Grand Banks Dory by CommodoreErie - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:24

[CommodoreErie]

Trying something in a similar vein, since the last model I attempted ended in failure and sadness. 

I liked the appeal of this one being a "beginner" model, and figured I could try my hand here to get some skills. Things started off pretty straightforward. I opted to use the bottom planking that you assemble rather than the one they provide with the kit, since the goal is to build as much as I can. That and the bottom cleats went rather well, as did the stem and transom, though clamping was an exercise in creativity. Putting the curvature in the bottom was rather simple as well. The hardest thing about building the ribs was the waiting. Patience isn't my strong suit, and I took up this hobby in part to try and develop some. But once the building board was complete, I attached the bottom planks, which took a couple tries to get to where I wanted it. Not perfect by any means, but I can't let perfect be the enemy of  good. 

 

After that, it was time to bevel the bottom planks, stem, and transom, and prepare and bend the garboard. This is another thing that took me a couple tries. Had to get a little creative with the clamping, and I may have been a little overzealous because the planks curved in a way that felt off. I applied warm water to the inside of the planks multiple times in the hope they would flex out. Worst case, I figured later planks could cover it. Broad strakes went on okay, though there's one small section where I'm slightly off from the guide lines. Currently I've attached the port sheer strake, and am trying to decide if I messed up or not, since the stern cleat sticks slightly above the sheer strake. It doesn't in the instructions, but other build logs thus far resemble mine, so I'd  like to think I'm doing okay. I'm currently debating if the gunwale and caprail will cover this if it is indeed a mistake. 

 

And that's where I'm at right now. Next up is to bevel, bend, sand, and attached the starboard sheer strake, then remove the hull from the building board. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by CommodoreErie

[allanyed]

Your model is looking fantastic!!   This has to be the best beginner kit available along with the other two in the series.   Your weights are very cool.   Beats using scrap pieces of steel blocks as I have been doing

lo these many years.

Allan

[druxey]

Looking good so far. Nice weights! Just take your time and don't rush it: it's the journey!

[CommodoreErie]

Brief housekeeping, I may have put this in the wrong section of the forums. Feels like it should be in 1801-1850 or 1851-1900. My bad. 

[tlee01]

Looking really good

[druxey]

These dories have been around for a long time, so either section of the forum is correct!

[CommodoreErie]

2 hours ago, tlee01 said:

Looking really good

Thanks! I took a look at your build log, and the stern in progress on yours looks similar to mine, so I feel better about my progress. 

[CommodoreErie]

And I put the rolling bevel on the wrong side of the last strake. Shame, because that was a  good one too. Well, at least the manufacturer gives replacement parts. 

[CommodoreErie]

Replacement part came in yesterday (thanks, ModelExpo), so now it's back to work. Last strake needed to finish the hull, then I'm doing some cleanup on the inside and out, then we start the fun stuff.

[CommodoreErie]

Sorry about the delay. I fought with this last strake for longer than I care to admit, but I got it on. 

 

The holes for the bow becket are ever so slightly misaligned, but it's really only obvious if you're looking for it, and I've decided that perfect will not be the enemy of good in this case. 

 

I sanded down the strakes near the bow and stern with 220 grit sandpaper to make them more flush with each other. I'll sand the entire hull eventually, but not to the same extent. 

 

Next step is getting it off the building board. 

[CommodoreErie]

And we are free from the building board. 

 

No unpleasant surprises as it came off, no ominous sounding cracks.  

 

[CommodoreErie]

Fitted and shaped the false stem. I wasn't sure what to use for it, since there didn't seem to be a dedicated piece in the kit. I considered using the remainder of the piece I cut the bottom cleats from, but opted instead to use a side cleat, since they gave me 8, but only require four. I think I overshaped the part of the stem that sits above the planking, sanding it to match the hull rather than keeping it square, but I like to think it's a mark of individuality for the model. Besides, I'm sure at least one dory in history has done it. 

 

Also fitted the side cleats. They're way more flexible than I was expecting, which helps with fitting them on the planks, but I was constantly worried about breaking one. Now to let things dry. 

 

 

[CommodoreErie]

Risers and bands are attached. I also decided to try my hand at undoing a bevel. I originally beveled the entire false stem, but saw in the instructions that the part of the stem above the hull isn't beveled. So I built up the area with wood putty, then sanded to shape. 

 

With the bands on, it's a little more obvious that the sheer and beeholes for the bow becket are slightly misaligned. It bugs me a little, but what makes me feel better is that the shipwright/carpenter where I work took a look at my progress pictures, and declared it was "insane precision for a dory". 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by CommodoreErie

[CommodoreErie]

I do try not to make perfect the enemy of good, an endeavor I frequently fail at. Still, I'm at the point where I think the bands at the bow are about as good as they're going to get, so I'm satisfied. There's not a ton I can do with the becket holes unless I feel like patching and drilling, which I do not. 

 

The sheer more or less matches on both sides, even if the lines on the planking doesn't, but I know the sheer is the same height midships, so I must be doing something right. 

 

I'm rather nervous about the next step (the gunwale), so if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears. 

[CommodoreErie]

Took me a minute to figure out fitting the gunwale. The frames on the port side have been cut back, the gunwale is trimmed and fitted, and now just needs glued. I took the opportunity to fair down the transom and stern cleat a little while I was pondering how to proceed with the gunwale. Might touch it up a bit more later, but I'm pretty happy with it thus far. 

