Tutorial: Tape-wiring a dollhouse, the basics.

You may have noticed that my last post was a bit all over the place. Apparently hobbies mimic life. I wasn't drunk (that I can recall). There was just so much going on (in real life and) with the individual pieces of the roombox, that I somewhat jumped the gun on talking about the electrical. I'm not sorry that I showed you, I just could have been more organized. Too late to change it. So if I confused you, apologies. That is the opposite of my mission here. I want to show how easy this can be. This post will be more tutorial-y for you.  I know a few of you have been waiting for this one. These are the basics. The no frills bare minimum to have a tidy electrified dollhouse, along with personal experiences so someone might learn from my mistakes.

At the time I last posted, I had ordered all of the spring-loaded eyelets (and a few other items) that I needed to finish the electrical on this roombox project. I clicked publish, and the next day they showed up on my doorstep. WTF. Insanely fast shipping when I least expect it. So here we are, less than a week later and the electrical is complete. Today we're talking strictly electrical (from the beginning-ish), with a few bonus project pics at the end.

I've never tried round-wiring in miniature (except the fixtures, of course). I think that the effort isn't worth the end result when there are easier alternative options. Work smarter, not harder. Right?! Begin: my love affair with tape-wire. That's the only kind of wiring I'll be writing about here. So when I say 'tape' or 'wire', picture this stuff:

Yes, that is the wire. It lays flat against the wall/floor/ceiling, it's peel-and-stick adhesive backed, and it's "paintable". Let's talk about that.
They (Cir-Kit Concepts) have made the exposed side of the tape compatible with most primers and paints. That being said, affirmative, primer and paint will indeed stick to the tape. That hides the color only. Not the fact that it looks like you painted over the painter's tape, but never removed it. You can see the texture of the tape, no matter how many coats you slap on.

Shown with a 'pound-in' outlet for plug fixtures (table and/or floor lamps, lanterns, etc.).

This is a spring-loaded sconce outlet. It's a flush mount when used with the sconce adapters from Cir-Kit.

In the roombox (above), I tried to minimize the prominence of the tape-wire ends by sanding them down with 4000 grit finish paper. It's all I had for super-fine grit, and it worked pretty well. I despise the puckering of the wire coating under the paint. It's out of my control.

Exhibit A,  flat paint. If you look closely near the sconces you can see the wires.

See?

Especially when the lights are on.

So my advice here would be:

1: If you must use paint for the wall finish, choose a flat paint. This will minimize the visual imperfections.

2: Forget about number 1, and just submit to the fact that you'll be happier with papered walls. I have.

In the roombox, I knew that I would be putting up and taking down paper all the time. The roombox is for staging purposes, so it has to be versatile. That's why I went with a gloss white on the walls. They're never going to be photographed naked (this place is already classier than any Kardashians). Adhesives generally don't stick well to gloss paint permanently. The gloss will clean up easily, and make putting paper up and down a snap. Not to mention that I'll be making templates of the walls so I can just trace/cut paper to size in a minute or two and know exactly where my electrical connections are behind it. Like magic.

One of the first big decisions in wiring (after you've gotten through the no-brainer of choosing tape-wire), is which transformer to purchase (I have two CK1009C transformers). That all depends on how many fixtures you plan on running simultaneously. I run all fixtures in my dollhouse together since I didn't install any switches. It's either all of the lights or none of them. It's not like the tiny inhabitants have an electric bill coming in every month. You'll want to buy a big enough transformer to handle the load. Unless you're working in 1:24 or smaller, don't buy anything that says 1.5V on it. Not compatible. I'm only working in 1:12 here. I've posted this before, but here is the guide from Cir-Kit:

Scraped from Cir-Kit Concepts' website. '*' indicates built in breaker.

There are a few different starter kits out there, and they have all of the same components (to my knowledge), except for the transformer size. If I had it to do all over again, I'd have still bought the same kit last year. Normally these kits include:

-transformer with lead-in wire

-junction splice

-tape wire

-test probe

-brass eyelets and brads

-drill handle with #55 bit and pilot hole punch

-a manual

The manual is not just for decoration, folks. It is very helpful, and teaches you all of the basics. Don't be a man and throw it away without looking at it, then get pissed and wonder why shit doesn't work. Read it front to back. And never be afraid to ask for directions if you need them, big guy. I'm available through e-mail if you can't figure something out, or have a unique wiring situation and want help brainstorming solutions.

If you've bought a kit, rad! Here's where I hug you and tell you it's all going to be ok. It only looks daunting, and it only sounds scary. You aren't going to electrocute yourself. It's all very low voltage. I've touched live connections. (Clearly still pink, warm, and breathing as I type at you). A glass of wine would give me more of a buzz, and trust me, I've developed a tolerance. You don't need to turn breakers off to work on this, so chill out. Chances are, there's a circuit breaker built into your transformer anyway.

