Do you dry the ribs, along with the board, prior to gluing ?

[Prof. Euphonious Thump]

     In old woods the resins have oxidized to the
insides of the cell walls, allowing for more vacuous
cavities which, along with the diaphragmatic  aspect
of the board, color the tone. It also helps the
vibrations travel from point to point in the board
better, as old wood is therefore denser and stiffer (
i.e. transmits vibrations better than newer, softer,
vibration absorbing wood. )
     That said, a new board with nice crown , well
made, certainly is impressive:  but will develop
compression set ( which the old board has, already and
probably as much as it ever will ) and so the old
board's only real disadvantage ( besiders the fact
that it was made with hide glue, which is more
susceptible to breakdown from humidity swings than
modern glues ) is that it  has lost crown. I'm seeking
a method which remedies this, and D.L. Bullock claims
to have found it, and successfully used it, for years.

    I'm not at all interested in fighting over this. 
Yes, "better" is subjective. 
     So what ?

Thump


--- Greg Newell <gnewell at ameritech.net> wrote:

> Ric,
> 	There is a marked difference between "much like a
> new", "just as
> well", and " better" as Thump put it. I, for one,
> cannot fathom how it could
> ever be considered to be "better".
> 
> Greg Newell
> Greg's Piano Forté
> www.gregspianoforte.com
> 216-226-3791 (office)
> 216-470-8634 (mobile)
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
> [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of Richard Brekne
> Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 1:43 AM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Do you dry the ribs, along with the board,
> prior to gluing ?
> 
> Hi Greg
> 
> This is another one of those subjects that actually
> is quite fascinating 
> if we allow it to be so.  I am reminded of a three
> way discussion a few 
> years back between Andre, Del and myself in which
> Del stated outright 
> that an old panel carefully removed and de-ribbed 
> would sound and 
> perform much like a new panel if put together in an
> RC & S fashion.  
> This position was adjusted slightly to "it would
> sound and perform just 
> as well" or something to the affect I believe.
> Whatever compression 
> damage the wood has, evidently does not prevent it
> from being used 
> successfully as an RC & S panel. 
> 
> Andre reacted a bit mentioning that his ears told
> him a brand new panel 
> would have a different kind of life...which Del
> agreed and I had to 
> wonder about a couple what seem like self
> contradictory statements built 
> into the argumentation. 
> 
> All that aside... I think we all agreed in the end
> that the "old wood" 
> RC  & S constructed panel would sound and perform
> nicely for many many 
> years. And it would have a character distinctive
> because the wood was 
> old... and exposed to years of compression set /
> damage if you will.  
> And if we accept that for what it is... then we are
> in a world of  
> "differences" and not one of "better or worse".  The
> old panel can sound 
> and perform just as well... but with a voice of its
> own.
> 
> To what degree it can be used as a compression
> reliant board is... well 
> somewhat related I guess.... but another question.
> 
> Cheers
> RicB
> 
> 
>     Thump and others,
>         Since we're all asking for proofs and hard
> facts here in the finer
>     points and minutia of soundboard technology
> would you please expound
>     on why
>     you feel that the old wood of the existing
> soundboard is more
>     resonant than
>     the new? It seems that if you're going to
> persist in this line of
>     thinking
>     then you must have good reasons for it, or is it
> just speculation? I
>     myself
>     am in the opposite camp wherein I believe that
> there is cellular
>     destruction
>     of the old wood and therefore due for
> replacement. My reasons follow
>     that of
>     which we've heard for years now on this list.
> This of course is
>     assuming a
>     CC board assembly. Your thoughts?  
> 
>     Greg Newell
>     Greg's Piano Forté
>     www.gregspianoforte.com
>     216-226-3791 (office)
>     216-470-8634 (mobile)
> 
> 
> 
> 



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