Soundboard question

[Richard Brekne]

I'm not sure I see why it would be prone to cracking...  The areas that 
were weak (with regards to compression strengths) would be quite a bit 
less reactive to dimension change for climate change. Old panels that 
are de-ribbed and brought back together and rib crowned rarely ever 
crack again and are quite stable in the face of climate change compared 
to fresh wood.  The wood that was stronger from the get go would be 
pretty much as reactive before the process and would account for most of 
the change in dimension from cross grain expansion / contraction with 
climate changes.  You say yourself the panel would be less reactive to 
fluctuating RH.  I would think that the  areas that have experience the 
most compression set would account for this for the most.  What am I 
missing here ?

Cheers
RicB



    I really don't know for sure, but my guess is that the compression
    set damage would occur locally - most likely in linear bands of
    lower wood strength (resistance to crushing). So you'd end up with
    90% of the panel more-or-less undamaged and 10% of it severely
    damaged and prone to cracking very easy, etc. It might be a bit more
    stable with fluctuating RH I suppose, but I suspect you'd be a lot
    better off by simply starting with a laminated panel to begin with.

    Terry Farrell