takes a long while to dry and the pieces must be clamped together for a long time

Asa from Sweden in Fairfax, Virginia

Bunkum. oakum? For log cabins. Here in the US we have a substance called oakum which I'm sure is the same thing as bunkum. It is oiled (tarred) hemp fiber that is used for caulking boats and in plumbing. In the navies of the world it was used on the old wood decked ships to pound into the seams of the deck (and hulls) to seal them up. It was also used in a tight twine to wrap life lines before wrapping them with canvas. In plumbing it is uses to pound into the bell of a cast iron pipe joint before melted lead is poured in to make the joint tight and secure. You can still buy it at hardware stores in a little coiled rope about 1/8" in diameter for wrapping old faucet stems as a packing. If you want to use it for miniatures don't get the product that has lead or graphite mixed in it. It is messy and hard to use for minis.

Bill Hudson

Tile roofs: I used corrugated cardboard with pleasing results.

Dr Bob

Foam core for building: I do not know what size your scene is.

If it is larger than a standard sheet of paper I strongly recommend you reinforce it. You may gently insert rods made of wire coat hangers or glue a wood cross brace to the underside or frame the piece (see #3). I remind you that we live in Florida and foamcore absorbs moisture. Please reinforce so your project does not warp.

Edges may be finished by sealing with caulk applied directly from the caulking gun and smoothed with a putty knife-lightly sand when dry-stain or paint as desired or glue a coat of the same groundcover you are using in your scene. I do not recommend hot glue for the edges of foamcore. It will melt the foam and damage the strength of your edges.

When building architectural models, we simply seal the edge with a thin strip of poster board.

I often use picture frame molding. This makes a great "frame" that makes it easier to pick up the piece and move it.

Becky