Bob Cleek

It actually might be easier to take out the piece and make a new one.  Your call of course, but just a thought.  Many of us like to use posterboard stock which is pretty stiff or even the cardboard on the back of a tablet to make a template then go from there.  Saves a lot of shaping and do-overs.
Allan

CYA is rampant.  Look at pharma ads for examples.  It takes longer to rattle off the side effects than the benefit.
 
Don,
Regarding the subject at hand, how large are the gaps?   As mentioned above, sawdust and pva work well.   One quick way is to fill the gap (if small) with pva and hit it with an orbital mouse or similar.  
 
Sorry to bring this up, but as you are adding strakes, if there is a large gap, remove the plank before gluing it in place and re-shape it or replace it with a new one that has been properly pre-shaped as shown in the planking tutorial by David Antscherl in the Articles data base here at MSW (https://thenrg.org/resources/Documents/articles/APrimerOnPlanking.pdf) or shown in Chuck Passaro's four part video on how to pre-shape the planks with heated edge bending  Part one --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCWooJ1o3cM     Both methods yield properly planked hulls without gaps.
 
Allan

I forgot about Durham's water putty (which cures fairly tough - perhaps not quite as hard as what Dentists call 'stone, a type of plaster made for casting likeness of teeth after and impression is made), and can be sanded.  You need to apply to a 'porous or fibrous substrate (like coarse sanded planking) ... something with "tooth" for the plaster to grip to.  If one seals first (or the surface is very fine sanded), the dried Durham's can flake off.  No fumes to worry about, mate.  Yet manufacturers are advised by their lawyers to be SUPER cautious and plaster warnings all over whatever product they are selling.  Like a flimsy card table that has a warning - DO NOT stand on this flimsy POS - because it will collapse under your weight.

Recognizing that I may be sticking my neck out here, I'll offer the comment that the warnings seen on many solvent-based materials these days exist more for the manufacturer's' protection against products liability lawsuits which often result from the misuse of the product than for the protection of folks who use the product "as directed for the use intended." If you read the warnings now printed on a common ladder, you'd never climb one again. This phenomenon has created a certain level of paranoia in the general public, many of whom shy away from anything that has an odor they've been conditioned to find disagreeable. While chemistry continues to make progress in developing non-solvent-based materials, in most instances these substitute "water-based" materials intended to replace long-established solvent-based materials are inferior to their solvent-based predecessors, particularly with respect to their archival qualities, an important consideration in modeling. When used as directed, meaning "in a well-ventilated workspace" and in the small amounts encountered in modeling, there is generally negligible risk in using solvent-based materials. Commonsense is the order of the day in this respect. Without question, pouring an excessive amount of solvent-based material in a paper bag and "huffing" it is hazardous to your health, but we aren't contemplating that sort of misuse. Sadly, the general public's conditioned reaction to these product warnings has reduced the marketability of valuable materials and chased many manufacturers out of the marketplace entirely. (The demise of Floquil paints being a prime example.) In jurisdictions like California, which requires warning labels on anything that "may cause cancer or birth defects," we find state-mandated warning labels to that effect on everything from gasoline to wine and many long-valued solvent-based products can no longer be legally purchased at all. Local "product safety" ordinances in some California "air quality districts" even go so far as to outlaw the sale of any volatile organic compounds above a certain content limit including simple oil-based enamel paint or paint thinner and the like and, consequently, all that can be purchased anymore are inferior water-based coatings. Mindfulness of shop safety is a good thing, but we should not "throw the baby out with the bath water." Otherwise, we will continue to find valuable materials becoming entirely unavailable to the detriment of our craft.
 
That said, Bondo is a hygroscopic material intended for use on dented automotive body metal and is not intended for nor suitable for use on wooden surfaces. 