Here are some basics about the electricity you're working with and a few first steps to achieving the miniature electrical dream.

You may have noticed that the tape wire has two lines. A pink and a blue. These are very thin copper foils. One is for electricity coming in, and one is for electricity going out. You'll always connect pink to pink, and blue to blue. There are no ground wires to worry about. It's as easy as breathing. Electricity in one color, out the other. In and out. So simple. You don't even need to know which color is in, and which color is out. It doesn't matter. Just don't go connecting opposite colors together. If you're colorblind, well, I hope you have a patient friend or spouse to assist you. The plugs/adapters all have two wires/prongs as well. Again, it makes no matter which prong goes in which outlet hole so long as one prong meets pink and the other meets blue.

The first decision you'll need to make is where you want the lead-in wire to attach to the structure with the junction splice.

Dollhouse configuration.

Roombox configuration.

I try to choose inconspicuous locations on the outside. You'll start running your tape wire from there to the inside of the house and, as mentioned in previous posts you'll want to map out the path of the electrical in pencil to make planting the wires easier. I tend to put the junction splice on the longest uninterrupted length of tapewire in the house (I call this the 'feeder line').

So stick down a few inches of wire at your desired splice location and simply hammer the thing into the wires making sure one prong is making contact with each color. I've never had a poor contact on the first try. Plug in the lead-in wire (you may have to attach it to the transformer yourself) and use the test probe to check for power down the line. Don't be shy, you'll need to pierce the plastic coating on the wires and make contact with the copper to know if you've got power. These little holes will have no effect on the competence of the wires later. Once the probe lights up, you can fasten the little screw on the junction splice and continue on with the application of the wire. If the probe doesn't light up, try the following before re-placing the splice:

1. Is your transformer plugged in?

2. Is it plugged into an outlet that runs on a wall switch, and is the switch off?

3. If there's a rotary switch on your lead in wire, turn it. Try the probe again. If it still doesn't work...

4. Hell if I know. Try removing the splice and re-hammering it into fresh wire nearby.

Test probe, unlit, the switch on the lead-in wire was in the off position.

Shazam! Switch turned on. The world makes sense again.

Holes in the tape from the test probe are OK. As many as you need without completely fracturing a wire.

Repeat the steps until that test probe lights up. You don't want to go any further until you know if the tape-wire is receiving power.

Once you have an electrified line you can lay the rest of that length and when you get to a stopping point, snip it. Stopping points are generally anywhere that the wire would need to make a turn, or go no further. The wire can wrap around walls, bend in corners, etc. So there are less connections to make than you may think. Also, you can use any operational line as a feeder line to a new location. So don't feel like you have to run everything off the original feeder line.

To make a connection from a feeder line to an additional route, do the following:

In the dollhouse bathroom, I wanted sconces and outlets near the sink.

Lay your new line where you've decided you want power, making sure to overlap the new wire on top of the feeder line (above photo). Then you can use your pilot hole punch to plot where you'll place your brads. This isn't necessary, but makes it easier if you don't have steady hands. You'll be able to see where pink wires and blue wires overlap each other. Where pink meets pink, poke two small spots in the top wire. You'll want to keep these holes as small as possible to ensure the best connection. Carefully hammer one brass brad in each hole, and repeat this process between the two blue wires as well. It's recommended that these are hammered in at an angle, which is hilarious, since they're 1/8" long. I use needle nose pliers to hold the brad while I tap it in. If you want to use your fingers instead of pliers, good luck... knock yourself out, but don't come crying to me. You can use the eyelets at connections too, but this is a bit more time consuming and labor intensive. Which means I said no. Obviously.

Pilot hole punch tool, included in my fist kit.

Four neat and very small pilot holes.

1/8" Brass brads. So teensy.

Placing the brad at an angle will increase the likelihood of excellent contact between brad and wire.

Fully functional connection. Note the pencil lines. Neat and tidy. Ready to be slathered in paint. At least I know how clean it looks under there.

Note: if you require more brads, buy the brass ones. There are cheaper silver colored versions but the brass is better for the longevity of your system. I read somewhere when I started (sounds legit.) that the brass brads actually bond with the tapewire with use over time, further strengthening the connections. The cheaper versions may work fine at first but acually end up corroding in the long run. I've got no time for a headache like that.

Once you get the brads/eyelets in, grab that trusty test probe and check the new line for power.

Continue this process until there are working lines everywhere you need them. Then you can install outlets and eyelets for the actual lights to plug into.

The outlet pictured at the beginning of this post (for the sake of not scrolling all the way back up, here it is again) you can usually pick up in a pack of four for about $5USD.

