thompsondockside.com

Just finished steam bending and installing the first 3 of 12 ribs that I need to replace on my Thompson Off Shore. Only broke 1 rib. 3 out of 4 is not a bad average.
Soaked ribs for a couple of days then steamed for 35 min exactly. On to the next 3.
Karl.

Those are great results. Did you bend them in a form or did you install them right into the boat? If you can, take pictures to share on the forum. I will be replacing forms this winter on my TVT so any tips you can share would help. Good Luck!

I installed the ribs right into the boat with the keelson and the sister keel in place. I have about six ribs in a row on the port side that needed to be replaced so that's why I only did three . Every other one. Left the others in place to mantain hull shape. Two person operation. One in the boat one out.
I soaked the ribs in a salt brine for two reasons. 1. The old timers that I learned from did it that way . 2. The salt water won't freeze in my Northern Mich garage when the heat is off.
IMO getting the right wood is the most important thing. I knew that the rib that broke was the weak one of the group due to some uneven graining,but I tryed it anyway. And you can't always see that untill you have milled the rib.
Wil try to post pics.
Karl.

I also have cracked ribs in my Grady White that I will need to replace. I found the post Dan provided on Lap Repair with all the photos very helpful. It would be great if anyone that has successfully replaced ribs would be able to create a similar guide for us novices. If anyone has already done that, I apologize, but I did not find it in my searches.

Rich

I believe that you are right Rich. I have looked at most of the archived posts and the ones concerning rib replacement don't have pics. I have enough pics to do that but not the computer skills. If you want the carb for your 1940 Cevy rebuilt I'm your guy. But not computers. I will approach my wife about it this weekend.
Karl.

Thanks Karl - I am also limited with the computer. I'll keep you in mind if I need one of my antique engine's rebuilt though! Rich

Assembled a steam bender this weekend and tested with great results. Used PVC pipe, styro end caps, propane fish fryer, and pvc hose. Tested with a 30" piece of oak at 215F for about 20 minutes. Could bend it in a circle without breaking. I will be replacing all cedar on my TVT strip boat up to the spray rail. My boat was assembled with steel screws so there is rot at every screw hole. What is the best way to repair the screw holes on the boards that I will not be replacing? I was thinking of using a tapered 1/2" drill to clear away the rot and then installing homemade tapered cedar plugs. Glue the plugs in with 5200. Make sense?

Brad K

Brad I like your idea of the tapered cedar plugs. As for the taper, consider a really wide taper... maybe something like a 90 degree countersink to bore the hole. This would give you a nice wide surface for adheasive and the plug would be less likley to pull thru the soft cedar.
Joe B

Prepping the holes is not a problem for that kind of taper; but how to cut the plugs. I was thinking of a standard tapered plug cutter, but it does not have the steep taper you suggest. Any ideas on a plug cutter?

I would not use 3M5200 for installing plugs/bungs. Use an wood workers glue or an epoxy. 3M5200 is too mesy for this application.

Andreas

Brad, with conventional tools I see two possibilities, 1. use a 45 degree, pointed end router bit, with a guide tube on the router base - run it around a circular holed template. 2. If you got creative with a fly cutter type whole cutter, one might be able to make a custom bit that would cut the tapered plug. This approach would render a plug with the screw hole already drilled. In either case 1, or 2 the plan would be to cut only partially thru a thicker slab of wood to the required depth , then saw thru to release the plugs.
Alternatly if one had to make zilloins of these plugs, a custom made plug cutter would be in order.
Joe B