Real Good Toys Junior Conservatory User manual

Instructions for
Real Good Toys’ the Junior Conservatory Special Edition Kit #JM-66 ©06/16
Congratulations on your choice of a Real Good Toys product. Your kit has been precision made with meticulous
care by our craftspeople using carefully selected materials. This Dollhouse will last for years, even generations,
if heirloom care and attention is given during assembly. Take your time and read the instructions completely.
If you have questions, ask the experts at your local Dollhouse store or at [email protected]
Measure and identify the parts: The kit is packed in
groupings that protect the parts, and that is how the Parts
List is organized. As you measure and identify the parts,
label them with sticky notes using the names from the parts
list, and check them off the parts list so you know you have
everything. Taking the time now to identify and organize
the parts also makes them familiar so you will understand
what the instructions intend as you read ahead.
• Plan ahead so you know where you are going
• Read ahead so you know how to get there
• Paint ahead so the parts will be ready when you need them
Prepare your space: This conservatory will spread
out over a large area while it is being built. You will
need a large at tabletop for the house, several boxes to
keep parts organized until they are needed, and several
trays lined with waxed paper for holding small parts
like windows and railings.
A snap-lid box will keep your tools and supplies handy
between building sessions.
Preview the Overview (page 3) to plan and organize
your build; this helps make it fun and fullling.
Real Good Toys 122 Gallison Hill Road Montpelier, VT 05602 802 479-2217 www.realgoodtoys.com
Not suitable for children under 13 years of age
California 93120 compliant for formaldehyde phase 2
Supplies:
Paint: Interior semi-gloss latex paint... Everything gets at least one coat before assembly - get the paint now.
Paintbrushes 1” or 2” foam brushes for each color, 3” foam roller for interior painting
Sandpaper: 320 grit, 3-5 sheets
Glue: Aleene’s Tacky Glue for the dollhouse
Masking tape: ¾” or 1”
Wiring: it’s easiest to install some parts during assembly… order wiring supplies now.
Wallpaper paste: Roman’s “Border” Paste
Before you begin - You have already opened the box and see all the parts organized in boxes and bundles.
For the moment, keep them that way. There are important things to do before you open your glue bottle.
JM66 can be set up with an 11/4”
foundation to t the JM907
Each available separately
The Conservatory can be assembled
to t on either side of the Alison Jr.
Cutting doors into the Addition is
only recommended on the left side.

Window Frames
Strips
Rails
Door
Window Panes
Accessories /Parts List page 2
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Doors:
#6022 #1015
Wallpaper
Trim and Stripwood:
Ideal for window interior trim
Flute24
SW16
Customizing? Options for building Real Good Toys’ Dollhouses
opening: 31/16 x 79/16
Identify the parts: Open one bundle at-a-time.
Measure each part and nd it on the parts list.
Label the parts and, as you preview the instructions,
group them as they will be used.
Measurements are approximate and are for identication only
Parts List:
(4) J 0550 Foundation: (
1
/ 2 ) 11
5
/ 32 x
1
/ 2 Angles
(4) J 0551 Foundation: (
1
/ 2 ) 11
5
/ 32 x
3
/ 4 Angles
(1) J 0552 FoundationSpacer: (
1
/ 4 ) 11
5
/ 32 x
1
/ 2
(1) J 0553 FoundationSpacer: (
1
/ 4 ) 11
5
/ 32 x
3
/ 4
(1) J 0547 Liner: (
1
/ 8 ) 10
3
/ 4 x 11
1
/ 8
(1) J 0545 Front: (
3
/ 8 ) 11 x 11
3
/ 8 , Window cutouts
(1) J 0546 Side: (
3
/ 8 ) 11 x 11
(1) J 0548 Base Floor: (
1
/ 4 Scored) 11
1
/ 8 x 11
1
/ 8
(1) J 0549 Ceiling: (
1
/ 2 ) 12
1
/ 8 x 12
1
/ 8 Shaped Edge
(1) J 0554 Step: (
3
/ 4 ) 1
3
/ 4 x 5
(1) J 0555 Step: (
3
/ 4 )
3
/ 4 x 5
(1) J 0556 Step Spacer: (
1
/ 4 )
1
/ 2 x 5
(Pk) Stucco Grit paint additive
Window Frames
(6) J 0564 Vertical Frame: (Molding) 6
15
/ 16 Angles
(2) J 0565 Horizontal Frame: (Molding) 7
13
/ 16 Angles
(2) J 0566 Middle Frame: (Molding) 2 Angles
(2) J 0567 Trim: (Molding) 7
13
/ 16 Angles
(3) E 8158 Window Spacer: (Stick) 1
15
/ 16
(4) E 8164 Horizontal Frame:( Molding ) 2 Angles
(2) J 0569 Window Pane: 6
1
/ 4 x 1
5
/ 16
(3) J 0570 Window Pane: 6
1
/ 4 x 2
1
/ 8
Rails
(1) J 0557 Railing Spacer: (
3
/ 8 )
3
/ 4 x 3
1
/ 4 Slots
(12)J0558 Rail: (Molding) 3
1
/ 4
(36)J0559 Baluster: (
1
/ 8 Dowel) 1
(7) RGT3 Newel: ( Turnpost ) 1
7
/ 8
Strips
(2) J 0560 Facia: (
1
/ 8 ) 1
3
/ 8 x 11
1
/ 2 Bevel
(1) J 0562 Gingerbread: ( U5259 ) 11
19
/ 32
(1) J 0563 Gingerbread: ( U5259 ) 11
1
/ 2
(4) J 0561 Trim: (
3
/ 8 x
3
/ 32 ) 9
5
/ 8
(1) U1010 Door
Stripwood
Flower Box
Exterior:
Exterior Paint Color:
see www.RealGoodToys.help for suggestions
Accessories:
Gingerbread
Flower Boxes
Foundation Stucco Grit
Fancy Windows and Doors
Turnposts and Spindles
Interior:
Wiring
Wallpaper
Interior paint color:
Ceilings
Painted walls
Interior trim
Flooring:
Applied wood, tile, or carpet
Window and Door trim
Baseboard and Crown
opening: 31/16 x 71/16
Foundations
Foundation Spacers
Liner
Side
Front
Steps

