#001 04 Dr. Bank's Office - Starting Construction of Walls

Let's make some sawdust!  I bought a small pack of Midwest Products Scale Lumber Stock #8018 .0416 x .0833 x 11" 15 pc bag for $2.99.  This will get me started on framing the 2 x 4 walls.  I had the Trainmaster Models Hobby Shop order some more for me.  Projects like this eat up scale lumber!

Since I wanted to work along with Darryl Huffman's Scratchbuilding In Wood DVD, I decided to move my work bench upstairs to the office and work in front of the computer.  Normally I wouldn't do this but Marie is VERY pregnant and I like being close by the bedroom as she gets tired late at night and might need me.

Unlike Darryl, I like to work on glass plates.  He uses laminated MDF boards.  To me, glass is easier to clean and it is heavy so it doesn't move much.  I use a 2' section of 1/4" think edged glass that came from a store shelving unit.  It's been with me for years.  To clean it I just scrape it with a razor scraper and then clean with Clorox's 409 Glass Cleaner or acetone (for paint).  Instead of turning the square of wood around like Darryl, I just slide the plate glass left or right to work on the next section.

Here I have taped two drawing sections to the glass, one for each wall.

Using my well-worn NWSL Chopper I cut out the top plates and the studs.  My chopper is shot so I need a new one.  The razor has dug a hole in the masonite base plate and the boards are breaking instead of slicing.  One of these days I'll have an extra $250 and will buy a Caliber Cutter.  In the mean time I'll head over to the hobby shop and buy another chopper to hold me over.  This one is 20+ years old.

Following Darryl's instructions on the DVD playing on my computer, I put in the top and bottom plates, the side studs and then begin filling in the fire blocks and studs.  Darryl didn't use scale 2x4's.  He used strip wood, 1/16" x 1/8".  I think either is fine, but this model is for judging and I want to get it as right as I can.

Since my daughter plays in the office, I'll have to be careful cleaning up at night.  The glass plate and the sharp tools all go up on a very high shelf.

...stay tuned!