<!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 6.00.2800.1458" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; = FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7> <DIV><FONT id=role_document> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px = solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> <DIV><SPAN class=927005812-29102004>Dale</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=927005812-29102004></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=927005812-29102004>Good thoughts.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=927005812-29102004>I think the problem with this = particular lid (the Steinway I've mentioned) is the lack of cross = banding.  I' ve seen this omition before when I did a lot of furniture repair in = another life.  Also, the oak core tends to move more, ends being = the worst.  </SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=927005812-29102004></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=927005812-29102004>Paul C</SPAN></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>   Paul</DIV> <DIV>  I agree about the cross banding thought. Stwys are = poplar which is more stable than oak IMO.</DIV> <DIV>  Dale<BR><BR><SPAN class=348045815-30102004>I agree that = poplar is more stable, but it appears that this lid was made with oak or = ash as a core.  I have seen a number of early 1900's tables with = veneer over oak or ash, and no crossbanding.  Some pieces had the loose = face veneer removed and the core finished to now be the repaired = or renewed surface.   The core of this Steinway has the coarse = end grain characteristics of oak or ash.</SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=348045815-30102004></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=348045815-30102004>Paul C </SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>