Baldwin SD-10

[Ron Nossaman]

>There isn't that much expansion. The 5/8" gap makes it some easier to fit
>the soundboard to the rim. If there were only a 1/8" gap you would easily
>notice any irregularities. With a 5/8" gap you don't notice them.

Exactly, there just isn't that much expansion to be had if anything is
glued down. And yes, it is considerably easier to get that rascal in with a
little rim clearance. I hadn't considered the visual "regularity" of the
wider than necessary gap though. That's a good one, without having to
resort to that wonderfully classy gold rope. 


> By making the
>notch deeper than the rib will ever be there is no need to 'fit' anything.
>And, as you point out, neither is there any acoustical need to do so.
>Acoustically the damage is done when the rib crosses over the edge of the
>inner rim anyway. And this way Marketing can claim notched-in ribs without
>forcing the factory workers to waste much time on the process. It works.
>
>Del

It always has for me. Where I was eventually going with this was that these
"design quirks" are manufacturing expedients, rather than some sort of
performance voodoo. I've always heard how absolutely critical an absolute
rib fit in the rim mortices is, but haven't found it to be even remotely so
from a performance standpoint. Unless, that is, the mortice is too small
for the rib end to fit into, or the rib moved on me when I clamped it to
the board and doesn't exactly match the mortice location any more. That has
some negative effect on the efficiency of my performance as installer. But
that never happens, does it? 


Ron N