<!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 6.00.2900.2802" 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=rol= e_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV>  <FONT size=3>Terry</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Thanks.  Makes more sense  The big pict= ure coming into focus...5...4...3...2...1....  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>    This rib idea Lends itself to a thinn= er more uniform thickness panel then.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   Dale</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>If I understand rib tapering theory correctly (and may= be I don't - so please correct me), the straight tapering that Del and Ron O us= e is based on engineering principles that suggest such a design will best suppo= rt a centered load more-or-less evenly along the length of the rib (and al= low freedom of movement at the ends). Whereas the constant thickness rib with = the sculpted tapers at the ends lends itself better to a compression-crowned soundboard where the constant thickness of the rib will tend to induce development of consistent crown as the panel hydrates (and allow freedom o= f movement at the ends).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>I realize there is everything in between also, but isn= 't that the big picture?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>