Here is a link to my posting on building the ribs for my 1926 WACO NINE
Chad,<BR><BR>We made a simple steamer for bending the rib cap strips on the WACO. The strips are 1/4" x 3/8" spruce. You don't need to steam the whole stick. You are only bending the leading edge area. The aft portion of the stick will bend just fine cold. <BR><BR>How much spring back ( overbend ) in the form block is needed depends on the dimensions of the sticks as well as which way the grain runs. On my cap sticks for the light (stick built) ribs thye growth rings are visible on the side of the bent stick. On the 1/4" x 3/4" sticks used for the solid ribs the growth rings are visible on the curved (wide) face of the sticks. The wide sticks needed less overbent because of this.<BR><BR>There is and easy way to do some experiments to figure out the shape of the form block to get it spot on. It's alway better to over bend then not bend the sticks enough.<BR><BR>Here are some of my blog posts which you might find useful.<BR><BR>Building first rib.<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/11/building-our-first-rib.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/11/building-our-first-rib.html</A><BR><BR>Bending wide cap strips<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2011/01/bending-34-x-14-cap-strips.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2011/01/bending-34-x-14-cap-strips.html</A><BR><BR>Nailing Gussets<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/11/great-neck-magnetic-brad-nail-driver.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/11/great-neck-magnetic-brad-nail-driver.html</A><BR><BR>and<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/12/wing-rib-gusset-glueing-nailing.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/12/wing-rib-gusset-glueing-nailing.html</A><BR><BR>Making Gussets<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2010/12/wing-rib-triangle-gussets.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2010/12/wing-rib-triangle-gussets.html</A><BR><BR>and<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2010/02/wing-rib-nose-gussets.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2010/02/wing-rib-nose-gussets.html</A><BR><BR>Trimming Gussets after glueing<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/12/trimming-wing-rib-gussets.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2009/12/trimming-wing-rib-gussets.html</A><BR><BR>Trimming The Leading Edge of the Ribs<BR><BR><A href="http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2010/02/rib-leading-edge-fixture.html">http://nc3397.blogspot.com/2010/02/rib-leading-edge-fixture.html</A><BR><BR>I hope these help.<BR><BR>Good luck,<BR><BR>Dennis