The box is built

I managed to get the box part of the structure done today.  I am not working at a snail's pace by choice; I am trying to allow the glue to set up before shoving more and more things at it.  On that basis I forced myself to leave well alone once the box was done and give it overnight to strengthen up.

The theory with (water-based) wood glue is that it makes fibres in the wood swell up so that the two pieces of wood that you are trying to bond just sort of meld together.  Clearly that is a very weak joint whilst it is wet but, when dry, it should be near the strength of a single piece of wood.

left side and four floors glued

This was not the easiest of tasks - talk about unwieldy and difficult to square up as they set.  The wall came in handy.

two sides and floor fours in place

After a bit more lugging and jiggling around I had both sides on and all the floors in place.

one of sixteen tacks

  I then pinned through each side wall into the floors - two pins each side of each floor.  I managed to get fifteen out of sixteen pins in without mishap.  One of them is very slightly nudging out the ceiling of the basement.  It had to be the ceiling below not the floor above, of course, where it wouldn't have mattered one jot.  I have never had to tack a house together before - just glue, so this is a whole other experience and not one I am particularly enjoying.  Fortunately the pins are on the sides and I will be using masonry paint so, with luck, you'll never know they are there.

the back is on

The back is in two pieces - don't know why other than making it easier for packing?  At the end of today's work they are both in place and I will tack them down later and just add the roof piece.  

Later.....  ta dah!!

there's squirty woman again

Et Voilà, one 'house' box.