Recognizing that I may be sticking my neck out here, I'll offer the comment that the warnings seen on many solvent-based materials these days exist more for the manufacturer's' protection against products liability lawsuits which often result from the misuse of the product than for the protection of folks who use the product "as directed for the use intended." If you read the warnings now printed on a common ladder, you'd never climb one again. This phenomenon has created a certain level of paranoia in the general public, many of whom shy away from anything that has an odor they've been conditioned to find disagreeable. While chemistry continues to make progress in developing non-solvent-based materials, in most instances these substitute "water-based" materials intended to replace long-established solvent-based materials are inferior to their solvent-based predecessors, particularly with respect to their archival qualities, an important consideration in modeling. When used as directed, meaning "in a well-ventilated workspace" and in the small amounts encountered in modeling, there is generally negligible risk in using solvent-based materials. Commonsense is the order of the day in this respect. Without question, pouring an excessive amount of solvent-based material in a paper bag and "huffing" it is hazardous to your health, but we aren't contemplating that sort of misuse. Sadly, the general public's conditioned reaction to these product warnings has reduced the marketability of valuable materials and chased many manufacturers out of the marketplace entirely. (The demise of Floquil paints being a prime example.) In jurisdictions like California, which requires warning labels on anything that "may cause cancer or birth defects," we find state-mandated warning labels to that effect on everything from gasoline to wine and many long-valued solvent-based products can no longer be legally purchased at all. Local "product safety" ordinances in some California "air quality districts" even go so far as to outlaw the sale of any volatile organic compounds above a certain content limit including simple oil-based enamel paint or paint thinner and the like and, consequently, all that can be purchased anymore are inferior water-based coatings. Mindfulness of shop safety is a good thing, but we should not "throw the baby out with the bath water." Otherwise, we will continue to find valuable materials becoming entirely unavailable to the detriment of our craft.
 
That said, Bondo is a hygroscopic material intended for use on dented automotive body metal and is not intended for nor suitable for use on wooden surfaces. 

True that, Roger, but there's a lot of difference between wood species that will be encountered. A hardwood gun stock of walnut, for example, will not "whisker" much at all. On the other hand, a piece of soft basswood will "whisker" a lot over repeated wettings. Sealing any wood with shellac will harden the surface of the wood and subsequent sanding to remove "whiskers," "fuzz," or raised grain will then only need to be done once, rather than repeatedly until there's no more grain rising when the wood is wetted. 

True that, Roger, but there's a lot of difference between wood species that will be encountered. A hardwood gun stock of walnut, for example, will not "whisker" much at all. On the other hand, a piece of soft basswood will "whisker" a lot over repeated wettings. Sealing any wood with shellac will harden the surface of the wood and subsequent sanding to remove "whiskers," "fuzz," or raised grain will then only need to be done once, rather than repeatedly until there's no more grain rising when the wood is wetted. 

True that, Roger, but there's a lot of difference between wood species that will be encountered. A hardwood gun stock of walnut, for example, will not "whisker" much at all. On the other hand, a piece of soft basswood will "whisker" a lot over repeated wettings. Sealing any wood with shellac will harden the surface of the wood and subsequent sanding to remove "whiskers," "fuzz," or raised grain will then only need to be done once, rather than repeatedly until there's no more grain rising when the wood is wetted. 

True that, Roger, but there's a lot of difference between wood species that will be encountered. A hardwood gun stock of walnut, for example, will not "whisker" much at all. On the other hand, a piece of soft basswood will "whisker" a lot over repeated wettings. Sealing any wood with shellac will harden the surface of the wood and subsequent sanding to remove "whiskers," "fuzz," or raised grain will then only need to be done once, rather than repeatedly until there's no more grain rising when the wood is wetted. 

Gunstock makers “whisker” the carved stock before applying a finish.  This involves nothing more than wiping down with a wet cloth and letting the stock dry.  The raised grain is then sanded off with fine sandpaper.  The cycle is repeated until whiskers no longer appear.  The same principle could be applied with water based paints on a ship model hull.
 