These are simply placed at the desired location on the tape-wire (one prong per copper strip, as is the usual rule) and hammered into place. Even through paint, the connection will likely still be functional (mine always are) so you don't have to paint around them. I always install these post-paint, pre-wallpaper. Personal preference strikes again.

So there's simple tape-wiring in a nutshell, and the basics to get you electrified. I'll talk more about eyelet installation next post, which should be the big roombox reveal (not counting exterior finish).

Some teasers until then:

 Fireplace is coming along. I need more rocks so I'll hit up my favorite local beach this weekend (Yay, no more tourists!).

Soon, this will be explained as possibly the most terrifying moment in roombox construction history.

I hope this was at least mildly helpful. Until next time. Stay classy.

Tutorial: Grommetted curtain panels (no-sew)

 Finally!
You know how me and 'free time' aren't really seeing each other anymore...

I'm going to do this tutorial using a polyester chiffon, just to show you that sheers can be done with minimal effort. Using fabric that sucks to work with.
I'm using teal in honor of my new (to me) '79-'80 Winnebago

The craft palace has been overrun with Winnebago parts in need of a good sanding/priming/painting lately:

(So. much. orange. shag. + (former) rodent infestation = you can imagine)
That's why this post was so delayed. I had to scrub the damned RV so I could quit D-heaving.

Priorities.

Aaanyways, I'ma show you how easy these window treatments are to make. They're a no-sew project, which I'm pretty proud of. And they require very little fabric, (obviously, they're 1:12 miniatures) but what I guess I'm trying to say is that you could get away with buying one friggin' fat quarter and still have material left for coordinating throw pillows. If you swing that way. There are a few specialty items/tools that you might not have unless you are also a scrapbooker. But these are relatively inexpensive, or could probably be borrowed from a friend. Without further ado:

You will need:
-Fabric of your choosing. If you're doing multiple windows (assembly line them, you'll thank me later), and make sure you'll have enough material for the room.
-Clear nail polish (preferably not rapid dry, or the applicator brush gets gummed up)
-Masking tape
-Ruler
-Writing utensil
-Scissors
-3mm Jump rings (non-soldered, any color, you won't see them in the end)
-1/8" hole punch (I think this was $5 at Michael's, but can't recall)
-1/8" eyelet setter (Also about $5)
-Hammer
-1/8" Eyelets, these are obviously the grommets. You'll want an even number per panel, but you can customize how many based on your panel size. You can find these in the scrapbooking section at almost any craft store.

And here's what you'll end up with.
As seen in prior posts:

I loved how I could use the gold fringe on the selvedge edge for the bottom of the panel. Deluxe.

As long as you're careful, you can use my method on even the most delicate fabrics. Sheers! (This particular pair hangs a bit better than my other sheers since I cut it on the bias.)

And even stiff, thick, rich menswear fabrics that you got for a steal as a remnant. Just about any fabric will work.

I got some great suggestions from some of you about how to make my panels hang more naturally with pleats and all, in the comments from the curtain rod tutorial. I can't wait to try them out, I think I'm going to experiment with all of them on different types of fabric and see what I like best for each (all the while taking tons of pictures and then posting about it, you know, eventually). After making these curtains, no doubt you'll want them to look more realistic. So I'm looking forward to pretending I'm back in my college chem lab, blowing mixing shit up. I'll let you in on the results as soon as I have them.

Until then, they'll probably hang like this...

 Wide load. Like me.

Moving on.

Here's where the hardest part comes in. Measuring.

I can't really help you too much here. Your windows may be a different size, you may have hung your rods at a different height, etc. 

Figure out the length you want your panel to be (from the top of the curtain rod -> down), then add about 1/2" (no less than 3/8").

The width is up to you, but beware of making them too narrow. If you're making a single panel for a 2.5" wide window (as seen above) your panel width should be significantly wider (also seen above, since I haven't yet done my pleats. Slacker.). I think for a single window panel, it's safe to say you should almost double the window width. It's not an exact science, do what feels right. That's my method (even if it doesn't make sense).

 "60% of the time, it works every time."

Once you've cut your fabric to size, it's time to make sure it doesn't fray all over the damned place.
Remember how your mom taught you to stop a 'run' in your hoisery? She's a genius. Yep, go get your purse and grab your clear nail polish.

Here's what I use, if you care. I trust Sally, and diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Ever so carefully, paint only the very outermost edge of the fabric. You may want to test/practice this on some scraps to find the best technique. I generally get a small drip on the brush and run the fabric edge on it from underneath. Keep a very steady hand, and your eye on the ball (of potentially disastrous permanent paint). For best results, remove all children and pets from the immediate work area.
You shouldn't put so much on that it bleeds into the fabric. It should be pretty inconspicuous when finished. See? Can't tell there's nail polish all over this unforgiving see-through fabric. But there is:

Globs do happen, which is why I made this shitty, out of focus video to illustrate how to deal with the crisis. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.


