Supply List for Putting Together Wood Kits

Here's what you'll need for most of the MiniEtchers kits 

1. Sandpaper, fine grit (or an emery board)
2. Tacky Glue (like Aleene's® Original)
3. Toothpicks to apply glue
4. Acrylic paint or stain
5. Tweezers
6. Gluing jig (I also like to use  LEGO® blocks)​
7. Alcohol and cotton swab to remove laser char (optional)
8. Razor knife (like X-ACTO®) rarely
9. Cutting mat rarely
10. Clamps (optional but the bonds will be stronger if you clamp)

If you have questions about assembly of a kit please email me at MiniEtchers@gmail.com, I am happy to help. If a part arrives broken, please allow me to send a replacement. 

My Manufacturing Process

• MiniEtcher kits are designed by either the founder, Shellie, or me, Kari.
• For wood kits, I cut them with my xTool P2S laser cutter. 
• Almost all MiniEtchers kits are cut from 1/16" and 1/32" thick maple (1.5 and .75mm). Some of the 1:12 scale kits are cut from 1/8" poplar or baltic birch. Maple is a light colored hardwood and can be stained to mimic other woods. It sands very smooth.
• Because maple is such a hard wood, I cut  kit pieces all the way out, instead of leaving them in a matrix or motherboard where you have to cut through wood tabs.  This means that I count every single tiny piece as I package it for you. Mistakes can happen! If you are ever missing a piece - or even if you lose one - let me know and I'll send you out a new one right away.
• For 3D prints, I print them with my AnyCubic MonoX resin printer or Bambu A1 filament printer. I package and ship everything from my home  office in Marietta, Georgia, USA.

How-to Videos

Every MiniEtcher kit comes with written instructions. I also film myself assembling kits and post the videos on YouTube at @MiniEtchers. Some people are visual learners! This is for you.

MiniEtchers Wood Product Tips

• When I build MiniEtchers kits, I use a toy block to ensure the pieces dry at right angles.  (I like LEGO® 2x2 squares for 1:48 scale and bigger LEGO® DUPLO® 2x2 and 2x4 blocks for 1:24 scale.) Accurate right angles are the most important thing to make your furniture look its best.
• Use glue sparingly! Avoiding glue blobs is the second most important thing to make your furniture look great.​​
• ​I recommend a good quality wood glue or tacky glue to assemble the kits.  
• Apply paint in thin layers, allowing each layer to dry completely before adding another. It's better to apply several thin layers of paint rather than one thick layer.
• I use quality hardwood, maple, for my kits. But even so, when you paint wood it has a tendency to warp. Paint BOTH sides of the wood, even if it won’t show. This will keep warping to a minimum.
• Laser cut products will sometimes have charred edges. Light sanding with a very fine grit sandpaper will remove some of the dark color if you prefer.
• Using a q-tip dipped in denatured alcohol and rubbing along edges also diminishes the charred look.
• If painting your kit, first paint the charred edges, let dry and then paint two very fine coats. This helps diminish the charred edges. I like to add a drop of tacky glue to my primer to seal the edges.
• To highlight the intricate carving in the Eastlake kits, I first apply an antique "wash" then rub it off. The dark color stays down in the small carved places.

Show me what you've done!

I welcome your input, tips, hints and comments. I also love to post pictures of finished kits. Please send your pictures to MiniEtchers@gmail.com and give me permission to post on my site.

3D Printed Model Tips

• It is easier to paint the models that are on tabs as you can hold the base on your hand or with alligator clips or locking tweezers.
• You can use a number of different paints on 3D prints, including acrylic.
• A little clear nail polish can make a translucent piece more transparent.
• Apply paint in thin layers, allowing each layer to dry completely before adding another. It's better to apply several thin layers of paint rather than one thick layer.
• ​If you have a model with hollow parts, you can paint the interior too. Keep in mind that the material is translucent, so any paint you add to interior parts may be outwardly visible. The final step is to seal the paint with a sealer.
• ​Once dry you can clip the items from the tabs using a flush cutter. If you choose to use small sharp scissors you may have difficulty leaving a small bit of the tab behind. If this happens use a single edge razor to shave off the remaining tab or use sandpaper.
• The 3D prints should not need to be cleaned. Resin parts are processed in a "wash and cure" station using Isopropyl Alcohol and water.

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