Lowell Grand Banks Dory by JacquesCousteau - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:24

[JacquesCousteau]

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!

[DonBMichigan]

Looks good so far - a good start!  

[druxey]

A slightly damp rather than wet brush is effective for removing glue. I suspect you flooded the joint with water, diluting the glue in the joint. Otherwise, a great beginning!

[JacquesCousteau]

3 hours ago, DonBMichigan said:

Looks good so far - a good start!  

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).

 

1 hour ago, druxey said:

A slightly damp rather than wet brush is effective for removing glue. I suspect you flooded the joint with water, diluting the glue in the joint. Otherwise, a great beginning!

Thanks! I'll definitely keep that in mind in the future.
 

[JacquesCousteau]

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.

[MajorChaos]

Looking good, great start. It’s a fun boat to build.

[robert952]

I am giving one of these boat models to my Dad for Father's Day. I pointed out this site so he can seek answers to questions as he progresses.  IMO I find details like in this log goes a long way to answering questions for people just starting into the hobby or (like me) just looking for verification of what we are doing.   

 

Keep up the nice work.  I'm adding this log to my 'watch list.'  I'm looking forward to watching the progress. 

[JacquesCousteau]

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.

 

[Knocklouder]

Nicely done, 

[JacquesCousteau]

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.

 

[druxey]

Yes, one does not need aggressive clamps, as you've discovered. And wetting the wood to reshape it is a good fix. I like the fact that you are taking care building this model.

[JacquesCousteau]

Although I was nervous about attaching them, I'm very pleased with how the garboards turned out!

 

The instructions suggest attaching everything at once using a mix of glue and water, but I saw a lot of other build logs that said they needed undiluted glue to get things to stick. I started applying the glue at the bow, then realized that, at the slow speed I was applying it, the glue at the stem would be dry by the time I finished at the transom. So I attached and clamped it at the stem and then glued bit by bit, working my way aft. This worked ok, except that it was hard to get glue on the frames as there wasn't much of a gap. I placed rubber bands as I went to help hold everything in place. After gluing the garboard to the transom, I noticed that one of the frames wasn't making a very solid connection to the garboard. I quickly applied some glue via brush from the opposite side, then clamped the pieces together. 

As can be seen, I was unprepared for this, so the only scrap wood I had on hand was a bit unwieldy and didn't fit great, but it worked out in the end. Then, I ran some lightly diluted glue along the joints as the instructions suggest, following up with a damp brush to clean any excess.

Once it had dried for a few hours, I removed the clamps and rubber bands.

I was happy with how it turned out!

Next, the other garboard. Once again, I glued bit by bit as I went, and followed the same process with running diluted glue along the joints afterward cleaning the excess. (This will probably be trickier to do on the interior once there is less space between the boards and the building board). This time I used bobby pins alongside the rubber bands to lightly hold the board to the frames.

 

I did forget to do a test fit, though. While I already knew that the board itself was fine, I only realized after I had started gluing that I had no idea how I would clamp it now that the other garboard was in the way! But it didn't end up being a problem. After holding it with my hands for a few minutes, it was already set, or at least enough for me to improvise a way to clamp it at the bow (more as a precaution than anything). I ended up putting the clamp on the stem below the board, but using a piece of scrap wood so the pressure was transmitted up to the board itself.

The stern joint also solidified with just a few minutes of finger pressure. I couldn't figure out how to clamp anything back there because of the angle, so I ended up just placing another bobby pin to make sure the tip didn't curl up from the moisture. (I also uses clamps on the building board while attaching both boards to fully correct the twisted transom I mentioned in the previous post).

After everything dried, I checked how it looked.

 

I was reasonably happy with the fit, but thought it looked a bit uneven at the transom. (Taking this photo made me realize that I had somehow lightly dented the transom, but I just put a bit of water on the spot and it corrected itself).

Then I realized: I still had to sand it! Once sanded, everything looked better.

I can live with the very slight unevenness at the bow (which is less noticeable to the eye than to the camera).

And I think the transom came out well.

I'm also pleased with how the frames are connecting to the boards on the inside.

