Lowell Grand Banks Dory by DPhilbrick - Model Shipways

[DPhilbrick]

Overwhelmed, under-tooled, but undaunted, I have started my first model, Model Shipways, Lowell Grand Banks Dory.  I completed the bottom and then discovered the sheet with the stem, transom and stern knee were missing.  I contacted Model Expo and have been waiting for the parts to continue that piece of the project.  While waiting I have worked on the oars, set the frames and beveled them with a sanding stick I put together with one of the leftover basswood strips and 150 sandpaper.  I believe the missing pieces are on the way.  It's been fun.

[Ryland Craze]

Looks like you have a good start on this kit.  The dory builds into a nice model and seems to be a good model for the first time wooden ship modeler.  I look forward to following your build.

[druxey]

That set of oars look very good!

[Tigersteve]

Nice start!

Steve

[DPhilbrick]

Well the missing stem and stern cleat finally arrived.  I cleaned them up and glued them to the bottom allowing them to dry overnight.  This afternoon I wet the bottom of the bottom and set it on two 1/8" pieces of scrap wood to curve the bottom.  I used an acrylic carving of a lighthouse for the weight in the middle that I got from Randy Rich.  Randy is an amazing artist who uses dental tools to reverse-carve these scenes.  He also has a thriving business carving trophies for big fishing tournaments around the country.  It worked great.  This evening I glued the bottom to the frames which I had previously sanded and set up in the building frame, remembering to press fit the frames, not glue them.  I used a couple of elastic bands to hold the bottom to the frames after they were glued down.  Next up...preparing the planking. 

[Tigersteve]

And the fun begins! For future try sanding the parts while they are still on the sheet (both sides) to clean up the char before releasing them. A sanding block will help keep the surface level. 220 grit should work fine. Hope this helps. 
Steve
 

 

[DPhilbrick]

Thanks for the advice, Steve.  I'll do that for the planking.

David

[DPhilbrick]

Thanks for the likes and advice.  It's a work in process.  I will never achieve the amazing level of craftsmanship I've seen on the site, but I'm enjoying the peace I experience as I work with the wood.

 

This morning I sanded a beveled edge on the garboards making sure the ends had a rolling bevel.  My initial instinct was to set the "stahbad gahbad" (I couldn't resist this as it popped into my head thinking back on my youth on the Cape), but ended up soaking the port garboard and set it on the frames with clamps and rubber bands.  I'll let it dry overnight and glue it down in the morning.

[Tigersteve]

I don’t agree with your initial comment about not achieving a certain level of craftsmanship. If people believed that statement, you would never see the amazing level on this forum. Take your time, enjoy the process, and redo what you’re not happy with. Those are secrets I’ve learned from the folks here. Your build looks good so far!
Steve

 

PS- You don’t need to wait overnight for the planks to dry. Use a hairdryer for a few minutes and wait 30 minutes to an hour if that much. 😎

Edited June 5, 2021 by Tigersteve

[DPhilbrick]

Steve, the statement was not meant to be a generalization, rather my own understanding of my strengths and weaknesses.  My father was a professional chef, a professional carpenter and welder.  I picked up the cooking, but not working with my hands. I ended up as a professional musician while my dad said he played two instruments: the radio and the cash register.  As Dirty Harry said, "A man needs to know his limitations."  Still, I admire greatly admire artistry when I see it and am enjoying the process. Thanks for the tips.  

 

The port garboard is glued and sanded.  On to the starboard.

[DPhilbrick]

LOWELL’S GRAND BANKS DORY (From Lowellsboatshop.com) 

 

In 1897, the Amesbury Daily News reported that “When the manufacture of fishing dories for the Banks trade grew up, Mr. [Hiram] Lowell was one of the pioneers.“ John Gardner and other historians have suggested that Hiram Lowell “invented” the American Grand Banks dory by modifying the round sided wherry and colonial flat-bottomed “batteaux” made by Simeon Lowell and others before 1830. There is additional evidence, which suggests that the name, form and use of the dory derived as well from French fishermen, who used similar boats for Grand Banks fishing.

By 1860, Hiram Lowell modified his family boat building business to produce fishing dories on a large scale. By the last quarter of the 19^th century, Hiram Lowell’s boat shop became the leading manufacturer of dories in the United States.

