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Roomboxes
- lessons learned from Brooke Tucker
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Construction:
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Instead of using foam core, which is not very sturdy, try illustration
board.
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Measure and label all braces that you receive in a kit. With a light pencil,
mark the size/diameter/length on each piece. Brooke will get you to do
this in class anyway, so you might as well do it in advance.
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A round toothpick cut to an extreme angle makes a great pick for removing
excess glue from corners and tight spaces.
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Wallpaper:
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Always cut out the windows and openings in your wallpaper AFTER you put
it on, not before.
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Always cut wallpaper with an Xacto knife and a straight edge, not scissors
– it is easier to keep it straight.
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When cutting wallpaper, which you can even do when wet, make sure you clean
the Xacto knife on a wet cloth after EVERY cut.
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Use Yes glue for wallpaper glue which you thin by adding hot water, drop
by drop, until it is the consistency of syrup.
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Moldings:
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When cutting moldings: measure, cut and glue it as you go.
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When you cut a miter, use a small scissor on it afterward to cut the tiny
extra piece off the back so it fits perfectly.
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When you do ceiling moldings, turn the box upside down to work on it so
that the ceiling becomes the floor.
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When you get your moldings, whatever type they are, draw a dark line with
a black marker on the part which will be on the floor or ceiling. That
is the part which will ALWAYS be down on the flat part of the miter cutters.
If you see the line, you are not cutting it correctly.
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When using stain for wood, use Deft semi gloss interior spray which will
really make it look wonderful
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To increase holding power of Tacky glue, add a few drops of Krazy Glue
on it.
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When trying to glue pieces to be lined up and straight, use “L” squares
which are pricey but great to use. They can be ordered from M&L Precision
Machining Inc., 2285 Paragon Drive, San Jose California 95131 (408)436-3955.
Or if you are on a budget, use glued together Lego bricks in an “L” shape,
about 2”high.
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Make sure you have a hard pencil to make precise marks. Brooke recommends
the Koh-I-Noor Technigraph lead holder #5611C – price is about $6.50 with
#09 hard leads, sold separately. This pencil has a collet end which grabs
the leads. It has special sharpener too.
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When you use a saw and miter box, make sure you ONLY use the miter saw
one way- toward you- do not go back and forth with sawing.
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You can keep glue in a glue gun for a long time if you fill it correctly.
Pour the glue slowly down one side and let it fill the whole thing. Then
let it set right side up until the air bubble comes to the top. Burp it
by plunging it until it does and you are all set.
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You can make your own tiles for a wall or table top by using any picture
you want from the internet or a greeting card. Cut the picture up into
½ inch tiles and rearrange on a piece of poster board with a slight
space between tiles. Spray with Deft semi gloss interior spray and then
again. When dry, use spackle over it like grout to get between the tiles.
Then spray several more times with the Deft until satisfied.
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You can make copper tiles by using a stylus on a copper sheet (from Michaels)
which you rule off into little boxes.
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