<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV><FONT size=3>    <STRONG>Hey Jude</STRONG></FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV><FONT size=3>Hail Dale, (Sorry had to return the rhyme), et al,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>I come from the land of a very strict adherence to the doctrine of CC boards. Speak up if I offend any neighbors here on the list, but I think I am the only heretic in this part of the land that has abandoned the CC for a hybrid and even gone as far as experimenting with the RC & S. </FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV>  <EM><FONT size=3><STRONG>You heritic</STRONG></FONT></EM></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT size=3>Currently, I have settled on a hybrid. I think the primary reluctance to abandon the lower ranges of MC (3.5-5%) has to do with the knowledge that most households here range from RH in the low teens in winter to the high 80s in the summer. We just can't count on our customers maintaining the RH in their piano room, hell we're lucky enough if we can get them to move their $80,000 investment away from the fireplace, heating register, window and exterior wall (like my piano for example, not the price just the situation).</FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV>    <STRONG><EM>With the Sitka that you are using your boards stand a way better chance of surviving than the Much softer varieties of spruce such as the white boards that Or Eastern spruce.  At 5% emc when ribbing and crowning ribs you have a great sounding piano with less opportunity for damage.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT size=3>We know our wood can withstand the compression set of the expanding board better than the contracting board so we ere on that side and deal with the compression ridges. Udo Steingraber also mentioned that their drying schedule had more to do with protecting the wood from the driest environs than promoting crown. Some speak of the ethereal qualities and tonal color that only a CC board <U>can yield but I'll leave that one alone :).</U></FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV>  <STRONG><EM>I've heard many incredible sounding C.C. soundboards of many ages. The point of course as stated many times is we strive for greater  Reliability and predictability.  This is the reason we are trying new techniques. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV>   <STRONG><EM> The C.C. panel is a very strong structure when built this way & that stiffness is IMO vital component to producing an even sounding scale. If too much compression is left out of a C. C design but the old ribbing pattern is retained the possibility for board resonates are greater. I.e.Such as a weak not on a c sharp 52 & the next note is strong.  We all hear these anomallies in most pianos.  Our goal as board builders & designers is to eliminate them with our methods & materials.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Using my handy-dandy "Crownulator," [see archives] the other thing I've noticed is that my traditional CC brethren, that rely on low MC and forced crowning (i.e. in a dish) to promote crown, end up with way more crown than they thought. Their go-bar decks may measure 60' radius, but by the time the board is glued in, they usually have about a 35' to 40' radius which is more than what I've seen in some rebuilders' boards that are pre-crowning their ribs, unless of course they are using a more ambitious radius in their rib scale from the get go, as I am. This is all measured in the unloaded state across the grain. Loaded states are even more interesting, but I would like to collect more data before making any statements.</FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><STRONG>  Yes more initially but even my own practice I can see a huge belly before it goes in but as the board conforms to the rim some of that extra crown disappears. I think the numbers of radii you state are fine.  I've introduced some pretty steep crown with my methods/press/ribs with no adverse results.  How much is too much.  I dunno</STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV><FONT size=3>    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3> Still, I won't be happy until I can say that this species of wood with such and such modulus of elasticity, given x amount of load, with y rib scale and design, and so and so's hammers yield this type of sound. Yeah, dream on...</FONT></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV>  <STRONG><EM><FONT size=3>Yeah...Well said Jude.  I have other thoughts about the crowned bridge stuff.  Maybe there issomething to it that we just can't quantify.  Yes I know the idea has been thoroughly shot down on list & we can agree to disagree but I can think of one board I did that had a real sparkle to it when I did this.  Not only that but the board set right into the piano & the trebles & bass corners didn't require the requiste stress to get them down on the rim. Yes there is a slight bending stress that is introduced along the grain but is that a bad thing.....  Is it a positive thing?  Perhaps</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT size=3>    its' like the little Mason & Hamlin Crown demonstrator jig where the thin piece of spruce is bent along the grain & then the sound suddenly come to life. Aye?</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT size=3>  Many folks do it this way who have decades of practice.  My Motis operandi has always been try stuff & listen.  Then I get to decide for myself......Ain't it great?</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT size=3>  Dale</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Back to work,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Start the year off right. <A title="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" href="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" target="_blank">Easy ways to stay in shape</A> in the new year. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>