 

Lowell dories had a reputation for quality and were popular in Gloucester. Howard Blackburn, the most famous Gloucester dory fisherman who survived a winter storm off Newfoundland in 1881 owed his life to the integrity and design of an 18-foot Lowell dory. During the 1890s Lowell dories were delivered “primarily to Gloucester” and a fishing schooner named after the great dory maker, Hiram Lowell, was built in Gloucester in 1892. IN 1984, the 92-year-old Gloucester schooner captain Morton Seilig recalled: “We in Gloucester used Lowell dories. Wouldn’t use anything else. They were the best. If you had a Lowell dory, you had a good dory.” Dory quality was critical to the men whose lives depended on them, and Lowell dories were chosen by many Gloucester fishermen.

Lowell dories became a standard fixture on Gloucester schooners and Gloucester beaches by the third quarter of the 19^th century, valued both as a deep-sea vessel for use with schooners, and as a row boat for Victorian outings and recreation. American artist Winslow Homer recorded Gloucester dories in many of his marine renderings of the 1870s and 1880s. Paintings and engravings such as Waiting for Dad (1873), Gloucester Harbor (1873), Three Boys in a Dory with Lobster Pots (1875), Children Playing under a Gloucester Wharf (1880), Green Dory (1880), and the Fog Warning (1885) attest to the vessel’s popularity as both a hard-working commercial boat, and a recreational boat for children and mothers in Victorian Gloucester. By the 1890’s, the Gloucester fisherman and Gloucester dory were further popularized by Rudyard Kipling in the classic sea documentary, Captains Courageous.

 

The Lowell dory was popular in other areas besides Gloucester. The Moultons are known to have delivered Lowell dories north to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Coast Guard in nearby Newburyport purchased Lowell dories to use as surf rescue craft. The famous Swampscott dories are also believed to have derived in part from Lowell originals. Lowell dories and boats were sent to destinations across the United States and Europe. In the early 20^th century, arctic explorer Donald MacMilan witnessed a Lowell dory being used by Eskimos in the far north.

 

 

[DPhilbrick]

As I was putting on the broad planks I saw that the garboards were pinched in just before they came to the transom leaving gaps between the garboards and the broad planks.  I think there was too much pressure on them when the clamps were holding them in place as they dried.  Reading Steve's build, I think I can put water on them and "bend" them back into shape once I release the dory from the build board.  If not, I'll use some filler made from my saved cup of sanding.  Also, when I was gluing the port broad plank I put too much pressure on the #5 frame and it cracked and ultimately broke off where it hits the broad plank.  I saved the part and will glue that back in place when the dory is freed.  It's all a learning experience, so I move on, a bit scarred, but undaunted.

[druxey]

A bit of moisture and gentle persuasion will work wonders for you! Wet the outer side to expand the wood fibers on that side and gently clip to close any gap between the two planks. Been there, done that....

[DPhilbrick]

Thanks for the tip.

[Tigersteve]

See if you can correct that now instead of waiting until fully planked. If not, remove the planks and reshape from there. 
Steve

[DPhilbrick]

I finished putting on the sheer plank and freed the hull.  I put on the false stem, seat risers and bands and sanded the tops of the  sheer strakes and bands.  After cutting back the tops of the frames I put in the gunwale.  I made up some frame head irons out of pieces of file folder.  Once that was finished, I sprayed the whole hull down with gray primer before painting three coats of Model Expo's Hull Yellow Ochre, allowing each coat to dry before moving on to the next coat.  After painting the cap rail with Bulwarks Dark Green, and allowing it to dry, I started mounting the cap rail, which was tough as I was initially a bit impatient.  I had to slow down, glue a short piece at a time and then let it totally set.   I leathered the oars with brown paper and am now trying to locate some rope that will work in the small holes.  It's far from perfect, but I'm satisfied with what I've learned.  A few more steps before I'm done.  

[DrMB]

I’m a novice building my first Lowell Grand Banks Dory MS1470. 
I’m stuck wondering what wood to use for construction of the false stem at the bow. The instructions are not clear here. 
I would appreciate a hand. So far things are progressing well. 

[druxey]

DrMB: I only saw this post by accident. You'll get quicker replies if you start your own build log. See you over there!

[Claire7]

On 3/3/2022 at 12:27 PM, DrMB said:

I’m a novice building my first Lowell Grand Banks Dory MS1470. 
I’m stuck wondering what wood to use for construction of the false stem at the bow. The instructions are not clear here. 
I would appreciate a hand. So far things are progressing well. 

I’m sure this is too late but I just did that part and I wasn’t sure either. I used the strip wood supplied and it was fine, I agree it wasn’t clearly stated to do so.