strange bridge cap... etc

[Ron Nossaman]

I saw an odd bridge recapping job this morning in a partially
resomethingorothered old upright. The long bridge had been cut down
considerably in preparation for capping, and a two layer cap was installed.
The first layer was about 8mm thick, with the long grain perpendicular to
the bridge length. Yep, an 8mm layer of end grain looking out the side of
the bridge. Another 6-8mm layer with the grain direction more
conventionally oriented topped it off. Too strange. Has anyone seen
anything like this anywhere, and why was it done this way? The only thing
I've come up with is that maybe the guy was trying to crown the bridge by
gluing on a thoroughly desiccated thick cross grained lamination, waiting
for re hydration expansion to crown the thing, then putting on the top
layer to lock it in. 

Any enlightenment?


Ron N