Soundboard thoughts / questions

[Ric Brekne]

Hi folks.

Please correct my thinking where dead wrong.  

-- Load support for soundboards needs to run (roughly) perpendicular to 
the bridges.

-- Given a low enough tensioned scale,  this could be accomplished by 
running the grain of the soundboard (roughly) perpendicular to the 
bridges. Especially if that soundboard was laminated crowned in that 
direction.

Questions relating to the above:

-- How do you calculate load bearing strength of such a laminated board 
?  Any straight forward formulas ?

-- What would be the needs and purposes for ribbing this kind of board 
across the grain ?

Perhaps this all sounds a bit off the wall... but I would apreciate any 
thoughtfull answers.

Thanks
RicB