Overall, I'm happy with how it's turning out, and I'm glad that it looks more like a boat now that it has sides.

 

Next up, the broad planks.

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by JacquesCousteau

[JacquesCousteau]

Broad planks have been attached with little incident, following a similar process to the garboards. Only a few things to note.

 

First, I did a better job beveling the boards this time. The instructions' drawing of the inside rolling bevel isn't all that clear, but checking other build logs clarified things.

(It's hard to get a good photo of the bevels, they're so small my phone can't focus well.)

 

Second, the planks have gotten longer and I now have trouble fitting them into the pan I was using for soaking. I had to bend the wood a bit and move it from side to side to make sure the ends got soaked. In the future, I think I'll just have to pour boiling water into a longer baking dish, although I worry about the temperature dropping too much without a burner.

 

Third, when bending the plank, I had to get creative with clamping at the stern, as the transom really gets in the way. I ended up clamping scrap wood to the transom holder (which, per the instructions, isn't glued in) and running it up to pressure the plank against the transom, using another clamp on the building board to make sure it was tight. Not perfect--the pressure was highest at the edge of the plank--but enough for curving the plank.

 

Fourth, it was a little tricky to get the plank to stick well to the frames this time, given that the plank is propped up a bit by its slight overlap with the garboard. I used bobby pins on every frame. The ends were set with finger pressure, and the clamp at the bow is more precaution than anything (as I didn't want it popping off while I worked my way aft).

 

Finally, I'm happy with how it turned out overall. But one issue: it turns out that the laser cut lines marking the beveling weren't quite even, one marks a slightly larger space than the other, as can be seen by comparing them at the bow.

 

My main concern is that this will throw off the sheer planks, so I'll have to keep this in mind when fitting them. I should have double-checked when I beveled the planks earlier. I might be able to lightly sand back the port bevel so it's more even with the starboard.

 

(Note: sanding the planks even ended up taking a bit more off the port plank as it was glued slightly further forward than the starboard one. The discrepancy will be covered by the false stem, though.)

 

On to the sheer planks!

[MajorChaos]

Just water will work, brushed on from a cup even. Soak it good with a brush. Then you can play with the wood it becomes pliable, you can break the structure bonds and bend it around almost like soft putty. I never found hot water worked that well. 
A small hair dryer on low while the part is held with shorten the drying time, it’s almost like magic. 
 

Don’t trim the top of the false stern! It’s needed for the finished look. I almost trimmed it off when cleaning up sanding. 
 

You can sand the bevels again, I found them getting rounded when wetted and dried again.
 

It looks great! I had a lot of fun learning with this one. I almost want to build it again now that I know stuff better. 

Edited June 5, 2023 by MajorChaos

[robert952]

I had read on the forum (somewhere, sometime) about using hair clamps as they aren't 'aggressive' to borrow the term.  Bobby pins with scrap wood like you do seems a good solution too.  Thanks for the images. 

[JacquesCousteau]

On 6/5/2023 at 10:16 AM, MajorChaos said:

Just water will work, brushed on from a cup even. Soak it good with a brush. Then you can play with the wood it becomes pliable, you can break the structure bonds and bend it around almost like soft putty. I never found hot water worked that well. 
A small hair dryer on low while the part is held with shorten the drying time, it’s almost like magic. 
 

Don’t trim the top of the false stern! It’s needed for the finished look. I almost trimmed it off when cleaning up sanding. 
 

You can sand the bevels again, I found them getting rounded when wetted and dried again.
 

It looks great! I had a lot of fun learning with this one. I almost want to build it again now that I know stuff better. 

 

Thanks, that's extremely kind and helpful of you. I found your build log really useful.

 

On 6/5/2023 at 9:27 PM, robert952 said:

I had read on the forum (somewhere, sometime) about using hair clamps as they aren't 'aggressive' to borrow the term.  Bobby pins with scrap wood like you do seems a good solution too.  Thanks for the images. 

Glad to hear the log is useful!

 

I've been busy and haven't done much lately, but the sheer planks are currently being molded into shape.

