Soundboard drydown for installation

[Ron Nossaman]

> *Agreed. So maybe Udo Steingraber is on to something by custom shaping 
> the inner rim to the profile of the board right before installation, and 
> Dale seems to agree, that it reduces the stress that is placed upon the 
> panel during glue-in. What does that do to the sound? No way am I taking 
> the bait on that one. Sure is worth further experimentation, though, and 
> I have to admit I get a bit nervous when I'm forcing my potato chip 
> shaped panels to conform to the inner rim.*

I've done it both ways. I've "crowned" three bridges, and 
found no benefit to it that I can hear, so I don't go th the 
trouble any more. Maybe a Philistine assessment, but that's 
what I have to work with. Mashing the potato chip to fit the 
rim doesn't bother me in the least. I stressed the wood in the 
ribs much more than that laminating in the crown.

Oh, and a practical question about your being in the CC 
capital of the universe. When the RH% gets into the low teens, 
say 15%, the MC of the soundboards will be 3.5%, at or before 
which point a CC board will be flat or have reverse crowned. 
Do you have a recognized annual killer octave season or 
festival there?
Ron N