Removing surgical tape from wallpaper: When I was a nurse, I used alcohol wipes to get tape to come off of skin. I used a wipe, but you could also use a q-tip, and just gently lift the edge of the tape as you are very gently lifting the tape.

Beth

As to the glue from the tape, I suggest a product I've been using for about 30 years. Bestine Brand Rubber Glue Solvent, available at art or drafting stores, removes most (non-water soluble) glues, with no oils at all. I always have some on hand to get sticker glue off of antiques we buy for resale, or other purchased items. I have yet to find anything that it hurts in any way, but check anyway on a small section. It evaporates so fast, you can see it disappearing, and cuts tape and sticker glue almost instantly. Plus, if used thoroughly on wood, two or three times for good measure, it leaves no oily residue from the glue on the wood, enhancing the staining of the wood.

Dave Pierce

You might try "Goo Gone"tm from your local hardware store to remove the tape.

Tom Berkner

I've heard that white vinegar is a solvent for wood glue, and that if you apply it, that might loosen your siding.

Mikki

I find the best thing to remove things glued with white glue (Elmers and the likes) of which your siding is probably glued on with,is white vinegar. It will soften such glues. White vinegar is less smelly and it will not stain like the yellow. The yellow is stronger and works faster though. Warm it up a bit then dribble a bit down behind the siding with a syringe or a baster. Try it on one hidden place first to see if it works. Be patient. Wipe the area down with vinegar after all siding is off then rinse well with a damp cloth and let dry well. Before trying to glue any more siding back on, spray the sides with varnish or Deft flat. This will put a barrier between any residual vinegar and the new glue.

Bill Hudson

Well, I haven't actually tried this myself, so I can't swear that it will work, but I was told that vinegar will work as a solvent on wood glue. Can you try it on a small, inconspicuous spot? If you do, let us know if it really works.

Tere Perry

Siding removal: If there aren't huge globs of glue to be removed, try dental floss. Floss up and down behind the siding, just like it's your teeth! LOL. If that doesn't remove the "plaque and other nasty build up" try a thin file or saw blade. Just go slow and easy! Xacto knives don't work well, as the blades tend to snap.

Paula Isaacs

Siding: I have loosened and unglued things that were originally glued with white glue using rubbing alcohol. I have never tried anything as large as siding or anything that was glued with wood glue, but I would try it as a last ditch effort if nothing else is working. Sounds better than sanding to me. Use a mono-jet glue gun and really soak and see if it starts to jiggle. Really soak it. It should not hurt the wood as the alcohol will evaporate quickly and try several times before you give up. Do your trial in an inconspicuous spot of course.

Sandy

Removing Old Siding: Try warm water and vinegar, mixed. Let it set. Depending on the glue, it might soften enough to use a putty knife and scrape it off.

SA Burr

Cutting Dormer Openings: A circular saw would be easiest, a Dremel or Micromark one. After much measuring to determine where to set it, I would set the roof down on a Dremel 4" table saw (for example) and cut it out. The tower will have to be kept out of the way, there might have to be some fancy jigging involved. Another way would be to use a Gyros saw blade in a Dremel rotary tool to cut it roughly and then finish it off with a power sander of some sort, or even files.

But if it were me I would use the saber saw, cut the upper parts first and slowly work it so I cut across the bottom with the blade parallel to the floor so it won't hit it. I think it would work, and it should be easy.

Barb Jones

Cutting Dormer Openings: I don't know if it would work but I would mark each corner of where the dormer will go, drill a hole in each corner, then use a hand-held keyhole saw and cut them by hand.

Juanita Sellers

Dormers: I had to put a dormer in a house similar to yours and it's tricky but not impossible. I did not put the bottom of the dormer right at the floor level, but up a bit. You'd need to hold the dormer against the roof to see where you need to put it. Use the cutting template that comes with it and drill a starter hole slightly inside each corner. You can then use the saber saw to cut around.

I always make knee walls from foam core in any attic, as it is more realistic and makes arranging furniture much easier. Once you get your dormer situated, you can build a wall to come down smoothly from the inside of the dormer to the floor.

Dani Rice

Dormer: The best tool and method for adding dormers to a dollhouse shell is whatever one works for you. I sometimes use a jigsaw, a hand-saw, or a rotozip. Usually depends on which I can find first.

Tom Berkner

Adding Dormers to Existing Dollhouse: You can use a hand-held "keyhole" saw, found at a hardware store, etc. I used one to add dormers to the "Katherine", by The House that Jack Built. You can saw at any angle you want. Just go slowly, don't try to "muscle" it through the wood. If the cut looks bad from the interior, use a moto-tool & a No. 115 bit (or smaller) to dress it up and shape it. This can be done after the dormer is glued on to blend in the joint. A Dremel moto-tool is a MUST-HAVE tool for the mini house builder, in my opinion. You may have to fill in some areas with ZAR latex wood patch (recommended).

Joel

Cutting Holes in a Shell: I can't think of any good, neat way to cut a rectangular hole in the 3/8" plywood exterior roof of a house for a dormer.

If you are brave, you can use a laminate trimmer with a straight bit. This is one way the pros cut out dry wall in full scale. A little scary, however.

If I had to do this, I would use a little circular saw you can mount on the same mandrel that is used with the cutoff wheels on a Dremel. I would use a flexible shaft on the Dremel and a slow speed and carefully follow the line. Cut no more then 1/16" deep per pass. This should work if you can find a 3/4" to 1" saw blade, the finer the better. (Let me know if you can't.) I believe a company called Gyro makes them. And, if you try this, be sure to feed against the rotation of the saw and be very careful and feed very slowly. The blade can kick back and do damage to the house and your fingers. You can hold any angle you need.

You probably don't even need the flex shaft but that allows more clearance and better control.

Pete Boorum

Removing Hot Glue: Have you tried a heat gun? I have had some success with that method. Just be careful about getting to close so you don't scorch the wood. As you heat the joints, gently pry the wood apart. Once you have it removed reheat the glue and scrap it off with putty knife or wide screwdriver.

Removing the "Tung oil" sealer: I would suggest trying lacquer thinner. Use it in a well-ventilated area though. If the sunburst is glued veneer, it may also loosen the glue. Try it on one small spot first.

Lloyd

Loosening Hot Glue: Just heat it with a hair drier. I put a roof on with hot glue, left it in the car on a hot summer day and the shingles let go real fast.

Julia

Cutting Glass: The "cracking off" method already mentioned( forgot who) is a very good way. Takes a little practice, but you can get a clean break off. Just make sure to scratch your mark, heat it just long enough and then you can touch it to a dampened cloth. Should crack off right around the glass, starting from your scratch mark. Try not to have to go over the scratching part as you might not scratch on the same mark and that could result in a jagged edge when "cracked off."

Joanne in South Jersey

Old Veneer: I had some ragged sheets of old veneer kicking around and just put it on the outside of a mountain cabin I'm making. Wonderful aged plank siding! Score planks with black ballpoint pen, Poke the tip of the pen where you want nail holes, add a few "joints" by making a wiggly line across 'planks', then add nails in appropriate places. Outstanding results.

Source: Possibly old furniture stores, junk stores, Landfills (if you can get there). Ask junk shops to peel it and save for you, or just old veneer furniture left in the yard in the rain. Old veneer is much thicker than the new stuff. Strange to have walnut siding on a miniature cabin, but it's pretty nice looking.

Judie - Daytona Beach, FL

Warped wood: Try soaking the wood with an spray bottle of water and weight the wood down with a brick or similar heavy object. Make sure you turn the wood over during the drying process. This should solve your problem.

Lloyd Cooper