Sticky Stuff: Re: the mini hold wax stuff. I used to use that all the time. Two problems with it for me, though. In Arizona, if your A/C is inadequate, things tend to fall off. Wax doesn't do all that well in heat. I learned the hard way that other things work better. I have also used rubber cement and it can damage porous items as well. For delicate items I prefer using a cut off straight pin as a nail, and I am experimenting with "Movable Miniatures Glue". We shall see how it does over many years.

Bonnie Gibson - Tucson, Arizona

Sticky Stuff: Now here is a list of items being used for those other newbies who did not know the answer.
HOW TO KEEP THINGS IN PLACE IN YOUR DOLLHOUSE
1. Mini-hold
2. Blue-tac
3. Moveable Miniature Glue
4. Museum Wax
5. Grip Wax
6. Fimo
7. Sticky Tack
8. Quake Wax
9. Understickum
10. Fun Tack
11. Floral Tape
With a Great big thank you to Bonnie Gibson who posted an example of using one of the waxes in a hot climate and on a porous material and showing us how it leaves stains. I hope that others appreciate this info as much as I do.

Sharon in Oceanside, ACa

Aleene's TackIt is a dry-tack adhesive. You paint on a thin coat and let it dry for several hours, and it dries tacky. I use it on the end of a dowel to hold tiny things in place for painting and gluing, and I stick the other end of the dowel into a bowl filled with sand or rice to hold it while paint or glue dries. I have also used it to hold accessories in place, and I've never known it to mar or discolor any of the materials I've used it with. If you use it to hold accessories in your dh, you might want to de-tack it just a bit first because the original tack is a little strong - for example, if you paint it on the bottom of a flower vase that's a little top-heavy. When the TackIt is dry, touch it a few times with a fingertip - -- you'll note that the really strong tack becomes less strong. This is important if you're using it on something really fragile that could possibly just fall apart as you try to unstick it.

Vicki Horiuchi

Glue seepage: > From watching The New Yankee Workshop on PBS and classes with Brooke Tucker..Best Solution is to keep a damp rag on the work bench. Glue up your pieces.. Press together..Clamp. Wipe off excess glue immediately with damp rag.

Patricia / Redwood City, CA

Glue Seepage: - I have received two personal answers so far that I haven't yet seen in SSD - both are from long time woodworkers who say they would always let the glue dry and then carefully scrape it off. Also, if there is only just enough glue for the joint it won't seep and the problem will not occur. This is what I was taught and makes more sense.

Jacqui in Hilo

Carving Tools: That's something I like to do with miniatures, so I thought I'd come out of my semi-lurking and respond. Yes, a Dremel tool is a terrific help in working with miniatures - especially roughing out the basic shapes. If you use some of the tinier cutters, you can do some delicate carving. In those instances, I've found it easier to put the Dremel tool into a small vise which allows me to hold the wood with both hands (much better control for preventing the bit from moving out of control and ruining your carving).
Also, MicroMark has a set of carving knives that are quite nice. I've used the heck out of mine for my ornate furniture carving. Another tool I use a lot is my jeweler's saw. I've found it's easier sometimes to cut out the rough shapes with the jeweler's saw and then glue these appliqués onto the piece I'm making. Another trick is to take an X-Acto knife blade and grind it down to a very small sized blade with your Dremel tool. This gives you a very delicate knife point you can work in and around pieces.
Small drill bits and/or an awl are also helpful for creating starting points from which you can move your Dremel tool. Also, when you want to do pierced carvings, you can drill the hole with your mini drill, thread your jeweler's saw blade through the hole and cut it out.

George Held

Cleaning abrasive belts:   Most woodworking stores and catalogs sell a special belt cleaning eraser.   I wouldn't use a regular eraser unless it is the tan gummy type.  The real thing doesn't cost much. BTW, I never use erasers because, with the hard wood I use, the abrasive gets dull and worn out before it becomes filled with wood resin.   If  you use softwood   which comes from evergreen trees and is resinous, you will get a gummy fill in the grain matrix that can be removed with an eraser.   Bass wood is technically a hardwood,   and although softer than most hardwoods, is not resinous and doesn't fill coated abrasives too badly. Also be aware that burning the belt from too much pressure for too much time can burn and destroy a belt or disk in seconds.   Most little sanders go much to fast for our work and burn easily.   Be gentle.

Pete Boorum

Mini Hold Remover: I use a steel tool designed to remove ear wax. It has a small metal loop at one end and a tiny metal cup at the other. It is the best thing I've ever found for removing Mini Hold from the container. The loop will shave a small sliver and the cup will scoop a perfect ball.

