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<DIV>
<DIV> RIc</DIV>
<DIV> May the force? be with you brother.grin</DIV>
<DIV> Dale</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>Hi
folks<BR><BR>After a few months of experimenting, I am ready to announce a=
new
(I <BR>believe) method of supporting crown for any type of soundboar=
d.
The <BR>method allows for both restoring crown and supporting it in older
<BR>panels, and designing new panels in which the concerns of mass levels
<BR>and degree of assembly stiffness can be to a far greater degree treate=
d
<BR>independantly. <BR><BR>In essence, an array of repelling high power ne=
odym
magnets of <BR>appropriate dimmensions and strengths are used to support c=
rown
against <BR>downbearing from the strings. One set are imbeded in soundboar=
d
button <BR>similar wooden sheaths and are attached to the soundboard with =
glue
and <BR>screws. Opposing these is another set which are mounted into=
a
very <BR>strong wooden beam such that their distance from the soundboard
attached <BR>magnets can be adjusted easily from below. One can eith=
er
choose to <BR>simply provide support directly under the bridge, or without=
too
much <BR>difficulty, contrive what amounts to a system of virtual ribs wit=
h
fully <BR>adjustable support for crown.<BR><BR>For edification... Neodym
magnets that measure 30 mm Ø by 5 mm thick can <BR>hold / push approxima=
tely
25 kilos. Since there is no phsyical <BR>connection between the
soundboard and opposing magnets, the assembly is <BR>not directly mass loa=
ded.
Hence stiffness and crown support is provided <BR>without mass
loading.<BR><BR>More later on as I formalize an article on a working examp=
le I
am hoping <BR>to finish soon.<BR><BR>As is my habit... this is an open sou=
rce
idea, I encourage any and all <BR>to take up and refine it in their own
fashion. My own initial results <BR>indicate that the principle is v=
ery
successful.<BR><BR>Cheers<BR>Richard Brekne</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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