1 inch minis KITS

As most of you know I am making kits of the finished furniture I make.  Hobby Builders has decided to put them into their catalog and on their web-site  www.miniatures.com.  I am the top listing on Featured Brands, very nice!  When looking for the KITS click onto SHOP BY CATEGORY, then click on Featured Brands and there I am.  I will be adding to the page with more kits.

I  have also moved my finished furniture to ETSY.  Everyone has been telling me to move, so I did that today.  Depending on how busy I'm kept making kits I will be trying to make the finished furniture, too.

I am trying out the newest kits, the Retro Sofa and Retro Chair on Etsy.  I have 3 each available right now.

TTUL  Kris

Here's the link to the Etsy shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/1inchminis

RULER TUTORIAL FOR MINIATURISTS

I might be a bit audacious thinking I might be able to explain our USA rulers to people but I thought I would try.  I have had questions about putting measurements into centimeters.  I did do that for a while but I got lazy and stopped, probably lost some followers on that.  So, here goes . . . 

Pictured above is a representation of 1 inch that has been divided into two equal parts.  We refer to these equal parts as fractions.  The picture above is showing the inch divided in half or 1/2 inch.  Each part is a 1/2 inch.  There are two 1/2 inches in every one inch.

1/2 inch plus 1/2 inch equal 1 whole inch

Pictured above is a representation of 1 inch that has been divided into 4 equal parts.  Each part is a quarter inch or 1/4 inch.  There are four 1/4 inches in 1 inch.

1/4 inch plus 1/4 inch equals 1/2 inch

1/4 inch plus 1/4 inch plus 1/4 inch equals 3/4 inches

See picture below showing 3/4 inch

1/4 inch plus 1/4 inch plus 1/4 inch plus 1/4 inch equals 1 inch

Pictured above is a representation of an inch divided into 8 equal parts.  Each part is an eighth inch or 1/8 inch.  There are eight 1/8 inches in 1 inch.

1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch equals 1/4 inch

1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch equals 3/8 inch

1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch equals 1/2 inch

1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch equals 5/8 inch

1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch equals 3/4 inch

1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch equals 7/8 inch

1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch plus 1/8 inch equals 1 inch

This picture above is showing the 1/8 inches added and written on the ruler.

The picture above is a representation of an inch that is divided into 16 equal parts or 1/16 inch.  Each part is a sixteenth or 1/16 inch.  There are sixteen 1/16 inches in 1 inch.

I could write out all of the addition as I did above but think you might have the idea.

I have the 1/16 inch marks added up on the ruler for you.

Above is a representation of  2 inches.


Let's find 1 and 3/16 inches.

Find 1 inch.  Count three 1/16 inch marks.

I have 1 inch marked with an X and I've counted 1,2 and 3 more 1/16 inch marks.  The arrow is pointing to 1 and 3/16 inches, total.






Let's do 1 and 3/8 inches.

Find the 1 inch, then count over three 1/8 inch marks.

I have the 1 inch marked with and X and I counted 1,2 and 3 more 1/8 inch marks.  The arrow is pointing to 1 and 3/8 inches, total.



O.K. I would do more but Digger is sitting on top of the printer looking out of the window so I can't put anymore examples into the printer to show you.

Let me know if this works for you or if you need more explanation.  I would also think a better explanation would be available on Google.

Dasha, let me know if this helps, Kris

1 INCH SCALE CONTEMPORARY STAINLESS REFRIGERATOR TUTORIAL - How to make a 1 inch scale refrigerator from mat board.

This is the refrigerator I made for the corner cabinet dollhouse.  I made the original from bass wood, this one is made from mat board.

I will use Elmer's wood glue for most of the tutorial.

These are my pieces for the refrigerator.
Top: 2 3/4" x 1 7/8", 1 layer mat board.
Back: 2 3/4" x 5 15/16", 1 layer mat board.
Sides: cut 2, 1 7/8"x 6", cut out the toe kick, 1/4" up from the bottom and 5/16" in from the side.  Use  one layer mat board.
Middle: 2 3/4" x 1 13/16", cut two from mat board and glue together.
Bottom: 2 3/4"x 1 13/16", 1 layer mat board.

Here are the beautiful patterns from Nancy.  Thank you very much, Nancy.

I've given you the patterns for the "box" of the refrigerator.  The directions for transferring are at the left of the blog in the "Things to do, Things to see" list, HOW TO RE-SIZE THE PATTERNS.  After you have followed the directions for printing them I want to you check the dimensions after you have traced them.  This isn't about Nancy's patterns, it's about the transfer.
I want you to use your rulers to measure for the doors.

Apply wood glue to the edge of the sides without the "toe kick".

Glue the sides to the back.  Keep the bottoms even and leave a 1/16" at the top.

Glue the top on.

Cut a strip of mat board 1/4" wide and at least 9" long.

Cut one at 2 3/4" long and cut two at 1 7/16" long.

Glue the 2 3/4" x 1/4" piece onto the back, keeping bottom edges even.

Glue the 1 7/16" x 1/4" pieces on the sides.  Keep the bottom edges even.

I call these spacers and they make it easier to keep the bottom and shelf even.

Apply glue to the top of the mat board.

Press the bottom onto the mat board spacers.

Showing the bottom glued in.

Cut a strip of mat board 1 7/8" wide at least 9" long.

Cut one at 2 3/4" and two at 1 3/4" long.

These are the spacers for the middle shelf.

Glue the 2 3/4" x 1 7/8" piece onto the back.

Glue the two pieces of 1 3/4" x 1 7/8" onto the sides.

