[Public-List] Touch Wood update

[Gordon Laco]

Hi Stephan -

The tube is five feet long.  The new ribs replace the deteriorated  
lower portions of the old ribs... sisters will support the joints.

G



On 25-Jan-10, at 9:54 AM, Stephan Andree wrote:

> Hello,
>
> thanks for sharing this experience - I am curious, how long is the  
> plastic
> pipe steamer approximately that you were using ?
>
> thanks, Stephan
>
> On Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 7:28 PM, Gordon Laco <mainstay at csolve.net>  
> wrote:
>
>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> These businesses support your Association:
>> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
>> Please support them.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Public-List mailing list
>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
> These businesses support your Association:
> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
> Please support them.
> _______________________________________________
> Public-List mailing list
> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org


 1264432068.0