JacquesCousteau

Hi there, I'm a little late posting here--I recently started the Model Shipways Dory and already began my build log, linked below--but realized I should properly introduce myself. From a young age, I was fascinated by sailing ships, and even whittled quite a few tiny models and did a fair bit of simple woodworking. Recently, taking a drawing class reminded me of how much I enjoy making things by hand (while I enjoy cooking, it doesn't quite scratch the same itch), while a visit to the Maritime Museum of Barcelona rekindled a long-dormant interest. I started thinking about taking up model-building again, and found this forum, where I read a number of build logs. So many people have posted such amazing builds here, and I have a lot to learn from them. I'm mainly interested in smaller, simpler models, at least for now. I'll have to move repeatedly over the next few years for work, so anything too difficult to pack up is off the table. I'd like to develop my skills enough to make a traditional Catalonian fishing vessel (a laud or barca palangrera) like the ones I saw in Barcelona. Current build log: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/34652-lowell-grand-banks-dory-by-jacquescousteau-model-shipways-124/#comment-987957

Having never curved wood before, I was more concerned about the following steps than the rest of the build. Although there were some troubled waters to get through, things are still going well. First, beveling the frames. This was pretty easy with the long, flexible sanding stick used earlier to bevel the frames for the bottom. The frames turned out pretty well, as far as I could tell. The stem was also pretty straightforward to bevel, and I made sure to follow the instructions and bevel until the char narrowed to a thin line. The transom was slightly trickier to bevel, and the transom holder got a little sanded as well, but it turned out pretty well. Next up, beveling the garboards. This part was a little confusing to me in the instructions, and a bit difficult to do in practice. It was hard to get the angle right. I've seen some other builds where people built a jig to keep the angle consistent, but I didn't have the tools for that. Only the bow and stern ends were supposed to be beveled to a complete 45-degree angle (for the rolling bevel, which I only understood once I saw other build logs). But given the thinness of the wood and my inexperience, I accidentally beveled the rest of it in nearly the same way. I was able to fix it a little by sanding down the edge very slightly, so it had a flat part and wasn't just pointy (except, again, at the ends with the rolling bevel), and fixing the bevel angle so it was closer to how it should be. Both garboards received the same treatment and turned out equal, at least, so the error shouldn't throw things off too badly. Then came the part I was really dreading: curving the garboards. I'd never curved wood before except for the bottom in an earlier step, which had worked well enough but wasn't all that curved. I was especially worried about cracking the wood from the pressure--would it hold? After a dry test fitting, in which I noticed that the wood wanted to bend out away from the middle frames, I soaked the first garboard in boiling water for 5 minutes. Then I patted it dry and put it in place with binder clips (making sure to use pieces of scrap wood to keep the clips from damaging the garboard itself) and some rubber bands. I was amazed at how flexible the wood was after being boiled. The stem was relatively easy to clip, as seen here. The transom was a bit harder to clip onto, and I had to be a bit creative to figure out the right angle. After letting it dry overnight, I took it out of the clamps to see how it was. At first, I was thrilled--there was no cracking and it retained the curve well. But then I noticed two issues. First, the stem had been clamped a little too far back, it seemed. So instead of a smooth single curve, the bow curved back out again (visible on the left in the photo). Thankfully, I knew from other build logs that this was a common issue, and I was able to fix it by wetting the outside of the wood and putting the bow end under a weight. At first the weight was a little too big and too far back, so it was flattening the board--not what I wanted after curving it overnight!--but I was able to adjust. I also propped a toothpick under the garboard to help it retain the curve. Then I noticed the second, more serious issue. My clamping on the transom had been enough pressure to warp it so it was now twisted at an angle. It also didn't want to stay in place between the blocks. Checking the transom revealed that not all was lost, though. The joints were still solid, and the transom itself was still straight--whatever had twisted appeared to be in the stern knee. After some consideration, I decided to 1) switch to lighter clamps (plastic clothespins) that wouldn't exert so much pressure, and 2) lightly moisten the knee before clamping the other garboard in the same way in hopes that it would twist back the right way (using a clip on the building board to also pressure the transom back into place). Maybe a little risky, but if it worsened, I hadn't yet attached the garboards and I would still be able to make a new stern knee and reattach the transom. Thankfully, the second garboard went much better. I was more careful at the stem and it didn't curve back the wrong way--a smooth curve the whole way. The transom--once again tricky to clamp--also ended up (almost) back where it should be (and, as will be seen, was completely corrected during the following step). This time I let it dry a bit over three hours instead of overnight, and I noticed that it retained its curve just about as well as the other garboard with its overnight drying. Good to know for the future! Next up, attaching the garboards.

Thanks for the supportive posts, I'm glad to hear that people are finding this log useful! I've been a bit busy with work lately, but I was able to bevel the frames with the sanding stick and attach the bottom. First, I realized that the number 4 frame was sticking up a bit higher than the rest--the 3 frame in the middle should be the highest. This is probably in part due to minor differences between how I glued the frames together. I was able to sand a little off the top of the frame spacer and make it sit at the right height, though. Beveling the frames was a little tricky. The instructions say to sand three at a time, but even with 220 grain sandpaper and a light touch, the frames kept popping out of the building board. I had an easier time sanding two at a time while lightly holding the frames in place with my fingers. It took a long time, but eventually the bevel looked good in test fittings. After that, gluing on the bottom was a breeze. I used a number of rubber bands to hold it in place once I had it centered. Thanks to the advice earlier to use a damp instead of a sopping wet brush, I was able to clean off the excess glue pretty well. Once it dried fully, I removed the bands. It looks pretty good, I have to say! One slight issue: as noted above, I found that the stem slot on the building board is very slightly off-center by 1/16th of an inch. As a result, the frames are ever so slightly off from 90 degrees to the keel line (if it had a keel). I don't think it's much of an issue though, every wooden boat is unique anyways. (And it's not like I had the tools to make a new building board). I was also able to stop by the craft store to pick up some better brushes, primer, and a few paints. While I like the classic look of ochre with green trim, I've seen a few dories with a red bottom which sounds like it might be a nice touch, and I think I want to paint the oars and thwarts a cream color (which I'll mix from the white and ochre). Next step: beveling the sides of the frames and preparing the garboards.

