Glass bricks: You might be able to make an illusion of glass block using plastic canvas with the threads removed to make the size block you want and adding some clear silicone in the spaces. The canvas should be flat on a sheet of wax paper. When dry, you could pull it off. I have never tried it, but, I think it might work.

Mary

Glass bricks: I have seen the smaller pieces of clear Lego used and didn't realize it as Lego. Looked pretty cool in fact. Also, Hobby Builders Supply out of Ontario makes sheets of clear plastic in grids of various sizes. They have various sizes of squares on these You could water down Tacky glue and paint that on the back of one of these to give it that opaque look and the front would still remain shiny. That could work.

Debi

Ripping Lumber: Here are some safety rules associated with this practice.

First, and most important, NEVER put your hand beyond the center of the blade. If the strip kicks back it can push an unsuspecting finger into danger. ALWAYS use a push stick when cutting thin strips.

Lower the blade so that it is no more than 1/16 inch above the work. Learn to rip pushing with your right hand only. You are less likely to twist the wood with your left hand causing binding and kick back.

After you turn the saw off make sure the blade has come to a complete stop before reaching toward the blade to pick up your work or remove scrap.

Pete

Logs: For 5/8 half round logs, try contacting a dealer who carries Celerity House dollhouses. Celerity is back is business again with new owners and they manufacture that type of log (or at least it looks that way)...but be forewarned they're pretty pricey.

I've just finished building a RGT Adirondack cabin and used their logs for the interior and exterior and found it to be a very enjoyable product.

Kathy

Paper Punches: Ruth Hanke at HankyPanky crafts sells paper punches as well as punched bits by the bagful if you do not want to purchase one of the more expensive punches. I have ordered from her and was delighted with the very fast delivery. Her website is at http://hankypankycrafts.com

Maryann Cipriano

Damaged MDF: MDF fibres tend to absorb moisture (from acrylic paint or gesso) and swell. So you probably won't end up with as smooth a surface as you started with, especially if you have sanded the MDF - as this will take the flat shiny surface off. However you ought to be able to compensate for this by using some sort non water based filler to even up your surface. I use the modeling putties used by plastic/metal kit modelers. Fill/rebuild any damaged areas, let dry then sand smooth. You may need to repeat fill if you are trying to fill a deep gap like where you slipped with a saw because the putty will shrink a little.

I have used several brands: Tamiya Modeling Putty (from Japan), Humbrol filler (From UK), Squadron filler (from USA)

These all come in a tube like toothpaste. The first two were grey - good for filling metal models but may show thru on lighter surfaces. But by far my favourite is the Squadron in comes in white & green - I use the white for filling MDF and styrene. I haven't used the green but I figure it would be good for colour control especially over/under red paint (just like the green tinted concealer makeup for hiding veins & blotchy skin).

I wouldn't go sniffing the stuff tho - it contains toluene and has very interesting warning labels on the tube.

Sandra

Glass Beads: You can also get a nice mix of glass beads from a company called BeadBox. They have a mix of about 130 glass beads from the Czech Republic that I have combined with other smaller beads to made perfume bottles and Christmas tree ornaments. They do have holes, so I usually use headpins snipped to size to hold all in place (glue too). This mix is $9.99. Their toll free #is 1-800-BEADBOX. I didn't see a web site listed.

Judi

TIP using fluid to mask off wood to get marquetry effects

This is American stuff named 'Incredible White Mask', also known as 'Liquid frisket'. It is a form of liquid or white mask (generic terms). Any art supply shop would carry this. It has a shelf life of

3 months and will change composition if it sits in the sun or freezes. It comes in a small container, the size of nail polish.

Deborah wanted me to veneer a table for her with a fancy cardinal points doodad on it. I said I wasn't competent enough to do it. But like a true miniaturist, she knew what she wanted, and had her moment of mini magic. She drew a circle in the middle of the table, masked off the rest of the table with 'Incredible White Mask' (IWM) and inked in the cardinal points symbol. Once dried, she took off the IWM, and IWM'd the symbol, staining the rest of the table. When she removed the IWM from the middle, it had absorbed some of the ink she had used to color the symbol, but this gave it a pleasant weathered look.

The thing that fascinated me was that there was no 'bleeding', of either ink or stain, to the other parts. Therefore one could make a backgammon table, make marquetry patterns on furniture, a chess/checkers board, make a parquetry floor... I once tried to do a real parquetry mini floor with veneer. It looked good, but the cost in blood, sweat and tears doesn't bear the telling.

