Brian,

I am very confident it will work for you. Just make sure you keep the heat gun moving and heat a good 6 inches beyond the area that is to be bent. The area of tightest bend should have the most heat, but make sure you keep moving the gun so you don't burn or dry the wood. And let the wood cool a bit before you stop applying the bending stress.

I fought some tuff bends early on and would have strips that just wouldn't stay on the forms. Once I started pre-bending all my strips, things became a piece of cake and I didn't have to use staples.

I realize you are forming ribs, but thought I would add this for the strip builders.

I garantee that once you use this method, you will never go back....It's the only way (my opinion)

Tom