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BUILDING FROM SCRATCH
More and more folks are building missing parts and even
whole new houses from scratch. It's really catching on! Check these out!
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Great houses are sometimes found with the base missing. In this case, you can
peruse the pictures on this site to find the right dimensions and see what it
should look like. Or, you can build a whole new house. It begins with a base.
This is how it's done:
The pattern has been drawn and the cardboard cut to size and edge-creased at the
corners. The basic box has been drawn into shape.
Note that the cardboard bottom "plate" has been set center and glued uniformly
to the covering paper. For this, Tom found tissue paper too insubstantial and
typing paper too heavy. He found some old "proofing paper" at a local newspaper.
Placing the all-important "U" strips that keep it from caving in.
Closing it up ....
The proof paper covering.
Moving on ...
MAKING SQUARE POSTS
Although a post pattern has been included it is far easier to make them
a lot at a time in one strip.
You will first need to lay out the posts on a piece of cardboard. the
dimension of the posts are 1 1/16" high with each side being
1/2". As 6 posts are needed a 12" ruler will be all you will need as
the picture below shows.
Notice that there are marks every 1/2' inch on TWO sides. If you have
aligned everything right this will work perfectly.
In this picture the linier dimension has been laid out and we are ready
to mark and score the fence post fold lines. The ruler is in
place for the next line and I will mark it with the pen and after that
score the line with this little screwdriver. I usually give about 3 or
4 firm passes with the blade of the screwdriver to score a line on the
card. You must ALWAYS SCORE ALL FOLD LINES
BEFORE CUTTING OUT. Trust me on this.
This shows the post strip cut off and sectioned into 6 pieces of 4 sides
each. Since it has been well scored it is a simple
proposition to fold up into a square post and glue together holding with
a rubber band. To finish the post all that is need is a 5/8"
square piece of cardboard for a cap. Again I would lay them out on the
cardboard together and cut them out, as it is simpler than
drawing around the pattern for each cap.
FINISHING THE FENCE
This first photo shows patterns cut out and ready to lay out the second
part of the fence.
In cutting out the patterns it is a good idea to try and trim off as
much of the black line as possible. To use the pattern you lay it out
on your cardboard and trace around it. When cutting out the cardboard
it is also a good idea to trim off the traced line as well. If in
your cutting you don't do this you will experience "pattern creep" in
which the pattern is enlarged with each transfer and getting
things to fit - expecially on the roof and house could be difficult.
This photo shows a simple way of transfering the port hole pattern
to the cardboard. Of cource you can use carbon paper but just
scribbling on the back of the pattern where the holes are is
sufficient. Then you just put the pattern back down and trace over the
circles on the pattern. It is also a good idea to retrace the
circles with your pencil so that they show up better for the next
operation of cutting the holes.
In this photo you can see that I am using a center hole punches of
graduated sizes. Further the punch is being used against a
piece of wood. In punching the holes out I put the first hole in the
center so that the center-line is extablished. In the case of the 5
hole piece of fence the second holes are the outside holes and finally
the mid distance holes are punched. In using this method it is
necessary to wet the cardboard for two reasons. Firstly it makes it
easier to punch through and get a clean cut and secondly there
is less deforming of the cardboard around the punched hole. Of course
you may not want to do this and you can use an ordinary
paper punch or an exacto knife but investing in a cheap set of "made in
China" hole punches like those tool "dig bins" in hardware
and home stores may be a good idea. That is what these are and they are
adequate for this operation.
If you don't use the hole punches you can skip this step. I use an Iron
to dry out and straighten the piece of fence. The fence
should be very dry before glueing as if it is not thoroughly dried out
it will warp after you have the fence together and ready to put on
the base.
This shows how I glued the fence "rail" strips of cardboard on the
fence. I found it easier to put the rail on the fence before glueing to
the fence posts. Also using this method you can cut off the excess and
have a good fitting strip. Of cource the next step is to glue
them onto the box "platform" base.
MOVING ON AGAIN ...
Tom has laid out the pattern and cut the cardboard for his new big twin steeple
church.
Complete except for the windows,landscaping and snow highlights.