These are the two middle shelves.

Glue these two pieces together.

Apply glue to the top of the mat board spacers and press the middle shelf onto the spacers.

Glue two pieces of card stock together with yellow glue.  Let dry.

We are going to use a 1/8" punch.

Cut a few 1/8" wide strips from card stock.  We are going to use these for the handles and for wrapping around the doors.

For the handles glue together four strips, two each.  Set the others aside for now.

What we have now are two strips that are two layers of card stock glued together.

Punch out 24 circles from the doubled card stock.

Glue four circles together.  I have my circles slanting away from the edge about 1/32".

On scrap paper draw a line and mark 2 3/8" apart on that line.

Glue a stack of circles at each mark.

Do this three times for three handles.

Go back to the 1/8" wide strips that have been glued two layers together.

Use the circle template to trace a 1/8" rounded end.

Trace the rounded ends 2 1/2" apart.

Trim the ends.

Cut six.

I used a piece of mat board and a doubled piece of card stock as a spacer.

Apply glue to the stacked circles and glue one strip on.

Glue a second strip on.  Press them together while the spacer is in.  Make sure you have a good seal between the layers.

Make three and set aside to dry.

Cut three pieces of mat board at 2 7/8" x 2".

These are for the bottom freezer door.

Glue two layers together.  Leave the other piece of mat board.  This will be for the rubber seal.

Get a strip of 1/8" wide card stock.

Apply glue to the edge of the doubled piece of mat board and press the card stock strip onto the edge all around.

Cut 1/16" from one long side and one short side of the single layer of mat board you have left.

This is your rubber seal.

Cut 6 pieces of mat board 1 7/16" x 3 11/16".  These are the two refrigerator doors plus the rubber seals.

Glue two together for each door.  Leave the other two for the rubber seals.

Apply glue to the edges of the doors and press a 1/8" wide strip of card stock onto the edges all around.

Cut 1/16" from one long side and one short side of each of the "rubber seal" pieces of mat board.

Paint just the edges of the 3 "rubber seals".  I would paint at least two coats, sanding a bit between the coats.
I used 220 grit sand paper.

Get started painting the body of the refrigerator and doors.

Let the coats dry and sand with 320 grit paper and graduate to 400 or higher grit paper between coats until you are happy with the results.

I mixed some silver paint and gesso together to make a paste.

Cut the handle loose from the paper.


Apply the paste to fill in the layers of card stock.

Let the first coat dry and apply a second coat.

When that is dry carefully sand smooth with 220 sand paper.

Apply a couple more coats of the paint/gesso paste and let dry.  Sand smooth.

I am using painter's tape to mask off an area on the back of the refrigerator.

Measure 1/2" down from the top, 1" up from the bottom and 1/4" in from each side.

Paint this area black.

For the grille on the back of the refrigerator I used plastic canvas.  This piece has 6 holes per inch.

Cut a piece 16 holes x 30 holes.

I cut out some of the cross bars to take away some of the plastic canvas look.

Finished.

I spray painted it black.

Remove the tape.

Place the grille onto the back.

Use your tweezers to mark two holes over a cross bar in each corner.

Drill the two holes in each corner.

Cut a piece of 1/8" diameter dowel about an inch long.

I used green paddle wire, 26 gauge to hold the grille on.

Start a center hole with a "T" pin.  Don't push it in too far, just enough to start your drill bit.

Choose a bit that will make a hole that the 26 gauge wire will fit though.

Drill into the dowel a little bit over a 1/8" long.

Cut off a 1/8".

Start the drill again.

Cut four 1/8" long pieces of dowel.

Cut four 3" long pieces of wire.

Put the wire through the grille at the corresponding corners to the holes that you drilled earlier.

Thread the dowel on.

Just thought of an easier way, use a large black seed bead instead of the dowel????

Insert the wire though the holes.

Use pliers to twist the wires to hold the grille on.

I painted the dowels and wire black,

I used tacky glue to glue the doors to their rubber seals.

I did this because I wanted the quick tack.  I am going to clamp this together and I don't want things to slip.

Apply the tacky glue to the door and press the rubber seal onto the door leaving a tiny edge all around.

It is important when you clamp to put a scrap of mat board over your door so that the clamps won't mar the surface of your door.

Clamp all around.  Repeat this for the other two doors.

I like leaving this overnight.

This is one door with the rubber seal glued on.

Cut a piece of mat board 1/4" wide and 2 7/8" long for a kick plate.


Paint this black, let dry and glue to the front of the refrigerator.

I used tacky glue to glue the doors to the box.

Put the doors on keeping the edges even.

Put scrap mat board on top of the doors and weight them down.

I left this overnight.

Next day.

I went to the model car isle at Micheals and bought a small can of chrome spray paint.

I used this for the handles.

I lightly glued the handles to a scrap of mat board and sprayed the handles with the chrome spray paint.

This paint takes a long time to dry.  Be careful when you touch it, you can leave fingerprints.

When the handles are dry carefully remove them from the mat board with your craft knife.

I used tacky glue to glue the handles on.  You can use super glue if you want.  I am not good at applying that and generally make a mess.

Showing the back.

Showing another view.

Now, you have the stove and refrigerator to make your contemporary kitchen.  I do hope you try this out.

Have you all seen the kits in Hobby Builders??  I am putting together more kits so if  you have a favorite chances are I will be adding it to the list.

If you have questions or pictures for the Follower's Gallery send them to:  camceiling@frontiernet.net


As always,

Have fun, Expand on it, Make it better . . . . 

Just Keep Making Minis!

TTUL
Kris