Designing Laser Kits

I often get asked how a kit gets designed ; what the process is and where the ideas originate so I thought you might like to see the step by step process.

First something grabs my attention. It may be the need for a new workshop that fits with a Gathering Theme or a piece of furniture to fit a particular room. The Hungerford Manor kits gave me lots of inspiration for elegant furniture and accessories and now the Wandlyn Way wizard shops are taking me in another direction completely. Sometimes a piece of furniture can be adapted by changing the details ; adding stars to a cabinet for a wizard shop for example. But first you have to start with the original piece.
Most of the furniture I do is based on actual full sized furniture. I love the challenge of reducing it from full sized to 1/4 scale and still end up with a kit that won't make you all hate me because it is too complicated to make. It has to be as simple as possible and yet as detailed as possible. That sometimes is frustrating but oh so satisfying when it finally works.
I do a lot of surfing for images on line and in my collection of furniture books for the type of piece I'm thinking of doing.
Then I copy and paste it to my design program. This is the cottage that has been giving me fits for the last month. Very cute but lots of odd angles. I'm determined to beat it into submission eventually.

Most pieces are easier. Here is one of a china cabinet. It has the original photo of the piece and the pieces that I broke it down into. It is designed to have as few pieces as possible but still keep the look of the original. This one is called a South West china cabinet but really that style of furniture is found from the 1700's to modern day so it will fit anywhere. Styles resurface over and over again with just a bit of change to suit the fashion of the day. It may be as simple as changing the colour of the wood to take it from Tudor to 2017. But that is a subject for another day.


Once I think I have figured out the piece it is cut with the laser. That works like a printer as far as my computer is concerned. It "prints" the lines that I draw so I have to make sure everything I want is there and there are no extra left over markings from the designing. The laser is rather fascinating to watch as it picks its way across the board and cuts here and skips there. Very robotic. Depending on complexity of the kit, it can take a minute or two to cut or over an hour.
The first trial of a kit seldom works. It isn't just the parts that have to be designed but the thickness of the wood has to be taken into account and how it assembles. Does this part glue on top of that one or along the edge or between the sides? I have found that designing late at night is a guarantee that nothing will fit together properly.

Once a kit has been tested and works I'm not finished. It also has to have the instructions written and a code number assigned. I have a list but once in a while I'm working on a couple of kits at once and two get assigned the same number or the numbers get switched. That tends to confuse all of us and is a good reason to make sure you specify the code number and the item on an order.
Normally I cut several different kits all at the same time. Whatever fits on the board.  Right now I'm filling up empty holes in my stock drawers ; getting ready for the shows in Montreal and Kensington. My DH has been counting kits and I have been cutting the ones we need. I put as many kits as I can on one board and usually cut  6 of each. The average board takes about 30 to 50 minutes and has 7 or 8 kits so this is a long process. It amazes me that there are over 300 kits in my catalogue. I hate to think how many hours of designing alone that works out to. But I enjoyed every minute. The days of cutting not so much. But writing this blog passes the time. You can't leave a laser running by itself so I have to sit with it all the time. After all it is burning the wood to cut it and could start a fire. Speaking of burning; the laser does give off smoke and smells rather like a wood stove so it has to be well ventilated and that meant cutting a hole in the wall and installing a vent pipe and exhaust system. In our northern climate, cutting a hole in the wall and installing a metal pipe isn't very good for the heating bills but it is better than filling the house with smoke and carbon monoxide.


Once cut, the kit pieces have to be sorted and packaged. Some have printed cardstock parts, no hole bead knobs, upholstery padding or wire bits. They each have instructions and writing those is a whole different challenge. It is amazing how many ways there are to say the same thing and some are easier to understand than others.
I usually sit and watch TV while I pack kits. It gets a bit mind numbing sometimes; 1 wood 1 card 1 bead...1 wood 1 card 1 bead... 1 wood 1 card  ..."Shoot did I remember the bead in the last one??"  and then there is the challenge of trying to keep Harley from running off with anything that drops on the floor. He is still a puppy and everything is a toy.

Here is the final 1/4" scale cabinet that we started with above. I think it turned out pretty well; compared to the original. Now if I could just say the same about that sweet (evil) little cottage.


All the kits, including this Q822 South West/ Georgian/Modern china cabinet  are listed in a pdf catalogue on the left side of the home page of my website. www.petworthminiatures.com

Until next time... Have fun!
Cheers
Gayle