 

Meanwhile, I did a bit of a test with paint and sealer/varnish (as the bottle I bought is labeled). After sealing a bit of scrap wood, I did a paint coat of varying consistencies over the sealed and unsealed part. (Left to right: unsealed with watery red coat, sealed with thick red coat, sealed with thin red coat, sealed with medium-consistency red coat). I noticed that the paint soaked quite a ways into the unsealed wood, so I'll definitely seal it before I paint.

 

Then I tried experimenting with a light black wash (a technique I've never tried before) over some of the painted parts and some parts that were just sealed. At first the wash was much too dark (right side of the scrap piece) but I added more water and the lighter wash added a nice touch (between the red and the dark wash). I'm still not sure if I want to do the wash with the finished boat, but it's good to have the option. I'll just remember to keep it very light as I can always add another coat if necessary  I also might just seal the thwarts and oars rather than paint them.

[Bryan Woods]

I love seeing all the unique ways everyone uses to assist their builds. Painting is definitely my weak point and just seeing your test has made  me excited to see your finished product! 

[JacquesCousteau]

14 hours ago, Bryan Woods said:

I love seeing all the unique ways everyone uses to assist their builds. Painting is definitely my weak point and just seeing your test has made  me excited to see your finished product! 

Thanks!

 

I finished the sheer planks today! 

 

After a bit of trimming, I released the frames from the building board.

 

The bow turned out pretty even. The port side is very slightly higher, but I think it can be easily dealt with by a little sanding, especially as the bottoms of the plank look pretty even. (And visual discrepancies on the stem will be covered by the false stem).

 

The stern concerns me more. There was a bit of overhang that made it hard to properly judge height, and the starboard side ended up a good bit lower than the port. Sanding it even might not be the best option as the bottom of the plank is also uneven.

 

So, I'm going to consider whether I should try to undo the starboard plank at the stern with alcohol to adjust.

 

[JacquesCousteau]

After a lot of thought, I decided to re-do the upper strake at the transom and the aftmost frame. It took a lot of alcohol brushed om the joints, and a lot of patience, but eventually I was able to slide the knife in and release the plank from the transom. Then I moved forward bit by bit, applying alcohol to soften the glue (in the process accidentally spilling rubbing alcohol all over the workstation, although thankfully not the model).

When it came time to re-attach it, I realized that there was a problem. While I hadn't sanded the plank fully flush with the transom before detaching it, I hadn't left as much room as I thought, and it didn't seem like it would be long enough on the bottom to fully reach the end of the transom.

I gave it some thought--better to have a too-low plank, or an issue at the stern? I decided to fix the plank height at the cost of a bit of a divot where the stern plank meets the transom. After re-gluing it, I was able to sand the transom down a good bit to limit the problem. It won't be very noticeable, but I'll know it's there. It will remind me to make sure things are right before I cut.

 

After that, I popped the dory off the building board and went to work with a tiny saw blade attachment for the knife to saw off the frame assembly. It took a while, but it finally came off.

Although the tops of the frames will be removed in a later step, they still need to be flush with the plank. Sanding them down was very slow, so I ended up carefully using the knife to whittle them down, which worked well. I also noted that I had been a bit messy with the glue way back when I attached the bottom. Good thing I'll be painting this!

As other build logs have noted, the instructions are oddly vague about the false stem. I decided to use the leftover wood from the bottom cleats. I started trying to sand it into a triangular shape, but it was difficult, so I whittled it a bit before sanding.

 

Wetting the outside edge then attaching it was pretty easy (I just used finger pressure while the glue cured). I then cut off the excess, which I left on for ease of handling while shaping it, after it dried. (It still needs to be cut and sanded in this photo).

 

I also noticed that I had been a little overzealous in beveling the stem and there would be divots at the bottom of the joint just above the planks. Following a technique I've seen in other builds, I filled them with a bit of sawdust mixed with a tiny amount of glue, applied with a toothpick. Unfortunately, this turned a bit gummy when I sanded it--maybe it needed more time. (It still needs to be sanded in this photo).