Assembly Notes page 3
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Assembly Tips:
A large, clutter-free, well-lighted work area is helpful
during assembly, but a at work surface is essential.
Read the instructions carefully; look at each of the illus-
trations. !With the parts in your hands!, think the assembly
through before you proceed.
Test t each time you are ready to glue a piece in place...
then you’ll know you have it right.
If more tape or a helper is needed, it’s good to know that
before the parts have glue on them.
Don’t be stingy with glue or tape; use generous amounts.
Always wipe off excess glue immediately.
Keep one damp rag and one dry rag handy all the time.
Have weights available for holding things tight as glue
joints dry (stacks of books, gallons of pure Vermont Maple
Syrup - anything heavy).
Glue the body of your dollhouse together with white,
water clean-up glue that dries clear. Do not use instant-
bond (super glue), fast-tack, rubber cement, silicone, or hot
melt glues. They are all used in some wood applications,
but they all have some characteristic that makes them un-
desirable for the body of your dollhouse. Carpenter Glue
works well, but glue-smear dries yellow or tan; many of
the things you glue onto the house are pre-painted – extra
glue will show. I use Aleene’s Tacky Glue® for all house
body assembly.
Make sure everything is straight and at as glue dries...
That’s the shape that will be permanent.
If you Wallpaper, use pre-mixed Roman’s “Border” paste.
Brush paste on the wallpaper, then the wall, and nally
smooth the wallpaper into position.
Taking things apart: Heat softens glue. If you have to take
things apart, warm the part in the oven at 170ofor up to a half
hour to let the heat get into the joint where the glue is. Don’t
let it get hotter than you can touch or the paint may scorch.
Don’t heat window panes.
When glue is drying, skip ahead to up-coming assembly
steps and prepare the parts that will be used.
Q: Can I wallpaper before I assemble the doll house?
A: Yes you can (it’s your house!) Many experienced builders
are advocates of papering before construction - I am not.
My biggest objection to papering rst is that you are always
too skimpy with glue so none will squeeze out and get on
the paper. I try to use the amount of glue that lls the joint,
so some will squeeze out in every joint and be wiped up.
But wiping glue off of wallpaper leaves a streak, so the
temptation is to go skimpy, and the joints aren’t as strong.
Second, I can always tell a house that was pre-papered
because the corners show a void instead of being continuous
(see the slideshows about how to crowd the papers together
in the corner... you can’t do that with pre-papered walls).
Third, I have had to replace paper too often that has gotten
damaged by glue or tape during construction... that wastes
time and paper ($) and can make it so you are left decid-
ing whether to replace a damaged paper or letting it slide
because you don’t have any more of that pattern and you’ll
have to order it and that takes too much time (running out
but then needing another piece is a distressing moment).
Finally, I don’t nd pre-papering to be faster. By the time I
have done all of the extra planning that getting the papers in
the right place requires, I have used up any potential advan-
tage. I have great big blacksmith’s hands, and papering in a
nished house is easy for me.
Overview of the Build:
Identify and label all of the parts
Select the Foundation(s) that ts your House Foundation
Pre-assemble the Foundation
Paint everything one coat
Urethane the oor 1 coat, wiping off all surface excess
Sand everything until the paint is smooth, transparent, and
some of the wood is showing through
Sand (de-shine) and second-coat the oor
Clean the grooves
Build the walls, oor, and liner (cut a door in the Liner?)
Optional: locate and cut a door in the House Sidewall
Attach the Conservatory Foundation to the House Foundation
Second-coat the Walls
Attach the Conservatory Body to the House and Foundation
Attach the Facia and Gingerbread
Mark, Paint, and attach the Ceiling to the Conservatory
Optional: wiring
Assemble and nish painting everything else
Finish the outside
Finish the inside
Details of each step will be expanded along the way, but lots of
folks like to see how it all ts together before they start
Slideshows, demos, useful links, details, and photos are all at:
www.RealGoodToys.help

