Tuesday, January 26, 2016

A house call

When Lorraine from Fairy Meadow Miniatures came to my public programme at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery (GRAG) last month, we got talking about the trials I was having with my HBS Creatin' Contest build, and she kindly offered to come to Canberra for a day or so and give me a hand getting back on track plus teach me to solder and how to sort the lighting out.

It took a while to find a date that suited both our schedules but, thanks to my understanding new boss who granted a day off between the weekend and Australia Day, we finally agreed that Lorraine would come to visit yesterday morning and head home this evening.
Woman looking at a dry-fitted modern miniature doll's house shed on a kitchen bench.
The first point of business (after making a cup of tea) was doing a dry fit so she could get a feel for where I was up to and what I was trying to do.
Woman rearranging furniture in a dry-fitted modern miniature doll's house shed on a kitchen bench.
Then I learnt my first of many things from Lorraine: that I needed to choose my lights before I started anything else to do with wiring. Silly me had just assumed that you worked out where they were going, then attached whatever you ended up deciding on to the wiring right at the end...

So I had to head upstairs, collect the options I had in stash and we made some quick decisions on what might work where.
Woman holding a miniature light up to the ceiling of a dry-fitted modern miniature doll's house shed.
Woman holding a miniature light up to the ceiling of a dry-fitted modern miniature doll's house shed.
Woman holding a miniature light up to the ceiling of a dry-fitted modern miniature doll's house shed.
Woman holding a miniature light up to the ceiling of a dry-fitted modern miniature doll's house shed.
Modern dolls' house miniature floor lamp next to a rocking chair in a dry-fitted miniature kit shed.
Modern dolls' house miniature floor lamp next to a rocking chair in a dry-fitted miniature kit shed.
Because some of the options were wired for 4.5 volt systems, and we were planning to run on the standard 12-volt system, there was some speedy rewiring, using some lovely pea bulbs from the package Elvira sent me 18 months ago (that's definitely a gift that keeps on giving!)
Woman drilling a hole in a modern miniature lamp shade being held in a vice.
Woman holding a modern miniature lamp shade in front of a vice on a workbench.
Woman holding a modern miniature wall lamp in front of table with a second woman working with wire in the background.
Two modern miniature wall lamps, light by a 9-volt battery, on a table.
By the time we'd done that, and some spray painting of pieces it was time for dinner and chatting and then, finally, bed.

This morning we were both up bright and early and while I made us tea, Lorraine set the breakfast table:
Table set up with supplied needed for soldering, plus two mugs of tea.
My soldering and lighting lesson started at 7.30 am (with us both still in our PJs!)

First up, a demonstration of when polarity matters and how to check that you have it right (first takeaway for the day: using a 9-volt battery is an easy way to run tests on 12-volt systems).
Woman holding a modern dolls' house miniature lamp, lit from wires connected to a 9-volt battery.
Then I was formerly introduced to copper tape and its properties,
Woman sticking a run of copper tape to a tile.
reminded of how to split and strip wires and how having the ends at different lengths helps ensure they don't accidentally touch and short out, 
Woman placing wires onto a run of copper tape to a tile.
and shown why sticking the wire down with tape before you start soldering is a good idea. 
Woman about to stick down a length of wire onto a run of copper tape to a tile.
 Touch the wire with the tip of the soldering iron,
Woman placing the tip of a soldering iron onto a length of wire on a run of copper tape.
 introduce some solder wire stuff (that's a technical term, I'm sure), 
Woman adding flux to length of wire on a run of copper tape.
tap off once it starts to melt (if there's no melting happening, turn your soldering iron tip around a little, as one side's hotter than the other) and remove the iron once the solder 'flows'.
Woman soldering a length of wire onto copper tape.
 Voila! One neat and tidy join.
Two wires soldered onto a length of copper tape.
Then it was time for me to have my first go (top)
Four wires crudely soldered onto a length of copper tape.
 and second, much neater version (bottom).

At which stage Lorraine handed me the wires attached to one end of  a 12-volt transformer she happened to have in her work box and showed me how to solder it on the other end of the copper tape and suddenly there was light!
Lit dolls' house light held in front of a length of copper tape with wires soldered onto both ends.
 (I felt ever so chuffed...)

We celebrated by showering and dressing before running a couple of errands, including buying more mat board (I'd used my supply up building the scenes for the GRAG exhibition).

Because, it would seem, I hadn't needed to spend days on end undercoating my pieces and waiting for them to dry before spraying the next coat on, as Lorraine told me that the neatest way to run wires is behind false walls made of mat board.
Woman measuring dolls' house kit walls on top of a large piece of mat board.
Having seen my appalling cutting skills, Lorraine decided that the only safe thing to do was measure and cut the board for me, fixing the worst of my mistakes along the way (bless her!).
Woman tracing dolls' house kit walls onto of a large piece of mat board.
Woman positioning dolls' house kit walls onto of a large piece of mat board.
Woman test fitting dolls' house windows in a piece of mat board cut to size.
Finally, about mid-afternoon, she declared it was time to start gluing the floor and walls together
Woman holding the side wall of a modern dolls' house shed kit up against the floor.
(and visit James at Victorian Dollhouses while we waited for it to dry...)
Several clamps along the back edge of a modern dolls' house kit shed.
We're not finished yet, but Lorraine has already said she wants to come back and play again soon, and that she's sure I'll be fine carrying on the build by myself...

*gulp*

#HBSCreatinContest2015

5 comments:

  1. Anna-Maria, reading your blog was lovely and may I say I'm not sure now who had the most fun, you or me! You are certainly a superb host and an excellent student.
    I can't wait to come back and I can only hope that you don't do too much without me, I'm not sure I can cope with you having all the fun...lol
    Anyway I know you will do an excellent job now you're back on track and it wouldn't surprise me if it was finished by next week!
    I do hope to surprise you one day with me doing a modern scene, you've certainly opened my eyes to its allure.
    Talk soon my friend,
    Regards Lorraine

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  2. after reading all that, the phrase "my understanding new boss" stood out as the best bit. long may it continue.

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  3. Some great lessons! I have yet to use the tape. I usually use the white wire and batteries. Tell Lorraine I like her shirt!

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  4. Oh you lucky girl! What an awesome way to spend a long - ish - weekend. Project looks really good.

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  5. Lucky girl to have your own Miniature consultant to help you along.
    I met Lorraine in Brisbane last year - her enthusiasm for minis is contagious. I can imagine what fun you must have had together. You certainly made a lot of progress.
    All the best Janine

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