Roger

I haven't specifically used Windsor-Newton Artesian water-soluble artists' oils at all. As I understand it, these are traditional oil paints using some form of treated linseed oil that is water soluble. This supposedly provides the advantage of avoiding the aroma of turpentine which is traditionally used as a solvent. I love the smell of turpentine in the morning... smells like... like victory! Other's mileage may vary, it seems. The use of water-based coatings on  the bare wood of models is not advised because water soaks into wood and raises the grain and "fuzz" to one degree or another depending upon the wood species and grain orientation. Multiple coats of water-based coatings can be applied and any resulting raised grain can be sanded fair, in which instance the first coat(s) serve as the sealer. Oil-based coatings will also benefit from a sealer applied first to the wood surface, but will not raise the wood grain.
 
Given Windsor-Newton's description of this product, I can't imagine any problem using it for painting wooden models. As you are an experienced oil painter, I need not go into detail about choosing between the various brands and types of tubed oils except to mention generally that one should choose a line of oil paint that is commensurate with the quality of the model and the personal standards of the modeler. As most of us hope that our models will last some time, color-fastness is probably the first criterion in choosing an oil paint. second in importance will be the amount and quality of pigment (the more finely ground, the better, pigment being the greatest determinant of a particular color's price,) and lastly consistency. For those who are unfamiliar with artists' oils and acrylics, there is a very wide range of quality between the various lines of each brand and you get what you pay for. Lower priced "student" oils are at the bottom end of the spectrum and high-priced "professional grade" artists' oils are at the top end. Internet research on brand and type ratings will be found beneficial. Learning to mix colors expands the amount of colors available from a limited amount of tubed colors and ship modeling has the advantage of requiring a very limited pallete of colors, generally black, white, burnt sienna, yellow, and red. There's no need to buy an expensive "starter set" of tubed paint. 
 
For those unfamiliar with tubed oil paints, suffice it to say that they are simply "really thick paint packaged in a toothpaste tube." You squeeze out a bit and then condition it to your desired purpose. Add solvent (usually turpintine) and/or linseed (or whatever oil is the carrier) to thin it and modify handling consistency. You might want to add a bit of acetone to oil paint or alcohol to acrylic paint (consistent with what is compatible with the paint) when airbrushing because these solvents will evaporate more quickly and speed "drying" time. (Sometimes a very small amount of Japan drier can also be used to speed drying, as can "flattening" additive to adjust the finish gloss to a more matte finish.)
 
There is nothing special about painting wood except that water based coatings will likely raise the grain and thus require sealing before use, or sanding after a first coat, that serving as a sealer.) Others have their own preferred sealers and the modeling paint companies are only too happy to offer expensive sealers to accommodate their customers. In fact, the best sealer for wood modeling is simply two- or three-pound-cut shellac. This can be bought in just about any paint or hardware store in pre-mixed cans. (Zinsser "Bullseye" is a common brand in the US.) Shellac is often referred to as "white" or clear shellac," or "orange shellac." The "orange" (running to dark brown as the number of coats increases) shellac is its natural color. The "white" or "clear" shellac has been bleached so it imparts no color to the surface. This is preferred for most modeling purposes. Shellac is also sold in "flake" form and is then diluted in denatured alcohol The "pound cut" refers to the amount of shellac flakes added to a gallon of alcohol and thus the dilution, and consistency, of the shellac, Shellac, being carried in alcohol, dries very quickly. Alcohol does not raise wood grain like water does. (Once soaked in and dried, it will permit sanding off the "fuzz" on softwoods like basswood to achieve a perfectly smooth surface necessary for accurate scale effect.) After the alcohol has been applied to the piece, the piece can be painted with any coating one wishes. In some instances, one will want to apply a base coat to ensure color uniformity, followed by the final top finish coats.
 
YouTube is full of instructional videos on the use of tubed oil paints generally and on miniatures specifically.  Check them out.
 
 

Most of the stuff I know was learned from making mistakes!    

Yes, you can spray, or brush, enamel or acrylic paint over dried shellac. Apply the shellac first and let dry, then sand lightly to remove any imperfections. If you sand through the shellac coat, apply another coat of shellac. Sanding the dried shellac will remove any "fuzz" from softwood, (e.g. basswood) and yield a smooth surface for painting.