I forgot to take pictures of the next steps while under construction. The side cleats went in pretty easily. I lightly beveled the end that is propped at the cleat so it would have a more solid connection there. Cutting them to size after drying was straightforward. The risers were a little more difficult, but I got them lined up with the markings on the frame.

 

Finally, I sanded the false stem to fully shape it. This was a little tricky, as the width varied across the bow and I didn't want to sand inti the overlapping planks at the stem. In hindsight, I may have sanded slightly more than I should have off the top, but I think I can live with it.

 

Overall, I'm really happy with how this kit is coming together, and I'm learning a lot.

[druxey]

Ev ery model is a learning experience! Looks like you are doing well.

[JacquesCousteau]

Thanks! I'm having a lot of fun and am really improving my skills while doing so.

 

Attaching the bands took a lot of clamps, but was otherwise pretty straightforward. After rubbing some water on the outside edge to help them bend, I attached them at the bow first, held them in place with my fingers for a few minutes, then clamped and moved back, gluing and clamping as I went. I noticed that the instructions don't specify how the bands should look at the bow. I spent a few minutes googling and found that quite a few have the band starting at the back edge of the stem (or rather, the false stem), so that's what I went with.

 

Next I have to sand the tops of the planks/bands level. I'm considering whether to first cut off the tops of the frames, which will have to be removed in the next step to fit the wales, as removing the top of the frames seems like it would make sanding the planks/bands level easier.

 

Also, I'm not sure if it's better to ask this question here or in one of the other threads, but here goes: As I get closer to the end of this kit, there are a few things I'm thinking about doing. First, as a lot of other build logs mention, the included rope (1.5mm diameter jewelry nylon) looks a bit too thick, so I'm looking to replace it. How do you find a line of the right thickness for the scale? Do you just eyeball it? In a craft shop, I saw this, which looked a bit thinner than what the kit comes with, but it's hard to tell if it's still too thick or not, especially as they don't bother to state the diameter. https://www.hilosomega.com.mx/product-page/espiga-no-18

(Also, they only sell it in much larger quantities than I need--would something like this be useful for other models?).

 

Relatedly, a lot of the other builds have included personalized touches, like the addition of bailers, buckets, nets, lobster traps, etc. I'd be interested in trying something like that, both to add a nice touch to the dory and to build experience with building very small accoutrements (which will be useful for a planned upcoming build, more on that to come...). Where do people find sizing information to make sure they're to scale? I would hate to put in a lot of work building something and then ruin it by sticking a very-out-of-scale bucket or something in it.

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

 

[Bryan Woods]

Jacques, your Dory is looking great! I just  picked up a small quantity of jewelry cord that was a bit stiffer and looked smaller than what they sent. Then enlarged the hole a touch.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Bryan Woods

[Bryan Woods]

3 hours ago, JacquesCousteau said:

Where do people find sizing information to make sure they're to scale?

Hey Jacques, I picked up a small tri-sided architect scale ruler.

 

My biggest problem is being able to see the marks on it lol.

[druxey]

A suggested upgrade for the rope you need would be from the Syren Ship Model Company. Line about .035" or .045" in tan would be about right. See:

 

https://syrenshipmodelcompany.com/miniature-rope.php

[JacquesCousteau]

Thanks for the advice! This is all very helpful information.

[JacquesCousteau]

After attaching the bands, the next step was to bevel the tops of the planks. I was worried that the tops of the frames might catch on the sanding stick, and they were to be cut down anyway in a subsequent step to make way for the gunwales, so I carefully cut them down a little.

Sanding was straightforward and I went until there was just the faintest char line left.

Now it was time to cut down the frames, properly this time, to clear space for the gunwales. It was tricky to tell how far to cut them, so I used a 1/16 square balsa stringer I had lying around to mark it.

The instructions recommend cutting the frames with a chisel blade. I just have an exacto blade, so I was forced to make do. A chisel would be easier though, and on a couple of cuts I sliced a little into the planking. Thankfully it will be covered by the gunwale and paint. Also, some of the frames and side cleats came loose at the top--given the angle of the planks caused by the strake overlaps, they were most strongly attached right where I was cutting. Gluing them down again added a bit of time.

