<HTML>In a message dated 8/10/2003 = 12:24:11 PM Pacific Daylight Time, dnu@fx.ro writes:                      <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> > >To provide the necessary stiffness under load - if it was designed that<= BR> way >in the first place as most of them were. But can't that stiffness be provided by a perfectly straight (flat) set of<B= R> ribs and a flat board? Calin Tantareanu ----------------------------------------------------</BLOCKQUOTE>    </FO= NT>        Calin       As I'm sure you know the board your describin= g to be made with flat ribs will not stay straight but crown once the dried = panel gains moisture. What you're describing is the old syle  pure comp= ression type of board making. That is unless you mean that  no panel dr= ying is done prior to the rib glue up. In this hypothetical case some amount= of bearing is no doubt likely to reverse the crown of the board don't you t= hink. And the panel will likely crack as soon as it dips below it's realitiv= ely high E.M.C at the time of ribbing. Of course if the ribs were made deep = enough like a very thick beam I suppose you could achieve the stiffness as y= ou suggest but is this really your question?    Regards---Dale      </HTML>