saving your sole, ctd
All of your suggestions make sense, Loren. Given the fact that the dings do not appear to crack the wood in all but one case, the idea of plugs, fillers or patches really don't seem to be the ideal approach for my situation. It would be a bit like getting a door ding on your car and filling it in with bond-o: I might do it for a big dent with a crease, but the repair would otherwise emphasize the problem rather than mask it. I might use the filler for the one ding that has cracked the surface, though.
A quick Internet search did show one person's extraordinary refinishing job which also involved repairing a crack that had sunk on one side. The person stuck a razor blade in the crack (which was about 3 inches long), then injected, using a syringe, a kind of quick-hardening epoxy filler. The sunken crack turned into a barely visible line. (Even then, I think he was able to sand out the line and refinish it, so that no crack was evident.) I was also thinking about some device that I think they have for cars (but in a bigger size) that involves drilling a pilot hole, sticking in the device which then expands from the side and allows you to pull up. Or maybe I'm just imagining it. Besides, I'm trying to save any drilling or filling as a last resort.
Anyway, given that five out of the six dings in one location (I have other dings near the base of the companionway ladder) are about 1/4" to 1/2" long and about the same width, and 1/4" deep or less, the idea of steaming the ding out is intriguing. Not knowing how this is done, I would assume that you could use some sort of portable clothes steaming device, aimed at the center of the ding, with perhaps even a jury-rigged small-diameter hose attached to concentrate the steam further. Beyond that, I wouldn't have a clue of how to go about doing it. (How long to apply the steam, whether to do it in stage or all at once, and how to keep the broader area from getting "overdone" - i.e., warped).
If anyone has tried this method before, I'd be interested in the details. (I thought about posting to the Ericson email list, but for some strange reason, while I get the mailings, my attempted posts get bounced back for lack of permission by the moderator. If you or someone else who posts on the list could do it, that would be great.)
Incidentally, I do like the idea of a healthy shine on the floor. That certainly would draw the attention of a visitor away from any single defect and it's nice to have a shine one the wood anyway.
Lastly, you can get a yoga mat for $12.99 at Marshall's that can be trimmed to form a runner from the nav table to the door to the head (on a 30' boat like mine). It's attractive, easy to clean, and absorbs minor assaults by flying equipment.
I do want to fix the floor, though, so I'll know that I'm only protecting the floor and not covering up a flaw. Big difference, psychologically.
So... does anyone have any instructions/experience with the steam approach?
Thanks,
Rob