Hobby house

[LeatherneckPA]

I am in the process of developing a new shared hobby for my wife and I, a doll house. LOL, I always thought they were a complete waste of time. And she's had an unfinished plywood frame sitting in my woodworking shop for at least 10 years. But this one is different.

What I am going to do is build a 1:12 scale model of our 1800 sq ft timber-framed, dream retirement home and then let her decorate it. My involvement will continue as I build 1:12 models of the furniture she requests to furnish the cabin. I believe it is a perfect way to identify bugaboos before I run into them with full sized timbers. And it will definitely be a big help to Cindy, who simply can not go from a 2D drawing to a 3D mental image.

Between the two timber framing books I already own I believe I can design a suitable frame. But I probably will still need at least one more book. Insulation is not covered in either one of these. I figure I've got between 18 months (my ER date) and 9 years (Cindy's ER date) to finish the model. Maybe I'll even start a web page that chronicles the development of the doll house and the real house as they go?

 

[yelnad]

A website about the process would be really cool! Have fun with this!

 

[ladelfina]

What a great idea!

I remember going to a giant flea market and seeing for sale some of the antique working models of various patent ideas (submitted to the US patent office). I don't know who got ahold of them, or how, but were they selling them for big bucks.. The models were a fascinating testament to both the ingenuity and the craftsmanship of those who built them. There's nothing like a real-life hands-on example.

 

[TromboneAl]

We have some friends with an incredible house, and the guy built it himself with no prior experience.

He built a scale model and took it into the county planning commission. They said that if he could build that model, they weren't at all worried about the real house he would build.

 

[wabmester]

That sounds like a cool project, Bop. Are you planning to mill and mortise your own timbers?

Our last couple of places were timberframes. True works of art and rock solid. But I didn't build them. Hmm, maybe I'll try to build a dog house....

Just a sanity check on the "dream house" bit. Timberframes tend to be pretty dark inside due to all of the exposed wood. Plan for lots of windows, skylights, etc.

 

[bssc]

Sounds cool. We want to build a Timberframe house when we grow up.

 

[LeatherneckPA]

Are you planning to mill and mortise your own timbers?Timberframes tend to be pretty dark inside due to all of the exposed wood. Plan for lots of windows, skylights, etc.

Milling, probably not. I'll just hand a cutting list to a local mill. But all of the mortise and tenon work will be mine. There are a total of 18 windows (3' x 5') and 3 doors (with big windows in them) facing E, S, and W. No openings in the N wall or roof at all.

A HUGE 4' x 8' masonry stove will be located dead center of the whole house and will have exposed surfaces to radiate heat into all of the rooms except the pantry and our closet.

Preparatory work will be building a 12' x 16' timber framed shed in the backyard this spring.