Crowning methods, was soundboards.

[Ron Nossaman]

>So some panel compression is still utilized but  crown not dependent on 
>compression that much to form crown or maintain it & even in the driest 
>invirons the crown won't shrink out of exisistence.

Not me. My boards are rib crowned AND rib supported. I design rib scales 
that would have crown under string bearing if the panel wasn't there at 
all. Compression in the panel is minimal in my boards, and mostly to 
prevent or minimize cracking in dry cycles. Since there is little 
compression built in, there is little crush damage in wet cycles, making 
cracking in dry cycles less likely. Time will tell, but I don't see the 
dramatic wet season compression ridges in my boards that I see in Steinway 
and Yamaha boards.

Ron N