Laminated soundboard panels

[Ron Nossaman]

I don't recall this coming up before, but does anyone know anything of 
research done on low angle laminated soundboard panels? With the usual 90° 
cross plies, the panel is significantly stiffer parallel to the ribs, and 
less stiff perpendicular to the ribs than a solid panel. It seems to me 
that a low angle lamination would be more nearly like a solid panel in flex 
characteristics, necessitating fewer and less drastic design changes for 
the substitution. Compression ridges and cracking should be all but 
eliminated, though I don't know for sure what the dimensional change rate 
with MC shifts would be. I would assume less. You could advertise a 75 year 
warranty against cracking and crown loss (and not even have to conjure up a 
centripetal constipator to do it). It could certainly be a way to waste a 
whole lot less AAA grade spruce by using the odd colored and pieced 
together stuff in the core laminations, saving a thin slab of the pretty 
stuff for the top side cosmetics.

While I have no doubt a very nice sounding soundboard can be made out of 
what other folks would consider crate material, this might be a less 
radical departure from what manufacturers are doing now, that wouldn't 
unduly traumatize their engineering and marketing departments.

The "green" soundboard panel. Less waste, better consistency. It isn't easy 
being green, but it's easier to interest the public in saving something 
that's already gone than in preserving something that's abundant and being 
wasted. Get yours now - while supplies last.
Ron N