[Public-List] Touch Wood update

[dickdurk at atlanticbb.net]

Cool! I had tried to steam bend teak for Checkmate's toe 
rail using a pressure cooker for the boiler; I figured the 
1/4" fitting didn't provide enough steam volume. I guess I 
just didn't persevere long enough, or maybe teak behaves 
differently, I wasn't happy with the result.

MichaelGrosh
#220
P.S. I ended up having the yard do the whole job-probably 
best for everyone, in my case :)


On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:28:54 -0500
  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
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