I made some progress today. Very happy to see it coming together! First, I finished the frames. Not much to say about this step, they came together pretty easily. While they were drying fully, I also made the flexible sanding stick the instructions recommend for beveling the frames. At first, it curved back from the side I glued the sandpaper to--exactly the wrong direction for sanding the frames--but I brushed some water on the opposite side from the sandpaper and it straightened out. As can be seen below, I also clamped it and tried to weight it in the middle with the glue bottle so it would curve a little the right way (which is probably overkill for a sanding stick, but if it makes the beveling any easier...). While things were drying, I also made a second oar. This time I didn't cut too deep and I'm pleased with how it turned out, it looks pretty close to the first one. Once the frames dried, I put them on the building board. I couldn't resist taking a look at how it will be with the bottom attached (although of course I haven't glued anything yet). I like the way it's looking so far. Finally, I noticed there was a bit of wiggle room to the sides of the frames on the building board, and they weren't necessarily standing perfectly upright. To get them as close to 90 degrees as possible, I used the square end of a metal ruler to hold each frame straight, then glued a squared‐off bit of scrap to the board pressing the frame a little from the other side. Then I removed the ruler, let it dry, then glued another bit of scrap to the other side (see below). Using thin pieces of scrap wood made it easy to cut them, but probably less accurate than a thicker piece of wood. In any case, there's very little wiggle room now. As for the side-to-side gap, first I measured and marked the midpoint on each frame. Then I started to measure to the midpoint of each frame slot, but I realized that the stem slot is slightly off-center on the board (just over 1/16th inch). So instead I marked a straight line from the middle of the stem slot to the middle of the transom holder slot, and used that to make sure the frames were centered. To prevent them from moving when I sand the bevel, I then glued a tiny bit of scrap wood to each side of the frame. With any luck, tomorrow I'll bevel the frames and attach the bottom.

Thanks! Your build log was really helpful, and I'll definitely be coming back to it on the side plank beveling, especially, which I can already tell will be a challenge (but a fun one). Thanks! I'll definitely keep that in mind in the future.

Hi, this is my first post. I recently started on my first build, and thought I'd share my experience. Feedback and suggestions are welcome, I look forward to learning a lot here! Although I whittled a few ship models when I was young, my building skills languished over the years. Recently, though, a drawing class made me remember how much I enjoy making things by hand. I was also inspired by a visit to the impressive collections of the Barcelona Maritime Museum, including the many traditional fishing vessels there. Hopefully I'll eventually be able to make a llaud like the ones I saw in Barcelona, but a smaller fishing boat sounded like a better first project. After coming across the forum and reading a lot of build guides, I decided the Lowell Grand Banks Dory from Model Shipways was an ideal starting point. Once I scraped together some basic tools (which was trickier than I thought, most of the hardware stores near me only have tools for full-scale construction), I began by constructing the bottom. First I glued together the bottom planks, then cut the cleats to size and attached them. I had a bit of trouble with one, in particular, which came unstuck repeatedly after I tried to use a wet brush to remove excess glue (as suggested in the instructions). I eventually got it reattached, but was wary of using the brush again. As a result, there was a lot of residue left when it dried. I was able to scrape it off with my knife, but I realized that, for the future, it would be easier to remove excess glue before it dries. Maybe I just need to use less water or a smaller brush; for now, I've had some success with a toothpick. Next, the stem and transom assembly. Without a set square, I had a bit of a hard time making sure that they were at an exactly 90-degree angle where they connect to the bottom planks. But with a lot of trial and error, and being careful not to sand off too much at a time, I think they turned out all right. I also think the holes in the transom might be a little too small for the thread included in the kit (as at least one other build log mentioned). I may have to track down a tiny drill bit to widen them, or just find a thinner thread. In either case, I think that can wait a bit, and it's not a big problem. While waiting for glue to dry, I got started on shaping an oar. Originally I thought I would just sand the blade, but there's quite a bit to remove! (Photos include an unfinished oar for comparison). I whittled both sides down a bit, and finished with (still a lot of) sanding. I accidentally started cutting too deep on one side, but stopped the cut before it went too far, and was able to mostly smooth it with sanding. I think the imperfection will be covered by painting, and at worst, I can just glue the oar imperfection-side down at the very end and it won't be visible. Shaping the rest of the oar was a lot of fun. It's perhaps a little more oval than round in cross section, and if I really pay attention I can see that the blade doesn't taper exactly symmetrically, but I think it works for now. The kit comes with an extra oar, so maybe I'll do a better job on the next ones. Next, I curved the bottom (which went ok, it didn't retain the curve as well as I thought, maybe because it was rainy and humid here) and started building the frames. They're coming together pretty well so far (no clue why the photo uploaded upside-down). I have noticed some very small discrepancies between the diagrams and how the parts fit together, but the difference is minimal. In any case, I'll be sanding the exterior edges later for planking, which should fix any issues. Overall, I'm having a great time with this. I'm impressed by the kit, which is very well-made, and the instructions are clear and helpful. Feel free to let me know if I'm making any terrible mistakes that will come back to bite me!