Preview: Wooden Boat Building Techniques: Steam Bending Oak Frames
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December 1, 2011
Email this Video to a FriendWatching hot oak timbers go into a boat is fascinating. Join Maynard Bray as he describes how Brian Larkin reframes the Herreshoff S-boat MISCHIEF being restored at Brooklin Boat Yard. With a few tips, the daunting task of steam bending is demystified, and an amazing boat is brought back to life. This was the very first video created by Maynard and Steve Stone, and so it was one of the primary inspirations behind the creation of OffCenterHarbor.com.
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12 Responses So Far to “Wooden Boat Building Techniques: Steam Bending Oak Frames”
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Gene Gilbert says:
Thanks for sharing, very useful video…
Doug Day says:
I was given a nice 11′ Whitehall for use as a dinghy for VALENCIA. This is built with very minimal fasteners, mostly copper rivets. Four ribs have pulled away. (They move around a fair amount, creating a gap that ranges, depending on humdiddy, from a quarter inch to 5/8th inch. My question is: are light ribs in good shape ever re-steamed and reused? Or does the issue suggest that a new rib would hold its steamed position better and therefore should be built new?
Doug Day says:
MAYNARD’S voice has a perfect combination of experience and reference. How lucky we are he hasn’t been nabbed and lured away with big, Hollywood voice-over money!
Eric Child says:
Great educational piece… thank you…!!!
Peter Chevalier says:
In the video “Steam Bending Oak Frames” for Mischief, I heard Maynard mention that the frames were coated with a 1:1 mixture of linseed oil and turpentine before steaming. He said it was time honored, but why do it? And as Jeff Gulick asked in a previous comment, it the linseed oil raw or boiled?
Charles Thompson says:
This is great. Learned several good techniques I didn’t know about.
Denis Noble says:
Good to see Brian Larkin hard at work. It was Brian who dropped everything to show two un-announced Australians, my wife and me, around BBY in early May 2014. Thank you Brian.
Lyle Russell says:
How about a video about sawing the frames to get the grain correct to be bent. I’m building a Haven 12 1/2 that will need 44 properly steamed and bent frames.
edward demarco says:
Excellent video!! would love to see a video on installing stringers, planing scarph joints to level, and riveting..
William Mangum says:
Reminds me of a trip to Harkers Island, NC many years ago with my dad to see how boats were built by “rack of eye”.
Just acquired a sailboat for my stepson as his project boat. This should give him the confidence that will last him a lifetime. It’s a fiberglass boat with big damage, but no cost.
Jeff Gulick says:
hi guys. im building a 14 ft. lapstrake canoe with 5/8 x 1/4 inch steamed white oak ribs. this video on steam bending is very helpful, THANKS. i want to get some protection behind the ribs before i steam and rivet them home. is the linseed oil and turps going to give me the protection and is the linseed oil raw or boiled? thanks for your time and suggestions . new bee jeff
Walter Connolly says:
Cutting the Rabbet, setting up the Strongback. installing a Shutter Plank, plotting a Stem Section.