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Dream Structure Build


WeekendMiniaturist

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At the dawn of 2018, my thoughts return to a dream structure build.  I bought a pre-built Lawbre shell that I can bash... or at least use as reference for my roof lines for custom built house.  Does anyone know someone who did a miniature 2x4 build?  I think the wire runs are the biggest advantage, as you can run wire as you would normally, but how do you engineer, so you can finish?  I was thinking of using crescent mat board for the walls.  I love the concept of having a modular house; for easier access for room finishing.

It is the roof lines that provide me with the largest portion of the puzzle, so I think I enrolled in the Marc Adams school of woodworking Sterotomy class to learn more about this topic.  If I include a round tower, I can mount the roof on a larger lathe, but is there any wow factor to a roof done on a lathe?  or should I build the roofs properly with rafters?

Your thoughts and comments are most appreciated!

 

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  • 2 months later...

While perusing the web, I found a post on the greenleaf forum that discussed a hollow-wall construction project and referenced a book by Dorie Kruz,  Building Miniature Houses and Furniture, ©1977.  Her instructions in Chapter 2, indicate the she uses 1/4" x 1/8" wood, so I ordered a stack of 15 boards 1/8" thick, 4 w" x 24 l" from Dick Blick today, as I wanted to purchase some specific supplies required for my stereotomy class.  $26.33 for 15 sheets seemed like a great price.  

33300-5004 Basswood, 15 Sheets 4" × 24" 1/8" List $44.85 $26.33 sale

I was surprised to discover that Midwest Products has kits to build structures in this format.  It is 3/4" and the Two Story Townhouse kit is $112.99.

https://www.dickblick.com/products/midwest-products-two-story-townhouse-kit/

https://www.dickblick.com/products/midwest-products-scale-lumber/#photos

Dorie mentions that she uses 1/16" posterboard for the walls...   

I tried to purchase 3/8" Medium Density Overlay (MDO) not MDF for the project and I could get someone locally to order it for me, but I had to purchase 40 sheets of 4'x8' and that wasn't happening, so I'll rip the boards to 1/4" width and see what I can start building after the Bishop Show.

Initially, as my thoughts wander, I plan to build the walls and then transport it flat and re-assemble it for my class, and then I'll have a real model prepared to get the most out of my stereotomy class and can hopefully conquer the roof lines.

So the journey begins...

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some good instructions for stick building would be The Scale Cabinetmaker Issues 6:4 - 7:3 where they built the store. I still want to build that project. But of course can’t start that any time soon. 

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Roni, it is good to see you in the FMF, welcome!  I will pull my TSC issues for Helen Dorsett's Store Build project.  Thank you for the reminder, that Helen also did hollow wall construction.   I think I am going to see if I can download a free version of sketchup to draw and edit my home;  I have been saving other Pins on Pinterest for floor plans, but I think a some simplification is needed, vs. building an actual 1/12th scale model of a real structure.   I know I have to work on the facade of the front of the house, and actually this is the easiest part of the build as I know where the home is located, and I have an artist rendering of the home...  so the build may just be temporary, as I fully intend to make the stairs first as the heart of the home, and then will build around the stairs.   I just have to get over the duplication hump for the stairs spindles... but might be a little closer to figuring that out too.

In the interim, though my thoughts wander to my self-directed  preparation prior to the stereotomy class.  Bringing my own model may  not be what the instructor had in mind; so I may be doing my homework in the evenings... as I hate to put a wrench into his plans for the class.  I have been studying English conservatories, as so many of these structures attached to home have incredible roof lines and I am puzzled how to create them without just turning them on a large lathe.    I admit that I am fascinated with structures that have round rooms and domes!

If anyone has wisdom and experience on the subject of what you include and remove from a structure, I would love to hear from you, but as I have studied the structures at Maysville, and in the miniature magazines over the years,  I am much aware of the fact that the builders have edited the amount of rooms.

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Tamra, Ray Whitledge has used the stick build method, although he is not very active in miniatures these days. I’m not sure that he still has any pictures of this method on his website. I think he is teaching on a mini cruise in October.

Martha in Louisiana

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Martha, I did not know that Ray did stick builds;  I don't know what happened but many of the old WB posts disappeared or at least I can't find them and I didn't save them personally to pdf.  I think You and Roni both did a kitchen roombox, and I have Bond Street kit but my kit does not specify stick builds.  When you did the kitchen Room boxes, did you use solid wall construction?  One of my mini club mates did 3 of the WB classes in Chicago, so I will have to ask her too.

Sketchup options were confusing last night, and it appears that Google sold it off, and everything changed from free open source software to cloud based in 2017.  I don't want to put my design in the cloud, so I haven't started yet; I may be purchasing software for the design.  I cut and pasted the terms of service to read them before I begin a sketchup project.   I do everything a year later then I should do it.  I did find a Fine HomeBuilding DVD for using sketchup and of course a Fine Woodworking info on Sketchup.  I think my class will have some discussions about sketchup, so I may have the opportunity to discuss the pitfalls of the cloud, or will use a different drafting software for the structure.  

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