And here is the completed piece. It's large! 7 1/2" wide by 4 5/8" deep and 8"
high. You ought to see this thing in person. It's astounding! There is a kind
of story behind it. No twin steepled church like this is known from the Japanese.
My young computer whiz nephew Chris, while making some of the graphics banners
you see on this site, lifted images from Antoinette's first mantel putz on the
Main Page. At the extreme right, a second church is partly hidden by the one in
front, and the image lifted as a church with two steeples. Several collectors
mentioned it, but we all agreed that if such a church never did exist, it should
have. And so now it does!
Another original that Tom has made.
Amazing! What workmanship!
Tom is not the only builder of whole new houses from scratch. I am getting more
and more e-mails from people who are taking up the hobby. The two below are but
part of the pictures sent me by Ted Howard of Callhan, Florida:
"Ted,
Thanks for sending my orders to me quickly. I've been fixing up a few things I
recently found on vacation -- boy is this addicting!
If also starting playing with some construction from scratch. I've attached some
JPEGs just for fun. The little blue house (on the short platform) was my first
attempt. My second house is the pink one with the blue roof. The third one is
the more complex house with the little girl I made in front. The last one (I'm
just finishing up) is the white church in which I've used your windows. Except
for the windows in the church, I've made everything else: houses, finishing,
painting, trees, figure, paper doors (hand drawn on my
computer from scanned originals on my old houses) -- takes a lot of time to do
these things! But it's fun.
Anyway, keep up the good work and keep supply all of us "addicts" with a great
site and great products.
-Ted Howard, Callahan, FL"
Howard Lamey
Jacksonville, Florida
Howard has made all the houses on his putzes by hand, - taking his cues from the
old ones, but creating his own interpretations.
A look at his tools. Of note are the sharpened wood chisels of varying widths.
These make quick work of creating rectangular and slit window openings, leaving
very clean, very straight edges with a light hammer stroke.
"Actually, you do not have to use a hammer to cut through cardboard...if your
chisels are sharp you can just apply a downward force...guide and line up the
sharp end on the opening layout line with one hand and push down with the other..
.i usually stand up when i cut openings...just be careful...give it a try..."
- Howard
"I just want to re-inforce Howard's advice on chisels. It would be worth your
while to buy a cheap or used set of chisels(1/4" to 1 1/2") and take the time to
put a fine edge on them.If you do it right, they will cut like a hot knife
through butter without hammering. If you find yourself resorting to a hammer -
STOP! A dull chisel can be extremely dangerous. To cut the round window tops, go
to McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com) and you'll find various sizes of round
leather punches and nylon cutting matts. These can be a bit pricey, but they're
almost essential. You'll wonder how you ever did without them. By the way, these
will require hammering, no matter how sharp.
I use .042" chipboard for my houses. I find that it's very close to the
thickness of the originals(which vary somewhat) and it's very sturdy, especially
under the weight of glass glitter or sand.
I hope you'll find some of this info useful."
- Karl Fey
"Just a quick note...to the best of my knowledge, the hole punch "backer pads"
talked about on several of the web sites that sell punches is the same off-white
, milky looking cutting boards you find in the housewares and cooking sections
of your local grocery store, super market or mass retailer (target, wal-mart,
k-mart)...they just cost less than some of the ones you can order via the web...
you may even have one at home right now...give it a try!"
- Howard
Two constructed awaiting paint and glitter, and a finished church in the middle.
Howard does not make these to sell, and so far has made no two alike. Treasures
tohand down through the family some day.
It shows what can be done at home. This "low" technology is not beyond the
reach of folks like you and me. With the interest and a bit of practice, you
have a great and satisfying hobby!
The "Inner Howard"
The underlying work
here Howard shows us the painstaking layout
markings underlying his finished houses.
Thanks for these, Howard! They provide key insights!
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Copyright 2000-2012 Theodore H. Althof,Jr.Except where noted, the contents of this website and all it's pages and submissions therein contained are the intellectual property of Theodore H.Althof,Jr. All rights are reserved. (Background musical selections are,of course, excepted.)