Sorry about that 14 seconds of your life that you can't ever get back.
Allow polish to dry before continuing. Make yourself useful and grab a beer, or something.

Next, tear a piece of masking tape the width of your panel, and choose which way is 'up' on your fabric. Depending on your print/pattern/fringe, it might matter. Stick the masking tape to the front top edge of the fabric, overlapping it by 1/16"-1/8". Again, close enough is close enough. Just keep it straight and even.

 Fold the fabric over and stick the rest of the tape to the backside of the panel. When looking at the backside, you should have at least 1/4" (up to 3/8") of the 'right side of the fabric' showing above the tape on the back. This is a good time to 'measure twice' as the saying goes. Make sure that your panel length is the same across the width of the panel. Unless you are okay with crooked drapes. Not this girl.

Mine ended up at 3/8" on the nose, because I've done this before.

 Here's the part where you may need to fuss a bit. This is when you figure out where your grommets will go. I prefer that both sides of the panel angle towards the wall, if you feel the same way, you'll want an even number of grommets. You'll need an equal number of 3mm jump rings as eyelets per panel. Here's my best attempt at showing you how I 'measure and plot'. If you can even call it that.

 Folded in half above (crappy pic), then:

From the front of the panel.

I accordion-fold the whole bit, starting at the middle to ensure an even number of spaces. I fidget with it until all of the spaces are about the same length (the ones on the ends can be a little shorter). Try to keep the spaces at least 3/8"-1/2" wide each. Once you're happy with the result thus far, make marks on the tape (I always have a Sharpie on hand, but pencil/pen/whatever) close to halfway in the middle of each space. These will serve as guides for where to punch your 1/8" holes. They don't need to be perfect, just eyeball-close. Never once have I measured these. And I have OCD. Sooo...



Break out the 1/8" hole punch. Line up with your marks and punch a hole through both layers of fabric, keeping the edge of the punch as close to the masking tape as possible with out going over. Like "The Price is Right", but with higher stakes (and better odds).

If any of the 'holes' aren't all the way punched, don't fret, but don't pull them. Use some tiny scissors (mustache shears?) or even an exacto blade to trim those pesky threads hanging on. Here's what I use because I already had them in my tool collection.

Beadsmith thread cutter

I'm sure the clear nail polish hasn't wandered off too far, you'll need it again. This time paint the hole edges on the front and back, especially if you're doing sheers. You can be a little messier/liberal with the polish here since this edge will be hidden in the grommet. Try not to stretch the holes with the applicator brush.
You should be a pro at this by now, so not too many pictures here. Again, refill your libation, sit, and watch paint dry.

Or if you're like me, start shoving eyelets through without waiting. (I have the patience of a three-year-old). Push them through the front side of the panel, then like your earrings, you're going to put a 'back' on. These keep the eyelets from pulling through the fabric when you hang them. The 3mm jump rings are a tight fit. If you do enough of these curtains in a short amount of time as I did, you'll get a rugged callus. Push them over the eyelet tube and as far as you can against the fabric (you may need to open them 1mm with pliers so they push on easier (...sissy), but you will want them to fit very snug). The voices in my head tell me that the split part of the jump ring should face downward, but it doesn't actually matter. Unless you're neurotic and inflexible.

Sometimes I use pliers to push the eyelets as far as they'll go.

Now you'll need the eyelet setter and hammer. Home stretch!

If you haven't done this before (like me when I decided eyelets looked like mini grommets and bought the whole aisle) try a few on paper/cardstock, just to get a feel for how much hammering is required. Not rocket science. For me? About 5 taps. If you over-do it, it'll flatten the front of the eyelet which may cause undesired puckering of the fabric or result in a loss of 'grab' on the fabric. Either way, no me gusta. Take it easy, Sparky.
I also use one of these self-healing mats, because, why not?

Set all of the eyelets, and you're done.
Carefully peel off the masking tape, minding the painted edges of the fabric. Nail polish isn't epoxy.
I tend to go back over the set eyelets with my pliers and pinch down the tabs. Especially on sheer (sometimes they'll catch and make pulls on your fabric) or thick fabrics (you'll want the extra 'grab').
This isn't a necessary step, but I'm an overkill kind of girl.

Back.

Front.

Thank goodness these are no-sew, just envision the mess of seams otherwise...

If you try this tutorial and happen to write about it, please link back to my original post. Thanks!

Pleat/starch/fold/whatever as you see fit to make them look more realistic, but that's going to be another tutorial altogether for yours truly.

Tired, and OUT like the fat kid in dodgeball.

I have two more posts in the works.
Wait for it...
wait for it...