Well, your in luck with a whaleboat, since they were pretty much only two colors, black and white. Sometimes the inboard was painted gray, but that's just black and white mixed together. (Some carried a brightly colored sheer strake for long-range identification from the mother ship, as well.) 
 
Any of the modeling paints would be fine. Seal the wood with clear ("white") shellac and then paint. Some use a sanding basecoat and then a finish top coat. The sanding base coat will permit a very fine finish which is required for the proper scale appearance. 
 
Review the painting section of the forum. It's full of good information on the subject.
 

I haven't specifically used Windsor-Newton Artesian water-soluble artists' oils at all. As I understand it, these are traditional oil paints using some form of treated linseed oil that is water soluble. This supposedly provides the advantage of avoiding the aroma of turpentine which is traditionally used as a solvent. I love the smell of turpentine in the morning... smells like... like victory! Other's mileage may vary, it seems. The use of water-based coatings on  the bare wood of models is not advised because water soaks into wood and raises the grain and "fuzz" to one degree or another depending upon the wood species and grain orientation. Multiple coats of water-based coatings can be applied and any resulting raised grain can be sanded fair, in which instance the first coat(s) serve as the sealer. Oil-based coatings will also benefit from a sealer applied first to the wood surface, but will not raise the wood grain.
 
Given Windsor-Newton's description of this product, I can't imagine any problem using it for painting wooden models. As you are an experienced oil painter, I need not go into detail about choosing between the various brands and types of tubed oils except to mention generally that one should choose a line of oil paint that is commensurate with the quality of the model and the personal standards of the modeler. As most of us hope that our models will last some time, color-fastness is probably the first criterion in choosing an oil paint. second in importance will be the amount and quality of pigment (the more finely ground, the better, pigment being the greatest determinant of a particular color's price,) and lastly consistency. For those who are unfamiliar with artists' oils and acrylics, there is a very wide range of quality between the various lines of each brand and you get what you pay for. Lower priced "student" oils are at the bottom end of the spectrum and high-priced "professional grade" artists' oils are at the top end. Internet research on brand and type ratings will be found beneficial. Learning to mix colors expands the amount of colors available from a limited amount of tubed colors and ship modeling has the advantage of requiring a very limited pallete of colors, generally black, white, burnt sienna, yellow, and red. There's no need to buy an expensive "starter set" of tubed paint. 
 
For those unfamiliar with tubed oil paints, suffice it to say that they are simply "really thick paint packaged in a toothpaste tube." You squeeze out a bit and then condition it to your desired purpose. Add solvent (usually turpintine) and/or linseed (or whatever oil is the carrier) to thin it and modify handling consistency. You might want to add a bit of acetone to oil paint or alcohol to acrylic paint (consistent with what is compatible with the paint) when airbrushing because these solvents will evaporate more quickly and speed "drying" time. (Sometimes a very small amount of Japan drier can also be used to speed drying, as can "flattening" additive to adjust the finish gloss to a more matte finish.)
 
There is nothing special about painting wood except that water based coatings will likely raise the grain and thus require sealing before use, or sanding after a first coat, that serving as a sealer.) Others have their own preferred sealers and the modeling paint companies are only too happy to offer expensive sealers to accommodate their customers. In fact, the best sealer for wood modeling is simply two- or three-pound-cut shellac. This can be bought in just about any paint or hardware store in pre-mixed cans. (Zinsser "Bullseye" is a common brand in the US.) Shellac is often referred to as "white" or clear shellac," or "orange shellac." The "orange" (running to dark brown as the number of coats increases) shellac is its natural color. The "white" or "clear" shellac has been bleached so it imparts no color to the surface. This is preferred for most modeling purposes. Shellac is also sold in "flake" form and is then diluted in denatured alcohol The "pound cut" refers to the amount of shellac flakes added to a gallon of alcohol and thus the dilution, and consistency, of the shellac, Shellac, being carried in alcohol, dries very quickly. Alcohol does not raise wood grain like water does. (Once soaked in and dried, it will permit sanding off the "fuzz" on softwoods like basswood to achieve a perfectly smooth surface necessary for accurate scale effect.) After the alcohol has been applied to the piece, the piece can be painted with any coating one wishes. In some instances, one will want to apply a base coat to ensure color uniformity, followed by the final top finish coats.
 
