Belly rail crown - Why???

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Erwinspiano@aol.com=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: November 23, 2002 10:14 PM
  Subject: Re: Belly rail crown - Why???


  In a message dated 11/23/2002 10:00:34 AM Pacific Standard Time, =
pianobuilders@olynet.com writes:

  Del
  ....Recognizing that by in large most on the list are building rib =
crowned boards that retain more of there crown when under load than the =
former compression stlye boards. Rib crowned boards being much stiffer =
by design,  thanks to higher rib radii and stiffer spruce rib material =
(formerly sugar pine) and deeper ribs....=20
They don't necessarily start out that way. While the rib-crowned =
soundboard certainly has the potential of greater stiffness -- there is =
always the option of more and taller ribs -- in practice I'm not sure =
they start out all that much different. A well done compression-crowned =
soundboard can be quite stiff indeed. But it may not keep that stiffness =
very long. It's in holding the long term stiffness that the rib-crowned =
soundboard comes out ahead.=20

      I see nothing wrong with the beveled rim personally, if my boards =
are retaining a good amount crown even when strung I see no reason to =
induce another unnecessary possible strain at the edge of the board by =
changing all the beveled rastens that come through the shop to a flat =
edge. No, I'm not saying you were advocating that either.
Well, I don't know that there is all that much wrong with the practice. =
I'm mostly just not convinced it does much good.=20

      Simply clamping a piece of spruce to a bench and bending it isn't =
exactly like the continuos rim of board being glued to a curving rim. =
Gluing the board to the rim gives the whole structure a cohesive =
stiffness it doesn't have before that.=20
Come on, Dale, you know better than that. Sure, gluing the board to the =
rim makes it act like a clamped-edge diaphragm, but wood is still =
awfully thin wood and it still bends under load. Especially so when the =
load is essentially across-grain and most of it is along the bent side =
or at roughly a 45=BA angle as most of it is along the bellyrail and the =
straight side. And along the bass curve, well, who cares?

     Also the board is often thinned down to as little as .250 at the =
edges so undue stress once again not desired. The 1 and 1/2 degerees =
typically found in the rim joint could as practicallity or compromise be =
reduced to half that and this angle would more likely conform to the =
residual crown angle after stringing.
And, that's pretty much my point. =20

     Perhaps  petty, lame and faulty thinking but it's mine all mine.
Yup. Lame it is. And you can have it. Unless it's already there in which =
case I'll have some too.

Del

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