Steve,
The manufacturers did not fill the void between the tubes and ribs. The material in your barrels is most likely, old school flux. Early types of flux were quite fibrous and thick compared to modern types. I would not fill the void.
You will need to tin the top rib and prep the tubes, the solder should be applied to the rib. The heat required to set the top rib will certianly loosen the lug and other two ribs. It is important to support these areas to avoid a big mess.
If you are bluing barrels with rib leaks, we reccomend removing the keels rather than drilling holes. It will allow the moisture to escape.
Brad
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