RC&S question in general

[Richard Brekne]

The debates around these different board types seem to have two distinct 
aspects to them.  The first is and most obvious is the combatant aspect 
where folks doing different board types go to no ends discredit the 
other. They do about anything then topically confront the opposing sides 
views. This applies to all camps pretty much equally as far as I can 
see.  I stand here on the outside looking at a host of different 
designers, builders, manufacturers asking the same questions and getting 
the same basic message back.  "We know best... obviously the other guy 
is full of hot air and you shouldn't listen to him"  And with few actual 
exceptions from any camp, thats about as far as it goes.

The other aspect is all the stuff going on about how soundboards 
actually work that quite obviously far less is known then all, each from 
their own perspective would have it.  Nothing could make this more clear 
IMHO then the apparent total lack of anyone to be able to predict the 
load bearing capacities of a compression reliant board. This is used on 
the one hand as a criticism against compression reliant boards... but 
then on the other hand these same critics can not account for the degree 
of compression (beyond what humidity vs rib restraint) itself imparts 
into any panel at all... including so called non compression reliant boards.

It is easy to demonstrate that the initial support provided by a CC 
board is far beyond what the rib structure itself is able to bear. 
Again... the entire reasoning for building an RC&S board underlines this 
as the stated goal in RC & S boards is to design said support into the 
ribs themselves. This directly implies and recognizes that the stress 
conflict between the compression of the panel and tensioning of the ribs 
in a CC board is what creates the support and strength against 
downbearing at any given time. In a new board, other relevant factors 
are knowns... or should be.

The only unpredictability I see in any of this is the lack of anyone to 
be able to describe in math mechanics terms the functioning of the rib 
restraining against a glued panel wanting to expand due to a given 
downwards force on the panel. If this was calculated... all the guess 
work goes out of the compression reliant picture as it is the only 
<<unknown>> factor.  We already know how beams work as beams.  We 
already know how to figure what compression in the panel and tension in 
the ribs forms for RH changes given known starting points for these.

Personally... I don't give a hoot which kind of board anyone decides to 
build. I'll try anything myself.  My only interest is to find out how 
things work. Getting into some kind of crusade for one or the other type 
is TMMOT a waste of time as history proves the hopelessness and 
meaningless of such endeavor. The fact is...and this is a bold faced 
fact... that experienced manufacturers have been building boards of all 
types for 300 years... and there is no statistical grounds for doubting 
the viability of any of the basic methods employed (when done so 
appropriately) today .  Nor does that fact prevent, impead, or threaten 
anyone from trying anything new. 

End of rant.
Cheers
RicB