Usually the saw mills got the timber laying in the lakes simply because it makes it much more easy to cut the wood and to prevent it from being disformed. When cut into planks they were sent to the pianomakers who stored them steadily in barn-like houses for years. Violin makers would store wood for the next generation. Cut into pieces for soundboards at least S&S would dry it down to 3% and glue on the ribs. Back in "normal" humidity the soundboard would "crown". Much later YA showed up this as a great new invention though it had been done by European an US manufacturers for decades. David Boyce <David@piano.plus.com> skrev:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> The discussion on seasoning prompts me to mention a site of historical interest near me. I live on the coast of the River Clyde in the west of Scotland, which for many years was one of the world's major ship buiding areas. (In the mid-1800s half of Britain's ships were built there). Going by train or road to Glasgow, you can easily see on the foreshore at the village of Langbank, many rows of wooden posts sticking up out of the water, half buried in the sandy foreshore. These are thought to be the remnants of ancient timber ponds, where timber was left in the water to season. They are really old, of unknown antiquity in fact. They have been there for hundreds of years. It would be fascinating to know just how long the ship builders of old seasoned their timber there. I was looking for a website with good pictures, to post a link, but I can't find one. Best regards, David. </blockquote> <hr size=1> <table><tr><td>Stava rätt! Stava lätt! Yahoo! Mails stavkontroll tar hand om tryckfelen och mycket mer! Få den på <a href="http://se.mail.yahoo.com">http://se.mail.yahoo.com</a></td></tr></table>