 

A number of other build logs mentioned the gunwales snapping while trying to fit them, so I soaked them in hot water and curved them before fitting them. Even with scrap wood in place, this dented the gunwales in a few places, but it was nothing a little bit of water couldn't fix.

Trimming the ends was a bit tricky. I wish the instructions had shown a picture of what they were supposed to look like, or what they meant by adding an "undercut". I was able to shape them with patient trimming until they fit. Basically, they should lie flush with the stem and transom.

At this point I also had to trim a couple frames down a little more so the gunwale took a nice smooth curve when in place. I started gluing it at the bow and worked my way aft, using clips as I went. (At this point, the hull of the trajinera--a simply-constructed but vibrantly-decorated barge-like vessel that I'm scratch-building--served as an effective stand. Build log to come, provided I don't make a mess of it in the next few steps, which is entirely possible).

 

With the gunwale drying, I turned my attention to a small, scratch-built fitting: a bailer. I've seen similar ones in some other build logs, and wanted to give it a try, particularly as the trajinera will require building quite a few scale chairs and other fittings and I need the practice working with such small pieces. I based the bailer on a few I found online (here: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-wooden-watermens-boat-bailer-old-paint, and ones built by The Dory Shop in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia) and by looking over other builds' versions. 

 

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, but learned a few things that I'll definitely keep in mind. First, I made the rookie mistake of forgetting to take into account the thickness of the material (I used 1/32-inch basswood scrap, except the handle which is a toothpick). As a result, it ended up slightly larger than I planned. Thankfully, the bailer dimensions I had planned on were an inch or so smaller than some of the other bailers I saw, so it still works for the scale as a slightly larger but still normal-sized one, but it's a good reminder for me to make sure I'm considering the material when I scratch-build.

 

Second, I realized too late that gluing and painting something so small would have been easier if I had left a piece uncut until later, so as to have a handle. Come to think of it, the handle would have worked nicely for this.

 

Third, the handle would have been better attached if I had been able to fit it into a hole in the other pieces, making an actual joint instead of just sticking it on with a dab of glue. Unfortunately, this was done out of necessity as I don't have any sort of drill or drillbits.

 

In any case, next up were the (optional) frame head irons. As others have mentioned, the scale dimensions given in the instructions are much too large. I found that 1/16th by 3/16th of an inch (real, not scale, size) looked best. I had to sand down the number 2 frame a bit to get it even with the gunwale, but after that attaching the irons was simple.

Finally, the breast hook. As can be seen, I had to shape this a good bit for the original piece to get it to fit--the little tab on the front was almost entirely removed.

I'm happy with how it's going so far, and feel like I've really learned a lot. Looking forward to painting!

[druxey]

Coming along very nicely. The bailer is a great addition!

[Bryan Woods]

Wow Jacques, that bailer looks fantastic! And your Dory is right there with it! 

[JacquesCousteau]

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement! Painting has been tricky, but I'm making progress.

 

First I applied a clear coat of sealer/varnish, then started on painting. Following the instructions, I painted the interior first. This was actually a lot more frustrating than I expected--it really put the "pain" in "painting". There are so many tiny nooks and crannies that it was incredibly hard to paint. As late as the fourth coat, I was still finding bits I had missed! If I did this build again, I think I would paint the interior before I added the risers, as that would make it at least a little easier. I was also surprised that paint doesn't cover char marks and glue stains as well as I thought!

 

They say the first coat should be patchy and semi-transparent, and by that measure, my first coat was a success!

 

That said, I think I over-thinned the paint for my first few coats. This made it harder to keep from bubbling or from building up in the corners (of which there are many on the interior). It also meant that it still looked patchy after the third coat. Subsequently, I thinned it less. Despite the frustrations, I think the interior turned out pretty well.

 

The exterior, in contrast, has been a million times easier to paint and I'm nearly finished.

 

Quick question: will scotch, masking, or blue painter's tape work for masking? There are a few details I'd like to add, but I'm worried that using the wrong tape will ruin things.

Edited June 16, 2023 by JacquesCousteau
Typo correction

[ERS Rich]

Checkout Tamiya masking tape….

 

Cheers