Non Electric Lights: Clare Bell has a decent assortment. http://www.clarebell.com/nonelectric.htm  They don't sell retail but I represent them and if you'd like to order any I can do it for you or you can ask your mini shop or favorite dealer to do it.

Carol

Champaign cages:  I use them for four sided hanging lampshade frames by twisting the top square part a bit smaller and by curling up each of the 4 bottom ends a bit shorter. You can also use the top corked cap piece for the top base and drill a tiny hole for the wires/bases etc. I then create my four-sided design (or leave it plain) and print it out on tracing paper, seal it and then mod podge it to give it clarity and shine. You may also use a light parchment paper, they really turn out nice. They also make a Gold colored Cage, which make beautiful pieces. Can't wait to try the bar stools.

Brooke, WA

Wallpapering Tips: Decide what each room will be, and then select papers - average 2-3 sheets of paper per room. In minis, we usually do not try to 'match' patterns, like in the real world of wallpapering. One sheet for each wall, or less if the room is smaller. Do the back wall first, slightly wrapping a little bit of the edges (right and left sides of the paper), so that those edges cover a bit of each left and right side wall.....this will give you just a bit of 'boo-boo' advantage when you paper the side walls. Papers are usually 'taller' than your walls,leaving excess to trim off at the ceiling or floor. BE CAREFUL if you have wired....don't forget that wiring is underneath those papers - :) If you cut off the excess paper, you may cut right through your wiring - YIKES!

To avoid that, I usually make 'patterns' from plain paper to fit each wall, then cut the wallpapers from this...they will fit almost perfectly when you paste the papers to the walls. If you are a 'bit short' at the top or bottom, just hide this with crown moldings and/or baseboards.

Laura in OKC

Pony Beads: I got a 1/4" house kit that used white plastic pony beads as light fittings. They are biggish beads wider then they are tall 6mm high x 8mm wide (the hole drilled vertically) cylindrical shape with curved edges (not round like a marble) they have quite a big hole in them around 3mm - big enough to fit a mini light bulb inside it.

Sandra Monk

Lighting etched glass: The effect of light on etched glass is best if done from the edges. Plexiglas can also be etched.

I made some special parts for toy truck for a man who collected and restored old toy cars. As a thank you he made an etched glass lighted sign of my business card with logo. To light it he lighted it from the bottom and edge. It looks as if my logo and business name just floats.

Bill Hudson

Roombox Exteriors: Not to make you feel bad but it would have been easier to finish the outside first. In order to apply most materials you need to move the box in different positions. You may damage or dirty the pieces inside. Also sometimes you need to use inside wallpaper, carpeting, etc. to cover edges of stuff you wrap the box with.

Wrapping paper tears or fades with time usually, so a fabric such as a motif to match the occasion works. You can also get textured fabrics that add interest. Wallpaper would be better if you want a paper look. I find that contact paper presents too many problems when I apply it. I end up with it sticking to itself. It also doesn't look as nice as fabric or some other coverings.

You can stick fabric on with so many things such as Wonder-under, double sided sticking paper, spray glue, thinned out tacky. Everyone has their favorite after trying different methods.

You can stick the junction splice through the fabric into the copper tape. However, I use furniture cleats and raise the box off the base. Then I either cut a slit or run the tape around the edge to the bottom of the box. Then you have room to put a junction splice under the box and the cord will come out of the bottom area. This looks neater and the cord is not hanging off the box somewhere.

Deanna Spanjar

Chinese lanterns -- NN, maybe July (What would we do without Joann?? Get desperate like we were pre-SS while she was on hiatus!). Tissue tubes glued around a pencil, then slid down and crumpled to make the accordion folds. Could even make these working lights by slipping them over one of those holiday village battery-operated mini light strings. Another version you might try if there's a party supply store nearby is to buy those cocktail picks with honeycomb fruit toppings. Just snip them off the pick and glue a bit of wire in the top for a hanger.

Loretta Sniarowski

Pringles: To make them safe for candle usage, you insert a mason jar screw lid (without the center piece) upside down in the top of the Pringles can. Then you can place a votive candle holder. The hobnail design ones work the best and can usually be found at grocery stores in their candle section. Another good source for them is yard sales.

Anita Myers

Cleaning chandeliers: My dad has dealt with antique chandeliers and other lighting for years, and although his technique involves a stripping tank and buffing machine etc., however, he gave me a clue for an antique porch light of mine that had totally turned black with tarnish from the damp weather here in Washington.  He told me to try "Lysol toilet bowl cleaner"! Yep! It worked wonderfully!  I don't know what the metal in your miniature chandelier is (this was brass) so I would try just a bit on a small spot and see how it works! Just dab a bit on and leave it  for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a damp cloth.  He then recommended that you spray it with Lacquer. (This is only for the "metal part" of the chandelier!)

Linda

Wiring: You should prime with paint before you do any wiring. The way I do my ceiling fixtures is to either use a canopy (designed to plug in and hold ceiling fixtures) or run the wire through the ceiling to the floor above and attach to electrical tape (it's hidden under the flooring or carpet).

Jan

Attic Light: I found a perfect attic light on a wire complete with a pull chain and very realistic bulb. NOT CHEAP but well worth the investment. It was made by;
The Lighting Bug Ltd.
P.O. Box 39
Clarendon Hills IL 60514

Light House Lights: Try Blue Jacket Shipcrafters, located at 160 Main St., Searsport, Maine 04974. They used to have light house kits (not 1/12th scale) and also had a flashing light kit available. 1-800-448-5567.

