Soundboard stiffening

Richard Brekne Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no
Wed, 04 Feb 2004 22:46:18 +0100


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Delwin D Fandrich wrote:

>>The more I hear this "the ribs are doing nothing but trying to
>>straighten out the panel" the less it makes sense.  Ok so the ribs are
>>bent as part of the crowning process... so is the panel.. but nobody
>>talks about the panel trying to staighten out ribs... yet you could just
>>as well turn the whole "lets blame the panels expansion" argumentation
>>on the ribs.
>>    
>>
>
>Now, wait a minute here. Who said "the ribs are doing nothing but trying to
>straighten out the panel."? With or without crown, and regardless of how
>crown is obtained, the ribs are going to add stiffness to the assembly. That
>does not preclude their resisting being bent in the compression-crowned
>soundboard assembly.
>
>  
>
You guys do !  And quite frequently. Ok...in the context of rib 
supporting crown. But forgive me... I am a bit foggy on how it is that 
ribs that in that context do nothing but resist crown and offer no 
support against downbearing, can at the same time not only make the 
panel stiffer (which makes it harder to press down.. hmmmm ) and not 
only that but makes the system increasingly stiffer (even harder to 
press down) as more downbearing is applied.

I am just sure I am crossing Z's with Ø's here... but these two 
positions seem a bit contridictorary to me.

>No one talks about "the panel trying to straighten out the ribs" because it
>doesn't work that way. Have you ever handled an edge-glued spruce panel?
>Sure you have. Just how much straightening is that thing going to do?
>
>  
>
What I see is two pieces of wood that are forced into a curved condition 
against their better judgement... and both... would return to being flat 
if they had their ditthers about it.  Why would the rib be pulling on 
the panel to straighten it out, and not the other way around in equal 
amounts ?

>>I would suggest that the ribs are not bent simply because the panel is
>>taking on moisture... but because they are made to  resist any panel
>>expansion at the interface between ribs and panel.  It seems only half a
>>truth and one that easily leads to less then half truths to simply say
>>the ribs are bent by the panel, and do nothing more then resist crown.
>>    
>>
>
>I think you're getting the idea. In the compression-crowned soundboard
>assembly, the ribs are indeed bent because of the stress interface between
>them -- they really don't like to stretch along their grain -- and the
>expanding soundboard panel. (At least the panel would be expanding if it
>were not constrained by the ribs glued to it.) And the panel is expanding
>because it is taking on moisture. That is how a compression-crowned
>soundboard assembly works.
>
>  
>
Well heck there Del... this much has been clear all along... and of 
course we dont want the ribs to actually strain along the grain... but 
that doenst mean they dont feel the increase in stress in that 
direction. If they strained or failed... then crown would disapear as well.

>Again, who said the ribs do "nothing more than resist crown?"
>
>
>  
>
>>No doubt the bend in both panel and rib seen as isolated component
>>forces will exert a force that works against crown. Funny how tho the
>>net effect is plenty of crown and plenty strength.
>>    
>>
>
>Yes, it is, isn't it? Until, of course, either the glue joint fails or
>compression set within the panel reduces the stress interface between the
>panel and the ribs to the point the system is no longer able to support
>crown.
>
>
>  
>
>>Also.... this thread has hinted at a difference between the CC panel and
>>RC panel yet to be brought to light... one that has quite probably
>>significant performance ramifications.  This matter of increased
>>stiffness when downbearing is applied to the one, vs constant stiffness
>>for the other.
>>    
>>
>
>It remains to be seen whether the effect holds true for both types. Until I
>actually try it I'll hold my further comment. It also remains to be seen
>just how much affect this characteristic may or may not have on the two
>different types of soundboard configurations.
>
>Del
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>  
>


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