[Public-List] Touch Wood update

[Gordon Laco]

Good day friends,

Saturday I helped a friend who is restoring a 5.5 Meter Class yacht  
steam in four ribs; the project was of particular interest to me since  
her ribs have the same dimensions as TW's.    The steam bending of the  
22 ribs TW needs has been the one thing I have never done before and  
doing it looked like a job I just couldn't get my arms around.  I had  
been seriously considering laminating new ribs in place in order not  
to have to bend traditionaly.

Doing four ribs took 15 minutes.

I am not kidding.  White oak becomes incredibly pliable after about 40  
minutes of steaming and we had about 30 seconds with each before they  
cooled and began getting stiff.  I was totally amazed.   I was also  
amazed at the lack of mystique in the steaming process.   I have books  
and magazine articles here that run thousands of words on the 'proper'  
way to make a steam box... the importance of insulating it, additives  
to the water in the boiler, etc etc.

We took a 3" dia piece of plastic plumbing and glued a cap on one end;  
we drove a nail into it then ripped it out to make a small hole.  We  
took the cap for the other end and glued a 1/2" hose barb onto it.  We  
ran the 1/2 vinyl hose into a second hand electric kettle and stuffed  
a rag around the spout.

We milled appropriate lengths of white oak rib stock and put them into  
the tube, numbering them with pencil so we could tell which was which  
(they were destined for differing parts of the boat)  Then we sat in  
the boat telling sailing stories for a while, occasionally adding  
water to the kettle.

After almost an hour, we pulled the first one out and with gloves on  
carried it into the boat.  The guy inside pushed each rib butt against  
the keel then pushed the rib against the hull; imagine the wine-glass  
shape of the hull as it turns down into bilge... With one foot holding  
the rib against the planking and a hand holding the upper part against  
the hull, the other guy drills pilot holes through the existing holes  
in the planks and into the rib.  This is followed by bronze screws.   
Presto - new rib in about as much time it took to write this.  I had  
my camera in my pocket to take pictures of the process but it was over  
so quickly I missed it. (well not really missed it - I was doing it  
but you know what I mean)

We broke two while bending them... I had heard of this but was amazed  
that the breaks are not the dangerous oak snaps that I expected.  It  
happens when the rib is pushed over into the curve and a line of grain  
just lets go and gently and smoothly separates from the rest.  We  
quickly discarded the 'broken' one and whipped in a new one each time.

The bending only takes a few pounds of force - crazy.  Once they are  
cooled, the ribs are rock solid like they were grown that way. (not  
really quite as strong as grown frames, but nearly)

I am so relieved.  That was in my mind the toughest part of TW's  
return to health.  Here's hoping the other challenges fall the same way!

Gord
#426 Surprise F 16 Touch Wood