Tudor Market Hall Part 4 - Continuing the miniature build

Continuing with the build we move onto the ground floor lights and the front window.

Wall Lights

Step 1

• Kevin has made wall lights for this project, but you can use ready made ones if you prefer.
• The Hall takes about 40 lights in total, but the number depends upon where you position them.
• Using the FB407 stripwood, cut it 8mm wide, and into short lengths of 30mm long.
• Cut an equal number of pieces 8 x 8 mm square.
• Use a mini drill with a 2mm drill bit to drill holes in the centre of the little pieces and at the bottom of the longer pieces. Please see the photo below to show what Kevin means.
• Using Roket Rapid glue by Deluxe materials, glue the little pieces at right angles to the larger pieces just above the hole in the 30mm pieces. Again, check out the photo below to show this piece being clamped whilst the glue dries.

• When dry, carefully distress some of the edges of the light fittings with a craft knife.
• Soak them in dark oak stain for a minute and remove to dry.
• When dry, thread a 12v grain of wheat bulb through a white plastic bead spacer, then through the two holes in the light fitting.
• Finally check that the lights work before installing.

Step 2

• In the first floor room fit the the lights in the chimney and cavity wall first.
• Start with the 3 lights in the chimney and carefully bare the ends of the wires up to 12 mm.
• Lightly twist the ends of the separate wires together.

• Take some extra wire DE086 and expose one end, do not cut the other from the reel.
• Drill a hole through the back of the chimney as high as possible, and pass the ends of this wire through to inside the chimney.
• Take one wire from each of the 3 bulbs and twist together with one of the DE086 wires.
• Take the other wire from each bulb and repeat with the other wire.
• Each bundle of 4 wires inside the chimney must be isolated with insulating tape.
• You can now unravel enough wire from the reel to allow it to reach to the back of the house to be connected later.

Step 3

• Next connect all of the lights that are in place on either side of the cavity wall.
• Use the extra wire DE086 to connect inside the wall to the lights.
• Take this single wire back through the gap in the cavity wall to the back of the house.
• As always, test each light before fixing in place.

Front Access Panel

Step 1

• The front access panel to the ground floor room lifts off.
• Cut a piece of 6mm MDF the full width of the room which should be approximately 402mm by the wall heights of 210mm less the 4mm thickness of the floorboards that the panel will sit on.
• Measure your gap accurately and cut the panel to size.
• Apply 3 coats of magnolia to the piece including the edges.
• Allow to dry.
• Draw a pencil line across the front 20mm down from the top and carefully cut with a jigsaw.
• You will use both pieces, so please be careful.
• Paint the cut edges.
• Mark them with an arrow to show how they fit back together again the right way round.

Step 2

• On the front of the panel mark the position for the door and window.
• For the door opening draw a vertical pencil line 50mm in from the left hand side.
• Draw another line 70mm in.
• To mark the top of the door, measure 155mm up from the bottom edge.
• For the window opening, draw a vertical line 50mm in from the right hand side.
• Draw another 170mm in.
• Draw a horizontal line between these 30mm up from the bottom.
• Draw another between these another 125mm up.
• You should now have a rectangle opening for the window.
• Before cutting it out, check the dimensions of the window and alter the marks if necessary to fit.
• Use a jigsaw to cut out the door and window openings.
• Paint over any pencil marks and the exposed edges of the MDF.

Step 3

• Cut a piece of FB407 stripwood the exact width of the front panel.
• Stain this piece along with the DIY182 window after removing the clear acetate to use later.
• On the front panel, score all the way round the window and door openings where the FB407 stripwood will be glued.
• Make sure the scoring is well within the 18mm width of the stripwood.

Step 4

• Position the front panel and the 20mm strip in place.
• The top of the strip may sit 2mm high because we used a full height 210 wall panel.
• If this is the case, sand the bottom edge until the top of the strip is sitting flush.
• Position the panel and strip again, the gap between the uppermost internal timbers should be 382mm.
• This may vary, so measure and cut a piece of FB189 stripwood to fit.
• Remove the 20mm strip and score the inside of it from the top to 12mm down.

 Step 5

• Stand the panel  back in place with the 20mm strip flush to the top.
• Glue and clamp the piece of FB189 into place flush with the inside top edge of the 20mm strip.
• Carefully tack the two ends of the strip on the front using 15mm veneer pins.
• To cover the join between the panel and fixed 20mm strip above it, glue and clamp the piece across the top of the panel with it sitting about 3mm higher than the top edge of it to form a lip.

Step 6

• Cut 6 pieces of ready stained FB366 to the length from the underside of the top cross beam to the bottom edge of the panel.
• Glue and clamp into place.
• The vertical pieces either side of the door should protrude 3mm over the the frame.
• When viewed from the inside, these form a recess for the door to close against.
• Cut horizontal beams to fit between the vertical beams.
• Use additional pieces to make solid timber sections above and below the window.
• Make sure the beam across the top of the door also protrudes into the opening by 3mm.

Step 7

• Carefully apply glue to the inside recess of the window and glue into the opening.
• Use a spare piece of MDF on top of the window with a weight on top and leave to dry.
• Wipe any excess glue away whilst still wet.

TO GO BACK TO PART 3

TO GO FORWARD TO PART 5

For more information on Tudor bespoke properties go to www.kjdollshouses.co.uk, or contact Kevin Jackson at [email protected] and make sure you mention Dolls House and Miniature Scene.

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