Becky

Converting a Dremel to a router: This is a really easy task. All you need is the #330 router attachment from Dremel and a set of the router bits. If you want to make moldings, etc., you might also look at the Dremel 231 shaper/router table. The difference is you move the router over the work and you move the work over the shaper table. Both can be found in the Dremel display of any good tool department (Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, etc.)

Dave

Rotozip: Hi, I use the Rotozip a lot!

1. It's Dangerous!!! Use much caution!
2. It needs a guide to keep it under control. A fence clamped is fine.
3. If you blink it will take you to Chicago in a heartbeat. . (it cuts smoothly, easily and with very little muscle- and FAST!!)
4. Use it only in a Clockwise motion. The other way will cause it to leap unexpectedly into your arm or leg or some other unhappy place.
5. Be sure when finished cutting that you instantly shut it off. Wait until it stops rotating before laying it down.
6. Wear ear protection, it's very loud, Very fast, very high RPM.

I suggest you do a short demo at the hardware before committing yourself to the purchase - It's simply a smaller version of a router... and not as versatile

Judie - Daytona Beach, FL

Power tools. I use a full-sized scroll saw (jig saw) made by Excalibur, a Canadian company but I use table saws meant for miniatures. I do have a full sized table saw but it scares the devil out of me. I use a small lathe but not as often as I should. I have more than one drill press which are used for routing more than for drilling. All the carving is done using a hobby knife although I have several chisels and gouges made specifically for miniatures. I do this so I can show people how to use the knife because everyone does not have a selection of these chisels. In addition to the knife I use riffler files as shown in the article. Thank you for your favorable comments.

June in London Ontario Canada

Dremel jigsaw: I bought one 20 years ago when it was the only thing affordable to me, and I managed...but it wasn't the best experience. Lots of vibration, saw blades breaking, lack of power, single speed, etc. (Maybe the current model is better, I haven't had a chance to see it.) So, with my first profits from my minis business, I invested in a Delta/Rockwell scroll saw with digital readout variable speed, dust blower, etc. It is on a floor stand and it is HEAVY - no vibrations when using this one! I have seen the same saws offered at half the price I paid for it, I bought mine 15 years ago and like other technology, the prices have come down. I have also seen the Hawk and Excalibre at fairs and they seem to be a good product too. My thoughts on tools: Always buy the best quality product you can possibly afford. It will save you money in the long run because you won't have to replace it or upgrade like you do with the cheap stuff. Same goes for the Dremel table saw. Had one, got rid of it. It was cheap & lightweight and lacking in power, and I can do the same stuff on my full size table saw or with other tools. My sister in law bought one from Micromark (Jarmac? not sure....) that seems to be a lot better quality.

Bonnie Gibson - Tucson, Arizona

Scroll or Jig Saw: Make sure you get one that uses the standard 5 inch pinless blades (same as a jeweler's saw). This gives you a wide variety of inexpensive blades.

Tom & Kari

Gorilla Glue: I couldn't resist the temptation to comment on Gorilla Glue. Pam got me some for Christmas a year ago. When I asked her why, she said since I had some of every other wood glue in the world I should have this, too. Sorry to say, I haven't figured out how to use it in miniatures.

My friends who turn segmented bowls on the lathe, full scale, love this product because the pieces of wood glued up don't ever slide or creep like PVA white or yellow glues. Gorilla Glue could be useful in some cabinet work because it has a long set time which is great if you need to line things up and use clamps. The facts that it moisture cures and is dark in color could help or hinder depending upon the situation. If anyone comes up with a mini- application I would love to hear.

Pam and Pete Boorum

Finishing Basics: Several folks have asked for a suggested list of steps to follow when building their first dollhouse. Here is one:

l. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, USE A GLUE GUN!
2. Instead, get a bottle of good yellow wood glue. (My personal favorite is Franklin's TiteBond, available at Ace Hardware Stores, but Elmer's or other yellow glue will work well, too.)
3. Find the directions and read them first.
4. Somewhere in the directions is a list of parts and it usually has sketches to show what they look like. Use a pencil (not a pen as the ink will run when you paint) and mark the part names or numbers on all the pieces. Don't punch out parts until you are ready to use them.
5. Check the parts to see if they need to be sanded or filled with wood filler. Some of the cheaper dollhouses (and some not so cheap) are made of flimsy, splintery, bad plywood.
6. Paint the trim pieces before you assemble them. That makes sense when you realize that it will be very hard, for example, to paint a corner piece or window trim after attaching it to the house-you will get paint from the main walls on the trim and when you paint the trim, you'll get paint from that
on the main walls.
7. Again, DON'T PUNCH OUT PARTS UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO USE THEM.
8. Do not worry about painting the inside-that's later.
9. You can do the first floor flooring after assembling the foundation and floor or after the basic house is built.
10. Follow the directions to build each part of the house. Get the basic part built without the trim. Paint the main exterior walls.
11. Do the flooring on the first floor now if you didn't do it at step 9, unless you're using carpet and I would wait to do that until you do the flooring
for the second and third floors as mentioned in Step 17.
12. Don't attach the windows now.
13. Now is the time to wire if you're going to. You will need to decide which room is which and where you want lights. For example, decide where the bathroom vanity/sink will be because if you want lights on each side of a mirror, you need to know where to put them. When doing wall sconces, shorten the wire, attach the lamp, but don't fasten it to the wall until you paper. Cut an X in the paper where you want them to go, slide the fixture through and then attach the paper and lamp to the wall.
14. Once the wiring is done, attach the main lamp fixtures. I like to drill holes in the ceiling for the ceiling lights and run the wires through the holes to fasten to the tape that I have put on the floor above. Attach all your lamps except the table lamps now. After papering, you can attach the outlets for the table lamps.
15. Wallpaper your rooms. Use a wallpaper paste designed to glue paper to wood. (My favorite is Grandmother Stover's Yes glue) Just paper right over the door and window openings. When it's dry, you can cut out these openings with your craft or X-Acto knife.
16. Now attach your windows, doors, stairs, and interior trim. Aren't you glad you painted it earlier?
17. If you haven't already done so, finish the exterior at this time.
18. Put down your second and third floor flooring.
19. Put in baseboards, interior cornices, and other incidental trim.
20. Now comes the fun of furnishing.

Dottie in Tucson

Pickle picker: I have one I bought at Dollar Daze. I use it to hold small things and spray paint them. Retrieve itty bitties off the floor. It's in my tool box.

Jan in Cincinnati

Hot knife: A hot knife is nothing more than a soldering iron where the hot of the material it is cutting so for smooth cuts; every so often; rub the hot blade on some fine steel wool to keep it shiny clean.

They can be purchased at stores that sell kites. I use one to cut rip stop nylon and Tyveck. It cuts the material and seals the cut so there are no loose ends to unravel.

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL

Securing paperclay: My daughter got this information directly from Rik on Sunday at the Philadelphia Show. He told her to coat the substrate, in this case he was talking about polystyrene, with yellow carpenters glue before applying the paperclay.

Wendy in Clinton, NJ

Tools:
Dovetail jigs: Dovetail jigs have been made by Anker, a person in Michigan whose name escapes me and J. Willis in Searsport, ME. None of these are available any more. The only dovetail jig available today is made by Jack Blackham who teaches a class at the Guild School in making it. Pam took the class last June and tells me it is a good design. He may have some to sell: jandm.blackham@worldnet.att.net. I use finger joints cut on the Preac table saw instead of dovetails most of the time.

Jewelers Saw. There is probably no better hand saw to cut your wood. It is a tool that is difficult to learn. Try a fine blade like a 2/0 or 4/0. Make sure the blade is installed so it cuts on the pull stroke. Make sure it is tight enough so you can pluck it like a guitar. Support your work on a piece of plywood clamped to the table. Cut a v-shaped slot out of the plywood about 1/4" and 1.5" deep. Use the edge of the slot to help you start your cut and practice. Once you get it, it is very quick and accurate if you don't have power tools.

Air Brush. I have been using an external mix Paache air brush to spray lacquer or shellac for many years. I mix it about 1;1 with thinner or alcohol and use about 28 psi. I use a full scale compressor with a tank which is very nice. When I spray I have a Badger booth that exhausts to the outside through a dryer hose. I also use one nitrile glove and a carbon respirator. It is very quick and I get good results.

Pete Boorum

Tools:
Dovetail jigs: The only dovetail jig available today is made by Jack Blackham who teaches a class at the Guild School in making it. Pam took the class last June and tells me it is a good design. He may have some to sell: jandm.blackham@worldnet.att.net. I use finger joints cut on the Preac table saw instead of dovetails most of the time.

Jewelers Saw. There is probably no better hand saw to cut your wood. It is a tool that is difficult to learn. Try a fine blade like a 2/0 or 4/0. Make sure the blade is installed so it cuts on the pull
stroke. Make sure it is tight enough so you can pluck it like a guitar. Support your work on a piece of plywood clamped to the table. Cut a v-shaped slot out of the plywood about 1/4" and 1.5" deep. Use the edge of the slot to help you start your cut and practice. Once you get it, it is very quick and accurate if you don't have power tools.

Air Brush. I have been using an external mix Paache air brush to spray lacquer or shellac for many years. I mix it about 1;1 with thinner or alcohol and use about 28 psi. I use a full scale compressor with a tank which is very nice. When I spray I have a Badger booth that exhausts to the outside through a dryer hose. I also use one nitrile glove and a carbon respirator. It is very quick and I get good results.

Pete Boorum