Getting Started (A) page 4
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
A: Getting Started: Do these things before the house assembly
Square the corners of the window, door, and stair holes with a utility knife - each
cutout has a rounded corner left over from the tool that made it. Make two cuts in
each corner from the outside (one from each direction), then cut from each direc-
tion on the inside to cut away the rounding in the corner so the window, door, or
stairs will t.
A Double-Cut Coarse le is
easier for many people to use
when squaring the corners.
Make several strokes from each
direction in each corner and test
the Window or Door to see how
it ts.
Pre-Assembly: Assemble the Foundation before painting (see pages 8& 9)
Foundation Assembly:
1. Glue and tape together a Lilliput
Foundation Set (1/2” tall), a Farmhouse
Foundation (3/4” tall) or the Alison
Foundation (11/4” tall, made up of a
1/2” tall Foundation Set plus a 3/4” tall
Foundation Set) depending on what
house you have.
2. Without glue, put the Base Floor
on the Foundation set lined up on the
edges to check that the Foundation set is
square while the glue dries.
JM33 3/4” tall Foundation next to a Farmhouse Jr.
Straight
and
square

Paint (B) page 5
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
J
J
Paint the parts the rst coat. The rst coat mostly soaks
into the wood, lling and reinforcing the grain so the sanding
step clips off the bers and leaves the surface smooth. Resist
sanding before painting - it will leave the surface fuzzy and
make a smooth nish harder to achieve. The quality of your
nal nish is dependent on the quality of the sanding after the
rst coat. Do not go back to re-paint just because the paint has
soaked in. Just a bit of paint left on the surface tells you you
have put on enough to saturate the grain, which is the right
amount. More paint than that will only make sanding harder.
Glue doesn’t stick to paint. Avoid painting edges, grooves,
and areas that will be glued.
Do not stack painted parts - even when they
feel dry they will stick and damage each other.
Keep them spread out or separate them with
waxed paper.
A word about primer: Primer is designed to help paint stick
to an impervious surface or to join layers of dissimilar paints.
In this application, the rst coat of paint soaks right into the
wood and lls the grain - you could do that with primer, but its
job of being an interface between different materials doesn’t
apply here. In this application, primer just adds steps and ex-
pense. I don’t use it here and don’t suggest it.
Paint the walls on both faces. Paint the Trim on one face
and both edges.
See page 13 for special ‘Paint the Rail’ instructions.
Paint the second coat. The Second coat for the outside of the
Walls may be done after assembly of the housebody (that’s
what I do). The second coat goes on smooth and creamy with
enough paint on the brush so it is quiet while you are brushing
the paint out, but not enough to leave puddles or drips.
Mix Stucco Grit with paint for the second coat on walls and
foundations... wherever you would like a textured nish. Ap-
ply Stucco in short swirls or slap the surface with your brush.
Sand everything. Sand until the paint is smooth and “soft”
feeling, transparent, and some of the wood is showing through.
Fold the sandpaper as needed to keep it fresh.
J
J
Cleaning an edge with the
back of a utility knife blade
Cleaning a groove with a Cabinet Scraper
Clean the edges and grooves before assembly. A little paint always
builds-out the corner of an edge or groove and will make assembly
harder and the glue joint less strong. Test the Floor, Liner, and Back
in their grooves to see that they t well.
B. Painting: www.RealGoodToys.help has painting and sanding videos

