Laminated panels

[Richard Brekne]

Hey Jude

I wouldn't worry about using laminated panels.  There's a whole new 
world to be explored there.  I wish sometimes I had more time to move in 
the direction of rebuilder/designer.  As it is... the one board I 
<<designed>> was not only laminated but laminate crowned. Ribs were also 
crowned.  The idea was to get extra crown support in the high treble of 
an old instrument to bring that area of this instrument more in line 
with modern times.  And THAT part  worked really quite well.  The whole 
thing was a big time learning adventure. The fact that the whole thing 
actually came out ok in the end amazes me.

I mention this because I decided to approach the project exactly as you 
mentioned in your last post.  I wanted to change basically one thing... 
or at least as little as possible so as to be able judge the result 
better... focused.  As it turned out I probably made one un-untended 
change... which had to do with knowing how much the panel was dried 
before ribbing.  With hindsight I suppose I should have been able to see 
that the thing relied on much more compression then I allowed for.  
Since the bass area was really the only part affected by the lack of 
this compression support... I am able to compensate and end up with a 
usable result.  More then usable really.

But if I was to advise you .... I'd say go ahead and build an RC & S 
board.... but make sure the design is reviewed and checked by those what 
have good experience doing it.... unless you are off on a learning trail 
like I was and can afford to take the potential consequences of 
your...er.. lessons :)

As for Laminate boards.  After this one sortie of mine... I'm convinced 
the introduction of some crown to the laminate process has a lot of 
potential.  I have a Chickering Quarter grand sitting waiting for me to 
start... :):)...

Cheers
RicB




    Yeah eventually there might not be enough wood for anything but
    laminated
    panels, but I have the same concern about laminated panels as I do
    about
    laminated ribs related to the horizontal shearing stress as these
    members
    are under compression.

    Now before anyone gets their nickers all tied up, I only know what
    Hoadley's
    told me. I think these structural members can be made well without
    incident
    and I'm glad there are more and more people doing it. I just want to
    experiment a little more and wait to see how these guys fare before I
    convince my customers to follow suit.

    Jude Reveley, RPT
    Absolute Piano Restoration, LLC
    Lowell, Massachusetts
    (978) 323-4545