help a beginner measure mc in wood with confidence

[Farrell]

>> Another is to build a direct reading MC gage with a strip of
>> spruce and a cheap dial indicator. Even if you don't bother to
>> try to calibrate it to any specific MC, it can still be used
>> as an indicator of dimensional change with Terry's approach
>> without having to haul the panel out to measure it.

Or, if you make the face of your hot box your doors, there is no need to 
remove the panel to measure it - just open the door and slap the tape on it.

> On a rib crowned board in a shop that the environment is difficult to 
> control, changing available crown (prior to stringing) has brought me to 
> this.

Why is your shop RH difficult to control? I find that it is very easy to 
keep my shop RH well within a 5 to 10% swing of 45% RH.

> Adjustable plate bolts and vertical hitches are a must.

How does shop environment factor into the need for adjustable plate bolts 
and vertical hitches? Seems to me you have a target for the pianos 
use-destination that would be independant of shop environment. No?

Terry Farrell