Let's talk about cardboard Christmas houses and accessories

Visit our Contributors' Pages:
Visit Family Christmas Online Visit Howard Lamey's own web page, LittleGlitterHouses.com Click to Sign Up for Maria Cudequest's Collectibles Blog
Visit Family Christmas Online Click to visit Papa Ted's Place - the ultimate cardboard Christmas house resource. Click to return to the Old Christmas Tree Lights Table of Contents Page



Note: To ask a question, sign up for our "Christmas Times" newsletter, or learn how
to apply for membership to this forum, please visit our Contact page.


Note: All content on this forum is Copyright (c) 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 by Paul D. Race
and by the posters who have contributed specific content. All material is for your personal use only. No content
or plans may be republished or sold, nor may any plans be used to make products to sell without prior written
permission from Paul D. Race and the individual who contributed the content or plan in question.
For permissions or questions about this policy, please contact us using our Contact page.
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 7:51 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 55 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 9:23 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Posts: 2249
Greetings to all…

It’s a new month…and what better way to start than with a new project…an illuminated miniature fireplace and a series of interchangeable houses…

Lynn will be designing and posting patterns for the houses…each sits on a 2” x 2” square base with a strategically placed light hole that aligns with holes in the top of the mantel…I’ll concentrate on the fireplace and the simple illumination system…

You’re invited to build along with us…please post pictures of your version of the fireplace and the houses here on the forum…we look forward to seeing your personal touches…


FIREPLACE PARTS…

Main body…folded cardboard…3” x 3” opening…¼” x ¼” wood strips…ignore gray reinforcing paper strips…

Base…laminated corrugated cardboard…¾” thick …¼” x ¼” wood strips…6 1/8” x 1 1/8” hole for light box…

Mantel…laminated corrugated cardboard…½” thick…three ½” diameter light holes…¼” x ¼” wood strips…

Light box…folded cardboard…6” x 5 ½” x 1”…¼” x ¼” wood strips…white poster board reflector on inside…clear acetate cover held on with tape…

LED lights…string of 20…AA battery powered…mine were from Wal-Mart…similar items are available at other stores and on-line…

Graphics for bricks, wood and flames…I used ones I found via a Google search…

Paul also has several brick and stone patterns available…go here…

https://bigindoortrains.com/indoor_resources/resources.htm

Then scroll down to “Building Textures“, “Tinplate Textures“, “Christmas Building Textures” and “Halloween and Fall Textures”…

Andirons…cardboard…toothpick mounting pins on backside that glue into small holes in base…


FIREPLACE NOTES…

After covering with printed brick and wood graphics, the base, body and mantle are glued together to make one piece…

The flame graphic is glued to the inside of the 3” x 3” fireplace opening…


LIGHT BOX NOTES…

Three LEDs are glued in the small holes in the top edge of the light box…this directs the light through the holes in the mantel and into the holes in the base of each house…the remaining LEDs are randomly arranged in the light box…

I did add a double layer of yellow tissue paper between the LEDs and the clear acetate cover to “warm up” the color of the “bluish white light” emitted by the LEDs…

“Orange“, “red”, “yellow” or “warm white” LEDs might work better and make the fireplace flames “glow” even more…a “flickering” LED light setup might really bring the flames to life…I may look into that at a later time…

The light box slips in the opening in the fireplace base…it is not glued in…the battery box wire is fed thru the hole in the back of the light box and sits in a shallow relief slot in the bottom of the fireplace base…

More fireplace photos plus house patterns and photos will follow…stay tuned… :)


Attachments:
miniature concept only.jpg
miniature concept only.jpg [ 308.29 KiB | Viewed 26849 times ]
fireplace-sheet-1-of-2.jpeg
fireplace-sheet-1-of-2.jpeg [ 84 KiB | Viewed 26849 times ]
fireplace-sheet-2-of-2.jpeg
fireplace-sheet-2-of-2.jpeg [ 62.79 KiB | Viewed 26849 times ]

_________________
View my Little Glitter House Photo Album
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOODm--XeeYEyxSdc4RY4DdTpQBRuRSWuipFHFP7-QWtidYW9c6Az-qbcAAQXLsBw?key=YlNqQjVkbWRLcjlSS3F6dHZQa3RhN0x5Mm9MTFd3
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 3:22 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:58 pm
Posts: 917
This sounds like a lot of fun, much like the witch's lair and the Dollys and the pack o'fun houses. I'm in. I really like seeing your concept sketch too.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 6:28 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Posts: 2249
good morning to all...

here are some additional photos of the fireplace parts and how it all goes together...

i'll post pictures of the light box and other details later...

Howard...


Attachments:
1-fireplace-inside-outside-001.JPG
1-fireplace-inside-outside-001.JPG [ 103.42 KiB | Viewed 26839 times ]
2-fireplace-body-base-mantel-001.JPG
2-fireplace-body-base-mantel-001.JPG [ 181.52 KiB | Viewed 26839 times ]
3-fireplace-mantel-underside-001.JPG
3-fireplace-mantel-underside-001.JPG [ 62.97 KiB | Viewed 26839 times ]

_________________
View my Little Glitter House Photo Album
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOODm--XeeYEyxSdc4RY4DdTpQBRuRSWuipFHFP7-QWtidYW9c6Az-qbcAAQXLsBw?key=YlNqQjVkbWRLcjlSS3F6dHZQa3RhN0x5Mm9MTFd3
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 11:42 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:51 pm
Posts: 706
Howard:

I'd looked at this a few years back.

