Chapter 6
I Did It My Way
The Workshop
Table of Contents
No lightkeeper's
house would be complete without a workshop. This is where he stores his tools
and supplies and where he can make and repair things as needed.
In this project
we are going to explore another method of building. This time we won't be using
a kit -- just our imagination and some of the information and pictures that
were gathered while doing the initial research for this project. Where do we
begin? I like to layout my plans on paper.
By doing a drawing I can see if the proportions are pleasing to
my eye. I can see how the doors and windows will look and by doing my drawing
full size I also have a template to use while constructing my building.
Doing the building on the full size drawing will also aid me in
keeping everything square and properly dimensioned. During this planning stage
you need to decide if you are going to make your doors and windows from scratch
or you are going to use unit that are pre-made. Either way is fine but you will
need the dimensions of the units you choose so you can size the openings
correctly. In this section I will be making my own windows and doors so I can
make them any size that looks good to me.
You will notice
that this shop is going to be built much like a real house would be built.
I will be using "2" x 4" s (5/16" x
3/16") for the framing,
1" x 9" s (1/16" x 3/4") for the sheathing
and
Sheets of pre-milled bevel siding for the exterior.
The base is 1/4" plywood and
The floor planking will be 2" x 9" s. (Yes 9"
wide lumber is and odd size. Normally the widths are in multiples of 2"
but the fellow who milled the lumber for the shop is a bit odd, too, so it all
fits).
One of the goals
in making miniature is to make our items look like the real thing. Sometimes that
means using stain or naturals finishes. Finishes that show off the grain and
character of the wood. When this occurs we want to have the grain in the wood
to be fairly straight without a lot of big figure. (Not always true - some
people "paint" with wood grain. Mother Nature provides us with some
beautifully figured woods but often that is not the look that is desired)
In other words we want our grain to scale.
When you buy your wood look closely at it and look at the whole
board. Many times you will find a board with some very nice looking grain and
some downright ugly grain.
Think about how much of the board you need for that perfect
grain. If there is enough good grain for your project, buy it. You can use the rest
of the board for painted projects where the grain matters not.
Remember under paint it won't matter what kind of wood it is or
how ugly it is so long as it's smooth and has the right thickness. I know you
already knew that but sometimes when I go wood shopping I get very discouraged
because someone already took all of the perfect boards. Usually not true if I
just look closely and think about what that board is destined to be.
Just a word or
two about the wood used in this project.
I chose to use pine for the studs and some of the sheathing. The
reason is simple, that's what I had on hand and even better it's pretty cheap.
You can use whatever wood you like to use.
Bass is milled in many sizes so lots of people without the tools
to mill their own lumber use that. It is more expensive that way but not
compared to the price of a table saw.
Old wooden pallets or fruit crates are another option for wood.
The real point is that there is no "right" wood. Not for this project
at least.
The sheathing is a combination of pine and basswood milled to
look like shiplap. Is it necessary to do that? - no but I like to diddle.
The sheathing could be scored sheets of 1/16" wood or even
illustration board it's entirely up to you.
Even the siding can be laid on board by board if you choose but
I had some siding left over from another project so I'm going to use that.
The roof, base and one wall are made from 1/4" plywood.
Again, you could substitute other materials but the plywood is a good choice for
these items.
When I cut my
2" x 4"s I made no effort to try and get a smooth cut. I used a
course blade and encouraged blade marks. I wanted my lumber to have the
appearance of not having been planed but rather cut down the road by the local
sawyer. I'm hoping that the roughness of the lumber will aid me when I start to
age the workshop by not allowing the stain or washes to absorb at the same rate
- we shall see.
You know what
you have to do, so go get those sticks together and lets build!
Opps, almost
forgot the glue! No building discussion
would ever be complete without a lengthy discussion about glue. Basically use
the kind you like. I wouldn't use rubber cement or the kind of paste that was
so good to eat when we were in kindergarten but, hey, it might work!
Seriously, take into consideration the materials you are using.
I'm using wood so I chose a glue that is recommended for wood. I happen to like Weldbond but about any
white or yellow glue could be used as long as it's recommended for wood.
If you are using other materials choose your glue accordingly.
Last revised: April 2001