Helen

Warped Wood: I managed to flatten a piece of warped wood by soaking it in water and weighting it down flat with three cast iron weights of an old weighing scale. Weight it on a hard, flat surface - my surface bent and my wood warped in the opposite direction so I had to repeat the whole process.

Tracey

Foamcore: You can probably use Foamcore to make a roombox as long as it's not too large and you are careful about preventing warping. If you apply a water-based product to one side, apply a water-based product to the other. Examples: paint both sides; or paint one side and use Tacky glue on the other. You don't have to do it at the same time, but don't wait too long or it will warp.

In addition to gluing the foamcore together, I would stick some straight pins in to hold the edges and maybe even tape the seams, then cover the outside with fabric or something to cover it all up.

Beth

Foamcore: I just finished teaching a class on building a two story English Tudor Cottage which was built from ½ inch foam core and turned out great no warping and a lot easier to work with than plywood. This is the first house that I've built using

½" Foamcore but it won't be the last. I will agree that the thinner 1/4" and 5/16" Foamcore does have a tendency to warp if not stiffened with beams or siding. When I built my Buttercup I glued 5/16" foam core on the outside to thicken the walls since it was a tab and slot house with very thin walls. So there it is, properly used it is a great building material but used improperly it can be a disaster.

Rik Pierce

Warping: Soak the piece in water, place it on the garage or driveway floor and park the car with one wheel on it. Leave overnight (walk to the grocery store). If it is a large piece, cover it with a larger piece of wood. Place wax paper between tire and wood if you care about car tracks.

Fannye

Foamcore: I have used foamcore for smaller scale houses and room boxes and it works great. Much easier to work with than wood for those of us who are "power-tool challenged". In the States, it is carried in office supply stores such as Office Depot as well as some craft stores.

Elaine

Foamcore: When using foam core it is necessary to coat both sides to prevent warpage. Wallpaper one side and paint the other, as long as you coat both sides with something.

Sylvia Brinkley

Foamcore: I love foamcore. Another great medium to use to make walls and structures is the 1/2 inch insulation material that places like Lowe's sells. It comes in a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet and doesn't warp. You peel off the thin plastic coating on both sides, and you can cut it with an exacto knife or shop saw.

Anita Myers

Foamcore: On the subject of foamcore, Michaels carries two sizes. I think it is 1/4" and 1/2". Also I have used my table saw to cut foamcore and it works great. Just had to sand the paper a little bit. Have a 2 story General Store plan and I wanted to do it with foamcore and appreciate all the remarks about it in this digest. I just made a Sorcerer's Spell Book of foam core and really like it to work with. Made the base for the book to sit on out of it and used a granite texture ceramic paint on the base and my daughter said it looked like marble. I did not notice any warping but the granite paint was not that wet.

Elizabeth Cooper

Foamcore Thicknesses: Foamcore comes in 3mm, 5mm and 7mm and you can buy it from art shops, Staples used to carry it but I think they have discontinued it.It comes usually, 30 in by 26 in,sorry to mix up the measurements. Have used it a lot , I use it for small box scenes.

Hazel Dowd

Painting Foamcore: This is a trick used by watercolorists, works with foamcore, too. Use plain water on a brush or sponge to dampen the back of the foamcore before painting. The wetness of paint makes the foamcore's paper covering expand or shrink or something, which causes warping. If both sides are damp, they both expand (or whatever) and the piece stays flat.

Lee Menconi

Foamcore: Regarding the questions about foamcore - I am by no means a 'pro', but several years ago I built a garden shed from instructions in Nutshell News, and I was very pleased with how it turned out. I used a band saw to cut it nice and straight (but you can also use a utility knife) and then lightly sanded the edges to get rid of the paper fluff. Following instructions I was able to make that foamcore look like cobblestones, cottageboard and even siding on the outside. I used it to make the inside pieces as well - cupboards, counters, shelves, everything! It's light and very easy to work with. One hint though, when painting, (I used water based paints) don't get it too wet, for it will warp. Just do several very light coats instead. I did warp my floor, so I lightly sprayed it with water, covered it with wax paper, and put heavy books on it for a few days. It worked!

Jan

Builders Foam: I cut the foam (lots of layers) on the scroll saw just like it was butter. The foam stuff carves so nice. The latest carving tool I've discovered is one of those knives that you use to cut the V's in a watermelon. It makes a nice little groove in the foam and it's super easy to make it look like stones or rocks. We used hot glue to assemble them in the class, but tacky works if you have more time. You might want to tape the pieces if you use tacky cause they tend to slip and slide. We painted ours with a coat of creamy yellow paint with sand in it. Then I antiqued mine with acrylic washes scrubbed in.

Bonnie Lavish