Assembly Instructions page 6Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Continue to step 8 without stopping
Carefully check the table you will be working on for FLAT!
A house built on a sagging table will not t together properly.
1. Finish the Floors: The oors need nishing to protect
them from damage by tape being removed, by paint or glue,
or by normal wear-and-tear during assembly. Wipe off the
rst coat and, when it is dry, de-shine the surface with a non-
woven pad (also called “synthetic steel wool”) or a crumple
of brown paper bag; then apply more coats.
Q: How can I prevent glue from getting on the oor after I press it into the groove?
A: Do not skimp on the glue... a little squeezing out tells you that there’s enough glue in the joint. Clean up the squeez-
ings with a damp rag followed by a dry rag, and the little bit that remains down in the scoring will shrink back as it dries,
and will not be visible.
This issue is one of the reasons it is important to pre-nish the oors before assembly. I know, the nish tries to bead up
when you rst put it on and it is ‘paint-can-runny’, but just keep rubbing it out as it loses it’s excess moisture and starts
to get tacky, and that rst coat will eventually behave itself and lay down properly. I like to do the rst-coat-rub-out with
a crumple of brown paper bag so I can rub vigorously and ‘de-shine’ the print ooring, but other builders report success
with just brushing and brushing until the moisture level gets right. After the nish is dry, do a very light de-shine with a
non-woven abrasive pad (like ‘Scotch Brite”, the green pad you use in the kitchen for stainless steel pots... a used one is
just right), and then put on a second coat of nish.
Addition Body Assembly
See “Details” on the adjacent page

Use enough glue so some squeezes out of every joint.
Keep a damp rag and a dry rag handy to clean up excess.
J
J
Note: Many of these photos are of un-painted parts,
but you should have painted these parts at least one-
coat already, and have sanded thoroughly.
Taping: Use enough tape so you can stick it down and still have length enough to
stretch the tape on both sides of the joint... then rub the tape down for good adhesion.
Photo Support page 7Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Can I do it differently? Yes you can - it’s your house!
The information on these pages is offered as “best practices”
advice, and it is what we do when we build this addition. But if
you are customizing or have something else in mind, test-ahead
to make sure your planning includes everything!
The back is down, the Floor sticks out 1/8” in front (up)
Assembly Details:
Photos support the descriptions but do not replace them
built
JM-66 with a 3/4” Foundation
on a JM-401 and JM-44
Side
Scoring
A Well Taped Corner won’t slip
Line up and tape the top

Assembly Instructions page 8
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Step 9 should already be done
□8. Test the Ceiling on the Conservatory, but wait to attach
it until the Facia and Gingerbread are attached (it’s easier to get
the Facia and Gingerbread tight without the Ceiling in place).
Builder’s Note: a trimstrip
on the house can be re-
moved with heat.
Illustration 4

Photo Support page 9
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Avoid taping to the printed surface of the Floors
Now is a good time to nish painting everything
Make sure the oor is tight to the top of the groove - Let the glue dry
This is when you need a at table the most!
Straight and Flush
Liner
Foundation Spacer

Assembly Instructions page 10
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Carve the House’s Trim
These Front Steps are set up to t on
a Vermont Farmhouse Jr.

Photo Support page 11
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Facia is beveled at the corner
Gingerbread
Lined up on top
Now you’re ready to glue, tape, and weight the Ceiling on.
Note: Many of these photos are of a temporary build
(tape only) and the tape stayed on throughout the build,
but you should take your tape off when the glue is dry.

Exterior Trim page 12
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66

Details for Painting Rails page 13
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
Details for painting rails
Dab skimpy paint on a small celled sponge. Lay a few dowels on the sponge.
Rub the dowels between the sponges to get some paint all around the dowel. Paint the Rails - mop excess paint out of the groove.
Sand everything until it is smooth and the paint is transparent with lots of wood showing thru.
Assemble the Railing sets, let the glue dry, second-coat the Railing sets.
Let the glue dry.
Move the parts around often so the paint doesn’t stick to the waxed paper.

Finishing the outside page 14
Instructions for Special Edition Kit #JM-66
see: www.RealGoodToys.help for details