I have a side-project going in which I am a consultant to a maker of music boxes. I have considerable experience in acoustics, and some in materials, but would appreciate any help which might be given here (and I know that this forum, despite its wonderful tangents, really isn't meant for such questions; I'd appreciate any off-list messages or pointers to more appropriate forums).
One of the questions a particular manufacturer has is about appropriate materials for sounding boards in their boxes (the bottom of music boxes usually acts as a sounding board). Though various woods give good results (high enough Q to resonate, but not so high that no sound can be audible; good looks; long lifetimes; ease of machining), a question has been raised as to certain plastics. Now, I know that plastics, almost by definition, are not going to be entirely suitable for such a use (they're _plastic_, can become brittle with age, light exposure, and ozone, warp under pressure, etc.). However, CFRPs seem almost ideal from my viewpoint (except for, perhaps, looks and sunlight resistance) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_fiber_reinforced_plastic has a few details, as does this article: http://chambermusictoday.blogspot.com/2009/01/bow-kinematics-carbon-fiber-vs.html .
Does anyone here have experience with materials who could upload their brain to mine?
Best wishes,
Curtis O.
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