<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16705" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> David, If you have access to them you might go back and review the Journal articles I've written on the subject. They can be found in these issues: – The Mechanics & Strength of Wood & Wood Structures Part 1—Basic Mechanics (April, 1996) – The Mechanics & Strength of Wood & Wood Structures Part II (June, 1996) – Soundboard Damage Part I – A Guide to Sound-board Cracks & Other Maladies (December, 1997) – Soundboard Damage Part II – A Guide To Sound-board Cracks & Other Maladies (January, 1998) – Soundboard Damage Part III – A Guide to Sound-board Cracks & Other Maladies (February, 1998) Not much has changed since they were written. Del Delwin D Fandrich Piano Design & Manufacturing Consultant 620 South Tower Avenue Centralia, Washington 98531  USA Phone  360.736.7563 Cell  360.388.6525 Fax  360.736.5239 <<A href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com">mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com</A>> <HR> | -----Original Message----- | From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org | [<A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] On Behalf Of David B. Stang | Sent: October 19, 2008 10:49 AM | To: pianotech@ptg.org | Subject: The finite life of wood grain | | This is a curious question directed toward Dale Erwin and | other soundboard people. | | Would it be fair to say that the majority of soundboards die | after, say, 80 to 100 years?  If that's true, then what's the | major reason? Is it climate, or the simple fact that the | board has been under pressure, or both of the the above? | | Also, this "death" is at the cellular / granular level, right? | So then "re-crowning" would be about as useful as putting new | chrome on a car with a destroyed chassis, eh? | | (Sorry if this is a dead horse already thoroughly beaten.) | | Thanks, and thank you again, Dale, for a great talk in Chicago. | David | | David B. Stang | Columbus Ohio | | | | </BODY></HTML>