Here are some photos as Jon requested. Remember, I’m a beginner at this woodworking stuff!
I don’t see a way to label individual pix, so here’s a guide.
The lighthouse, front view. It’s about 4′ tall.
Lighthouse, back view, showing the tiny bathroom crammed under the stairs. The shower rod fell down again. I’m still pondering how to solve that one.
A log home in 1/144 scale, made from laser-cut parts.
Part of my remodeling on the log home kit. I needed to move the door and turn the doorway into a window.
The “construction site” after a busy evening.
The “lumber yard” in the attic. The “logs” are 3/8″ x 3/4″. The smaller basswood is 1/32 x 3/8 and will be used for the floors. The larger strips are 1/32 x 3/4, and will be used for the walls.
This is going to take a long time!
EllenVic
Edited 5/1/2003 7:36:20 PM ET by ELLENVIC
Replies
looks like a pretty cool hobby, but I think I would personally lack the patience
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professional build the Titanic.
I built a doll house once - Never again, though.
My Mom wanted one for a long time. I bought a kit and started to build one in February, thinking I would have it done by Christmas. Ended up taking 3 freakin' years!!!
Of course - The "Tim Taylor" in me didn't help. I couldn't put the thing together without painting it. And I couldn't paint it without sanding every tiny little piece, too. And I had to put wood filler in all the holes. And the wood chimney looked dumb, so I had to buy some tiny bricks and build a brick chimney.
I ended up putting about 2,000 pieces into the dumb thing. Of course, Mom was thrilled with it. So maybe it was worth it after all. See my tag line for what I said after I finished it. (I said this when I was interviewed for the newspaper article about it)
"If God will forgive me for building this one, I'll never build another one as long as I live" [Boss Hog, 1993]
Hi Boss,
3 years??? Would love to see the end product; any chance of you
posting a picture or two of it?
Thanks,
Ron
Don't have any digital pictures of it, and don't have a scanner.
Maybe one of these days.........Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. [Bill Watterson]
Borowed a digital camera for the "Purple Martin Dream Team" thread, and took a couple of pictures of Mom's dollhouse last night.
View Image
View ImageThe radical of one century is the conservative of the next. [Mark Twain]
Wow! That's really impressive Boss! Thanks for sharing!
Ron
Well, it looks pretty good from a distance. I was never happy with how it turned out, if you look at it up close.
Mom has worked soem on finishing the inside, and Dad did some wiring on it. But the inside isn't finished by any means. (Which is why I didn't take any pictures of the back)
You sure can sink a lot of money and time into those things. Ever buy one of those dollhouse furniture catalogs? Lotsa cute things you can buy.I can't say I've ever been lost, but I was bewildered once for three days. [Daniel Boone]
One of my summer jobs during college was working for a defense contractor running tests on a direction finding system used on a Navy battleship. The tests were run on a scaled-down metal model of the ship, approx. 20' long, that was identical RF-wise to the real thing. Anyhow, the detail on this model was incredible, all the way down to the metal stairs and handrails on the deck. I remember thinking what a dream job making that would be for someone who was into modelmaking...
Ron
Very, very nice. Working on the inside is a never-ending job, I think. I'd be frustrated to make a house that nice for someone, and then have that person not finish it.
EllenVic
I'm not frustrated or upset, really. Mom enjoys shopping for things for her dollhouse. and works on it when she has time.
Gives her something to do now that she's retired.Would a fly without wings be called a walk?
Boss: Good line...I got a chuckle...I may "steal" that if you dont mind...ha
I would like to see that "dumb thing" as well. I bet it is really a nice piece of work.
Have to say, you are good. I hope some day I have the time to do stuff like that for my kids, (grandkids?). Oh wait, you have to get married first.
Once again, great job.
Jon
That is very precise work. I think building in minature is actually harder than full scale. The measurements and fit have to be proportionally smaller..and that is tough. Nice work!!!
Uh-oh, now I'm worried that folks think I made the functioning window. I wish! No, the windows and doors are commercial products from a company called Handley. The kit came with non-functioning windows and a very boring door. I'll do some customizing, because they are designed for a 3/8" wall, not 3/8" wall plus 3/8" 'logs' plus 1/32" 'paneling.' I plan to slice of part of the kit parts with the band saw, then glue the kit and the Handley parts together to get the thickness I need. Should get interesting.
Someday I'll be able to make precise, functioning, miniature windows, but I'll probably have to retire first from my more-than-full-time job.
Ellen Vic
"Confession is good for the conscience."