The Bottom Line
Making Dolls Houses in 1:12 Scale is a comprehensive book for making five different dolls houses based on plywood carcases. The small Victorian shop should be built first before attempting any of the more complicated houses. The book assumes the reader has reasonable familiarity with woodworking from measurements rather than scaled plans. Instructions are given for trims, moldings, doors and windows, but commercial examples could be substituted to simplify the project. Strong reading skills are required to work through the detailed constructions which include wiring runs for lights.
Pros
- Five Very Different Interesting Plans and Detailed Finishes
- Good Diagramsand Plan Layouts
- Thorough Discussion of Basic Tools and General Techniques
- Lumber (Timber) Requirements Laid Out At Beginning of Each Project
- Substitution of Commercial Finished Doors and Trims for Those in the Plans Will Simplify Contruction
Cons
- Lots of reading required. This is not a Step by Step book although instructions are clear.
- Some minor errors in measurements - Check to make sure you understand design before proceeding
Description
- Thorough instructions for scratch building five very different 1:12 scale dolls' houses.
- Basic casework for the houses is made from birch plywood. Marine mahogany plywood is suggested for the simplest shop.
- Instructions are given for making all components (windows, doors, trims) using wood and a router and table saw.
- Substitution of commercially available windows, doors and mouldings will simplify constuction, however measurements may need adjustment.
Guide Review - Book Review- Making Dolls Houses in 1:12 Scale by Brian Nickolls
Sadly now out of print, but still widely available, Brian Nickoll's book Making Dolls Houses in 1:12 Scale contains complete instructions for building a very creative range of five widely varied dollhouses. These are not simple projects for a complete amateur, but do require use of woodworking tools, including a table saw and router, although you may be able to adapt the plans and use commercial windows, doors and moldings to reduce the requirement for power tools. All houses are constructed with lap (housed) joints, mostly using birch plywood. The book was written for the UK market, so adjustments will need to be made for wood types. Measurements are provided in metric as well as inches and feet. Finishing details including lighting runs are provided.
The five dolls' houses covered in the plans include:
- Dutch Gabled Victorian Shop - a simple arrangement of two stacked rooms and an attic behind an opening Dutch Gable front, shown used as a Victorian Shop. This is the simplest of the designs in the book, with a finished mahogany plywood front. The shop is roughly 15 x 27 by 12 inches deep when finished and is light enough to be wall hung if you wish. Instructions for a fireplace, shop counter and shelving are included.
- Seven Room Georgian House - This traditional Georgian house has an attic with dormers and windows in both the hinged front and the back.It is roughly 36 w by 31 h by 15 inches deep when finished. A central staircase connects the two main floors, but does not continue into the attic. The attic space above the double staircase houses a small bathroom (although it could be used to continue the stairs). The house is shown with a finished but unpainted wood carcase, with wood quoins on the corners and chimneys at either end. The front opens with double hinges, and the attic roof is hinged with supports to hold it open. Instructions are given for making all the necessary windows, Georgian fan light door, stairs and handrail and kitchen chimney breast.
- Thatched Cottage - Finished with a unique thatched roof made from teak veneer, the four room, beamed ceiling cottage has a removable front and roof combination which slide off by means of a groove. Stairs and upper floors are removable and the cottage is set on a garden base. Instructions are given for the windows, doors, stairs, fence and gate, as well as a stonework fire surround for the kitchen. This project requires careful shaping and construction for the detailed roof.
- Fisherman's Cottage - With two main rooms and a net loft, this stone finished cottage has an L shaped design and sits on stone effect pier. The loft has sliding doors. The front of the cottage slides off with part of the roof. The finished house is roughly 24 w x 18 h x 22 inches deep.
- Tudor House - This house consists of three roomboxes stacked above one another with slight overhangs. Instructions are given for the timber framing, stairs, brick chimneys, doors, and windows, including two oriel windows on the front. The sides of the three floors of the house are removable.
Price and Availability - Making Dolls' Houses in 1:12 Scale published by David and Charles, UK,1991 ISBN 0-7153-9848-2 Hardcover and more recent paperback editions available. Priced from $1 to $15 for new and used copies.