Bill Hudson

Wiring: I use the tape throughout the whole box and I use the punch that they sell at Earth & Tree to join the connections. It is a machinist self-starting punch with two special tips and springs. You place the copper rivet on the tip and simply press it into place. The spring action drives the rivet home. If you use foam core etc. it may not function as well.

When I connect wires to the tape, I wrap them around a rivet and drive it home or use a brass nail. I generally try to make this connection behind a hearth, bookshelf or other structure so I can access it if I ever need to do a repair. On the dollhouse that hangs on the wall, I made most of my connections on the outside back wall. I have plenty of room and access and it is never seen when the house is hanging on the wall.

To hang a sconce in a hallway I will paper the hallway, drill my hole, run the wires through the wall and attach them to the tape on the other side -- then paper that wall. Of course if you want a sconce on each side of the wall it is not so easy ;-)

Wiring a home already built is like a major remodel. I tend to go with freestanding lamps etc. then. It may mean removing molding to hide the wire runs. For connection I make a slot through the house where I think the best entry point is. I try to make this in a place where the main feed (tape) can be hidden. This could be in a trunk or under a bed for instance.

Bill

Wiring: If you use hard wire, you can run it behind baseboards, crown molding, around doorways and window openings and, if there are hinges involved, the hinges can become part of the circuit. For a hinged opening (I mean full sized ones such as those used to hinge the whole or part of a front to the box/house) separate the double "zip" wire and put one under one hinge plate and the other under another hinge plate, but not the same hinge. Do the same with the other side of each hinge using another wire to take the power to another part of the box/house. Channels can be drilled through walls or under carpet/flooring of your floors.

June

Transformer: when sizing a transformer you need to take into account how many bulbs you have and how much current they draw.

Different bulbs draw different amounts. eg: here are some common Cirkit ones:

12 volt bulbs:

Grain of wheat = 60ma
Grain of rice = 60ma
Cirkit spotlamp = 180ma
screwbase bulb = 80ma
flourette = 80ma
super bright flourette = 220ma

16volt bulbs draw less:

GOW = 45ma
GOR = 35ma

12 volt is most common so the rest of my calculations assume you use 12 volt.

If the transformer is labeled 26 bulbs they usually mean 26 grain of wheat or grain of rice bulbs = 26 @60milliamps = 1.5amp transformer (or 1500 milliamp or 18watt) - based on the formula volts*watts=amps (or amps/v=w)

Now you mentioned you have only 14 lights attached - do you mean 14 Bulbs (which would use up 840milliamps or, if there is say 2 bulbs per light fitting = 28 bulbs drawing 60ma = 1.68amp which is enough to make your transformer run hot and maybe cut off or burn out.

Are you running bulbs that draw more current? If you are using the higher drawing bulbs you must run less of them. eg your 1.5amp transformer will only run:

8 spotlamps (1500/180=8 1/3) or 6-7 superbright flourettes (1500/220= 6.8)

If your transformer was getting hot (warm to touch) when running you were probably running too many bulbs.

Sandra in New Zealand

Bulbs and transformers: The bulbs we get in the UK are much kinder to transformers than the ones you are able to buy:

Grain 'o' Rice 12v with white wires = 50mA
Grain 'o' Rice 12v on wire terminals (bi-pins) = 30mA
Flame Tip 12v with white wires = 30mA
Flame Tip 12v on wire terminals (bi-pins) = 30mA

Each bulbs has a life of 10,000 burn hours - and you get more bulbs per transformer.

These are the bulbs we use in all our lights that can be seen on our website http://www.grandadsplayroom.com

David & Joyce Betts in England

Fiber Optics, I was at the West Palm Beach show last weekend. I wanted to share a great use of them. There was a large display of a 4th of July fair at night. There was a sound tape of fireworks and as they exploded, the fiber optics in the trees exploded with different colors. The entire display was covered with an acrylic box that had the back 3 sides done in a smoked color to enhance the night effect. It really was great and got a lot of OOh's and AAH's from adults and children.

Jan Smith

Wiring around removable walls:  I would put the tape across the floor using the fold method to change direction of the tape.  You would not be able to have a table lamp in those removable sections, but it would get your tape nicely from one stationary wall to the next.

Dottie

Wiring: hiding extra wires like for coachlights -- I cut out or use washers piled on top of one another into a "donut looking" item, and after I connect the wires, I wind them into the space in the center of the donut. Then the light can be glued to the front of the donut. You can paint the donut gold or color to match your walls, and most all lights look just fine this way. If I choose not to use washers (be careful using metal as to not short anything out), you can use cardboard or plastic, whatever you can shape the donut with.

Re: switch plates, are you referring to the ones that will actually turn your lights on and off or are you just wanting the look of them? Both are available. Cirkit has working ones; Metal Miniatures have metal ones you paint, both Victorian and like we use today.

Marjorie in CA

Splices: I assume are the joining of two or more wires. Do not make the splices along side each other. If you are splicing 2 wires into another 2 wire run; do not make the splices at the same point. to make an example. Think of the 2 running wires to be spliced into as a ruler. Make the first splice at say the 2" mark and the second at the 3" mark so the splices are not adjacent to each other. That appears to reduce heat and bulk at the same time.

Kay Baughman