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/fire-led.html

If I ever made a putz fireplace I was going to try this.

For only $6.00 I figure it was not a big investment to try.

Steve


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2017 4:50 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:51 pm
Posts: 109
Hey guys....

Steve's link will take you to what is essentially the product I used to light up the bonfire in the 2016 putz village. It's cheap,
easy to use and effective looking. The only downside is that, like any battery operated device, you have to turn it on, then remember
to turn it off.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 12:15 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:17 pm
Posts: 807
Location: Portland OR
I LOVE the concept drawing!! It's so fun to see inspiration before finished product. :) Super awesome project!! Cant imagine making micro putz houses to fit on the mantel.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:20 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Posts: 2249
good afternoon...

thought i'd go ahead and post two more progress photos of the fireplace and the completed light box...

the three major fireplace parts are shown assembled just for the photo...i still have to cover them with brick and wood printed graphics...then i'll glue the base, body and mantel together and glue the flame graphic in the opening...

the light box photo does not show is the layer of yellow tissue paper under the acetate cover to warm up the bluish light emitted by the cool white LEDs...

stay tuned for more...

my very best regards...howard...


Attachments:
4-fireplace-assembled-001.JPG
4-fireplace-assembled-001.JPG [ 160.26 KiB | Viewed 26773 times ]
lightbox-001.JPG
lightbox-001.JPG [ 147.54 KiB | Viewed 26773 times ]

_________________
View my Little Glitter House Photo Album
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOODm--XeeYEyxSdc4RY4DdTpQBRuRSWuipFHFP7-QWtidYW9c6Az-qbcAAQXLsBw?key=YlNqQjVkbWRLcjlSS3F6dHZQa3RhN0x5Mm9MTFd3
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 3:50 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Posts: 2249
good afternoon to all...

my fireplace is now finished...all the graphics have been applied and the andirons put in place...the light box is also finished and working...

i know Lynn is very busy with the little houses...i've had an "advanced look" at them...you will find it hard to believe they are miniatures...trust me...

you'll also really like a few other personal touches she had added to her version of the fireplace...

by the way...is anyone else making this project?...we'd like to know...

my very best regards...

Howard...


Attachments:
fireplace-assembled-front 003-001.JPG
fireplace-assembled-front 003-001.JPG [ 176.25 KiB | Viewed 26729 times ]

_________________
View my Little Glitter House Photo Album
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOODm--XeeYEyxSdc4RY4DdTpQBRuRSWuipFHFP7-QWtidYW9c6Az-qbcAAQXLsBw?key=YlNqQjVkbWRLcjlSS3F6dHZQa3RhN0x5Mm9MTFd3
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 4:32 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:17 pm
Posts: 807
Location: Portland OR
Great fireplace!! Can't wait to see the mini houses. You are a master at applying those graphics...No easy chore in my book!
-Brian


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 5:09 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:48 pm
Posts: 153
WoW - That fireplace looks real! I can almost hear the wood crackling! What a nice project. Going to add this to the 'to do' list. Which now is about a mile long LoL! Thx for sharing Howard

John


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 55 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 28 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron




Click to see sturdy Lionel(r) trains that are perfect for your Christmas tree.



Note: To ask a question, sign up for our "Christmas Times" newsletter, or learn how
to apply for membership to this forum, please visit our Contact page.


Note: All content on this forum is Copyright (c) 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 by Paul D. Race
and by the posters who have contributed specific content. All material is for your personal use only. No content
or plans may be republished or sold, nor may any plans be used to make products to sell without prior written
permission from Paul D. Race and the individual who contributed the content or plan in question.
For permissions or for questions about this policy, please contact us using our Contact page.



Visit our affiliated sites:
- Christmas Memories and Collectibles -
Visit the FamilyChristmasOnline site. Visit Howard Lamey's glitterhouse gallery, with free project plans, graphics, and instructions. Visit Papa Ted Althof's extensive history and collection of putz houses, the largest and most complete such resource on the Internet.. Click to return to the Old Christmas Tree Lights Table of Contents Page Click to sign up for Maria Cudequest's craft and collectibles blog.
Click to visit Fred's Noel-Kat store.
- Family Activities and Crafts -
Click to see reviews of our favorite family-friendly Christmas movies. Free, Family-Friendly Christmas Stories Decorate your tree the old-fashioned way with these kid-friendly projects. Free plans and instructions for starting a hobby building vintage-style cardboard Christmas houses. Click to find free, family-friendly Christmas poems and - in some cases - their stories. Traditional Home-Made Ornaments
- Trains and Hobbies -
Visit Lionel Trains. Free building projects for your vintage railroad or Christmas village. Click to see Thomas Kinkaded-inspired Holiday Trains and Villages. Big Christmas Train Primer: Choosing and using model trains with holiday themes Building temporary and permanent railroads with big model trains Click to see HO scale trains with your favorite team's colors.
- Music -
Carols of many countries, including music, lyrics, and the story behind the songs Wax recordings from the early 1900s, mostly collected by George Nelson.  Download them all for a 'period' album.
Best-loved railroad songs and the stories behind them.
Heartland-inspired music, history, and acoustic instrument tips. Own a guitar, banjo, or mandolin?  Want to play an instrument?  Tips to save you money and time, and keep your instrument playable. Own a guitar, banjo, or mandolin?  Want to play an instrument?  Tips to save you money and time, and keep your instrument playable.



Click to trains that commemorate your team!

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group