 

[CommodoreErie]

Success on the gunwale. As with so many things thus far, my trepidation was more of an obstacle than the thing itself. Gunwales are in place and sanded. Next is the frame head irons (I'll be making those out of some white or grey card stock as soon as I can source it) and the breast hook. For once, I can actually see the end of a model in sight. 

 

[CommodoreErie]

Breast hook is attached, frame head irons cut and attached, and the stern shaped to accept the eventual cap rail once I get to that point.

 

For the frame head irons, I made those out of card stock. I didn't have a 1:24 ruler, just the picture of it that came in the instructions, but I found that 1mm is a close enough approximation for 1 scale inch, so the irons are 2mm x 4mm. The stern shaping was tedious, and even now I'm not 100% thrilled with it, but I am convinced it'll look better once the cap rail is on. 

 

As it stands, I'll be priming and painting the model before continuing.

 

 

[CommodoreErie]

First real attempt painting a model. Cap rails are done and waiting to be attached, while the interior of the hull has two coats. I'll do some touch ups after that dries, and then paint the exterior. 

[CommodoreErie]

Two coats plus touch ups on the interior and exterior of the dory. I'm planning on attaching the cap rails next, but I had a question that I hoped someone could assist with. 

 

Will wood glue adhere to acrylic, or do I need to scrap off the area to be glued? 

 

Sidebar, the paint is dry, but feels slightly tacky. Anyone else have this issue?

[wool132]

Wood glue will adhere to acrylic, sort of. For much, much better results, apply to bare wood. It's worth the extra effort.

 

Jonathan

[druxey]

Agree that scraping off the point will improve adhesion.

[CommodoreErie]

First caprail is attached. I'm really proud of the fit at the stern. 

 

As an aside, acrylic paint and I are not friends. Seems slightly tacky, even after extended time to dry, and has a rubbery feel which I can't tell is normal or not. Anyone have advice on that front?

[wool132]

It's been a while since I finished my two builds of this dory but as I recall the ModelExpo Hull Yellow Ochre was noticeably tacky for a fairly long time. It eventually dried out, so forge on!

 

I just finished my Fifie build and used hand-brushed ModelExpo Warm White, Bright Red Trim, and Bulwarks Dark Green. The Dark Green was kind of tacky (not as bad as the Ochre) but I was able to sand down the Warm White on the hull with only a day or so of drying time. On that model I also sprayed on Badger acrylic paints for the primer, the red oxide lower hull, and the black upper hull with the brushed warm white in between those two.

 

Jonathan
 

[CommodoreErie]

40 minutes ago, wool132 said:

It's been a while since I finished my two builds of this dory but as I recall the ModelExpo Hull Yellow Ochre was noticeably tacky for a fairly long time. It eventually dried out, so forge on!

 

I just finished my Fifie build and used hand-brushed ModelExpo Warm White, Bright Red Trim, and Bulwarks Dark Green. The Dark Green was kind of tacky (not as bad as the Ochre) but I was able to sand down the Warm White on the hull with only a day or so of drying time. On that model I also sprayed on Badger acrylic paints for the primer, the red oxide lower hull, and the black upper hull with the brushed warm white in between those two.

 

Jonathan
 

Good to know! I imagine once I get it done and touched up, it'll have all the time in the world to cure on the shelf.

[CommodoreErie]

Second caprail is attached. For the gap at the bow, I'm thinking fill in with wood putty, gently sand down flush, then paint over. 

 

[CommodoreErie]

I filled in the gap in the caprail at the bow, touched up paint where needed, and started on the beckets. I decided to do the stern first, but ran into a number of problems. First off, the holes are around 1mm in diameter, and the provided line was 2mm. Seems to me that scale would be off anyway, since that would equate to 2" rope full scale, and to my mind 1" rope would be fine. So I took a 1.6mm drill to the holes, and used some 1mm hemp twine I had lying around. The 1mm cotton I have probably would have been better, since it's clearly three strand, but I couldn't finagle that into place. Either way, I'm satisfied with how it turned out. Put some diluted glue on the becket to help it keep shape, and plan to do the bow becket next before moving on to the thwarts. 

 

[CommodoreErie]

And now I worry that I made the stern becket too long. Not a hard fix if I did, but still. I'll sit on changing that and see if how it looks later. 

[CommodoreErie]

Had to make a fairly annoying correction. Upon trying to fit the thwarts, I found the too short. Looking back at my build log, I found that I attached the risers too high. There are marks on frames that are supposed to line up with the TOP of the risers, and I put them in line with the BOTTOM. Whoops. 

 

So, after removal, resanding, regluing an eighth inch down, and repainting, I now find the thwarts are too long. Easier problem to fix, as I can sand those to fit. So far got the aftmost thwart attached. 

 

Annoying problem, but learning how to fix things on the fly is never a bad thing, I guess. 

[CommodoreErie]

Back on track. The thwarts are fitted, now I would like to glue them in place. 

 

A nitpick I have is that a few of the thwarts don't reach to the hull, but I'd imagine historically as long as the frames fit into the slots and the thwarts didn't shift, it was fine. 

[CommodoreErie]

Started work on the oars, the last big project before this build is finished. So far I've got two of them shaped. I'm tossing around the idea of staining them, just so they stand out a bit when I lay them across the thwarts. I'll also be attaching a piece of brown construction paper to serve as the leathering.