YouTube is full of instructional videos on the use of tubed oil paints generally and on miniatures specifically.  Check them out.
 
 

You can take the measure of a man by looking at his tools. This fellow is quite a modeler. Very nice shop!

I did not know that. Very interesting. It makes perfect sense that they'd not be too worried about antifouling paint there. I have not idea what the local regs are, but there are lots of rust-inhibiting coatings available now, so red lead isn't needed. (They can even spray molten zinc, which results in the equivalent of hot dipped galvanizing.) They come at a cost, though. In my neck of the woods, they stopped painting the Golden Gate Bridge with red lead paint years ago. They now use another coating of the same color. 

I haven't specifically used Windsor-Newton Artesian water-soluble artists' oils at all. As I understand it, these are traditional oil paints using some form of treated linseed oil that is water soluble. This supposedly provides the advantage of avoiding the aroma of turpentine which is traditionally used as a solvent. I love the smell of turpentine in the morning... smells like... like victory! Other's mileage may vary, it seems. The use of water-based coatings on  the bare wood of models is not advised because water soaks into wood and raises the grain and "fuzz" to one degree or another depending upon the wood species and grain orientation. Multiple coats of water-based coatings can be applied and any resulting raised grain can be sanded fair, in which instance the first coat(s) serve as the sealer. Oil-based coatings will also benefit from a sealer applied first to the wood surface, but will not raise the wood grain.
 
Given Windsor-Newton's description of this product, I can't imagine any problem using it for painting wooden models. As you are an experienced oil painter, I need not go into detail about choosing between the various brands and types of tubed oils except to mention generally that one should choose a line of oil paint that is commensurate with the quality of the model and the personal standards of the modeler. As most of us hope that our models will last some time, color-fastness is probably the first criterion in choosing an oil paint. second in importance will be the amount and quality of pigment (the more finely ground, the better, pigment being the greatest determinant of a particular color's price,) and lastly consistency. For those who are unfamiliar with artists' oils and acrylics, there is a very wide range of quality between the various lines of each brand and you get what you pay for. Lower priced "student" oils are at the bottom end of the spectrum and high-priced "professional grade" artists' oils are at the top end. Internet research on brand and type ratings will be found beneficial. Learning to mix colors expands the amount of colors available from a limited amount of tubed colors and ship modeling has the advantage of requiring a very limited pallete of colors, generally black, white, burnt sienna, yellow, and red. There's no need to buy an expensive "starter set" of tubed paint. 
 
For those unfamiliar with tubed oil paints, suffice it to say that they are simply "really thick paint packaged in a toothpaste tube." You squeeze out a bit and then condition it to your desired purpose. Add solvent (usually turpintine) and/or linseed (or whatever oil is the carrier) to thin it and modify handling consistency. You might want to add a bit of acetone to oil paint or alcohol to acrylic paint (consistent with what is compatible with the paint) when airbrushing because these solvents will evaporate more quickly and speed "drying" time. (Sometimes a very small amount of Japan drier can also be used to speed drying, as can "flattening" additive to adjust the finish gloss to a more matte finish.)
 
There is nothing special about painting wood except that water based coatings will likely raise the grain and thus require sealing before use, or sanding after a first coat, that serving as a sealer.) Others have their own preferred sealers and the modeling paint companies are only too happy to offer expensive sealers to accommodate their customers. In fact, the best sealer for wood modeling is simply two- or three-pound-cut shellac. This can be bought in just about any paint or hardware store in pre-mixed cans. (Zinsser "Bullseye" is a common brand in the US.) Shellac is often referred to as "white" or clear shellac," or "orange shellac." The "orange" (running to dark brown as the number of coats increases) shellac is its natural color. The "white" or "clear" shellac has been bleached so it imparts no color to the surface. This is preferred for most modeling purposes. Shellac is also sold in "flake" form and is then diluted in denatured alcohol The "pound cut" refers to the amount of shellac flakes added to a gallon of alcohol and thus the dilution, and consistency, of the shellac, Shellac, being carried in alcohol, dries very quickly. Alcohol does not raise wood grain like water does. (Once soaked in and dried, it will permit sanding off the "fuzz" on softwoods like basswood to achieve a perfectly smooth surface necessary for accurate scale effect.) After the alcohol has been applied to the piece, the piece can be painted with any coating one wishes. In some instances, one will want to apply a base coat to ensure color uniformity, followed by the final top finish coats.
 
