Assembly Notes /Getting Started (A) page 3
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-907 Alison Jr
Assembly Tips:
A large, clutter-free, well-lighted work area is helpful
during assembly, but a fl at work surface is essential.
Read the instructions
carefully; look at each of the
illustrations.
!With the parts in your hands!
, think the
assembly through before you proceed.
Test fi t
each time you are ready to glue a piece in place...
then you’ll know you have it right.
If more tape or a helper is needed, it’s good to know that
before the parts have glue on them.
Don’t be stingy with glue or tape;
use generous amounts.
Always wipe off excess glue immediately.
Keep one damp rag and one dry rag handy all the time.
Have weights available
for holding things tight as glue
joints dry (stacks of books, gallons of pure Vermont Maple
Syrup - anything heavy)
Glue the body of your dollhouse together
with
white, water clean-up glue that dries clear. Do not use
instant-bond (super glue), fast-tack, rubber cement, sili-
cone, or hot melt glues. They are all used in some wood
applications, but they all have some characteristic that
makes them un-desirable for the body of your dollhouse.
Carpenter Glue works well, but glue-smear dries yellow
or tan; many of the things you glue onto the house are pre-
painted – extra glue will show.
I use Aleene’s Tacky Glue®
for housebody assembly.
Make sure everything is straight and fl at as glue dries
...
That’s the shape that will be permanent.
Q: Can I wallpaper before I assemble the doll house?
A: Yes you can (it’s your house!) Many experienced builders are
advocates of papering before construction - I am not.
My biggest objection to papering fi rst is that you are always too
skimpy with glue so none will squeeze out and get on the paper.
I try to use the amount of glue that fi lls the joint, so some will
squeeze out in every joint and be wiped up. But wiping glue off
of wallpaper leaves a streak, so the temptation is to go skimpy,
and the joints aren’t as strong.
Second, I can always tell a house that was pre-papered because
the corners show a void instead of being continuous (see the
slideshows about how to crowd the papers together in the cor-
ner... you can’t do that with pre-papered walls).
Third, I have had to replace paper too often that has gotten
damaged by glue or tape during construction... that wastes time
and paper ($) and can make it so you are left deciding whether
to replace a damaged paper or letting it slide because you don’t
have any more of that pattern and you’ll have to order it and that
takes too much time (running out but then needing another piece
is a distressing moment).
Finally, I don’t fi nd pre-papering to be faster. By the time I have
done all of the extra planning that getting the papers in the right
place requires, I have used up any potential advantage. I have
great big blacksmith’s hands, and papering in a fi nished house is
easy for me.
All that having been said, I do pre-cut the papers used in the
attic before attaching the Roofs and I paper in front of the Blind
Dividers (2
1
/
2
”) before I glue them in place.
Glue the shingles on
with glue that doesn’t have any water in
it! If the glue says ”water clean-up”, it will curl the wooden shin-
gles. Look carefully at the glue you intend to use to be sure it is
solvent-based, or use hot-melt glue (and watch out for the burns).
I use a “Sub-Floor Adhesive” glue which comes in a caulking-gun
tube at the hardware or building supply store. It says “Caution:
Flammible” on the front, and that’s how I am sure it is
solvent
based
. Check ingredients and warnings!
If you Wallpaper
,
use Yes® craft paste (for bookbinding or
collage) or pre-mixed Roman’s “Border” paste.
Brush paste on the wallpaper, then the wall, and fi nally smooth
the wallpaper into position.
Taking things apart:
Heat softens glue. If you have to take things
apart, warm the part in the oven at 170
o
for up to a half hour to let
the heat get into the joint where the glue is. Don’t let it get hotter
than you can touch or the paint may scorch. Don’t heat window
panes.
When glue is drying,
skip ahead to up-coming assembly steps
and prepare the parts that will be used
Before you begin, read the “Finish the Inside”
section on the
last page.
Overview of the Build:
Identify and label all of the parts
Paint everything one coat
(see www.realgoodtoys.help/JM907/painting)
Finish the fl oors
Sand painted surfaces until the paint is smooth, transparent,
and some of the wood is showing through
Optional: Add an Electrifi cation Slot to the Base Floor*
Build the housebody until the Top Floor
Optional: Start the wiring
Mark, paint, and attach theTop Floor
Build and attach the Foundation
Pre-cut wallpaper for the inside of the Roofs
Attach the Roofs (Optional: E-slot the Top Floor)
Optional: Attic wiring
Install the Dividers (but not the Blind Dividers)
Optional: Finish the wiring
Assemble and fi nish painting
Finish the outside
Finish the inside
Details of each step will be expanded along the way, but lots of
folks like to see how it all fi ts together before they start
Slideshows, demos, useful links, details, and photos are all at:
www.realgoodtoys.help
Wiring? www.realgoodtoys.help
Click the buttons “
JM907
” and “
Wiring
” for wir-
ing information specifi c to this house.
