Clamping

The set up in the picture is NOT actually holding anything in place, it is just to show how I do it.

This is how I 'clamp' things I can't use clamps on. i.e. if I need to glue on a ceiling rose, you can't clamp it or hold it until the glue dries. Of course, I'd do this the other way round. It is just a scrap of wood and two nail buffing pads. I do prefer to use old worn out pads since they wont sand off paint etc. I keep a batch of the old ones for these sort of things. For different sizes, you need to cut a different sized peice of wood. I prefer pieces that will bend a little so they act as a spring.

Badly Made Doors

I purchased 4 doors for the shop, at a fair. There were 2 of each of different styles. Two were of the french window kind. When I tried them in the shop, they did not fit. They are not of a standard size and were far too tall for the holes cut. I had to cut out some of the wall at the top. Not easy when the house was built. The other two were fine.

So that is the first snag I hit and a word of warning for anyone wanting to add these doors.

I carefully stained and varnished doors for the shop and glued on door handles. They were ready just to stick in place. I hit another snag. The doors did not sit flush with the wall, on the opposite side. I couldn't add the trim without terrible gaps. The trim that makes the door assembly was too thick. (They didn't fit standard thickness MDF used in dolls houses - 9mm) I am fortunate to have a well equipped woodwork shop and I routed the rebates to make the trim part thinner. The doors now fitted flush.
Make sure your doors are well made when you buy them. It would be very difficult to cut the rebate deeper using craft tools.

One consolation - I bought the equipment to spray the varnish on. That cut out all the fiddley painting of the muntins etc. That will be very useful for other things too.

Glowing Embers

 

A very simple and inexpensive way of making glowing embers.

I still have a fireplace to make but I have a couple of ideas I am mulling over for that.

Some flowers

I have made some miniature flowers. The ones in the troughs are only there temporarily. I have many other things to make for this display but it will take time.

New Scene

I have added a new tab for the Medieval Hall. I am not sure whether it will be a Tudor Hall, Dragon's den or something else. It will probably be a Tudor Hall so I can add some miniature food.
Click on the tab to see what I have already done and plan to add.