YouTube is full of instructional videos on the use of tubed oil paints generally and on miniatures specifically.  Check them out.
 
 

Another factor to consider is lightfastness: the pigments resistance to fading from exposure to light, in particular UV light. Without proper lightfastness, a model placed in a window can lose a lot of its color intensity in a matter of a few years. I’m a painter, so for me lightfastness is crucial when choosing brands of paint to work with. Irrespective of manufacturer, lightfastness also varies between pigments; black is the most stable and red usually fade the most because it absorbs the most UV light.

Most of the stuff I know was learned from making mistakes!    

Yes, you can spray, or brush, enamel or acrylic paint over dried shellac. Apply the shellac first and let dry, then sand lightly to remove any imperfections. If you sand through the shellac coat, apply another coat of shellac. Sanding the dried shellac will remove any "fuzz" from softwood, (e.g. basswood) and yield a smooth surface for painting.

There was a time fifty years ago that I'd have dismissed this model as a "decorator piece" having no value. While I won't make any estimate of value, I will say that I'm not so quick to dismiss it today, fifty years later. As it reaches its 100th birthday, it becomes a genuine antique. As a mass-produced item manufactured for export, it won't have any "folk art" value, but it isn't without a certain whimsical charm. Well cleaned and restored, it could still be a valued "decorator piece" again. I wouldn't say it was worth any great amount of money, but I'm sure somebody would love to have it in their library or "man cave." I wouldn't turn my nose up at it so quickly today.

There was a time fifty years ago that I'd have dismissed this model as a "decorator piece" having no value. While I won't make any estimate of value, I will say that I'm not so quick to dismiss it today, fifty years later. As it reaches its 100th birthday, it becomes a genuine antique. As a mass-produced item manufactured for export, it won't have any "folk art" value, but it isn't without a certain whimsical charm. Well cleaned and restored, it could still be a valued "decorator piece" again. I wouldn't say it was worth any great amount of money, but I'm sure somebody would love to have it in their library or "man cave." I wouldn't turn my nose up at it so quickly today.

A touch of CA on the end of the thread is definitely a good way to stiffen the line. Using hemostats and needle holders to handle the thread will be found a big help. Check out the many instructional videos on YouTube about surgical instrument suture tying. Doctors don't use their fingers to stitch you up. It's all about using the instruments. Learning a bit about how surgeons handle thread will give you a whole new perspective on model ship rigging.
 
 
 
 
 
For fine off-the-model rigging tasks like block stropping, I've also found the "QuadHands" line of tools much better than the old ball and clamp articulated "third hand" holding systems. "QuadHands" holders come in a variety of configurations and their alligator clips come with slip-on soft plastic sheathing tubes for the jaws, too.  ("QuadHands" is the original U.S. made quality version of this device. The internet is flooded with near-identical Chinese rip-offs. The real deal is just a few bucks more and, as always, you get what you pay for.  See video:  QuadHands® - Helping Hands Tool
 
 

The Model Shipways dory kit instructions may be useful: MS1470 Dory instructions.pdf (modelexpo-online.com)
 
Here's a very good build log of the Model Shipway's kit: A True Novice Build of the Lowell Grand Banks Dory.docx (modelexpo-online.com)
 
Even if you do locate a copy of the old Midwest plans, these Model Shipways plans and build log will be helpful supplements. If you do locate a copy of the old Midwest plans, I expect they will be rather sketchy if they are like other Midwest plans I've seen. This is not a criticism of the kit, mind you, but rather a function of the times.  Instructions have improved greatly over the years, though even now some could use improvement.