She wants a doll house this time!

[Wongo]

Thanks everyone for your inputs.

Dave, it will be nice to see some pictures.

I think I will build a simple, big and robust one. I will use the layout and colours of our 2-storage townhouse. It will be quite nice especially we are selling the house soon. BUT I told my wife last night about my design and what did she say “No why don’t you build a traditional old English cottage”. Fine, maybe I should carve all the furniture too.

Wongo, what sort of father are you?! Surely at that age you should be buying her first tools!

Alex, I am trying. I have taken her to every tool shops, hardware stores and timber yards in Sydney. If you see a man with a little girl on Saturday morning then its me. Don’t forget to say hello to us.

Bitingmidge, well done mate. It must be a very special moment.

[DaveInOz]

As promised.
Here it is simple and big - but not robust enough for my liking - next time (oh god :eek: ) I'll use thicker ply - 3ply is too thin for these spans.

The room sets of furniture are about $20 each and she gets them for birthdays etc. from the legion of grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends ....

She already had heaps of Barbies - including the ones my wife kept from when she was a kid.

The paint is from sample pots.

[Wongo]

Mr InOz, that’s awesome man. I love the floor. Thanks

[silentC]

What the hell is Barbie doing in shot #3?

That is huge! There are people living in townhouses that are smaller than that. Did you have to get Development Approval?

Wongo, Hobbyco in the Mid City Centre (between George St and Pitt St Mall). They have dolls house stuff there. Might give you some ideas anyway.

[DaveInOz]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. It is very user friendly and she loves it, in the end thats what matters. One day I would like to make one of the little fiddly ones with lights and architectural realism etc but not for little girls to play with.

As mentioned the floors were done by squaring up icey pole sticks and PVA glueing them to the ply. I then watered down some pine timbermate bog and rubbed it over the floor and into the gaps (like grout). Once dry I sanded and spray laqured (spray can). Time consuming but in no way difficult.

In shot #3 Ms 3yo is playing house, its is 3pm and barbie is passed out on the couch in front of the TV the glass of wine spilt on the floor.
:eek: I guess she watches too much TV

[MikeK]

Wongo,

I just finished one for my 3 year old (birthday present). I agree with the advice of the others - keep it simple. Also, let relatives know the names of shops that sell dolls house furniture. This gives them endless amounts of xmas / birthday opportunites.

I essentially built a 4 rooms over 2 storeys. This allowed me to put large "windows" (there's no glass), in the front doors and the sides. This allows the house to be closed and the kids to be able play by looking inside it. The house is painted in bright colours which match the colurs of her bedroom.

Some lessons for me were:
- I used 6mm ply, but even that didn't stop some of the warp with the doors attached to the side. Next time I'd use MDF or something stiffer.
- Do a full dry run before glue-up. That way you know when you've missed cutting an internal door (doh!).
- check to see what size hinges you can get before you make the final decision on thickness of timber. It took me a while before I found hinges small enough (with appropriate screws) to cater for 6mm ply.

Good luck.

Regards,
Mike.

[gosfordbob]

This is a dolls house I made for my 3 year old granddaughter, I got the plan from the library it was ment to be a pub.

[Caliban]

[QUOTE=silentC]What the hell is Barbie doing in shot #3?

Darren
What is wrong with you girl?
Don't you recognise the "Maree Antoinette" barbie when you see her in her penultimate moment?

[silentC]

Oh sorry, I thought it was the Paris Hilton barbie

[Caliban]

Darren
Perhaps you're right. Those French Kens don't put up with an uppity woman. They slap em down as soon as look at you.
My mistake for being so Aussiecentric in my view of things.

[gosfordbob]

I'll try again, I made this for my 3 yearold granddaughter, it was meant to be a pub, I got the plans from a book at the library.
Bob

[jackiew]

that's excellent bob, couldn't spot it from the pictures .. how does the front stay on when its not in use?

[Wood Borer]

Congratulations to both Dave and Bob for being softies to their daughter and grand daughter.

I too become soft when it comes to our daughter and grand daughter.

- Wood Borer

[gosfordbob]

Jackiew, the front fits in a groove at the bottom and fits under the roof at the top.
Bob

[Iain]

Has a rocking horse and hope she doesn't want a pony.
8 years ago we got a pony for now miss almost 17, should just be a flash in the pan, ho ho bloody ho, she now represents the state and we have five of the beasties.
Oh well, at least I get to see some magnificent sunrises as we head off to events at 3.00am